Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

New MoonSwatch from Omega and Swatch is inspired by tonight’s blue moon event – and you can’t buy it online

Google "Swatch store" if you want to buy one

Close up Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch
Swatch / Swatch

Everyone who knows watches knows about the MoonSwatch, the chronograph wristwatch collection from Swatch and Omega that has been seriously hard to find. Now they’re back with another limited release that pays homage to tonight’s blue moon: The “Mission to Neptune” MoonSwatch.

The MoonSwatches originally included 11 watches — all variations of the popular Omega Speedmaster watch, with a quartz movement, a fabric strap, and names that paid homage to celestial bodies — back when the collection debuted in early 2022. Since then, there have been more releases of these watches featuring the brand’s Moonshine gold. And now it’s Neptune’s turn.

Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch black background
Swatch / Swatch

The “Mission to Neptune” MoonSwatch embraces the full moon

At the heart of this remarkable timepiece lies a unique and exquisite feature–the seconds hand, which is crafted from Omega’s exclusive Moonshine Gold. This captivating gold alloy was introduced by Omega in 2019, drawing inspiration from the radiant glow of moonlight against the backdrop of a dark blue sky. As a testament to its exclusivity, the Moonshine Gold seconds hand is meticulously produced just once a month, coinciding with the full moon. This is no ordinary gold—it’s an alloy that symbolizes luxury and elegance, perfectly mirroring the magic of a moonlit night.

The MoonSwatch “Mission to Neptune” watch embraces the mystical influence of the full moon, a phenomenon known to have a profound effect on various aspects of life, including humans. As the moon exerts its gravitational pull, it stirs tides and emotions alike, adding a touch of enchantment to the world. This timepiece encapsulates that essence, allowing wearers to carry a piece of lunar magic on their wrists.

The watch features a 42 mm bioceramic blue case, a dark blue dial, and a black velcro strap. Against this dark backdrop stands the gold seconds hand.

The “Mission to Neptune” MoonSwatch is not available for purchase online. Instead, it can be acquired at select locations worldwide during the rare and auspicious occasion of the Blue Moon on August 30th. Specifically, it can be bought for one day only at 99 stores across 86 cities.

This limited availability adds an air of exclusivity, making the watch even more desirable to luxury connoisseurs and horology enthusiasts. If you don’t get your hands on one today, these watches will likely be pretty hard to find, even by MoonSwatch standards. The watches retail for about $300 (or less), and a quick peek at the secondary market shows that while other iterations of the MoonSwatch go for a little higher than that, the original Neptune MoonSwatch costs more than double that.

Learn More

Editors' Recommendations

Sarah Veldman
Freelance Writer
Sarah has been a freelance writer for over 7 years now, having started while she was living out of a suitcase and traveling…
Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch 9: Everything you need to know about the new Apple wearables
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is more powerful than the sun
The Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple has unveiled its next generation of Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra. The Apple Watch 9 is powered by a new chip, which makes a whole host of new features possible. Between the new silicon, improved voice capability, and added gestures -- the new Apple Watch 9, and premium Apple Watch Ultra 2, could arguably be described as two of the company’s bigger generational leaps.

At the core of both watches is a piece of Apple’s own silicon. The S9 SiP chip has 5.6 billion transistors packed into it -- 60% more than its predecessor. This means Apple’s new wearable is capable of outperforming the Apple Watch S8 by 30%.

Read more
Swatch, Blancpain collab on 5 ocean-inspired Fifty Fathoms watches, all dropping today
Pick your favorite ocean - then your favorite watch
Swatch Fifty Fathoms

Following the success of the Omega MoonSwatch, Swatch has decided to produce a crossover timepiece with another well-known Swiss watchmaker and produce a series of functional, desirable, and affordable watches. This time around, it’s Blancpain getting the Swatch treatment.

The new collection just dropped and is a significantly cheaper take on Blancpain’s famous Fifty Fathoms collection of men’s watches and Swatch’s early '90s Scuba range. An actual Fifty Fathoms watch will set you back over $14,000 -- but like the MoonSwatch collection, these particular timepieces are very affordable. While the MoonSwatch collection consisted of eleven watches (all eight planets, plus Pluto, the Sun, and The Moon), the “Blancpain X Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms” collection consists of just five. Each dive watch represents one of Earth’s oceans.

Read more
New limited edition everyday carry knife from The James Brand might be the splurge purchase you’ve been waiting for
It's almost $700, but it's so worth it
The James Barnes Micarta knife, open on a grey background.

Your everyday carry setup says a lot about you. This daily loadout of items reflects who you are, who you aspire to be, and what you value. It shows those around you the kind of guy they're dealing with — have you thrown a few janky items into your pockets, or are your everyday carry items the sort of quality that turn heads and grab attention?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, for a concept that originated in the survivalist and prepper communities, everyday carry items revolve around more than those standard three that occupy the pockets of the general population: keys, wallet, and phone. The discerning everyday carrier knows a quality pocket knife is among the must-haves. For those looking for something that stands out, The James Brand has just redefined the parameters for the best everyday carry knife on the market. Let me introduce you to The Barnes, the new benchmark in cleanliness and quality.

Read more