The incontrovertible fact that Daniel Craig confirmed up at a movie premiere rocking one with a tailor-made swimsuit hardly dampened the fervor. The Neptune is believed to have been again on sale in current months, although it seems to stay scarce—whereas MoonSwatch resale costs have now largely fallen to ranges solely marginally dearer than as-new, the Neptune continues to carry a premium, with costs on the Chrono24 market beginning at round £800 ($1,000).
A brand-new model, nonetheless, accessible for in the future solely at $300, could command a fair increased premium. This 12 months Swatch fell upon a novel technique for protecting the hype prepare shifting across the MoonSwatch: Rather than announce any all-new fashions, since March it has launched a sequence of restricted version variations of the grey Mission to the Moon mannequin (the closest to the unique Speedmaster), distinguished solely by a chronograph second hand coated in numerous types of Moonshine Gold, an alloy utilized by Omega; these have every been accessible for in the future solely, with every sale date falling on a full moon. And positive sufficient, the queues have been displaying up at Swatch shops as soon as extra, although not fairly with the drama of the unique launch.
With August 30 being a uncommon “super blue moon” (the most important full moon of the 12 months), Swatch is making the Mission to Neptune the topic of the restricted version fairly than the Mission to the Moon. Once once more, the watch is in any other case similar to the core assortment mannequin, besides it has a golden chronograph second hand, which Swatch says is made out of recycled Moonshine Gold from its personal refinery, “produced only during the full moon of August 1.” There’s even a certificates with the watch to verify that.
Photograph: Swatch
Perhaps extra vital than the watch itself (official title: Moonshine Gold—Mission to Neptune) is Swatch’s alternative in highlighting the issue youngster of the MoonSwatch assortment within the first place. After all, it’s not the one blue model. The powder-blue Mission to Uranus has proved to be one of the vital common fashions, using a wider development round light-blue/turquoise watches.
But with Swatch having made no official assertion on both the Neptune’s withdrawal final 12 months or its return previously few months, the one-day restricted version is on the very least affirmation of its wider availability, too. But these hoping for a whole new vary of colour choices for the MoonSwatch may have to hold ready.
