The New Bioceramic MoonSwatch Mission To The Super Blue Moonphase Is Available Starting Today

The news of the MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase has been out for a couple of weeks. This latest addition to the MoonSwatch lineup is the third of the Mission to the Moonphase models. It will be available until the full blue moon on August 19th. With this short sales window, Swatch is trying to draw people to its stores for this new product. Will it work? We’ll have to wait to find out. But for now, we can say that the Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase looks like a very nice new MoonSwatch indeed.

It’s been roughly a month and a half since Swatch announced three new regular MoonSwatch Mission on Earth models. I loved the Lava and Polar Lights editions because the colors and the details brought some visual excitement. However, my excitement for the Mission to the Moonphase models that came out earlier this year was greater. Combining an all-black and all-white model with a moonphase complication and Snoopy on the dial was a nice next step for the successful Omega × Swatch collaboration. While the excitement was nowhere near as palpable as when the MoonSwatch first came out, fans showed great enthusiasm. Honestly, I was one of those people who enjoyed the two versions, especially the blacked-out one.

The Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase

To celebrate the full blue moon on August 19th, 2024, Swatch is now releasing the third model in that series. Gone is Snoopy, and gone is the monochromatic aesthetic of the previous two models. What we get in return is a completely different design that is closer to the initial MoonSwatch Mission to Neptune. The new watch features the same blue case with a darker blue bezel insert. The pulsation scale on it is a first for the MoonSwatch, though, as all the previous models featured a tachymeter scale. It’s a nice nod to the pulsation bezels on some of the Moonwatches of the past.

The blue case and bezel complement a new dial that immediately reminded me of the blue Speedmaster CK2998 Limited Edition from 2016. It also includes hints of the latest blue Speedmaster Snoopy, leading to an attractive new MoonSwatch. The “silver-opaline” center of the dial — which, to me, looks more like a cream color in the images — is contrasted by three blue sub-dials and a blue peripheral ring holding the minute track. The hour markers and dark blue hands feature light blue Super-LumiNova that lights up blue in the dark. This light blue lume color matches the hue of the two depictions of the Moon in the moonphase display. Overall, I like the mix of the two blue shades and the cream-colored center. It’s a classy palette of colors for this new MoonSwatch dial.

Familiar proportions for the MoonSwatch

The watch has the famous 42mm Speedmaster case shape, measuring 13.75mm thick and 47.3mm from lug to lug. As with all MoonSwatch models, the case is Bioceramic. The watch also has a dark blue Velcro strap with light blue stitching and a Bioceramic attachment loop. The strap completes the look of the watch nicely. That said, I’m sure this model will also look great on various 20mm straps.

Inside the case, you will find the same quartz movement that also powers the previous Mission to the Moonphase models. The movement has a moonphase display that you can adjust through the crown and the pusher at 4 o’clock. As Robert-Jan explained, after pulling the crown out to the third position, you can use the pusher to advance the moonphase disc. One press will advance this disc by an hour, a day, or continuously, depending on how long you keep the pusher engaged. This lets you precisely set the moonphase, which is a nice feature.

Celebrating the full blue moon in style

Speaking of the moonphase display, it shines bright in the dark. Like the previous black and white models, you will get a “surprise” when using a UV light. The hidden text that lights up is different from the previous versions. This new one displays the text “Super Blue Moon,” referring to the special occasion that inspired this version, which brings us back to the watch’s story. In essence, this is another colorful variation of the many MoonSwatch models. But Swatch has found a story to explain the new blue aesthetic.

The MoonSwatch celebrates the first blue moon of the year in style. Tying into that story is the interesting detail that the watch will only be available from the 1st until the 19th of August, the date of the full blue moon. It also happens to be the first supermoon of the year. On top of that, this watch will only be sold during the “blue hours” of those days, meaning from 5:00 PM until closing time.

Available at select dates and times

In all honesty, Swatch is not making it easier for people to show up and have a chance to buy the watch. We know the watch will only be available in limited quantities at selected sales locations. Additionally, as with all the previous versions, it will limited to one watch per person, per day, per location for €315. When I first read the specifics, it almost felt like I was 12 years old again and being handed clues for a scavenger hunt. I used to love scavenger hunts, but in my mid-40s, I don’t necessarily need to engage in them.

I understand what Swatch is doing, and plenty of fans will probably show up when the watch is available. As a fan of Swatch, I understand that hype has always been part of the brand’s strategy. It’s what made Swatch the brand that it is today. And I must admit that when I wrote the Buying Guide articles about Swatch, it was great to see all the different Pop Art Swatches and the clever hype created around them. Something was exciting about the events, designs, and enthusiasm surrounding those special series of Swatches. In that context, the MoonSwatch series is no different.

Final thoughts on the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase

But what has drastically changed over the last three decades is the context in which watches are sold. With the convenience of online shopping these days, the idea of having to show up at a certain time and place to be able to potentially buy a watch seems a bit much. But don’t be fooled; it happens all the time. Young people are willing to stand in line for hours to get their hands on sneakers, a handbag, or whatever the latest hype product is. So I suppose the only question is whether there’s still enough hype around the MoonSwatch to make it a logical thing to do. The previous two Mission to the Moonphase models generated a lot of buzz and had young people waiting in line.

Whether that will happen again with this new Mission to the Moonphase edition remains to be seen. I must admit that I like this new MoonSwatch Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase. But I will also admit that I won’t be standing in line for it. That doesn’t mean that FOMO doesn’t exist anymore. It just means I have grown older and lazier, not necessarily wiser.

You can find more information via the Swatch website.