Ok, we’re calling it. The best collaboration of the year has dropped and it’s only March. The quite-rightly hyped Omega x Swatch collaboration sees two instantly recognisable watch manufacturers – both renowned in their own department – link up for an unprecedented collaboration. While high-low collaborations (think Uniqlo x J.W. Anderson, Giambattista Valli x H&M, and Missoni x Target) are not a new concept, it’s a first for the watch world which tends towards exclusivity over democracy.
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Drawing inspiration from the interplanetary realm, Omega x Swatch is a clean lineup of timepieces that take on the design cues of the Omega Speedmaster, colloquially nicknamed the ‘Moonwatch’ after becoming the first watch worn in space, after being worn by Buzz Aldrin in 1969. Termed the MoonSwatch, each watch takes on the aesthetic of the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, but with a Swatch twist. In true fashion from the company that revived the Swiss watch industry during the quartz crisis, each MoonSwatch is kept ticking with a quartz movement.
The Omega x Swatch collaboration has set the internet abuzz for the unprecedented opporunity to cop a Speedmaster for the (very affordable) entry price of $380AUD. While the classic Omega Speedmaster largely takes shape in stainless steel, the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch watches are made from BioCeramic, a material that is two-thirds ceramic and one-third material derived from castor oil.
Adhering to the authentic Speedmaster in stylistic elements, a wide array of colourways shows this isn’t your standard Moonwatch. The MoonSwatch is available in 11 colourways, each corresponding to a planet or planetary object. Mission to Mercury is a deep grey, Mission to Neptune is a deep blue, Mission to Venus is baby pink with oval subdials, Mission to Saturn is a classic beige, and Mission to the Moon follows the exact design and dimensions of the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. Oh, and for what it’s worth, Mission to Uranus is a lovely shade of pale blue.
Staying faithful to the Omega Moonwatch design, the MoonSwatch case is asymmetrical and 42mm in diameter, and retains the iconic tachymeter scale with a dot over ninety and three Speedmaster subdials. All hours, minutes, chronograph seconds hands and hour markers are treated to a coating of SuperLumiNova, allowing them to be visible in the dark.
The MoonSwatch features both the Omega and Swatch branding at 12 o’clock, as well as the Speedmaster logo sitting alongside the new MoonSwatch one. Each watch has its own mission statement while the caseback is adorned with a graphic of its planet. While the Moonwatch comes on a stainless steel bracelet, in true Swatch style, the MoonSwatch is presented on a velcro strap. For those looking for a Speedmaster without the $10000 pricetag, the Mission to the Moon variation is sure to be a hit, basically being a 1:1 copy of the real deal, albeit rendered in BioCeramic.
“OMEGA’s long and distinguished history may have been cut short if it wasn’t for the vision and the courage taken by Swatch,” Raynald Aeschlimann, CEO and president of Omega, said of the collaboration. “The MoonSwatch collection salutes the saviours of our industry in a witty and accessible way. The Swatches are perfect for budding Moonwatch fans and I can’t think of a more appropriate icon for our shared project. We went to the moon, now we’re exploring the whole Milky Way. They’re great watches, in fantastic colours and they make me smile.”
The Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch collection is available in selected physical Swatch stores around the world from the 26th March 2022 onwards.
Words by T. Angel
