The truth that Daniel Craig confirmed up at a movie premiere rocking one with a tailor-made swimsuit hardly dampened the fervor. The Neptune is assumed 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 dearer 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, nonetheless, accessible for someday solely at $300, might command a fair larger premium. This 12 months Swatch fell upon a novel technique for maintaining the hype practice shifting across the MoonSwatch: Reasonably 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 accessible for someday solely, with every sale date falling on a full moon. And certain sufficient, the queues have been exhibiting 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 12 months), Swatch is making the Mission to Neptune the topic of the restricted version slightly than the Mission to the Moon. As soon as once more, the watch is in any other case an identical 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 throughout the full moon of August 1.” There’s even a certificates with the watch to substantiate that.
{Photograph}: Swatch
Maybe extra important than the watch itself (official title: Moonshine Gold—Mission to Neptune) is Swatch’s alternative in highlighting the issue little one of the MoonSwatch assortment within the first place. In any case, it’s not the one blue model. The powder-blue Mission to Uranus has proved to be some of the in style fashions, driving a wider pattern round light-blue/turquoise watches.
However with Swatch having made no official assertion on both the Neptune’s withdrawal final 12 months 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 must hold ready.