Omega, Swatch introduce ‘MoonSwatch’ collab, homage to one of Swiss watchmaking’s timeless classics

On March 24, news broke out of a smashing collaboration between Swiss Luxury Watch brand Omega and Swiss watchmaker Swatch.Behold the “MoonSwatch,” an homage, produced by Swatch, of the iconic Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch that retails at around the $6,000 mark.The Moonwatch is popular for its history as the watch that was worn by Apollo 11 astronauts during history’s first moon landing.Suddenly, watch fandom and casual wearers all over the world now have the opportunity to own a similarly built timepiece—without the bells and whistles, but still pretty much similar in spirit—for only $260.While both brands are under The Swatch Group, Omega is more known for its aspirational pieces, Swatch is more popular for its almost irreverent yet fashionable take on watches. This collaboration has been popular as it has been divisive. Some people think it is a lack of respect for the original Moonwatch while some think making the Moonwatch (or MoonSwatch, in this case) accessible for the new generation of watchmakers is an absolute boss move.The MoonSwatch collection features 11 editions (or “Missions,” as Swatch would have it) in different colorways. These are Mission to the Sun, Mission to Mercury, Mission to Venus, Mission on Earth, Mission to the Moon, Mission to Mars, Mission to Jupiter, Mission to Saturn, Mission to Uranus, Mission to Neptune and Mission to Pluto.These watches are sized 42mm, with a thickness of 13.25mm and height of 47.34mm—thanks to that gorgeous domed crystal. They come with a Velcro strap, a quartz movement and a case made of bioceramic, instead of stainless steel or precious metal.“These playful tributes to the planets celebrate the collaboration between the plucky company that saved the Swiss Watchmaking industry and the iconic maker of the Speedmaster Moonwatch,“ stated Swatch on its website.These will be available in selected Swatch stores on March 26.