Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek knew immediately that it would be a hit. However, at some point even he was surprised that the Moonswatch became one of the playful brand’s most successful products (you can find out more in the exclusive interview). Thousands of people gathered in front of the Swatch boutiques, where the watch is still only available locally. And although the company made it clear from the start that the watches were by no means limited, customers bought everything that was delivered every day.
The situation has now calmed down somewhat. Even the most popular models, such as the “Mission to the Moon” or the “Mission to Mercury”, can be found in stores from time to time. The gray market, which initially reached dizzying heights around the models, has long since cooled down again. At least almost.
Because there are Moonswatch models that are actually limited. This is the “Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold” launched in March 2023. These are actually conventional Moonswatch models that are equipped with a gold-plated hand. According to Swatch, the plating is made from “Omega Moonshine Gold,” which is marketing speak for a thin layer of recycled gold. As a little extra, but also to limit the availability of the watch, Swatch says it only produces this hand during the full moon.
Swatch recently showed off a case on the company’s Instagram profile containing ten of its previous watches. A single place, number eleven, is still free – and is now occupied by what appears to be the last model in the Gold series.
As always, the “Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold” is only available for one day and only in selected boutiques. The clock’s hand is decorated with ice crystals and is intended to symbolize the “Cold Moon”, the last full moon of the year. Swatch writes that there will also be a “secret detail” that can only be seen in the dark when the watch’s hands glow.
The last “Mission to the Moon Moonshine Gold” will be on December 27th. sold and is available on this day in only four of the company’s German branches. These are:
The watch trade magazine “Hodinkee” writes that they don’t know what the full case means for the model series and whether Swatch will now stop producing the gold hands. It is at least quite likely that Swatch will further fuel the success of the Moonswatch (or the diving watch Scuba Fifty) in the new year with a new idea. Boss Nick Hayek didn’t want to tell Stern in October what he was doing.
