MISSION ACCOMPLISHED?

Specs
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 13.25mm
Lug to lug: 47.2mm
Lug width: 20mm
Water resistance: 30m
Movement: I'm not really sure...a bit of a mystery. Swiss quartz for sure. 

TLDR

It feels like a Happy Meal toy, looks like a $6,000 Speedmaster, and sounds like a Swatch quartz watch. I’d argue that it is well worth the $260 price tag. You’re getting an Omega Speedmaster for a tiny fraction of the price of a metal one. That being said, it’s a bit of a novelty and not a practical, durable watch for daily wear. It’s more of a “fun every now and then” piece to keep in a collection for the long haul. That is, of course, if you can ever get your hands on one.

Choochoo! All aboard the hype train

I don’t think I need to go into great detail about the MoonSwatch lore. Anyone reading this, with the exception of my millions of 22nd-century readers, will almost certainly know the creation myth as you were there for Genesis…and Exodus, the months of mass migrations to and from the select few Swatch stores around the world where unfortunate employees dealt with a deluge of humanity.

I just so happened to be going to Las Vegas on release day with my girlfriend, but by the time we arrived all the little plastic (BiOcErAmIc!!!) treasures had, of course, already been sold. Fortunately, she lives in New York, and one day after work she simply walked through the doors of one of the three Manhattan Swatch stores that sell the coveted pieces (lucky elitist bastards) and said “one MoonSwatch please.” She was promptly given her favorite one, the Mission to Jupiter, and she happily informed me of how easy they were to get, now that the hype had died down. She would go get me my very own Saturn or Mercury next week. Three months passed, and let’s just say that she got lucky with that Jupiter.

But, this is the second time I am writing this article because just about a week ago I went to visit her in NYC. I went to Swatch at the Oculus on my first morning in the city and, after waiting in a short line of about ten good watch loving folks, I was able to pick up my very own MoonSwatch, the Mission to Pluto.

As I am writing this now, I am playing a WatchFinder video in the background where they confirm that the MoonSwatch will not be available online. According to Swatch CEO, Nick Hayek, “there’s no emotion in buying online.”

…

A real Speedmaster

Now, moving past that bit of silly nonsense, let’s get to the actual watch in the metal…well plastic…or rather, bIoCeRaMiC!!! I know this is a controversial subject, but after wearing two MoonSwatches for a couple weeks I would like to add my two cents to the discussion. This is an Omega Speedmaster. (notice the period there). Well, it’s also a Swatch… (and the ellipses there). It’s a bit complicated so let me break it down by starting with arguments for the former.

The case, as far as I am aware, and despite the fun colors and light material, is an exact 1:1 Speedmaster Professional case. It has the same dimensions, same iconic curling lugs, and the same crown/pusher placement and sizing. There are even a few minute details that many Speedy nerds will appreciate. The tachymeter bezel has a dot above 90, which I am told by the internet is a good thing, and the crystal has an ‘S’ for Swatch engraved at its center in place of the transparent Omega logo found on a Professional or Reduced. This is a touch that I appreciate, as I was actually familiar with the detail on Omegas. After some research, I learned that the dot over 90 is a beloved characteristic of pre ’70 Speedmasters (Moon landing and before). Later models have the dot next to 90. While I was previously unaware of such a tiny and seemingly trivial detail, I do appreciate the collaboration’s careful attention to the minutia of Speedy history.

The dial layout subtly departs from the Professional with the upper two subdials placed higher, filling out more space. The Pro almost appears cramped by comparison, though it isn’t something I noticed until seeing it pointed out on a forum, and I can’t say I really prefer one over the other. While we’re on the dial, there are some important details to take note of. First of all, the first bit of text, towering over and casting a large intimidating shadow over its collaborator, right at the top of the dial is the large lettered Omega branding. Below the left subdial in the iconic italics is Speedmaster, leaving no question as to whether this is really an Omega Speedmaster…it is.

The Movement

Behind the iconic Speedmaster dial we have a bit of a mystery. In my research, I have only been able to learn that the movement is Swiss quartz. What is the name? What are the specs? I’m honestly unsure. All I know is that it’s a blast to operate. I’ve owned a few quartz chronos before, one of which was the first watch I ever bought for myself, the Timex Weekender Chronograph. I also briefly owned a beloved “Seiko Speedmaster” with the legendary 7a28, the first ever analog quartz chronograph movement. The only mechanical chronograph that I’ve ever played with is actually the Omega Speedmaster Reduced, and I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I find the quartz movements more enjoyable. Flyback chronograph hands are fun, but have you ever reset a quartz chronograph and watched with glee as all three hands reset before your eyes in a flash, hitting each and every second increment along the way? It’s an impressive sight to see.

One significant complaint I have actually has to do with the chronograph function, or rather lack of function. The left subdial, responsible for keeping track of minutes elapsed, only has five minute increment markers. That’s pretty annoying if I need to time something for exactly eight minutes, like my al dente pasta noods. Why Omega/Swatch? Just paint a few more little ticks. I suspect that it has to do with dial balance. None of the other subdials have sixty markers and adding that to only one subdial would throw that balance off. Even if they gave the counting seconds dial all sixty ticks, the milliseconds dial would never require them. The Speedmaster Professional does not have this problem as Omega chose to simply add sixty markers to the elapsed time subdial. Perhaps this is because that watch is all about function, while the MoonSwatch is clearly and understandably more about form. While I actually like to use my watches for practical applications, I’m not too bothered by this small problem. I recognize that this is a fun, affordable novelty and not a robust tool watch made to be used on the racetrack or the moon. So, it’s also just a Swatch.

I haven’t had my Pluto long enough to get a good measurement of accuracy, but considering that it’s Swatch quartz it should be within 15 seconds per month, making it far more accurate than your average $6,000 Speedmaster Professional. So again, it’s a Swatch.

But it’s also an Omega!

The Planets…

…and the Moon…and Sun…oh, and Pluto! Don’t forget Pluto! I should thank Omega/Swatch for including our little friend, as it has received a lot of abuse over the course of its life in our public conversation. Speaking of heavenly bodies, there are quite a few colorways to choose from (eleven in total), but that doesn’t mean that you can pick any one of them the moment you finally make it to Mecca, aka a Swatch store selling the little trinkets. When I arrived at the Oculus Manhattan location there were only four colors to choose from (Pluto, Jupiter, Sun, and Earth). While my favorite was the Jupiter, I figured it would be boring to get the exact same one as my girlfriend so I got my next favorite of the bunch, Pluto. I have to say, after wearing them for about a week each, I kind of wish I’d just gone with the Jupiter. It’s a far more exciting colorway, in my opinion. The white/silver case of the Pluto looks too much like plastic pretending to be metal. The desert sand color of the Jupiter, on the other hand, lends itself to the matte texture of the Bioceramic case. It has a stealth/military look and feel to it, but features that lovely pop of orange on the chronograph hands and tachymeter text.

As far as I can tell from my limited hands on experience and the countless second hand accounts I’ve seen online, none of the iterations lend themselves to matching with outfits, not that everyone cares about that. While a metal watch on a nice brown leather strap or steel bracelet can be worn on almost any occasion, these technicolored plastic watches have quite limited applications. I find it very hard to wear my Pluto with most of my clothes. Perhaps that is a negative side effect of almost exclusively dressing “eco-beige,” as my girlfriend puts it. The Jupiter isn’t as bad when you dress like a tree like I do, but it still isn’t easy. Even finding straps that work for these watches can be difficult, but at least with the Jupiter I’ve found some good companions.

Speaking of straps, the OEM straps are another nice nod to Speedmaster histroy (NASA supplied velcro straps for the Moon landing), but considering I don’t have a spacesuit to fit this over (only a 6.5 inch wrist) I really don’t need the annoying bulge that forms where the strap folds over the plastic keeper. It makes the watch look perpetually unbalanced on the wrist, though I suppose you could make the same argument about a Nato. Regardless, it looks silly and I certainly won’t be keeping mine on the Omega/Swatch branded strap for long.

Since I ended up picking a Pluto and have not been happy with the choice, I will have to become one of those many annoying Redditors listing their MoonSwatch flared at $100-299, raising the hopes of the many users not fortunate enough to get to a store only to dash those hopes and bring on the onslaught of downvotes when I explain that I am only looking to trade for the other military-esque piece, Mercury. Wish me luck, or just downvote if that suits you better. I will understand.

-G

Sources

https://www.alt-drivemagazine.com/insights/watch-amp-tell-velcro-in-space-heres-the-astronauts-way-to-wear-your-omega-speedmaster-moonwatch

Speedy Tuesday – Differences in Speedmaster Bezels