Swatch Mission To The Moon

In March 2022, Swatch scored a real coup in the watch world with the launch of the MoonSwatch collection, a line of affordable tribute pieces to the legendary Omega Speedmaster Professional. The MoonSwatch has the same shape and dimensions as its cult inspiration and shares other details, too, like the design of the dial and hands and the "dot over 90" (DON) tachymeter bezel so important to Speedmaster fans.

Unlike the Speedmaster Professional, the MoonSwatch is powered by a precision quartz movement. Swatch also uses a proprietary blend of ceramic and rapseed oil-based plastic called "Bioceramic" to make the case. The material has enabled the watch giant to offer the MoonSwatch in a variety of colors, from gray and blue and green to yellow, pink, and red. The color scheme of each model represents that of the corresponding celestial body in our solar system.

For fans of Omega's original Moonwatch, the MoonSwatch ref. SO33M100 "Mission to the Moon" is likely to be the most interesting model in the collection. With its light gray case, black gradient dial, and white baton hands, the Mission to the Moon comes closest to the iconic Omega timepiece in terms of its look.

The case of the ref. SO33M100 Mission to the Moon is exactly the same size as the Omega Speedmaster Professional, measuring 42 mm in diameter and 13.58 mm in height, and shares the Speedmaster's characteristic asymmetrical shape and curved lugs.

Swatch manufactures the SO33M100 in light gray bioceramic, which is two-thirds ceramic and one-third rapeseed oil-based plastic. Unlike the Omega Moonwatch, the MoonSwatch has a monobloc case, which means that the case is made in a single casting and can only be opened from the dial side. There's a small cover on the back, which can be used to change the battery; with the quartz caliber ETA G10.212 inside, this is necessary about every 38 months. The movement is able to stop time up to tenths of a second and is therefore much more accurate than the movement of the original Moonwatch.

The domed crystal is made of Hesalite, the same material used in the Omega watches that went to the moon with the Apollo astronauts. The only difference between the original and the Swatch version is the small "S" milled into the center of the crystal.

Around the crystal is the tachymeter bezel, another feature borrowed from the Omega classic. The black bezel is a "Base 500 Dot over 90" variant; the word "Tachymètre" is followed by a 500 (the base value) and a dot over the 90 – just like on Buzz Aldrin's Speedmaster 105.012.

A black Velcro strap similar to that used by NASA astronauts ensures a secure fit on the wrist.

The Dial of the MoonSwatch SO33M100

The dial of the Mission to the Moon is a black step dial, whereby the outer part with the minute track is slightly recessed compared to the inner part of the dial. The three subdials, which are located at 2, 6, and 10 o'clock, are also slightly recessed. The hour markers are printed and luminescent.

The minute and hour hands are slender and baton-shaped, while the seconds hand is lance-shaped with a long diamond tip.

The Omega x Swatch logo appears below the 12 o'clock position on the dial, while "Speedmaster" is inscribed below the subdial at 10 o'clock and "MoonSwatch" below the subdial at 2.

Swatch is currently offering the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon exclusively in selected Swatch boutiques at an MSRP of 260 USD (as of March 2024). However, the supply situation is still tight almost a year after the watch's launch, which results in longer waiting times.

If you don't want to wait, you can buy ref. SO33M100 on the secondary market. However, you should be prepared to pay a significant premium. On Chrono24, for example, you can purchase the Mission to the Moon for roughly 390 USD (as of spring 2024).