When OMEGA and Swatch first unveiled their MoonSwatch collaboration in 2022, it caused a frenzy that watch enthusiasts hadn’t seen in years – with lines wrapping around city blocks and pieces immediately flipping for several times their retail price. Like many enthusiasts, we’ve certainly grown a bit “tired” of the constant releases, but today’s collab release was definitely worth a closer look. While previous iterations have drawn inspiration from celestial bodies and planets, the latest releases takes on a completely different approach -commemorating a pivotal moment in horological history that changed watches and space exploration forever.
1965: When OMEGA Won the Space Race
As the story goes, on March 1, 1965, following a brutal series of tests that would destroy most watches – including exposure to 158°F heat for 48 hours and punishment with 40G shocks from six different directions – NASA officially certified the OMEGA Speedmaster as the only timepiece qualified for spaceflight. Of the three brands that submitted watches for testing (OMEGA, Rolex, and Wittnauer), only the Speedmaster passed every trial, cementing its place in history and eventually earning it the moniker “Moonwatch” after accompanying astronauts to the lunar surface in 1969.
The MoonSwatch 1965 pays homage to this achievement not just in name, but through clever design details that make this more than just another overhyped, inexpensive quartz-powered timepiece. This really breaks the current frenzy of new colorway releases, and has us feeling like this MoonSwatch release could become an actual collector’s piece in due time.
The Clever Timekeeping Easter Eggs
The most intriguing aspect of the MoonSwatch 1965 isn’t immediately apparent until take a closer look at those subdials. Instead of traditional chronograph counters, this model features modified registers showing both 19 hours and 65 minutes – a direct nod to, you guessed it, the year 1965. But it goes beyond mere aesthetics; the movement has been specially modified to actually count 19 hours and 65 minutes in total. This means the hour will only be counted every 65 minutes – unconventional, quirky, and exactly the kind of playful detail that makes these collaborations so endearing and beloved by the watch community.
Swatch even added what they call a “lap of honor” at the 64-minute mark, where the hands make a full rotation before advancing – a celebratory gesture commemorating OMEGA’s achievement six decades ago.
Not Your Average MoonSwatch
As we previously mentioned, Omega x Swatch’s MoonSwatch craze has historically tapped into various celestial bodies for inspiration, and that’s where this new release breaks the mold. The 1965 edition eschews this trend, and opts for a more sophisticated monochromatic approach that Omega fans are sure to appreciate. The 42mm grey Bioceramic case is paired with a stark white dial that creates a striking contrast with the black hour markers and hands. This inverse color scheme (the original ref. 105.003 that underwent NASA testing had a black dial) is reminiscent of the recently released white-dial Omega Speedmaster.
The grey Velcro strap with light grey stitching isn’t just an aesthetic choice – it’s modeled after the actual straps used by NASA, adding another layer of historical authenticity to the mix. The black Bioceramic bezel paired with a white tachymeter scale completes the look, creating a watch that manages to feel both historically significant and contemporary at the same time.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 42mm
Case Thickness: 13.25mm
Case Material: Grey Bioceramic
Dial Color: White with black subdials
Movement: Modified quartz chronograph with specialized 19-hour/65-minute counters
Water Resistance: 30m
Crystal: Box-shaped biosourced glass
Lume: Grade A Super-LumiNova (green emission for hands/indices, blue for subdial numerals)
Bezel: Black Bioceramic with white tachymeter scale
Strap: Grey VELCRO with contrasting light grey stitching, grey Bioceramic loop
Limited Edition: No (but good luck finding one)
Pricing & Availability
The OMEGA × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch 1965 will be available at select Swatch stores starting March 1, 2025 (exactly 60 years after NASA’s qualification) for $270, and like some previous non-limited MoonSwatch releases, expect lines and potential sellouts despite its non-limited status.
Recap
OMEGA × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch 1965
The latest non-limited MoonSwatch celebrates NASA’s historic 1965 qualification of the OMEGA Speedmaster for spaceflight with a monochromatic grey and white design, featuring cleverly-modified chronograph counters.
