“Houston, the Bioceramic MoonSwatch MISSION TO THE MOONPHASE has landed. A new model, all in white to celebrate the full moon, has touched down on the moon smoothly, in the planned location and on schedule.”
Two years after the launch of the OMEGA X SWATCH collaboration, a new non-limited watch has been added to this iconic collection. Just like the eleven Bioceramic MoonSwatch models, which depict the planets, and the eleven Mission to Moonshine Gold models, this new watch is equipped with the chronograph function. As a cherry on top, it also features a moon phase function, probably the most poetic of all watch complications. Hence its name Full Moon and its all-white color. For the first time in its history, Swatch has combined a moon phase with a chronograph.
The Bioceramic MoonSwatch MISSION TO THE MOONPHASE is a new nod to the OMEGA brand, with Snoopy on the moon phase disc, lying on the moon, which moves in the subdial at 2 o’clock. On the model’s moon phase mask and disc, a hidden quote from Snoopy’s comic strip is nestled amidst crescent moons and stars, that can be seen under UV light. Snoopy has been NASA’s mascot since the 1960s. In fact, the Silver Snoopy Award is the most prestigious honor the United States’ space agency awards to individuals and organizations for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success. This prestigious prize was awarded to OMEGA in 1970 for its role in the history of space exploration, including its essential contribution to bringing the crew of Apollo 13 back home safe and sound.
In 1970, an exploding oxygen tank during the Apollo 13 mission placed the astronauts’ lives in danger. One of the many challenges the crew had to face was timing the 14-second launch time that would allow them to get back to Earth. Luckily, they had an OMEGA chronograph watch, the Speedmaster Moonwatch, to get the job done. Not only that, but in May of 1969, the Apollo 10 mission, which was tasked with carrying out the initial sweep before an attempted moon landing, had to skim the surface of the moon and ‘snoop around’ to identify the Apollo 11 landing site. As a result, the lunar module was christened Snoopy. Ever since then, the Snoopy emblem is considered a lucky charm among astronauts.
All of the main features of the original Speedmaster Moonwatch, the first watch to go to the moon, can be found on the Bioceramic MoonSwatch MISSION TO THE MOONPHASE: the asymmetrical case, the famous tachymeter-scaled bezel with the dot over the 90 and the typical Speedmaster subdials. The Bioceramic MoonSwatch MISSION TO THE MOONPHASE watch features its mission statement on the caseback, and the OMEGA X SWATCH logos on the dial and crown. A moon inspired by the world of Snoopy can be seen on the battery cover. A spacesuit-ready VELCRO© strap adds that final touch of astronaut chic.
OMEGA’s legendary Moonwatch is a must-have for collectors. Swatch’s Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection makes this iconic model accessible to fans worldwide. The moon phase version is the perfect reflection of Swatch’s zest for life and philosophy of innovation. Like all the models of the OMEGA X SWATCH collaboration, the Bioceramic MoonSwatch MISSION TO THE MOONPHASE is made from the brand’s patented Bioceramic, a unique mix of two-thirds ceramic and one third biosourced materials produced from castor oil.
The Bioceramic MoonSwatch MISSION TO THE MOONPHASE is available from 26th March, only in selected Swatch stores. As with the whole Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection, only one watch can be purchased per person, per day and per Swatch store. For more, swing by the Swatch website.
