Although the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch hasn't yet had the opportunity to travel into space, it has already made a name for itself in the watchmaking world. In just eight months, the watch, which draws its inspiration from astronaut designs, has sold a million units. This information comes directly from Nick Hayek, Swatch Group CEO, in a recent interview with Andrea Martel of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, in preparation for the Group's annual results.
The MoonSwatch is undoubtedly the major watch launch of this decade, not only because of its surprise effect, but also because of its impact on the market. Despite the fact that it is difficult to purchase a MoonSwatch in Swatch boutiques, as the eleven unique models, each associated with a planet and a color, are not available online. Nick Hayek had previously said: "I don't think there has ever been a watch name so quickly known in the world. We followed our instincts, our ideas, trusted the creativity and industrial power of the group, and prepared everything in the utmost secrecy. When the Covid came out, we wanted to offer consumers a fun, high-quality, "Swiss made" product with real added value and no alternative. It's an Omega, but it's still a Swatch."
The results are in, with sales well ahead of expectations, and a price twice that of a standard bioceramic Swatch. According to watch expert Olivier Muller, this exceptional launch generated nearly 200 million Swiss francs (199 million euros) for the Group last year. More importantly, the launch helped revitalize Swatch's flagging boutiques, while rejuvenating Omega's customer base. It also introduced a new generation to the unique space heritage of the watch that officially accompanied American astronauts throughout the conquest of space.
Production of the MoonSwatch will also expand, with two separate manufacturing sites in Switzerland, in Grenchen and Bettlach. This is all the more remarkable given that these MoonSwatches are still made in Switzerland, exactly forty years after the launch of the first Swatch in 1983. This demonstrates the Group's ability to maintain its original vision of saving Swiss Made watchmaking from Japanese competition, by having both powerful, renowned brands and a complete industrial infrastructure to produce and market Swiss-made watches in large quantities.
As we celebrate Swatch's 40th anniversary in early March, we're eager to know what surprise collaboration Swatch has in store for us this year. Will it be an Omega Seamaster James Bond, a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, a Breguet Type XX, or even an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak? The possibilities are endless...