The MoonSwatch Is Fun But Don't Pay Over Retail For It
The world will be better a better place with more people wearing Speedmasters.
Given my history of timepieces, I should despise a plastic, quartz-powered watch. Watch enthusiasts get a bad rap for being purists and elitists. But being a realist can be difficult when you’re into tiny mechanical machines. If owning a mechanical chronograph is peak authenticity for a watch enthusiast then an Apple Watch has to be the antithesis. So where does a plastic Speedmaster fall on the continuum?
Enter the Omega x Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch
The Swatch Group released the MoonSwatch on March 22, 2022, to massive fanfare. The multi-national conglomerate owns Omega and Swatch, and decide to do a brand collaboration with 11 different watches representing the solar system. For weeks, every watch pundit on the internet was talking about the MoonSwatch. And rightly so because it was a massive release that came from nowhere. I initially thought the watches were cool but I wasn’t going to play the game in order to get one.
The kicker with this release is that you can only buy a watch at a brick-and-mortar Swatch store. I believe there are seven Swatch stores in the United States. Since I don’t live near a Swatch store, I would have to buy one on the grey market or travel to a store with the hope of actually acquiring one. More than a year after the release, people are still flipping them online above their MSRP of $270. I wrote the MoonSwatch off as a someday item. Besides, I had a real Speedmaster so I wasn’t worried.
Goodbye Omega Speedmaster
I sold my Omega Speedmaster Professional (ref. 3570.50) a few months ago to pay for outstanding medical bills. I debated selling my Speedy because it has always been my favorite watch. I purchased it for a relatively low price and was able to sell it for a profit. The only reason I sold it was to benefit my family so it was justified; I have no regrets.
But now I was left without my favorite watch, with the prospect of getting another one a few years in the future. Thankfully, the MoonSwatch exists, but how was I going to get one?
Lucky In Japan
The single best thing about being a watch enthusiast is that you become friends with other watch enthusiasts. This means we look out for each other and what we’re hunting. My good friend Adam is one of these people. He and I are continually talking about watches, cars, cameras, and stereo equipment. We understand each other on a fundamental level.
He came to visit me one afternoon in Athens and mentioned that he was going on a trip to Tokyo, Japan. Naturally, I asked him to pick me up a MoonSwatch if he had time. He obliged and I figured he might find one since MoonSwatches can be hard to find in retail stores.
After he arrived in Japan and got settled, he informed me that he was able to purchase a Mission to Pluto MoonSwatch for me at the Ginza Swatch store in Tokyo. I was elated because the Pluto color scheme is one of my favorites.
Impressions of the MoonSwatch
First and foremost, the MoonSwatch is not a replacement for the real Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. They may resemble each other but that’s where the similarities end. The MoonSwatch has all of the same dimensions as a Speedmaster. The case is 42mm wide, 13.5mm thick with a 20mm lug width. I adore how the Speedmaster case wears so a lighter version isn’t a bad thing.
What I like about the MoonSwatch
These watches are fun to wear and look at. The Mission to Pluto’s red bezel and subdials, on top of the off-white dial looks amazing. I like that my watch isn’t trying to look like a Speedy like the Mission to the Moon model does. The four-jewel quartz ETA movement is extremely accurate. My watch is running seven seconds slow after two months of use. The chronograph complication is useful with continuous timing for up to 10 hours. That’s two hours shy of the Speedy’s 12 but I’m not complaining. The coolest feature of the chronograph is the sweeping of the big seconds hand when it’s reset.
The MoonSwatch is comfortable, which is one of the top aspects I like about a good watch. I won’t wear nice-looking watches that are uncomfortable. I can wear my MoonSwatch all day without it bothering me. Thanks to the Bioceramic (plastic) case, the watch weighs a fraction of what a stainless steel case weighs.
What I don’t like about the MoonSwatch
The velcro strap was the first thing to go when I acquired my watch. It looks cool but isn’t comfortable or high quality. Naturally, I swapped it out for a grey NATO strap. The crystal is not Hesalite like on the Speedy. It’s made of a cheaper plastic that scratches easily. Luckily, a dab of Polywatch is still effective at polishing scratches off of the crystal.
The quality control could be better. My big seconds hand is a millimeter off to the right of the center, and the bezel is a millimeter off to the left of the center. If the bezel and the seconds hand could meet in the middle then all would be well in the world. But what did I expect for a $270 plastic watch?
If you thought 5 meters of water resistance was laughable on the real Speedmaster then you won’t be impressed by the 3 meters of resistance offered by the MoonSwatch. It’s as if Omega read all of the complaints about the Speedy’s measly 5 meters of resistance online and decided to give us all something else to bitch about. Or maybe Omega wants to instill a sense of gratitude for the extra 2 meters Speedy owners get over their Bioceramic brethren.
I would advise against purchasing a new MoonSwatch on eBay for a premium. Hold out and try to get one from a Swatch store at the $270 retail price. The MoonSwatch should really be sold at $100 but that’s never going to happen, so try to spend as little as possible. Don’t be a sucker and pay $400 for one of these, they’re not worth it.
Should You Buy a MoonSwatch?
Absolutely, yes! I haven’t had this much fun with a watch in years. The colors are refreshing and unique. My wife even told me she likes my MoonSwatch! She’s never liked any of my watches until this one. What makes this watch such a hit is its accessibility to everyone!
The MoonSwatch was never going to make the elitists and pursuits happy. But who cares about them anyway? Let them battle each other on Reddit ad infinitum. The MoonSwatch introduces the iconic Speedmaster design at a price anyone can afford. If this watch gets people to ditch their smart watches in favor of dumb watches then so be it! The world will be better a better place with more people wearing Speedmasters (even if they’re made of plastic).
Thank you for your attention.