The MoonSwatch was only the beginning. At least, that's what Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek Jr. seems to suggest when quoted in a recent Bloomberg article. When conceiving the MoonSwatch, he also commissioned Swatchified versions of the iconic Omega Seamaster and Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms watches.
The possibilities are intriguing, but what's even more tantalizing? A mysterious "mock-up of a Swatch collaboration with a 'very high-end' outside brand" (i.e., non-Swatch Group) which Mr. Hayek doesn't disclose. The mind goes straight to hype watches like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, but it's anyone's guess as to what Swatch is cooking up.
Based on the Omega Speedmaster chronograph issued to NASA astronauts, the MoonSwatch excited fans like little else in 2022. It features Omega branding on the dial and a design closely based on the very watch that went to the moon in 1969 — but for $260 instead of the circa $6,000 starting price of the modern, mechanical version of it. The MoonSwatch runs on a quartz movement and is produced in Swatch's plastic-ceramic composite material called Bioceramic.
Initial controversy and skepticism that Omega's luxury name would be damaged by placing it on a cheap, plastic watch have been rebutted by the MoonSwatch's success: Not only in its popularity such that supply of the watches can't keep pace with demand — but also that the hype over it has significantly boosted sales both of (non-MoonSwatch) Swatch watches as well as of the original Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch luxury watches, according to another Bloomberg article.
Why not try to replicate that success with other iconic watch collaborations?
Will there be more Swatch collab watches?
So far, there's no indication that other homage watches are actively in the works, but Time & Tide quotes Hayek that "there could be another collaboration." The existence of prototypes based on other luxury watches from within the Swatch Group's stable of brands shows that they were contemplated at the company — and that juices the watch fan's imagination.
It seems that the Omega Seamaster and Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms were originally considered alongside the Omega Speedmaster when the project that became the MoonSwatch was in development. Whether or not the brand initially planned to release more such homages, the MoonSwatch's success might prompt Swatch to expand on the concept.
The MoonSwatch is a tough act to follow, though, so whatever comes next will have to be carefully considered from a marketing strategy perspective. As long as the MoonSwatch hype remains in high gear, any other such homages might only dilute its appeal. When hype dies down, however, even a Swatch watch based on watches without quite the Speedmaster's iconic status might get a boost from the MoonSwatch phenomenon.
What other homage watches might Swatch release?
The Speedmaster is easily the best known model from among the Swatch Group's many brands (it's one of the most iconic watches ever, period). The Seamaster and Fifty-Fathoms are probably next. A Swatch watch based on the Omega Seamaster Diver 300m seems like a strong contender, as it's also got the James Bond connection. While the Fifty-Fathoms might be legendary among watch enthusiasts, it doesn't have the mainstream appeal of the above mentioned Omega watches. Also in the Swatch Group, Hamilton has some bonafide icons like the Ventura and Khaki Field, though they're already pretty affordable.
Will Swatch collaborate with outside brands?
The idea of Swatch homages based on watches from outside its own corporate group opens up even more exciting prospects. This might seem far-fetched when you know the conservative watch industry — but then again, so was the MoonSwatch. Was the mockup of a watch homage from a "very high-end" brand Mr. Hayek teased just a fun concept (watch brands are known to play around like this)? Or is it an actual possibility?
Mr. Hayek isn't revealing the watch or brand that the prototype is based on. That could mean that it would be strategically or legally problematic to do so, but it doesn't mean that such a collaboration is off the table. Here's where you get to go crazy with speculation. As mentioned above, the Royal Oak and Nautilus would be the watches that fit the description of "very high-end" and which also have broad recognition. Rolex seems like a rather unlikely partner.
Swatch surprised us once with the MoonSwatch, though, so could we see a future of fans amassing collections of the most iconic luxury watches — Swatchified? Could Swatch get away with it? We're not discounting anything. And we'll be sure to keep you updated as we learn more.
