Is the moonswatch madness like to continue?

[Rickkk]

Been months since it was released and I still see the flippers outside of the swatch store in London lining up not even knowing if they'll get a delivery that day. How much longer do we think this is going to go on? Hoping I'll be able to bag one for xmas without queuing all day or is that wishful thinking?

[dshin525]

I think they may start being available at more Swatch stores.
Here in Seoul, initially it was released at only one store.
This past weekend, I happened to walk past one inside a large mall and they had the moonswatch display. I spoke to a worker and was told that they started receiving inventory a few days ago.

[Polar Bear]

I imagine it will be 2022s hottest watch related Christmas gift regardless of if availability improves

[Mendota]

We have a large Swatch store here at the Mall of America that originally was not included in the list of boutiques carrying them. They were just added within the last week and they won't even answer their phone. When you try calling the number it rings and rings, then it goes to a recorded message by a staffer who is reading a script about how the Moonswatch is not a limited edition, availability will soon increase, and don't buy from flippers.

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[colpol]

It’s ridiculous - the shop in Edinburgh always out of stock

Really wonder how many make the counter ………

[shaunylw]

Affordable for essentially everyone, it’s going to be a while. They can only make so many. Once they drop closer to retail on eBay and the other flipper sites, things will get easier. I don’t have time to go to the store and wait in line, so once they get under $500 I’ll buy one.


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[Sandpit]

And some said this would be a flop

[ree7]

Originally Posted by shaunylw

Affordable for essentially everyone, it’s going to be a while. They can only make so many. Once they drop closer to retail on eBay and the other flipper sites, things will get easier. I don’t have time to go to the store and wait in line, so once they get under $500 I’ll buy one.


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They're now available for ~$350 on stockx. Have never bought watches from there before though, only sneakers.

[shaunylw]

Originally Posted by ree7

They're now available for ~$350 on stockx. Have never bought watches from there before though, only sneakers.

I’ve used StockX for shoes as well. I’m headed over there right now!


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[brkn]

idk but I just bought one abroad (Mission to the Moon) and will flip it to the best offer at StockX when I get back to the US.

[The Londonist]

Whilst very popular right now, I do wonder if once all the fever dies down, the moonswatch might be seen to be ultimately detrimental to the Omega brand…

[Sandpit]

Originally Posted by The Londonist

Whilst very popular right now, I do wonder if once all the fever dies down, the moonswatch might be seen to be ultimately detrimental to the Omega brand…

According to Nick Hayek (Swatch CEO) moonwatch sales have increased by 50%.

If anything, right now this is a smash hit for both Swatch and Omega

[Mendota]

Originally Posted by Sandpit

According to Nick Hayek (Swatch CEO) moonwatch sales have increased by 50%.



If anything, right now this is a smash hit for both Swatch and Omega

Exactly. He has given several interviews recently and this sounds like this is only the beginning of these partnership launches. They produced bioceramic prototype versions of a Seamaster Professional and a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, and he is very excited about how well this has been going (in his mind at least).

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[JimBianchi]

I've seen the yellow as low as $340, getting close to retail.

[Ketler]

???

[DoubleBridge]

I was lucky enough to run into one of the fiats on tour while on holiday in Locarno.

https://www.swatch.com/de-ch/biocera...h-journey.html

Part of the fun of collecting is the hunt! Guys don’t loose faith and hold out on the grey flippers. If you try hard enough you can get them at retail





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[anonymousmoose]

Not when the closest retailer is literally over 3500km away

[Mendota]

I just watched a good video interview with Teddy Baldassarre and Kevin O-Leary discussing this.

https://youtu.be/cIiXbOkN71M

Kevin said he's buying every one of these and he's also going to get the display case for them. He was wearing his limited edition blue panda Speedy with a custom red strap during the interview and he said these are just really fun pieces that have no impact whatsoever on his opinions regarding his own Speedy collection (vintage and modern). In fact, he said he has watch collector friends who buy million dollar pieces that are clamoring to get these MoonSwatches for their collections, too. Teddy said one of the great things about this is Omega now has watches for everyone and for all budgets. He said young people, new to watch collecting, can start with one of these, then stay within Omega to build up to an SMP or an Aqua Terra, or if they really like this they could get an actual Speedy. And unlike Rolex and other brands that have nothing for you to see and are turning away people who are new to watches, Omega is welcoming new people in with open arms. This is a brilliant gateway to the world of Omega.

[colpol]

My daughters been in numerous times to the swatch store in Edinburgh

My partner was working in Edinburgh & popped in on her way to the station after work

The SA told her they get a delivery once a week & there gone in an hour

How can the whole consignment go in an hour ……

[DoubleBridge]

The guy who drives the ‘mission to the sun’ fiat in Switzerland is the swatch manager for Interlaken. He told me they get 150 units per shipment. Depending how many units they sell per customer it could go by fast….I’ve gone to the Geneva boutique a couple times and they never have them. They say that when shipments come in they have people lining up before opening. Early bird gets the worm!

[Lammers]

Originally Posted by Sandpit

According to Nick Hayek (Swatch CEO) moonwatch sales have increased by 50%.

If anything, right now this is a smash hit for both Swatch and Omega

Yes, and on more than one occasion I’ve been in a London OB when a customer came in enquiring about the “real” Moonwatch because of having a Moonswatch. There is definitely a halo effect.

[The Londonist]

Originally Posted by Sandpit

According to Nick Hayek (Swatch CEO) moonwatch sales have increased by 50%.

If anything, right now this is a smash hit for both Swatch and Omega

My sense is that this will, over time, dilute and diminish the prestige of the Omega brand.

An expedient course of action in the short term that bring sales and attention but a true prestige brand would never, ever allow plastic copies.

Most sensible brand positioning is to try to go upmarket; Omega have chosen to go downmarket. It may be that Omega concluded that they could go no further upmarket and to get the penetration, they chose this route.

Much like Adrian’s (Bark & Jack) views on the ranking of watch brands, he sees Omega as a premium but not luxury brand.

This JV will not enhance Omega’s ranking at all, and in my opinion the balance of probabilities is negative for the brand perception. I cannot see this ending well.

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by The Londonist

My sense is that this will, over time, dilute and diminish the prestige of the Omega brand.

An expedient course of action in the short term that bring sales and attention but a true prestige brand would never, ever allow plastic copies.

Most sensible brand positioning is to try to go upmarket; Omega have chosen to go downmarket. It may be that Omega concluded that they could go no further upmarket and to get the penetration, they chose this route.

Much like Adrian’s (Bark & Jack) views on the ranking of watch brands, he sees Omega as a premium but not luxury brand.

This JV will not enhance Omega’s ranking at all, and in my opinion the balance of probabilities is negative for the brand perception. I cannot see this ending well.

Agree. Omega needs to trim the fat and focus on the icons and building prestige.

[DoubleBridge]

No one really knows their true strategy. Omega has been at wits end with Rolex and although they have arguably better movements they are always at the short end of the stick. The leadership team was smart to try a skunkworks idea like this JV as a POME (point of market entry). They will continue to try to grow the top with premium but why not try to grow the base with PoMe. It really didn’t cost Omega a lot (maybe some brand equity with enthusiasts, maybe not their target segment) and it’s working. Results show that their sales have increased and more people are trading up to real speedys from moonswatch.

Worse comes to worse they have uncle Richmond to bail them out and change management. From the perpective of Richmond it was a win win. Omega up and more importantly Swacth up, a brand that has probably been the boat anchor of their brands. Now swatch can contribute versus have the other brands carry them….

[Jerrocop]

Originally Posted by colpol

It’s ridiculous - the shop in Edinburgh always out of stock

Really wonder how many make the counter ………

+1

I did pickup a FringeSwatch nonetheless.

[cardiel]

just received a Mission To The Moon and very happy! My partner works adjacent to a Swatch boutique and saw the tell tale queue forming. A combination of luck & determination.

[GST15]

I hope not

[Mendota]

Great article and new interview with Nick Hayek about Project Galileo. Internet searches for Speedmasters and Seamasters are up well over 100% since all of this. Omega has never received as much attention as they have now.

https://www.wired.com/story/how-the-...ch-was-made%2F

Hayek said when he first proposed the idea to the Omega president he was intrigued, but after he saw the prototype he was super excited. That's when they created the Seamaster 300 prototype and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms prototype, as well. Hayek said he then poached the Omega head of product and that guy is the one who created the whole idea to feature colorways for each solar system body.

When the president of Switzerland was visiting Japan in April, the Japanese Prime Minister asked if he could have a MoonSwatch as an example of Swiss time pieces. The Swiss president contacted Swatch and they turned him down! They told him his staffers would have to go queue up at Swatch boutiques just like everyone else. Ha ha!

I just got my Pluto two days ago. Fun watch!

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[knyshcollection]

I think it will last for a while

[Silvio_86]

Got a mission to saturn yesterday. here in Italy it is a mess to get one of these. lot of scalpers all around... you have to line up early in the morning and wait the opening of the stores to check if they received something. here they are sold 1 per person and most of them are going to the grey market. being there three days to get one, the first 20 people were all the same scalpers that as soon the first in the line said the colours available, were already checking stockx to see how much they can get. Very poor display of what our society became lately IMHO.