Fratello Talks: The Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch Mission To Moonshine Gold

Nacho, Lex, and RJ discuss the latest buzz

March 09, 2023

comments 19

The anger surrounding the new Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to Moonshine Gold was very visible in the comments section on our website. It was less noticeable during the Swatch pop-up sales event in Zürich on March 7th. We did a report here, but we also want to discuss the watch itself a bit more in-depth. How does the story sit with us, and do we like the watch as such? Listen to our Fratello Talks podcast for this week to find out.

Wrist check

But as always, we start with a wrist check! RJ is wearing his newly acquired Breguet Tradition 7027BA, as he mentioned here as well, while Nacho sports the Seiko Marinemaster 300 SBDX001 on a tropic strap. Lex is the most on point with his watch, the MoonSwatch Mission to Earth. He bought it at the airport in Zürich, where there’s a Swatch boutique that carries the MoonSwatch as well. When he bought it, he didn’t even have to wait in line; he just went in, asked for a watch, and bought it.

The Mission to Moonshine Gold — different opinions

By now, you all know about this watch, and based on the comments, you would think that nobody loves it. But the queue in Zürich told us differently. You can also ask: do people actually hate the watch? Or do they hate the fact that they can’t get it or “just” the change of the seconds hand? We discuss what we like and don’t like about this MoonSwatch and the accompanying story.

Let us know what you think about the backstory of this watch and the full-moon production of the seconds hand.

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Fratello Talks: The Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch Mission To Moonshine Gold

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Magnus Billström says:

Mar 09, 2023 at 07:20

I’ve always regarded Swatch as a humorous aspect of the watch market. Something that catches the eye, and boldly goes where no one gone before. I can’t see the humour in this. Only prestige and pretences.

Reply
Warky says:

Mar 09, 2023 at 08:36

I don’t think there is much to hate about the watch itself in isolation.

What seems to have gotten folks riled is their perception of how Swatch is treating its fans and customers.

I think the watch itself is fine, but along with the one it is based on I see it as the most boring of the Moonswatch range – which is all about colour and fun to me. In the gray it just looks like a fake.

The marketing and supply however is very interesting. I am fascinated by where this is going. At this stage it looks to me like they were too scared to do something more extreme for fear of killing the golden goose. Their financials last year didn’t look great when you stripped out Moonswatch sales – and that didn’t account for the other products bought by people who came into a boutique for a Moonswatch but left with something else.

These don’t appear to be commanding very much of a premium on the secondary market so far which tends to suggest the bubble has burst – or that people generally want the colourful ones more which are now quite easy to get?‍♂️

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1. Robert-Jan says:
  
  Mar 09, 2023 at 09:29
  
  I believe that MoonSwatch has done tremendous things for Swatch, but now is the time they need to keep it up and bring exciting things, also aside the MoonSwatch. Swatch can cater towards all age groups, with different products (or designs). Yet it is there where I don’t see the creativity from the 1980s and 1990s. Things surely changed, and nobody needs a watch, but make cool things for the young ones (Roblox, Toca Boca, etc there are enough hot items to collab with), Swatches that play into the sentiments of the +40 year olds (just grab the 1990s catalog and fire away), and do some cool fashion collabs for GenZ. Rant over.
  
  As for the premium on the Moonshine hand one, I see prices varying from 600 to 2000. That’s way over retail, I’d say there’s demand. The market prices on the 2022 models are very close to original retail, with the exception of the Neptune I guess. Again, I think this thing was a genius marketing move, but now it’s about the next steps! We’re closely following, of course. From a media perspective, but also definitely as a Swatch fan since decades.
  
  Reply
  1. Warky says:
    
    Mar 09, 2023 at 09:55
    
    It’s looking like these are actually changing hands for about £700 now so as a %markup that’s still high. Is it worth queuing overnight for that in the cold? I guess that depends on what your normal income level is I suppose ?‍♂️
    
    I never “got” Swatch – which in itself is interesting since you and I are the same age and seem to have in many other respects grown up exposed to the same influence and been into many of the same things. I like my Mission to Mars that I was gifted but can’t see me buying another one of their pieces. I guess I’m just a snob, but the quality I expect in a watch isn’t there.
    
    So far the collaboration had been a bit one sided though – it would be quite cool to see some of the amazing designs from Swatch’s past executed by Omega as “proper” watches. That would gain my interest and possibly a purchase (if Omega didn’t price them silly ? )
    
    Reply
  2. RW
    Richard says:
    
    Mar 10, 2023 at 20:26
    
    RJ – what I loved about the initial promise of the Moonswatch is that it had the potential to give everyone access to a little piece of an iconic watch. It had the potential to cut through exclusivity and wait lists and lines and let everyone enjoy. That’s not how it panned out because Omega/Swatch decided to make the watch incredibly exclusive. From a collector’s perspective, I think Omega should have done the opposite. From the perspective of marketing and business, however, Omega and Swatch have no doubt won the game.
    
    Here’s hoping to seeing Omega/Swatch releasing an ultraman version, and to all of us getting a chance to own it!
    
    Reply
KM
The_Murph says:

Mar 09, 2023 at 09:59

Lol…if you are not raving about it like RJ then you are seen as hating it ??‍♀️

Reply
1. dr
  JakobR says:
  
  Mar 09, 2023 at 21:31
  
  Anger, the editorial term for truth to power
  
  Reply
says:

Mar 09, 2023 at 11:23

The only reason I take some of my time to write this note is that I loved Speedmaster and what it represented in the conquest of space, it was an actual tool for astronauts. A real thing.
The exploitation of different variants is good for the customer base enlargement and Speedmaster is no longer a model but a brand with models: however the Moonswatch is an insult to all what Speedmaster represents, the latest version with a “goldish” second hand is a speculative marketing operation, that pissed off way more clients than those cueing outside 4 stores!
I regret to see the real moonshine gold Speedy pairing with a cheap plastic version. Time will tell who is right, for now Swatch group shareholders are happy. Good luck.

Reply
1. AS
  Collector_85 says:
  
  Mar 09, 2023 at 15:02
  
  Agree with this comment – nicely put 358
  
  Reply
Murdoch Niccals says:

Mar 09, 2023 at 13:06

The watch itself is fine it was a brilliant collaboration between two companies. However the logistics in obtaining one that’s what makes us angry. If you don’t live by a major Swatch store where they sell these you’re out of luck.
What also makes us angry is how swatch reversed their decision for online purchases.
Exclusivity is for Rolex
Not for a little plastic watch.

Reply
1. LC
  Chow says:
  
  Mar 09, 2023 at 17:55
  
  Just be patient. Eventually we will be able to buy them online. An Omega SPEEDMASTER for $260! Worth the wait!
  
  Reply
2. dr
  JakobR says:
  
  Mar 09, 2023 at 21:33
  
  Check out the “About Fratello” Its all about pride in the exclusivity of the Fratello x collaborations and there is nary a Rolex there. It’s in the website DNA.
  
  Reply
3. Swiss-HQ says:
  
  Mar 09, 2023 at 22:28
  
  The irony isn’t lost on my thay AliExpress was quickly and easily able to fill the supply gap that the largest watch conglomerate in the world couldn’t seem to fill.
  
  Reply
LC
Chow says:

Mar 09, 2023 at 17:11

I’m curious to hear what BRIAN WALLER has to say about this…

Reply
CJ
Cru Jones says:

Mar 09, 2023 at 23:46

I would wager good money that the vast majority of those standing in line are looking to flip it for money. Just like with Nike drops. People see the money in watches and think this is an easy way to make a couple/few hundred, which most can’t do with Rolex etc. due to cost.

Reply
BruceBanner says:

Mar 10, 2023 at 00:22

I hate everything about this. Just let me buy it online with hassle-free returns. Stupid Drop culture is annoying.

But seriously, it’s a first-world problem. There are a hundred watches I will happily buy before I jump through a hoop for one of these.

Reply
Vincent J Quinn says:

Mar 10, 2023 at 01:45

It’s a plastic quartz watch. Slap on a fancy second hand and you want $400 Canadian? I have a bridge you might be interested in.

Reply
Rolf_F. says:

Mar 10, 2023 at 13:15

I waited patiently around 9 month to get the Mars version during a visit in Duesseldorf. It’s kind of fun to wear it from time to time, but I am not over-excited about it.
In my opinion the Gold Hand is a lame variant with a weak story.
Swatch should be more creative, wild and colorful. How about a Snoopy, Tin Tin, or using Hubble Space pictures?

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Beetlejuice says:

Mar 11, 2023 at 10:14

How to transform, by merging them , a proper tool watch and a proper reliable cheap watch, which are both very respectables concept into a dodgy marketing unreliable thing : the moonswatch !!

Reply