The MoonSwatch 1965 Is a Wearable Piece of NASA History
Imbued into OMEGA and Swatch’s latest collaboration, the Speedmaster MoonSwatch 1965, is a history lesson charting a momentous moment in horology (and space travel).
This watch honors the moment NASA certified the OMEGA Speedmaster watch for flight use in 1965 (eventually leading to it being used in the Apollo 11 moon landing). And there are some little easter eggs integrated into its design to honor this.
The individual chronograph counters register to 19 hours and 65 minutes (instead of the traditional 24 hours and 60 minutes), while the gray velcro strap is modeled after those used by NASA astronauts.
Even the release date of this watch, March 1, is a subtle reminder of OMEGA's space travels: it is the same day that NASA qualified the Speedmaster, the only watch to be approved after rigorous testing — this ranged from undergoing 158°F heat for 48 hours to being hit with 40G shocks from six different directions.
While Swatch brings some updates to the original watch’s design (extra branding, its patented Bioceramic material, and this limited-edition gray colorway) the watch stays pretty true to the original design of the OMEGA Speedmaster. That’s kinda Swatch and Omega’s whole MO: OMEGA timepieces, with space-oriented details from Swatch, and a more affordable price point.
And so far, this has been a recipe for success. Swatch and Omega seemingly can’t make enough of these things: since their debut in 2022, there have been Snoopy MoonSwatchs, consistent restocks, and widely available releases to counteract the limited-edition ones. Yet, every release has swiftly sold out.
MoonSwatch fans will be happy to learn that this is one of the “non-limited” collaborations between the two brands. But still, history proves that doesn’t mean the Speedmaster MoonSwatch 1965 won't fly off the shelves.
