Last year, perfect replica Omega and Swatch established a new paradigm for watch hype with the MoonSwatch—the color-happy, Zlatan-approved, wildly-affordable spin on the former’s iconic Speedmaster model—causing epic lines of both longtime collectors and watch neophytes to form outside stores the world over. In 2023, the duo have kept that hype train rolling by doling out a handful of new makeups of the smash-hit model, each using Moonshine Gold, luxury fake Omega UK’s proprietary 18-karat yellow gold alloy, on the seconds hand. It’s a subtle change, sure, but there’s nothing watch fans love more than a tiny exclusive detail most folks won’t notice.
Given Swatch’s announcement of the next “Mission to Moonshine Gold” model earlier this week—via a 20-second Instagram teaser—we decided to rank all four new versions thus far. (The avid selenographers—that’s the study of the moon—among us have noticed 1:1 replica Omega UK and Swatch have released a new version for each full moon since March, so expect more where these came from soon.) If you’re looking to plunk down some cash on one of the year’s hottest watches, here’s how to prioritize your wishlist.
Mission to the Moonshine Gold “Flower Moon”
Now this is a little more like it! To celebrate May’s full moon—known as the Flower Moon—the Moonshine Gold seconds hand came imprinted with white floral imagery. Certainly more of an interesting and noticeable design change than the pink tip from the previous month, but perhaps not enough so for some fans. “This is getting out of hand,” one user commented on Swatch’s Instagram post for the Flower Moon model, indicative of a hope from many that the cheap fake Omega MoonSwatch would get wholly new colorways—not just minor variations—in 2023.
Mission to the Moonshine Gold
Simple but effective. A year after the original 11 MoonSwatch models dropped, AAA quality replica Omega UK and Swatch launched the first Mission to Moonshine Gold, a take on the original Mission to Moon MoonSwatch colorway—the one that looked closest to a real-deal Speedmaster Moonwatch, with its stark black face and gray bioceramic case. The all-gold seconds hand—made from recycled gold in the Swatch Group’s refinery—really pops against the darker tones.
Mission to the Moonshine Gold “Strawberry Moon”
The newest, fruitiest design is by far the most fun, this time decorating the seconds hand with strawberries to mark June’s Strawberry Moon. It feels like a riff on Sanrio’s cutesy animations, or a nod to Swatch’s OG Miss Fraise copy watch—a childhood favorite of mine. The success of the original MoonSwatches had a lot to do with the playfulness of their colors, and the use of the tiny illustrated strawberries here feels like the first real return to that sense of humor and joy. Hopefully that’s a vibe we’ll see more of as high quality replica Omega and Swatch continue to pump these variations out.