Everything We Know About The New MoonSwatch Mission To EarthPhase

Whether you love it or hate it, you have to admit that the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch extended universe never fails to get people talking. Last week, Swatch began teasing a new launch set for November 2nd with some cryptic clips of a crescent moon and a moon-phase complication swathed in dark hues, accompanied by the text “Counterclockwise Full Earth.” Now, we have word that the two brands are up to their familiar antics to stir up some hype and have just revealed what’s to come with the MoonSwatch drop that’s just over the horizon — but this time, it isn’t what we expected. Now, the MoonSwatch has just gotten a lot more complicated with the addition of an all-new EarthPhase functionality – featuring not only the quintessential moon-phase complication but an additional Earth phase, which charts the movements of our own planet as seen from the moon. 

Up until now, the MoonPhase branch of the MoonSwatch family has consisted of the black New Moon model and the white Full Moon model both adorned with an image of Snoopy sleeping inside the moon phase subdial and the Super Blue Moon phase with a blue and white panda dial which was released back on August 19th. Candidly, before we got the details of this release, I was questioning why Swatch would release another rendition of the moon phase so close on the heels of the last one. But I will admit that I can be a sucker for a good gimmick, and the addition of an EarthPhase complication was enough novelty to grab my attention this go around. 

Let’s dive right into the new Earth Phase complication, shall we? Against the grey dial (which boasts a textural finish intended to mimic the surface of the moon, by the way), resting at the 10 o’clock position, is the eponymous Earth Phase function – which, as the brand details, is the first time ever that a complication of this sort has made its debut to watchkind. Our own blue-green marble of a planet has been situated in the upper half of the subdial, capturing the familiar image of the Earth viewed from the perspective of the moon. The lower half of the subdial has been decorated with shadowing techniques to evoke the moon’s rocky, craterous landscape. And, would it be a MoonSwatch without some sort of hidden UV message? In this case, the oceans on the Earth’s surface have been coated in UV light-sensitive paint, and shine luminous when flashed with a UV light. 

Despite the added functionality, the Mission To EarthPhase doesn’t stray far from the familiar formula. The stylistic blueprint is, of course, the Omega SpeedMaster Professional through and through. The grey, bioceramic case (which is a composite of ceramic and castor oil-based biomaterials) measures 42mm in diameter and 47.3mm lug-to-lug with pushers on the right-hand side Set against the matching grey dial is the quintessential tricompax layout of subdials, complete with the moon-phase complication of its namesake resting at 2 o’clock, and the aforementioned Earth phase at 10 o’clock, and a 60-minute chronograph register at 6 o'clock. Additionally, a tachymeter scale has been rendered in black and encircles the dial. Like its siblings, this model is paired with a matching velcro strap, is water-resistant up to 30 meters, and is powered by a quartz movement. Please note that this piece will NOT be a limited edition and that Neil Armstrong’s footprint IS on the image of the moon that has been added to the caseback. 

Of course, there is no question that the MoonSwatch is representative of a pivotal shift in the context of the contemporary industry at large, combining the strengths of two watch giants on opposite ends of the pricing spectrum into one reasonably affordable collaborative piece that was unheard of up until its initial launch in 2022. The question remains if the reality of the hype will continue with these subsequent follow-ups — and if the novelty of the Earth phase can reignite some of the brazen passion within the MoonSwatch fanbase. I am unsure of how much the general fatigue surrounding the MoonSwatch, which haunts Reddit boards and comment sections on various social media platforms, aligns with the actual sales performance of these pieces.

Personally, I still fall into the neutral camp on the subject, and as a general rule of thumb, I think it’s fun for more people to get bitten by the watch-collecting bug, no matter the point of entry. For journalistic purposes, I might have to begrudgingly make a trek down to the Swatch store at Times Square on November 2nd to see just how much of a stronghold MoonSwatch Mania still has on the masses, and will report back my findings.

Mission To EarthPhase will be available at select Swatch stores worldwide from November 2nd, 2024. Please note: like other MoonSwatches, this piece is limited to one purchase per customer.