How the Secret ‘Project Galileo’ Gave Rise to the MoonSwatch
Omega and Swatch's timepiece isn't just a hype juggernaut. The collaboration has revolutionized materials, manufacturing, and more.
IN APRIL, THE president of the Swiss Confederation (and de facto head of state), Ignazio Cassis, visited Japan to hold talks with the country’s prime minister, Kishida Fumio. As is customary, gifts were to be exchanged, and Cassis’ office requested an example of what had just become the hottest Swiss watch to launch in years, if not decades: the MoonSwatch, a $260 Swatch-produced version of Omega’s Speedmaster Moonwatch, the chronograph famous for being worn by NASA astronauts on the moon. ...
https://www.wired.com/story/how-the-moonswatch-was-made/
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Clive
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Palm Desert, CA, USA
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Last active: 4 weeks ago
The MoonSwatch is a fucking GAME to him.
Interesting read.
@UnholiestJedi it's a game for everyone, but at least the MoonSwatch game levels the playing field as far as money goes. I'll take that over having to buy $20K of watches/jewelry I don't want, just to get added to a wait list.
Interesting read.
@UnholiestJedi it's a game for everyone, but at least the MoonSwatch game levels the playing field as far as money goes. I'll take that over having to buy $20K of watches/jewelry I don't want, just to get added to a wait list.
Only as far as retail goes. His statement is only genuine if their was volume enough for everyone that wanted one to be able to get it at retail.
Their current output volume means you need to a) either live in a city with a Swatch boutique; which ~99% of the world does NOT or b) have the money to buy from a flipper.
It hasn’t revolutionized materials. It’s just another plastic watch.
It hasn’t revolutionized manufacturing. It’s a cheap plastic watch with a standard quartz movement that they can’t (or probably won’t) build enough to meet demand.
The only thing it’s revolutionized is the blatant creation of deliberate scarcity for crass opportunistic marketing. Their whole marketing campaign is as transparent as it is appalling.
Only as far as retail goes. His statement is only genuine if their was volume enough for everyone that wanted one to be able to get it at retail.
Their current output volume means you need to a) either live in a city with a Swatch boutique; which ~99% of the world does NOT or b) have the money to buy from a flipper.
Retail is what they can control,what people do after buying in store is out of their hands.
They are expanding the stores that carry them, and both Swatch and the store staff have been clear that they are not limited by number or length of availability.
In the article they talk about increasing production, but also say they don't plan to build new facilities to build MoonSwatches. When the stores that sell them stop selling every MoonSwatch made I expect they will expand distribution.
Retail is what they can control,what people do after buying in store is out of their hands.
They are expanding the stores that carry them, and both Swatch and the store staff have been clear that they are not limited by number or length of availability.
In the article they talk about increasing production, but also say they don't plan to build new facilities to build MoonSwatches. When the stores that sell them stop selling every MoonSwatch made I expect they will expand distribution.
True, but this trickle of availability is counter to what he keeps saying.
True, but this trickle of availability is counter to what he keeps saying.
They say in the article that they are making as many as they can, with the factory running 24/7, and are expanding production.
So they are already working to fix availability, it just takes time.