Almost two years to the day since it thrust the watch world into chaos and (presumably) left any number of Swatch store assistants traumatised, the MoonSwatch craze is far from over. The groundbreaking collaboration between traditional maison OMEGA and budget-conscious icon Swatch continues to draw eyes from across the globe and this week, interest hit new highs. Eleven collector’s suitcases, each containing a complete set of specialised MoonSwatch timepieces went under the hammer at Sotheby’s, raising a combined 534,670CHF (roughly AUD$920,000).
The auction, which was held between February 12 to 24, marked the first time the MoonSwatch suitcase had been made available and the first time the elevated “Mission to Moonshine Gold” versions had been offered as a complete set. The elevated range sees each watch cop a seconds hand coated in OMEGA’s famed 18K Moonshine Gold, a distinctive alloy created in-house by the iconic watchmaker.
According to OMEGA, Moonshine Gold is said to offer a subtle and long-lasting yellow-gold finish; just the kind of luxurious addition fans have come to appreciate, and it undoubtedly contributed to a stellar auction result.
As we previously noted upon release, every Moonshine Gold hand comes complete with its own special detail. While many, such as July’s Strawberry Moon pattern and May’s Flower Moon pattern are symbolic in nature, others like the lollipop design, which is a reference to the Speedmaster CK2998 watch from 1961, have a more historical edge.
Even the suitcases themselves were unique, with each containing a golden monocle with the OMEGA x Swatch logo, and a ‘one-of-a-kind’ coin, engraved with the three-letter aviation code from their displayed city. The same code was also engraved on the side of all watches within the suitcase for that particular city.
As per OMEGA, 100 per cent of the proceeds from the auction will be given to long-term partner, Orbis International, which works to fight avoidable blindness and vision loss around the world. Over many years, the organisation’s Flying Eye Hospital has provided eye care for millions of patients, while also training the next generation of medical professionals. As OMEGA president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann explained, the MoonSwatch auction was just one way the brand was looking to give back.
“This unique auction really captured the imagination of MoonSwatch fans around the world,” Aeschlimann said. “We’re so thrilled that the proceeds can now go to Orbis. We believe whole-heartedly in their eye care mission, and we’re so pleased to have raised money as well as awareness for their work.”
For more information on Orbis International or the auction results, visit the official listing on Sotheby’s website.
