Hands-On With The New Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Misson To The Moonphase
Although Swatch had been teasing the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase, or “Snoopy,” for quite a while, weirdly enough, the official announcement came on March 21st while the Swatch × Tate event was happening in London. Today, March 26th, 2024, exactly two years after introducing the first 11 MoonSwatch models, Swatch makes its new Snoopy edition available in selected boutiques.
Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Snoopy
We had the opportunity to go hands-on with the new Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase, which I’ll now shorten to “MoonSwatch Snoopy.” As you probably already saw in our introduction article or just about anywhere on social media, the new MoonSwatch Snoopy is a very white watch.
This new 42mm MoonSwatch Snoopy edition has an all-white Bioceramic case with a white dial and a white Velcro strap. As you can see, it’s a very white ensemble on the wrist. I must admit, though, that I think this is my favorite MoonSwatch edition of all. The first 11 MoonSwatch models in 2022 were funky and represented planets (including the dwarf planet Pluto) and the Moon and Sun, and then there were the 11 Mission to Moonshine Gold editions in 2023. And now Swatch introduces the first Omega Speedmaster collab for 2024 with this MoonSwatch Snoopy. It pays tribute to NASA’s watchdog, which Charles M. Schulz drew. We explained the story here and here.
MoonSwatch owners
After the introduction on Thursday, March 21st, I read that some were afraid that it would damage the reputation of the Omega Speedmaster Professional Silver Snoopy Award. As an owner of the Speedmaster Silver Snoopy editions, I don’t see the threat.
The previous MoonSwatch models were just fun, lightweight editions that paid homage to the original steel Speedmaster. That’s how I see them, and due to the different colors, they’re fun to combine with matching straps. I’ve also noticed that some MoonSwatch owners decided to go for the Omega Speedmaster Professional after they noticed they liked the design and story.
Lastly, many Omega Speedmaster collectors I know also wanted to add one or more of these MoonSwatch models to their collections. Omega has even told us that Moonwatch sales increased significantly (+50%) during and after the MoonSwatch introductions.
To be sure, we also asked the folks at Chrono24 if they saw the effect of the MoonSwatch on the number of transactions for the Omega Speedmaster on their market platform. They also confirmed that the number of Speedmaster transactions during and after the MoonSwatch introduction increased by 40%.
The new MoonSwatch Snoopy on the wrist
I believe Swatch and Omega fans will see the Snoopy for what it is — a fun edition of the MoonSwatch. And that was exactly my first feeling when I had the new MoonSwatch Snoopy in my hands. I am also impressed by how well the moonphase function works. Pull the crown to the last (third) position, and by pushing the button at 4 o’clock, you can advance the moonphase disc. Depending on how long you keep that pusher engaged, the moonphase disc will advance by an hour or a day, or it will move continuously. Therefore, it is indeed possible to set the moonphase disc precisely.
For more comfortable wear, I recommend swapping the two strap pieces around. My colleague Gerard came up with that as soon as he received one of the 2022 MoonSwatch models, and I’ve done so with every version I’ve bought. They sit better on the wrist, at least for me. The white MoonSwatch Snoopy will probably look nice on other straps, such as a black or white rubber strap or a colorful NATO. In any case, it’s a very versatile MoonSwatch.
It’s an incredibly fun watch with a moonphase indicator, making it special for Swatch. I think there has only been one other Swatch with a moonphase indicator before, a gold-electro-plated “C.E.O.” ref. GX709 in 1992. On the pre-owned market, examples of that watch fetch higher prices than the retail price of the new MoonSwatch Snoopy.
UV light required
The cool feature is especially visible when using a UV lamp. The moonphase sub-dial shows the sleeping Snoopy on the blue crest surrounded by blue stars, and the text “I can’t sleep without a night light!” appears on the dial in blue. As soon as you remove the UV light, the blue stars and text disappear.
The position of Snoopy’s paw
The image of Snoopy sleeping on the Moon is an existing one from Peanuts, and the depiction of the Moon on the battery cover is in Charles Schulz’s typical drawing style. And while I am discussing the battery cover anyway, the beagle’s paw printed on it is in the exact location where Apollo 11 landed on the Moon (if it’s shown straight up).
Will demand will go crazy (again)?
At this time, we will have to see if the demand will be as crazy as the previous MoonSwatch editions, but I’m guessing it will. We asked the local Swatch Boutique in the Westfield Mall, and it seems the last MoonSwatch Moonshine edition from December caused a long queue in front of the store.
For fun, we did some side-by-side shots of my Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award 45th Anniversary edition from 2015 and the new MoonSwatch Snoopy. As you can see, it’s a different watch, a different Peanuts cartoon, etc. The new MoonSwatch Snoopy will be a nice addition to my Speedmaster Snoopy editions.
Availability and pricing
The MoonSwatch Snoopy Edition comes in an all-white box (of course) with a white instruction manual for the watch and its functions. The Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase will be for sale at Swatch boutiques starting March 26th for €315 / US$310.
For more information, visit Swatch online.
