Review: The Snoopy Mission to the Moonphase MoonSwatches
With an all-black Snoopy MoonSwatch, Swatch finds a happy medium between homage and kitsch
With Snoopy having a moment in recent months and the cartoon dog’s connection to the Omega Speedmaster, it was only a matter of time before Swatch released a Snoopy MoonSwatch. Sure enough, Swatch announced one ahead of the two-year anniversary of the MoonSwatch. And then, they announced another.
Both of the new MoonSwatches feature a moonphase in place of the three o’clock chronograph register, a first for the MoonSwatch line. And on that moonphase: Snoopy and Woodstock, fast asleep on a crescent moon.
The Mission to the Moonphase Full Moon—in all white—and New Moon—in all black—are identical to previous MoonSwatch models aside from the moonphase. (There’s also a secret message on the moonphase. More on that on the T.R.I Instagram later today.) They’re 42mm in diameter and 47mm lug-to-lug. Inside the bioceremic case is a Swatch quartz movement.
But the addition of a moonphase and Snoopy bumps the price up from the $270 OG MoonSwatch price tag to $310. That price increase makes sense, given Swatch created a new moonphase movement for the watches and had to create a thicker case than used in the main MoonSwatch line. (13.75mm versus 13.25mm.) But it’s still a lot for a plastic quartz watch.
Despite their identical specs, the Full Moon and New Moon watches look radically different. The white Snoopy watch is emblematic of the most damning MoonSwatch criticism: It feels like a toy. The bioceramic case looks cheap and coupled with the quartz movement, the watch feels lightweight and insubstantial.
While the New Moon still feels overly light, somehow just changing the color to black covers up the rest Swatch’s bioceramic sins. It looks sleek, and is the most attractive MoonSwatch model by far. It may never be a true Omega Speedmaster, but with the all black colorway and Snoopy moonphase, the New Moon finds a happy medium between homage and kitschy fun.
But even the New Moon MoonSwatch falls victim to the worst aspect of MoonSwatches: while not limited, they aren’t sold online, are only at a handful of Swatch stores around the U.S., and are extremely popular. So it’ll probably be a year before you can get your hands on one unless you’re willing to camp out at a store.
(Special thanks to Swatch for loaning me these watches, they are absolutely impossible to get ahold of otherwise.)
The Snoopy MoonSwatches are available to purchase in select Swatch stores.
More shots of the watch: