Coffee Corner Watch Talk: A Warning About Fake Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatches

I hope you enjoyed a real good weekend and that you’re ready to start the week with a real good coffee. With the emphasis on “real”, because in the first part of this weekly kick-off article, we warn you that fake Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatches have been spotted. Also, if you’re into cycling, Tudor, or both, you might want to know more about the new Tudor Pro Cycling Team. I also have a book tip for you, and that’s a re-printed edition of Watches: A Complete History of the Technical and Decorative Development of the Watch by horological experts Cecil Clutton and George Daniels — a must-have for horology enthusiasts.

It was only a matter of time, of course, but the first fake Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatches are here. I’m not talking about Moonwatches — the ones where the “S” is missing in the name, and you manually have to wind the movement inside the steel case, no. Rather, I’m talking about replicas of the eleven different Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatches. I know the Moonswatch has seriously stirred things up. Swatch and Omega made a most polarizing move. Every time I write or say something about the Bioceramic Speedmaster watch, the comments and messages are very black and white. For example: “To me, these MoonSwatches are officially launched fakes of the original Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch and are made only to show off.” And it’s this remark that I want to write a bit more about so you can talk about it during your coffee break.

Fake Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatches are here!

I must confess, I did like showing off my Mission to Mars during Watches And Wonders, but let me concentrate on the “fake” part of the comment. If a MoonSwatch is a fake Moonwatch, then a Tudor Submariner is a fake Rolex Submariner. Since the Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch is an official collaboration, the “Bio Speedy” simply can’t be a fake, same as a Tudor “Sub” with a Rolex crown can never be a fake Rolex. But since I’m on the topic of fakes, I must tell you that the replica MoonSwatch now lurks among us. The people who want to get their hands on the MoonSwatch (still) outnumber the watches that Swatch has available in its official brand boutiques. So people are willing to buy at a premium from scalpers, throwing caution to the wind to satisfy their hunger for a watch that should eventually be available anyway.

Bad colors and missing details

Some scammer might try to sell you a fake Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatches for €150 a pop. But that fake will be made of regular plastic, and the colors of the case won’t match. Also, several details that the real one has are missing, such as the laser-etched “S” and the correct use of “tachymètre” (the fake watch says “tachymetre” instead). Some flaws are hard to spot on your screen, but not impossible. But on the other hand, if you just use common sense, you won’t fall for it. “All we need is just a little patience”, as Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose once squealed, is the answer to all of you longing for a MoonSwatch.

“See you in store soon”

And Axl Rose leads me to share the following Swatch statement from the brand’s website. It reads: “Due to overwhelming demand from Swatch fans all over the globe, there is currently not enough stock of the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection. We’re working around the clock behind the scenes to make the 11 unique watches and are replenishing our selected Swatch stores regularly with this special collaborative collection between Swatch and OMEGA. While these are definitely special, they aren’t part of a limited edition, so you should indeed be able to get your hands on one. See you in store soon.” How soon? It doesn’t say, unfortunately.

And that makes me want to ask you two questions. First, what do you think, is a fake MoonSwatch a fake version of a fake version of a real watch? And second, if Swatch doesn’t get the MoonSwatch readily available in, let’s say, another month, will you still want one?

Tudor shifts into gear

Any watch brand sponsoring cycling or a cycling team has my attention. Yes, I’m biased because I’m an avid cyclist myself, but anyway… Tudor is partnering with Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara — winner of multiple Olympic and World Championships, plus seven wins in Monument Classic races like Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders — to start a very ambitious cycling team. The Tudor Pro Cycling Team will compete on a Swiss license at the UCI Continental Level with a young group of riders. The team will be guided by Cancellara, who has a human-centric approach to cycling. It’s quite the refreshing approach in a sport that is known to be brutally demanding on both the body and mind.

The first race of the Tudor Pro Cycling Team

The black jerseys of the team show the red Tudor shield on the front and back. The watch partner is Swiss and the racing equipment that the Tudor Pro Cycling Team uses is mostly Swiss too. The team rides BMC bikes, for instance, outfitted with DT Swiss wheels. The first race that the Tudor Pro Cycling Team will participate in will be the Paris-Roubaix U23 race on May 15th. After that grueling cobbled classic race, the team will continue to compete in the UCI Continental class for the remainder of the 2022 season. Ultimately, the team wants to rise to the absolute top of pro cycling, meaning it strives to become a UCI World Tour team. And that makes me think of something… Once the Tudor Pro Cycling Team reaches the highest level, will it then become the Rolex Pro Cycling Team? Sorry, that was cheeky.

Go read a book — Watches: A Complete History of the Technical and Decorative Development of the Watch

There are a lot of books about horology that are worth your while — brands, complications, models, adventures, you name it — but no watch library, no matter how big or small, can do without a standard work. And that’s why it’s good news that Philip Wilson Publishers has reprinted Watches: A Complete History of the Technical and Decorative Development of the Watch (9781781301135) by horological experts Cecil Clutton and George Daniels. Now watch enthusiasts, collectors, and horological students can once again make use of the reference illustrations and history in this work.

Since its first publication in 1965, Watches became an essential work of reference and history. The reprinted 320-page book features over 600 illustrations and will set you back £95. It’s worth every penny. There will be a test on the first three chapters next week, just so you know.

For now, have a great watch week, and don’t forget to check Fratello regularly. Also, feel free to follow me at Lex Stolk • Instagram