A Timepiece Celebrating The First Moon Landing

The Mission to the Moon 1969 is developed based on the design of the Omega Speedmaster Professional, the timepiece worn by astronauts during the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Yet, thanks to OMEGA’s 18K Moonshine™ Gold, this timepiece still shines in its own unique way. This gold material originated from OMEGA spare parts dating back to 1969; and here, it was melted down and used for the dial, hands, crown, and pushers of the Mission to the Moon 1969, all weighing 11 grams. This number is not randomly calculated: it evoked the name of the spaceflight that carried humans to take their first steps on the moon.

As a part of the MoonSwatch collection, the Mission to the Moon 1969 features familiar specifications, including a 42mm matte black Bioceramic case, quartz chronograph movement and asymmetrical Speedmaster. One of the standout details of this watch is a golden moon design that displays the date of the moon landing and a footprint referencing the first step taken on the Sea of Tranquillity. This timepiece is limited to 1,969 pieces, a fact that Omega and Swatch have indicated through the number engraved on the side of each case at 9 o’clock and finished with a touch of golden lacquer.

To purchase the Mission to the Moon 1969, customers did not simply place an order on the website or visit the store in the usual way. Instead, OMEGA and Swatch introduced a 32-question questionnaire named ESTA - or Electronic Swatch Timepiece Application. Interestingly, these questions not only require customers to choose answers that align with human and brand history, but they also include open-ended questions allowing each person to be creative about how they would land on the moon. This limited edition will be sold for CHF 500, a price based on the price of gold on 21 July, 1969, rather than today's gold price.

Nearly six decades later, the Apollo 11 moon landing is still hailed as "one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." As the watch brand that accompanied this moment, Omega has partnered with Swatch to release the Mission to the Moon 1969, a striking tribute to this momentous milestone. They presented a timepiece in which every detail evokes that historic mission. They introduced a questionnaire that invites us to reflect on the past while looking toward a future where we, too, might reach the Moon. This watch, therefore, went far beyond being merely another MoonSwatch colorway.