Was the MoonSwatch a Blessing and a Curse for Omega and Swatch?

It was absolute pandemonium at global Swatch stores over the weekend as the collaborative MoonSwatch with OMEGA was released. Fans of the Speedmaster Moonwatch along with resellers camped in record numbers where some even arrived almost two days in advance. Some Swatch locations reported fights and trampling with the opening of its stores — leading to delays and police intervention — but were eventually able to sell out in record time.

The Speedmaster has long held a spot in many watch enthusiasts’ rotation, not only for its approachable price, which gives rise to a tremendous amount of value, but also for its synonymous connection to the world of space exploration and NASA — the excitement is magnified when you factor in that we are at the beginning of the Artemis-era for the space agency. This unprecedented collaboration was enough for me to get out of my apartment on Saturday morning, especially as I believed there would be a good chance of leftovers. Looking back, my naivety was somewhat justified as I was going by the fact that it was not a limited release, Swatch’s production capacity, and the two-watch limit per shopper, but yes, there was a lot working against me. This was, at the end of the day, a Bioceramic quartz version of the iconic OMEGA Moonwatch for a price of $260 USD.

When I arrived at the scene, I was completely flabbergasted. It was something out of Supreme drop and I instantly recalled memories of my youth when I would line up for sneakers — except this was even more terrifying. I thought to myself, “not only are the watches that require years of saving waitlisted to oblivion, but they’ve also done it to Swatch!” Watch collaborations aren’t what worries me, heck, I find the Prada x IWC, BMW x Ball, Tadao Ando x Bvlgari, Hodinkee collabs, and even the Jacob & Co x Supreme watches all very interesting, but it’s more the prevalence of this high-low strategy. Is the price weighted towards the product or brand value, and will this become the next widely adopted device thrown around in marketing? Early examples arrive as the ingenious ongoing Balenciaga Crocs collaboration and adidas’ efforts in working with fashion houses (non-joint label).

While I am utmost certain that names like OMEGA and Swatch will keep horology at top priority, things like this can easily set a precedent for a rinse-and-repeat approach to product releases. My twenties saw a massive use of greenwashing in advertising, we are currently seeing streetwear peddled at some of the most prestigious auction houses at record prices, and now, more than ever, brands are struggling to tap into who and what is “cool,” regardless of compromise in order have a stupendous quarterly report.

Like all new and unknown things, there will be a slight sense of fear tied to it, and while it is comical to think that these thoughts were all conjured up while witnessing that madness that was unfolding in front of Swatch, there are a lot of interesting things to unpack. Although it doesn’t appear that in this instance, the collab was just a cash grab, as a tremendous amount of detail went into the MoonSwatch (just look at the dot over 90 and accented “E”), it does make me realize that the success of it could be the further opening of Pandora’s box. These topics are never fun to go at alone, so like our Round Table regarding Rolex’s decision to go colorful and to add a two-tone version of its Explorer, we’ve enlisted a few passionate watch collectors to analyze this release.

This Round Table sees the return of Tim Bender of Fog City Vintage, Doug Kaplan of Bob’s Watches, and a man who really needs no introduction in the world of OMEGA Speedmasters, Robert-Jan Broer of Fratello Watches — creator of the #SpeedyTuesday community and the two sold-out limited edition OMEGA “Speedy Tuesday” watches. So join us on this Tuesday as we talk about the cult following of the Moonwatch, the impact this MoonSwatch has made, and if this was a blessing and a curse for the Swiss watchmakers.

First off, what is your connection with the OMEGA Speedmaster?

What about Swatch?

Do you like the Speedmaster?

Which reference is a personal favorite for you?

I recognize the history and beauty in the design of the Speedy, but one of the reasons that I never obsessed over them is that I just couldn’t keep up with the releases. Doesn’t this add to that number? Is it just me?

The Speedmaster collector is something of a different breed. The collectors that I’ve met are really good at blocking out the noise for “It” watches and are loyal when it comes to documenting OMEGA’s history. What are the major differences that you’ve come across in someone who’s into collecting Speedmasters versus the usual suspects?

One could argue that this will affect the value of the OMEGA brand, but does it really hurt them considering they are part of the same family? Would this have even been possible if Swatch didn’t own OMEGA?

The OMEGA x Swatch news broke the internet. While it does seem like a mutual win is what most of you are saying, do you think one of the brands came out a little more on top in this scenario?

Do you think we will continue to see some more high-meets-low releases, or even further internal collaborations from the likes of Richemont or LVMH?

Who do you see buying this watch? I am referencing OMEGA quite a bit even though this is a Swatch collaboration, but it just feels like this was targeted towards fans of the former.

Are 11 variations too many, in attempts to push the planets theme?

This is most likely going to be a hard one to get for the time being. Do you see it reselling like crazy with continuous growth, or more like a flash in the pan due to it being such new territory?

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Lastly, does this scratch the itch for a new collector that’s interested in getting a Speedmaster?

In other watch news, Russia seizes Audemars Piguet watches worth millions of dollars.