New MoonSwatch Mission to Moon pays tribute to the 1961 OMEGA Speedmaster

Another month, another full moon, another MoonSwatch special edition launch! OMEGA and Swatch’s popular collaboration is the gift that keeps on giving, and to mark the October full moon, the brand is releasing a new edition of the Mission to Moon.

So far in 2023, MoonSwatch has released a new limited edition watch every month to coincide with the next full moon. The main difference between each watch is the seconds hand which has a unique design. For example, the Mission to Moon Harvest Moon from September had a barley grain pattern and the Mission to Moonshine Gold for August marked National Swiss Day with a Swiss lantern design.

The new MoonSwatch for the October full moon is a special tribute and takes inspiration from a well known OMEGA timepiece. As announced on the Swatch Instagram, the post showed the watch in all its glory with the caption saying: “This Mission to the Moon has a lollipop seconds hand made of OMEGA’s Moonshine Gold featuring a secret signature on the lollipop that glows in the dark. This lollipop hand is a tribute to the OMEGA Speedmaster CK 2998-3 FAP from 1961.”

Looking at the design of the new MoonSwatch, the brand keeps the main features of the watch the same. The new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon shows off its new seconds hand with a 42mm ceramic black and grey case, a matte black dial and a black velcro strap. Powered by a quartz movement, the watch shows off three chronographs on the face with OMEGA and Swatch writing around it. The case back gives a nod to the moon with space imagery decorations.

The seconds hand of the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon has a simple yet quirky lollipop-style design. Towards the end of the hand is the petite lollipop shape which has a secret signature engraved inside it. Looking closely at the etching, you can clearly see the OMEGA symbol followed by X S, to mark the collaboration with Swatch. The hand is crafted in OMEGA’s Moonshine Gold 18k yellow gold alloy for an extra touch of luxury.

The new MoonSwatch takes inspiration from the 1961 OMEGA Speedmaster CK 2998-3 FAP. A vintage timepiece which is incredibly hard to find, the watch featured a lollipop seconds chronograph hand and was the last Speedmaster with the 2998 reference that was fitted with the lollipop style, and the first to have a DO90 bezel.

If you’re a big MoonSwatch fan, buying a new limited edition watch each month is a fun way to celebrate the brand and build up an impressive collection. But if you’d rather stick to just one watch or are finding it hard to choose which special edition is worth your money, I’d recommend the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon.

As a tribute to the 1961 OMEGA Speedmaster, the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon is a truly special timepiece. The lollipop inspiration is a quaint salute to the vintage watch that came before it and shows that you know your watches well. While the design isn’t too ‘in your face’ like the strawberry moon edition from earlier this year, it holds a special meaning, and who doesn’t want that in a watch?

Still notoriously difficult to buy, the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon is available to buy at select Swatch stores around the world.