Swatch’s latest MoonSwatch, the Mission to Earthphase, offers a romantic new complication
Jamie Weiss- Swatch’s latest release is the most complicated MoonSwatch yet.
- Not only does it feature a moonphase display, but also an “earthphase” display, which tracks the Earth’s phases when viewed from the Moon.
- It features a mostly monochromatic grey colour scheme, save for the earthphase, which depicts the Earth in full colour.
Not all MoonSwatches are made equal. Some are simply just new colours, while others – like the new Swatch x Omega Bioceramic MoonSwatch Mission to Earthphase – introduce new complications or designs. Indeed, this latest Swatch x Omega collab represents the most complicated MoonSwatch model yet, both literally in terms of complications but also its inspiration/theoretical use case.
Unlike some previous MoonSwatch releases, which have marked different times of the year or astronomical events (think the Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase which marked the full blue Moon or some of the Mission to Moonshine Gold released throughout 2023), the Mission to Earthphase has a more poetic inspiration: it imagines being used by astronauts on the Moon to track the phases of the Earth back home. Swatch claims it’s the only watch to ever feature an “earthphase” function (they’ve even got a patent for it), which can be found at 10 o’clock next to the moonphase at 2 o’clock.
As Swatch explains: “Both the Moon and the Earth take approximately 29.5 days to go through all their phases, but in reverse order. This means that, for instance, when we see a full Moon from Earth, an observer on the Moon would see a “new Earth,” and vice versa. This is also why the earth phase on [the] Mission to Earthphase turns in the opposite direction to the moon phase.”
What utility an earthphase indicator offers to the average wearer on planet Earth is questionable, but it’s certainly a point of differentiation, not just between other MoonSwatches but arguably all other watches. It’s also kind of romantic: is to be used by an astronaut on the Moon looking back at the Earth? The depiction of the Earth on the earthphase itself is the only part of the watch imagined in colour, with the oceans on the Earth coated with UV ink that glows blue under UV light – helping it stand out even more.
Otherwise, the MoonSwatch Mission to Earthphase features largely the same design as the Mission to Moonphase (a.k.a. the Snoopy MoonSwatch), although there’s no trace of Snoopy or hidden messages in UV ink to be found here. The watch features a monochromatic grey colour scheme, with a textured dial that resembles the lunar surface. A final note: some of our readers have pointed out that because the earthphase display takes the place of the 60-minute chronograph indicator, it reduces this MoonSwatch into simply a 60-second chronograph… An interesting design choice from Swatch.
Swatch x Omega Bioceramic MoonSwatch Mission to Earthphase pricing & availability
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The MoonSwatch Mission to Earthphase will be available from November 2nd 2024 “at selected Swatch stores worldwide” – presumably, the same locations where previous special edition MoonSwatches have been made available, like the Mission to Moonshine Gold. As with the whole Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection, only one watch can be purchased per person, per day and per selected sales location. Price: US$325, A$525
| Brand | Swatch x Omega |
| Model | Bioceramic MoonSwatch Mission to Earthphase |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 13.75mm (T) x 47.3mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Grey Bioceramic |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Box-domed, bio-sourced material with anti-scratch coating |
| Dial | Textured grey |
| Bracelet | Black Velcro, grey Bioceramic hardware |
| Movement | ETA quartz |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, moonphase, earthphase, chronograph |
| Availability | November 2nd 2024 from select Swatch stores |
| Price | US$325 A$525 |