Chaotic in-person releases have long been normalized in sneaker and streetwear culture. We all thought the global pandemic had freed us of this regular occurrence, but just a few weeks ago, fights broke out at Supreme stores in both New York and London for the brandās Burberry collaboration. From long lines to mobs of people rushing through the mall, the in-person release is known to come with some kind of obstacle, especially for extremely limited and hype products. Watchmakers Swatch and Omega got a taste of the madness this last week and have since become the unwavering subject of resale market popularity with their recent Moonswatch collaboration. The partnership and its corresponding release delivered eleven colorways of a Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch, each of which is colored after a different extraterrestrial body, from the Sun to Pluto and everything in between.
The Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch is The Swatch Groupās more accessible take on one of Omegaās most iconic timepieces ever: the Speedmaster Moonwatch. Originally worn in space for the first time by Wally Schirra in 1962, the Speedmaster would later go on to become the first watch worn on the moon during the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. Now, more than five decades later, a new Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch sells for more than $5,000 at its most affordable price point. The Speedmaster Moonwatch, with all of its ties to history and watch culture, is a highly sought after piece.
Traditional Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch
Swatch and Omegaās Bioceramic Moonswatch collaboration, however, delivers the essence of the Speedmaster Moonwatch in all of its galactic and historical glory with a playful, accessible twist. Going beyond the moon, the Moonswatch gives fans the opportunity to choose their own interplanetary adventure. Each unique colorway resembles a different mission and the watchesā color palettes differ based on that missionās selected destination. The Mission to Venus edition is pink and white, a gesture to its reputation as the planet of love, while the Mission to Neptune edition features all of its details in a deep blue color. Each watch based on a different planet, the moon, or the sun, has received specific design details, like the addition of Saturnās rings to the Mission to Saturn version, or the Mission to the Sunās solar-brushed golden style dial. Each of the watches released as a part of this collaboration retailed at a price of $260, making the Moonswatch an extremely affordable alternative to the Speedmaster Moonwatch. Even at resale, the Moonswatch is still significantly more accessible, selling on average for less than one fifth of the $5,000 price tag of the most affordable new Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch.
Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Mission to the Moon
The Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Mission to the Moon version is the most like the original Speedmaster Moonwatch. Like the watch it was based on, the Moonswatch Mission to the Moon delivers the same color palette as the Speedmaster Moonwatch, matching the hands and tachymeter scale. The tachymeter scaled bezel of the Moonswatch Mission to the Moon model features the iconic Moonwatch ādot over 90ā detail in the same colorway as the original Speedmaster and, like the versions worn by actual astronauts, comes with a velcro strap.
In recent years, weāve seen everyone from BAPE to Supreme release some kind of collaborative timepiece. What sets the Moonswatch apart from its contemporaries is more a mix of historical reference and accessibility than strictly collaborative prowess. Omega, of course, is an elite watch brand with a storied history and Swatch is no dwarf of the industry either, though most will be more familiar with Omega. Both companies are owned by the same parent company, The Swatch Group, and timepieces from Swatch are available at significantly lower price points than that of Omega. Their meeting in the middle, delivering a Swatch-priced timepiece with the historical reference and design motifs of one of Omegaās most sought after watches is what makes this collaboration so exciting. At first glance it seems odd that two watch brands who occupy totally different spaces in the market would come together. But this collaboration will likely serve as an entry point into the industry for new watch buyers and the direct ties to one of Omega’s most coveted models may create a larger customer base in the not-too-distant future.
In light of the chaos and attention that has followed this release, Swatch has made it clear that fans who havenāt gotten ahold of a Moonswatch yet arenāt totally out of luck. In a statement earlier this week, Swatch said that the Moonswatch is not a limited edition model and will be restocked in the near future. That means that prices on this timepiece will likely come down in the near future but if you canāt wait for the restock, every color of the Moonswatch is available on StockX below.
