Rare fashion items instead of mass-produced goods for fans: When the Swatch Group presented an affordable version of the legendary Omega Speedmaster, also known as the “Moonwatch”, at the end of March 2022, a lasting hype was born. No wonder: if it currently costs at least 7400 euros, the “Moonswatch” only costs 260 euros – that’s 96 percent less. A great deal of interest was therefore to be expected, but the watch came with a catch.
While it was said at the beginning that online sales were planned at some point, Swatch finally changed its strategy in the summer (“Moonswatch” did not end up in online retail). To this day, the plastic watch is only available in the company’s boutiques, and queues still form in front of the shops every day. But that only has something to do with the fact that everyone really wants to have such a watch: not every city has a Swatch shop that sells the watches. So the resale of the “Moonswatch” has become a thriving business. Real fans who want one or all versions of the actually cheap watch have to be patient or pay a sometimes hefty surcharge.
The new “Moonswatch” has a gold-plated second hand
With a new model, which Swatch probably released for its one-year anniversary, the situation is likely to get worse. The new “Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold” is even more exclusive than its predecessors, even if it is again “unlimited” according to the manufacturer. There are two reasons for this: The “Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold” is only available at four of the manufacturer’s locations. If you don’t shop in Zurich, London, Milan or Tokyo, you currently have no chance of getting hold of the watch. This time, Swatch has ruled out online sales from the start.
Another limiting factor relates to the manufacture of the watch. Because the “Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold” is very similar to the conventional “Mission to the Moon”, but has a gold-plated second hand. According to Swatch, the plating is “Omega Moonshine Gold,” which is marketing slang for a thin layer of recycled gold. As a joke, but also as a restriction on the availability of the watch, Swatch claims to only produce this hand when the moon is full. So the first batch came out at the beginning of February, and there’s only one replenishment a month. When is in .
Swatch itself says that it will probably not have “enough” to satisfy demand. Hence the limited choice of outlets. After all: For the coming sales days, the company does not rule out that you can also buy the “Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold” elsewhere. Swatch leaves open where.
Actually not more expensive – but even rarer
In terms of price, the new model hardly differs from the classic “Mission to the Moon”. The gold-plated pointer entails an additional charge of around 25 euros. Sale is limited to one copy per customer. So it should – again – not be easy to get hold of the watch.
This is causing concern on social media. Especially on the , where the new model was first presented, criticism for the availability of the watches rained down. Even after a year, interested parties complain that the watches cannot be bought online, although according to Swatch they are not limited models. Retailers are happy: In Zurich, the first supposed customers for the new model lined up in front of the store in the early hours of the morning. “” asked those waiting why. The answer: profit.
Also read:
Original or Fake: How to recognize a real Rolex – and where to buy it
Long waiting lists at Rolex: Why you can’t just buy a luxury watch
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
