OMEGA and Swatch have done it again, with a brand new Mission to Moonshine ^TM Gold. For anyone living under a rock these past few days, I’ll sum it up in a nutshell: It’s the Mission to the Moon MoonSwatch, but the Chronograph hand is coated in left over Moonshine ^TM Gold from OMEGA’s factory. But wait, it was coated (or made) under the February full moon, and this we’re told was done due to the powers that a full moon can possess and it’s influence on many things, including humans. Yes, you read that right!

Prior to the launch, the internet was abuzz with speculation on what the new model could be. Some pundits suggested that it could be a Moonshine ^TM Gold coloured MoonSwatch, or maybe it was a completely new looking model, based on the Moonshine ^TM Gold Speedmaster with green dial, released last year. Would it be a high level luxury version of the MoonSwatch, made from actual Moonshine Gold? the possibilities were endless.

But on March 7th, the world found out. Did the hype and hysteria live up to the reality? What was this mysterious MoonSwatch we couldn’t wait to see? Drum roll please… An all new Mission to the Moon, but this time, the central Chronograph seconds hand was Moonshine ^TM Gold. Not solid as some reports would have suggested, but coated in recycled Moonshine ^TM Gold from OMEGA.

Now I like the idea of OMEGA recycling their leftover Moonshine ^TM Gold and putting it to good use, this is quite a good and commendable idea. And we are starting to see the watch world do more environmentally sustainable practices, such as ORIS and Breitling using recycled ocean plastics and waste in their dials, straps and packaging, to other brands using recycled metals, like Panerai’s eSteel. That being said, I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed by this new release.

Interestingly, it seems that the online forums have been divided on this release. The fact that this model is only available in selected cities: Zurich, London, Milan, Tokyo meant that it wasn’t easy to get unless you happen to be close by in one of these four cities, and if not, you will just have to wait for the next full moon. Why? Because the gold can only be painted on the hands during that time. Why? Moon magic, remember?

The other fact is the hand itself. Promotional images have the chronograph hand gleaming against the black Mission to the Moon dial, in the stunning Moonshine ^TM Gold that OMEGA uses on their higher end Speedmasters. However, several videos and images from some of the first lucky buyers show a slightly different picture. A lacklustre centre seconds hand, barely indistinguishable from the other hands and blending into the dial. Now as a photographer, I understand how lighting and editing can play a major role in making great images, but I can’t help wonder, just how much they have been enhanced?

But for MoonSwatch fans, this really doesn’t matter. Pictures and videos from outside the Swatch pop up Boutiques show thousands of people lining up outside to get their hands on the first lot of Mission to Moonshine ^TM Gold editions. A lot are there out of the love for the MoonSwatch, but many are flippers – with quite a few of these already popping up on eBay and other sales forums for in excess of AUD $3,000. Not bad for a circa $400 plastic, sorry, Bioceramic battery operated watch.

And it won’t end here, with more pop ups around the world planned for the next full moon cycle, there will no doubt be swathes of collectors who missed out this time lining up. And whilst it’s not limited in production, it’s limited by accessibility to the general public worldwide, so in essence, the MoonSwatch Mission to Moonshine ^TM Gold is a limited piece. Will this collector be lining up for one soon? I don’t think so. Would I buy one if I could get it online easily? Probably, but just to say I have one and maybe let my daughter play with it, I think she’d love it. For now (some of us) will wait with baited breath…

Founded in 1983, Swatch has always had its finger on the pulse of the cultural zeitgeist. So in 2020 the brand once again demonstrates its adaptive and relevant nature, by releasing an homage to its inception, watches cased in materials found in nature. An innovation the brand is calling, Bio-Reloaded.

A revolution in Swiss watchmaking, this marks the first mass replacing all plastics with bio-sourced materials. The collection itself features no fewer than 11 fresh new interpretations of the brands original Swatch watch design. 

Of the 11 new watches available, 3 distinct designs emerge. Six of the new pieces feature a 34mm case diameter, as well as a more classical Swatch watch dial design, either with all printed Arabic numerals or completely minimalist, with no denotation of hours or minutes at all. 

3 larger diameter watches also join the collection, at 41mm these pieces are directly advertised at the male market, although the 34mm offerings are certainly a viable watch for all genders. The larger pieces are monochromatic designs, in either black, blue or red, all of which featuring an ‘eco’ green seconds hand. Day and date indicators accompany the 41mm pieces, a feature not available on the smaller 34mm collection.

Finally, 2 special designs have been introduced with dial designs featuring bold slogans, the kind that have become synonymous with Swatch over recent years. “Don’t be late” and “Time is what you make of it”, is slapped in glorious technicolour across the dial of these 41mm watches. 

All of the new watches will feature Quartz movements, housed within the new bio-sourced plastic cases and secured with bio-sourced plastic bracelets. 

To complete the brands new eco conscious direction, all new biodegradable packaging is in use. Made of ‘PaperFoam’ – a mix of industrial starch, natural fibres, water and premix. This environmentally friendly packaging is bio-base, home compostable or recyclable with paper, produced with low-carbon emissions and in an energy efficient way, and it provides a responsible and eco-friendly solution for manufacturers and consumers.

The new Swatch 1983 Bio-reloaded collection is available for purchase today, starting from RRP $105AUD.