Once In a Blue Moon... the OMEGA x Swatch Neptune MoonSwatch Rises
It's rare enough that OMEGA and Swatch restock the prized MoonSwatch collection but, once in a blue moon... literally. Just in time for the uncommon lunar event, a Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch is once again releasing internationally and, this time, it's arriving in a beautiful blue.
OMEGA and Swatch's latest MoonSwatch is a double-dip of sorts, reviving the blue Mission to Neptune watch in a new Moonshine Gold-accented edition (note the gilded hands), coinciding with a rare moon moment.
First seen in March 2023 as part of the second wave of MoonSwatch drops, OMEGA and Swatch's original Mission to Moonshine Gold watch was released as the first of several alternative iterations of the "Moon"-themed MoonSwatch, itself part of the first planet-themed MoonSwatch collection.
Unfortunately no restock of the original MoonSwatch lineup yet — wouldn't that be nice? — but, hey, who could be mad at another sought-after OMEGA x Swatch watch collab?
Well, actually... more on that later.
For now, you can currently find a complete list of international Swatch stores selling the new Mission to Neptune Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch on Swatch's website prior to the $295 watch's release date of August 30.
The new MoonSwatch drop appropriately coincides with a Blue Moon lunar event, where, yes, the moon will actually be blue.
Seems like an appropriate time to release one of the hardest to come-by watches in the galaxy.
Note that there was a restock of the first Mission to Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch earlier this year so it's likely that OMEGA and Swatch, seeing heightened demand for the affordably-priced MoonSwatch watch collection, elected to iterate on the Mission to Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch in higher quantities. Well, somewhat higher quantities.
Remember, these decisions have to be made months, if not years, in advance due to lead times and production cycles.
Otherwise, we'd likely have seen a greater rollout of the original MoonSwatch lineup, because who could've predicted that it'd be the international sales smash that it ended up?
Speaking of that hype, the relative scarcity of MoonSwatches has fans in a tizzy, perpetually prompting sour comments on Swatch's Instagram page as would-be customers complain about their inability to procure MoonSwatch drops at retail, even before the watches actually release.
That's a tough sell for budget-minded watch collectors, as some of the MoonSwatches are flipping for upwards of double their retail prices on secondhand sites. The original Mission to Neptune MoonSwatch, in particular, is highly prized.
Considering that a typical OMEGA watch goes for thousands, though, even that seems like a relative bargain by comparison. Hopefully the Mission to Neptune Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch proves less uncommon than the Blue Moon itself.
