Hands-On Omega X Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission to Mars Review
The hype may have died down since the release of the Omega X Swatch MoonSwatch but a few facts still remain: (1) the MoonSwatch is still not available online (and from the sound of Swatch’s CEO, may never be available online), (2) many of the MoonSwatch models are still selling at a hefty premium on the secondary market, and (3) all MoonSwatch models sell out at Swatch stores within hours of restocking and are thus incredibly hard to obtain at retail.
With all that being said, I did manage to get my hands on a MoonSwatch. I am now the lucky owner of an Omega X Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to Mars (the one with the white and red color scheme). The Mission to Mars is one of my favorite MoonSwatches. Only the Mission to the Moon and the Mission to Neptune (which sells at an insane 5x premium) would be above it on my list.
Being a New Yorker, and having access to 3 Swatch stores in close proximity to my office and apartment, you might expect me to have gotten lucky and been able to walk out of the store with a shiny new MoonSwatch on my wrist. Well I tried. I REALLLLY tried. I would sneak out of my office early and make my way first to the Grand Central store, followed shortly thereafter by the Times Square store and then finally the Fifth Avenue store asking the same rehearsed question each time: “do you have any MoonSwatches in stock?” I must have made this trek at least 7 times and I always got the same answer: not right now.
I tried prodding the sales associate for more information about when restocking normally happened but was told it was all random. My attempts to buddy up to the sales associates over a shared love of horology was likewise unsuccessful as most of the Swatch salespeople were not, in fact, “watch people”.
My final attempt was perhaps the biggest gut punch as I was told “we just sold our last MoonSwatch” as I entered. So close. Why even tell me I missed out by mere minutes? So I finally gave in. I really wanted to review a MoonSwatch and I realized the only way I could do so was by paying a premium for it. Now paying a premium for a MoonSwatch was something I promised myself I wouldn’t do. Well I broke that promise and paid a little over a $100 premium for a brand new MoonSwatch Mission to Mars. It’s not the way I wanted it to happen, but that’s life.
The first thing I noticed when I opened my MoonSwatch’s box is how faithful the watch is to the original Omega Speedmaster. Sure, the subdial locations are rearranged to accommodate Swatch’s ETA G10.212 calibre quartz chronograph movement, but the watch, regardless of the model, undeniably feels like a Speedmaster. I mean the 42mm case shape is so close to the original Speedmaster that aftermarket rubber straps made for the Omega Speedmaster fit the MoonSwatch perfectly.
The Mission to Mars has a playful red bioceramic case with white dial, white bezel and red chronograph hands. The two red chronograph subdial hands are triangles, and shaped differently from the subdial hands on all other MoonSwatch models. The hands, and the Mission to Mars in its entirety, was clearly meant to pay homage to the Omega Speedmaster Alaska Project. The Alaska Project has a lot of reds and white (including a huge red outer case that can be removed) and similar triangular shaped subdial hands (though they are black on the Alaska Project). It is small details like these that really make an enthusiast appreciate the MoonSwatch.
One thing I will note: the MoonSwatch is VERY light. Those expecting a substantial feeling watch will not get it with the MoonSwatch. The crystal is Hesalite and not sapphire so is prone to scratching. Additionally, the case is made of a light Bioceramic (as Swatch calls it) material and not steel. Swatch describes Bioceramic as “a game-changing blend of ceramic and bio-sourced plastic” made from castor-plant oil but it really just feels like plastic to me. I’m all for it if it’s better for the environment than other case materials (especially on less expensive watches) but it doesn’t feel ceramic at all.
The white NATO-esque velcro strap is reminiscent of the straps worn by Astronauts and is adorned with the NASA, Omega and Swatch logos. It’s a fun little strap but the very plasticy keeper almost ruins the strap for me. As I already mentioned, however, since the case shape is faithful to the Omega Speedmaster, aftermarket rubber straps made for the Speedmaster fit the MoonSwatch. This gives you plenty of options if you want to outfit your watch with something different. While many aftermarket Speedmaster rubber straps will run you over $200 USD, I did not feel the need to spend almost as much as the retail cost of the MoonSwatch on a strap. Luckily, Perpetual Straps offers a more affordable option. At under $40 USD, the Perpetual Straps rubber straps fit the Speedmaster perfectly and are high in quality. I went for the white rubber and red rubber straps to match the watch (as well as the blue rubber strap to get festive for the Fourth of July). You can check out Perpetual Straps at this link.
If you are looking for a watch that feels expensive, I don’t think the MoonSwatch is for you. If you are looking for something fun and reminiscent of a Speedmaster, it’s a great watch to have. I have never had that burning desire to own a Speedmaster, but the MoonSwatch has allowed me to have the experience without breaking the bank. I might just make a couple more trips to the NYC Swatch stores to try to pick up the Mission to the Moon or Mission to Neptune that I’m stilling pining after.
How Much Does the Omega X Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Cost?
The Omega X Swatch MoonSwatch retails for $260 USD and is only available in select Swatch boutiques. You can learn more about the MoonSwatch at Swatch’s website.
