Joint Mission: Moonswatch Launched

  

Omega has collaborated with Swatch to produce a collection that is a playful take on its iconic Speedmaster chronograph.

The design partnership, a first for Omega and Swatch, follows the popular trend of collaborations between luxury and street brands to create innovative new products that blend the best of both worlds.

For Omega, the joint mission is a fun undertaking and an honorable nod to the lucky company that risked it all to kick-start the ailing Swiss watch industry during the quartz revolution, the company said.

The brands drew their design inspiration from space, to create a collection of 11 specimens named after planetary bodies, from the giant star at the center of the Solar System to the dwarf planet at its periphery.

All samples are in Bioceramics, a unique blend of two-thirds ceramic and one-third material derived from castor oil. While colors like pink and pale blue give a solid clue that these aren't your standard Speedmaster watches, a hard-core Moonwatch fan would be hard-pressed to find a difference in the overall look. The key design features of the Moonwatch are all there. The odd case, the famous tachymeter scale with over ninety dots and the distinctive Speedmaster subdial, all of which work perfectly.

For Omega President and CEO Raynald Ashleyman, the new collection is a source of pride. “The long and distinguished history of Omega might be shorter if it were not for the vision and courage taken by Swatch. The MoonSwatch collection salutes the defenders of our industry in a witty and accessible way.

"The swatches are perfect for budding fans of Moonwatch and I can't think of a more appropriate icon for our shared project. We went to the moon, now we're exploring the whole galaxy. They are great watches, fantastic The colors are there and they make me smile."

The new collection in rare colors is all about giving a fun twist to Omega's professional timepiece. Each MoonSwatch features its own mission statement, inspirational engraving and combined OMEGA X SWATCH logo on the dial and crown. The battery cover on each watch has an illustration of its planet. A spacesuit-ready Velcro strap adds the final touch of astronaut chic.