The truth that Daniel Craig showed up at a film premiere rocking one with a tailor-made swimsuit hardly dampened the fervor. The Neptune is believed to have been again on sale in latest months, although it seems to stay scarce—whereas MoonSwatch resale costs have now largely fallen to ranges solely marginally costlier than as-new, the Neptune continues to hold a premium, with costs on the Chrono24 market beginning at round £800 ($1,000).
A brand-new model, nevertheless, obtainable for someday solely at $300, could command a good increased premium. This yr Swatch fell upon a novel technique for retaining the hype practice transferring across the MoonSwatch: Relatively 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 kinds of Moonshine Gold, an alloy utilized by Omega; these have every been obtainable for someday solely, with every sale date falling on a full moon. And certain 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 “tremendous blue moon” (the largest full moon of the yr), Swatch is making the Mission to Neptune the topic of the restricted version relatively than the Mission to the Moon. As soon as 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 created from recycled Moonshine Gold from its personal refinery, “produced solely through the full moon of August 1.” There’s even a certificates with the watch to substantiate that.
{Photograph}: Swatch
Maybe extra vital than the watch itself (official title: Moonshine Gold—Mission to Neptune) is Swatch’s selection in highlighting the issue baby of the MoonSwatch assortment within the first place. In spite of everything, it’s not the one blue model. The powder-blue Mission to Uranus has proved to be one of the fashionable fashions, driving a wider development round light-blue/turquoise watches.
However with Swatch having made no official assertion on both the Neptune’s withdrawal final yr or its return prior to now few months, the one-day restricted version is on the very least affirmation of its wider availability, too. However these hoping for a whole new vary of colour choices for the MoonSwatch should hold ready.
