New Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon 1969 limited edition features an 18k gold dial and a new digital queue system

Swatch and Omega have just unveiled the latest limited edition MoonSwatch, and it’s the most premium one yet. The big news, is, though, that it’ll be available to buy online (more on that later).

As for the watch, and why it’s special – the dial, hands, crown and pushers are all crafted from Omega’s 18k Moonshine Gold. That’s 11 grams of gold on the watch.

It gets better, though, that gold isn’t new, it’s melted down from genuine Omega spare parts dating back to 1969, the year of the actual moon landing.

Only 1,69 pieces are being made. Each one is individually numbered, with the number engraved at 9 o’clock in gold lacquer.

This will no-doubt be the most desirable and sought-after MoonSwatch ever released. For a start, it’s the first one that’s limited edition (not simply limited by time).

The design is typical MoonSwatch with 1969 details. You get period-correct Omega logos and typography, gold beveled hour markers with black lacquer inlays, and a black tachymeter bezel finished in gold.

The battery cover carries a gold moon motif with the Apollo 11 landing date and a footprint marking the first step on the Sea of Tranquility.

It’s still built on the familiar Bioceramic case and strap, so it’ll wear like every other MoonSwatch. But that gold should change the way it feels on the wrist, and honestly, in the photos, it looks genuinely special rather than just another colourway.

The 11 grams of gold is a nice touch too, a nod to the Apollo 11 mission itself.

How to order

Now, the bit everyone actually wants to know: how do you get one?

This time, Swatch is doing things differently. After the chaos of the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop launch, with queues, resellers and no shortage of bad press, this drop is online application only.

You’ll need a Swatch account. From there, you apply through the new Electronic Swatch Timepiece Application, or ESTA, choosing a store for collection if you’re approved.

It is composed of 32 open and multiple-choice questions covering the brand’s heritage, historical facts and a handful of unexpected twists.

Applications open on 16 July at 3:32pm CEST and close on 21 July at 11:59pm CEST. You’ll have two hours and fifteen minutes to complete your application, a nod to how long Armstrong and Aldrin spent on the lunar surface.

Successful applicants will hear back a few days after the window closes, then have 48 hours to complete payment online before losing their slot. Once paid, you collect in person with your approved ESTA and photo ID.

The Mission to the Moon 1969 will cost $570 / £520 – find out more details on Swatch’s website.

Another fun fact, in 1969, eleven grams of 18K gold cost 11 dollars and around 48 Swiss francs, with an exchange rate of CHF 4,31 to the dollar. The Mission to the Moon 1969’s price is based on the price of gold on July 21, 1969 and not on today’s gold price.

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