While the MoonSwatch originally appeared in 2022 as a capsule collection of fun and affordable renditions of the iconic Speedmaster, the series has significantly expanded over the years, and Swatch and Omega have continued to iterate upon this mega-popular platform. Earlier this year, the two brands released a white Snoopy-themed rendition of the MoonSwatch that incorporated a moonphase complication, and a black version shortly followed that also featured the famous cartoon dog from the Peanuts comic strip. While Snoopy and the Speedmaster have a longstanding history, it only seemed like a matter of time before we would see a non-Snoopy MoonSwatch moonphase model, and the new Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase joins the lineup as the latest installment for 2024. This new model offers a blue Bioceramic case, a pulsations bezel, and a dial inspired by the “Blue Panda” Omega Speedmaster CK2998 that was released as a limited edition in 2016.
From an external perspective, the new Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase holds no major surprises for those who are familiar with the original pair of Snoopy-themed models. Just like the white and black moonphase watches that were released earlier this year, the case of this latest addition appears in the familiar shape of the Omega Speedmaster, and its dimensions come in at 42mm in diameter by 13.75mm thick, with 20mm lugs and an overall lug-to-lug profile of 47.3mm. While it still features a domed bio-sourced plastic crystal above its dial, the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase uses blue Bioceramic for its case, crown, and chronograph pushers. While water resistance comes in at the same 30 meters that exists throughout the rest of the collection, the battery hatch on this latest model is adorned with a photo-realistic image of a blue moon.
Where the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase begins to differ from other MoonSwatch models is its bezel, and rather than having a bezel with a standard tachymeter scale, this latest release receives a pulsations scale bezel (graduated to 30 pulses) in the style of what can be found on select vintage Speedmaster models. Additionally, to further lean into the “blue moon” theme of the watch, the MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase is completed by a blue velcro-style strap, which features a dark blue fabric, bright blue contrast stitching, and matching blue Bioceramic hardware. While the changes cumulatively result in a noticeably different aesthetic, the overall design and construction of the watch remain unchanged, and the Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase should offer an identical on-wrist presence as other moonphase-equipped MoonSwatch models.
The fundamental layout of the dial fitted to the new Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase follows the same layout as its two siblings, with the moonphase indicator appearing in the same style as what can be found on the white Snoopy edition (rather than the inverted style of the black version). However, the appearance of the dial is heavily based on the limited-edition “Blue Panda” Speedmaster Moonwatch CK2998 from 2016, with a white surface, contrasting blue minute track, and matching blue-colored sub-dials. The hands and hour markers receive an application of blue Grade A Super-LumiNova (which both appears blue in the daylight and emits a blue-colored glow in the dark), and the moonphase display is also luminous with a pair of glowing blue moons and the hidden words “Super Blue Moon” appearing on the bridge of its sub-dial when viewed in the dark.
Since the new Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase is functionally identical to the two Snoopy-themed moonphase models that already exist within the collection, it is powered by the exact same movement. Under the fixed caseback resides a standard 4-jewel ETA quartz chronograph movement, and while Swatch and Omega do not elaborate on the specific caliber number used inside their MoonSwatch models, I would imagine that the Mission to Moonphase watches rely on some variation of the ETA Cal. G10.962, which omits both the date display and additional hour totalizer hand that can be found on the standard version. While ETA’s entry-level quartz chronograph calibers are known to be reliable, it is important to note that the casebacks are not removable on the various MoonSwatch models, which means that the entire watch will need to be replaced should significant damage ever occur to the movement.
In regards to pricing and availability, the new Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase will cost the same as the two standard-production Snoopy moonphase models with an official retail price of $310 USD. However, unlike its two Mission to Moonphase siblings, which are both core-collection offerings, the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase will only be available for a limited time between August 1st and August 19th, 2024, and the watch can only be purchased in the evening from 5:00 PM and onward. Personally, I feel that this release should have been a standard catalog option, while the two Snoopy-themed versions would have been the logical choices for the limited versions. However, given the number of MoonSwatch iterations released within the last couple of years, I can’t help but feel that it is only a matter of time before we see additional moonphase-equipped models join the lineup in the near future. For more information on the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase, please visit the brand’s website.
