You have to admire the level of restraint the teams at OMEGA and Swatch must have. Ever since the two watchmaking powerhouses joined forces for the much-loved MoonSwatch collection, fans have clambering to get their hands on one of the highly coveted, albeit remarkably affordable timepieces. A lesser brand would have succumbed to temptation, rolled out a few hundred more designs and made the most of the interest, but to quote Ego Drip, that just wouldn’t have been very ‘cash money’ of them. Admittedly, drips and drabs have flowed through since then, including the Mission to MoonShine Gold, but the upcoming release, entitled Mission to MoonShine Blue Moon, could well be the instalment fans have been waiting for.
OMEGA x Swatch Mission to MoonShine Blue Moon
Set to release on Wednesday August 30, the latest instalment in the MoonSwatch collection takes a lot of the lessons learned from the OMEGA x Swatch MoonSwatch ‘Mission To Moonshine Gold’ Revealed and revamps them in stunning detail. Fans will note that release was essentially an upscaled version of the existing MoonSwatch timepiece with a second hand made of OMEGA’s Moonshine Gold. This time around, and for the first time ever, this special feature will reportedly be added to the Mission to Neptune model.
The second hands for this timepiece were produced during the full moon on August 1, a fact that is stated on the certificate that comes with the watch. Those fortunate enough to cop one of the new MoonSwatches (like our own Ben McKimm) should consider themselves extremely lucky.
Interest in the MoonSwatch Collection
The limited-run nature of the collection has previously seen chaos at retail stores, with an incredible display of patronage observed in Melbourne for the initial release. Stocks are characteristically low, with allocations quickly sold off, due in part to the unique power of the collaboration but also due to the sheer value on offer.
As we noted at the time, the pricepoint of AUD$460 was enough to capture the interest of those outside of the watch world, while for horology fans, it marked an interesting coming fusion of heritage and style. The collection referenced the OMEGA Speedmaster ref. CK 2998, a watch that made history when astronaut Walter Schirra wore the watch during the ‘Sigma 7’ mission of the Mercury Programme in 1962.
While Schirra purchased the watch himself, just over two years later, it would become certified by NASA for all manned missions cementing its place in history. Since then, the watch has been revered for its astrological history. Now, the legacy continues with Blue Moon.
Mission to MoonShine Blue Moon Release Date
Naturally, the new Blue Moon watch arrives at a fitting time, with the August 30 release coinciding with the Blue Moon astronomical phenomenon. An additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year: the third of four full moons in a season, the Blue Moon is one of the most interesting naturally-occurring space occurrences, despite not actually appearing blue.
According to a NASA post from David R Williams, the term ‘blue moon’ is believed to have originated in 1883 after the eruption of Krakatoa.
“The volcano put so much dust in the atmosphere that the Moon actually looked blue in colour,” the director of the Ronald Greeley Center for Planetary Studies wrote. “This was so unusual that the term ‘once in a blue moon’ was coined.”
The new OMEGA x Swatch Mission to MoonShine Blue Moon is currently available at Swatch stores across Australia, however, no official allocation numbers have been outlined. Judging by the success of the previous collections, it could be gone before you know it.
Mission to MoonShine Blue Moon Specs
- Brand: OMEGA x Swatch
- Model: Mission to MoonShine Blue Mo
- Watch diameter: 42.00mm
- Thickness: 13.25mm
- Height: 47.34mm
- Movement: Quartz
- Water-resistant: 3 Bar
- Strap material: VELCRO
- Case material: Bioceramic
- Price: AUD$460
