The $570 ‘Mission to the Moon 1969’ MoonSwatch Is Already Listed for $18,000 on eBay

1 min readThe latest Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch has barely reached collectors' wrists, yet it's already attracting astonishing prices on the secondary market.As Esquire previously reported, the new Mission to the Moon 1969 isn't just another MoonSwatch. Limited to 1,969 pieces worldwide, it's the most unusual release in the collection to date and features a dial made from 11 grams of 18-carat Omega Moonshine Gold, created using gold said to have been recovered from Omega components dating back to the Apollo era.Rather than asking collectors to queue outside boutiques, Swatch introduced a lottery-style application process. Hopeful buyers had to complete a 32-question test covering Omega history, the MoonSwatch collection, and Apollo 11, with applicants given two hours and 15 minutes to submit their answers—the same length of time Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent on the lunar surface.The launch proved so popular that many users reported the application website struggling under the weight of demand.Now the watch is appearing on eBay at eye-watering prices.Listings currently range from around $16,500 to upwards of 20 grand ($18k seems to be the sweet spot), with sellers offering unworn examples that will first pass through eBay's Authenticity Guarantee program before being delivered to the buyer.Whether anyone ultimately pays those sums ... remains to be seen.But after this year's Royal Pop phenomenon, Swatch has once again shown its unique ability for turning a plastic—sorry, Bioceramic—watch into the hottest ticket in collecting.