Omega and Swatch's MoonSwatch collection has received a level of notoriety never before seen in the world of collaborative watches.
The two Swiss watch giants, family under the Swatch group, caused quite the commotion when they came together to deliver the original selection of Bioceramic MoonSwatches last year.
Comprising 11 watches, each taking on bold color schemes representative of the moon, sun, and nine planets in our solar system, MoonSwatch timepieces each replicated the design of the original NASA-approved Omega Speedmaster worn during the Apollo 11 Moon Landing in 1969.
Due to the watch's attainable-meets-iconic status, the Swatch x Omega collaborative line sparked pandemonium, leading to round-the-block queues, explosive sales, and unexpectedly high activity on the secondary market.
Thanks to huge demand and subsequent resale dominance, which saw colorways selling for up to four times their modest $260 retail cost, Omega and Swatch made it their mission to ensure supply would meet demand over time, promising that the collection was not intended as a limited release.
With sales forecasts aiming for the sale of half a million units by the end of 2022, it's no surprise that Omega and Swatch are gearing up for the release of a second iteration, dubbed "Mission to Moonshine Gold."
Initially arriving March 7 in Zurich, Tokyo, Milan, and London for $260, the new Mission to Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch sold out immediately.
Despite the name leading many to believe that this new iteration would be a gold-toned build, it instead describes a version of the "Mission to the Moon" model with a second handcrafted out of "Moonshine Gold" – a fade-resistant, 18k yellow gold alloy, exclusive to OMEGA that uses a mix of silver, copper, palladium, and gold to give it a paler finish than traditional 18k yellow gold.
Although the "Mission to the Moon" MoonSwatch has proven to be one of the most popular versions of the collaborative timepiece, it's fair to say that this twelve version, given the mysterious nature of its announcement, it's pretty lackluster, with many fans online calling the design lazy.
While the release will undoubtedly see a repeat of last summer's chaos, thanks to resellers and the brands' decision to make this a physical-only drop at select stores, initial reactions online have been largely negative.
Due to a significant drop in quality from the original Speedmaster and the Moonswatch, including dye transfer issues reported by making buyers last year, it appears many have set their expectations low.
One user writes, "Once again, it’s gonna end up a mess," with another echoing, "Oh wow, another moon swatch we won’t be able to purchase online."
"Please tell me you’re not hyping an even more limited version of a 'not limited edition watch' that nobody can purchase already," reads a longer complaint. "When did Swach [sic] turn into an exclusive brand? I thought the point of your company was accessibility."
Clearly, customers' biggest concern is the exclusivity of a collaboration clearly meant to be approachable by all.
Unfortunately, the large majority of comments on Swatch's Instagram page read the same, as fans have still struggled to get their hands on their MoonSwatches nearly a year since the first drop.
Things basically went down the same for the Omega x Swatch Moonswatch "Mission to Moonshine Gold."
But, unlike the 2022 drop, there's gonna be one more restock of the Mission to Moonshine Gold, potentially offering fans a final precious chance to get their hands on the collaborative timepiece.
Swatch has revealed all the stores participating in the June 3 drop on its site. For fans desperate to get a Moonswatch at retail, this is their best bet.
This article was published on March 6, 2023, and updated on June 2
