It’s 4:30 am in NYC: Welcome to the line for the MoonSwatch…

Ricardo Sime

You remember when a certain watch from a certain brand dropped last year, in all its 170-piece glory. In that moment in time, it felt like the watch community stopped in its tracks for that Tiffany-dialled beast. In the midst of that fervour, I told myself that it would probably be a long time before I’d see such a reaction again. But, in this hyper socially connected world of ours, it barely took half a year. So remarkable has been the reaction to the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch that I now find myself bundled up on a New York City street, waiting to get one.

What the hell is going on? How did a $260 USD collaboration shake the watch world like this?

As I stand in this line in the hope of getting a mission to Jupiter or Neptune, or any celestial being that survives the rush, I can’t stop thinking about these questions. For decades these brands existed in their own lanes, providing buyers with two great options in their watch-collecting pursuits. The fun of Swatch and their “we don’t take ourselves too seriously” approach coupled with the high-end specifications of Omega. It’s a one-two combo that has taken out many a wallet.

Yet now, in this collaboration, these brands have garnered more attention than they have ever achieved on their own.

Looking at the situation, the first thing that comes to mind is the popularity of the watch this is being derived from. The Speedmaster is Omega’s baby; their calling card. I thought I always understood just how passionate collectors of the reference were, but maybe I underestimated them. Their love for all things Speedy has definitely played a large role in all of this.

And then you have Swatch collectors, who no doubt enjoy this taste of a classic from a sibling. It’s always fun playing at this price point, but this takes things up a notch for them. Collaborations like this have always been one of the most compelling aspects of the brand.

Then comes the average watch collector who likes the Speedy but can’t see themselves getting one at retail. In the MoonSwatch, they get the aesthetic with the bonus of the colour options for a little extra spice in ones life. All in an officially licensed package.

Finally, in this hyper-connected world of ours, there are the opportunists. They are not collectors and chances are they will never wear the watch. It will go from store bag to shipping box within a matter of hours. Standing on this line right now, I know they are here. The return on investment is too sweet to ignore. Even if it means a few hours of your time lying down on a sidewalk. However, in this current world we live in, where an exorbitant amount of people are struggling to make ends meet, I find it hard to judge them.

As for myself; there are probably plenty of you asking why I am standing on this line. The answer to that is simple. I’m here for my son. At only two and a half years old, he loves all things space and rocket-related. The kid knows every planet like the characters in a beloved television show. So when given an opportunity to share my passion, with his, a few hours on a line are more than worth it.

But alas, that will not happen today. At 5:30 am, a store representative came out to let us know that they only have enough watches for less than half of those on line. Seeing as I’m standing on the rear half, the chances of me getting a MoonSwatch today is pretty nonexistent. Yet even with this news, as I sit in my car outlining this article in my head, I can’t help but marvel at what Omega and Swatch have done with this release. People are talking watches and I could never be mad at that.