MoonSwatch hype is set to swing back into full gear this week with the reveal of a new, somewhat unexpected addition to the fold that will be available for a limited time beginning August 9th. The new MoonSwatch is called the Mission to Earthphase, and like the variation that introduced the complication back in 2024, this example gives a glimpse of the earth’s phases as viewed from the surface of the moon. What’s new here is the addition of the Snoopy character (and his companion, Woodstock) to the dial, and the use of Omega’s Moonshine gold to the moonphase display. The result packs on hell of a visual punch, and may be the most dynamic MoonSwatch to date.
The new Mission to Earthphase embraces many of the now familiar features of the MoonSwatch family, using a navy colored Bioceramic case that measures 42mm housing a quartz chronograph movement. It’s really many of the small details that the brand has teased out that make this one a bit different. It’s got all the most interesting features that have come to the watch over the years since it was released, and while I know it won’t be, it certainly feels like a suitable endcap of sorts to the project as a whole before a new iteration is introduced.
There are plenty of interesting details to discover with this one, but let’s start with the pair of phase indications on either side of the dial. First is the moonphase display at two o’clock that sees both hemispheres represented, and each likeness of the moon has been given a Moonshine gold coating. One gets a Snoopy style illustration, while the other gets a net-like pattern as a playful nod to the origins of the Sturgeon Moon, a full moon that occurs in August, naturally. August 9th, to be precise.
Moving to the other side of the dial we find the rather unique earthphase display, which follows a reverse 29.5-day cycle, effectively mirroring what the moon is doing. The idea being that you’ll get a sense of what the view of the earth would be like from the lunar surface. I can’t help but be reminded of astronaut William Anders’s famous ‘earth rise’ photographed in lunar orbit on December 24, 1968 as a part of the Apollo 8 mission. Situated below this aperture we find Snoopy and Woodstock, both donning space helmets, perched on the moon to observe the earth. A hidden message of “I beat everybody…” is revealed under black light. This is a reference to the space race of the late ‘60s, and NASA’s eventual victory.
The chronograph timing is relegated to just the seconds here, and that feels perfectly suitable. The base white dial is framed by navy blue accents, and upon closer inspection you’ll find a speckled pattern that gives the impression of something like aventurine. It’s a lovely effect as a whole, and paired with the likeness of the earth, and the Moonshine gold moon depictions, this specific Mission to Earthphase has all the makings of a classic.
Swatch will be selling the Mission to Earthphase MoonSwatch only on August 9th at select Swatch stores. So if you fancy one of these, you had better clear your schedule and be ready to wait. The price is set at $380, though I suspect very few will actually be paying that. Swatch