IntroducingSnoopy Gets A New MoonSwatch With The Mission To Earthphase Moonshine Gold (Live Pics)

It's been fifteen months since we saw the first (and only) Snoopy-themed MoonSwatches introduced to the world. In MoonSwatch Years, that's practically an eternity. But today brings us a brand new Snoopy-dialed release. Though the black and white Snoopy MoonSwatches ushered in a new quartz-powered complication to the MoonSwatch line with the Mission To Moonphase, this time the pre-existing Mission to Earthphase, which we saw previously in grey, gets the Peanuts spin.

The new aptly-titled Mission to Earthphase - Moonshine Gold ref. SO33N701L takes Snoopy and sits him and Woodstock on the surface of the moon, sitting there watching as a cartoon depiction of the Earth in the sparkling expanse of outer space.

That motif continues across the rest of the watch, starting with the new, darker navy bioceramic case. Surrounding this abstract take on the lunar surface is a minute track with the same sparkling aventurine-style finishing, which continues around the small seconds hand, the moonphase discs, and even the hands. A lot of sparkle on this one. Speaking of which, the Moonshine element here, instead of the seconds hand on all previous Moonshine gold MoonSwatches, is the two moons of the moonphase disc, coated in Omega's unique gold alloy. This time around, the Sturgeon Moon acts as the impetus for the new release, with one of the golden rounds draped in a fishing net to commemorate the time typically associated with the most abundance of sturgeon to fish. The other moon is much more comic-appropriate, with a paw print hidden amongst the golden craters.

It wouldn't be a Snoopy MoonSwatch without a secret UV message, and when you take a UV torch to this watch, you'll notice the quote from Snoopy in the form of a speech bubble saying "I beat everybody…" as he proudly proclaims his victory in a race to the moon. In addition to this bubble, the water on the earth's surface is also UV reactive, along with the SuperLuminova on the hour markers and hands.

While most of the other specs remain identical to the other Mission to Earthphase, like the trademark 42mm case of the Omega Moonwatch, what is new is that this is the first MoonSwatch delivered on the new rubber straps that Omega released last year as an online-only option to supplement any current MoonSwatch. Though they also have velcro closures as an homage to the NASA velcro straps, the rubber straps are much softer than the rigid fabric ones delivered on most MoonSwatches.

What also remains identical to the other Moonshine Gold-laden Swatches is the brand's release strategy — this Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold is available in select Swatch stores worldwide only on Saturday, August 9th, and is priced at $380.

Since Swatch started teasing this release last week, we all knew another Snoopy MoonSwatch was on its way. I really thought we'd just get a simple blue take on the other two Snoopy Moonphase models, maybe a golden seconds hand since the brand was teasing another full moon. But I didn't expect to see everything and the kitchen sink included in this release. Do I like it? Yes. It's the latest MoonSwatch complication with Snoopy on the dial. It's also, in its white dial with contrasting blue accents and a Snoopy at 9 o'clock, the closest thing to a sub-$400 take on the current Omega Silver Snoopy 50th Anniversary Speedmaster. With the long-standing rumor of that watch's eventual sunset, I'm sure many will finally see this watch as a chance to scratch that itch.

This new Earthphase certainly feels like it deserves the title of most MoonSwatch — Snoopy, Moonshine Gold, sparkly blue fauxventurine, a new bioceramic color, and the new-ish rubber strap design, not to mention the Earthphase being Swatch's most complicated Moonswatch. What this watch lacks in an actual minutes totalizer subdial, it gains in number of visual curiosities in its design. In the metal (or rather, bioceramic), the decorations on the moons are really only for a loupe — I could barely make out the netting on one of the discs, as well as the paw print on the other. To be honest, it is a plus for me as I get the need to tie the release to the Sturgeon Moon with the fish net, but the rest of the design makes more sense without it.

This is, of course, the first MoonSwatch to get delivered on the rubber strap design instead of the rigid (and to many, rather unsatisfying) fabric strap. This rubber strap is such a significant improvement in comfort on the wrist. But there's always a tradeoff, and that is that you will need the proper-sized strap for this watch, given that the velcro fastener has a significantly smaller range of usable closure length. What I assume is the "Medium" size on this watch is too large for my smaller wrist. I'm curious if we'll see more of these models get the rubber strap treatment going forward, but luckily, Swatch confirmed that the other sizes will be available in stores for when you buy one of these Moonshine Gold editions.

2023 saw a non-stop barrage of Moonshine Gold editions, but then, for a brief while, all was quiet on the Genevan front when it came to these gilt one-day-only limited editions. And I have to say that the release strategy is my least favorite part of the Moonshine Gold editions, especially for this new watch. Anything with Snoopy on it is going to attract such a wide range of prospective customers, and I only wish that this release could get a bit more time in the spotlight to make it onto more people's wrists. But the marketing team at Swatch certainly knows how to create a fervor, and while I'll bemoan the repeat of the one-day-only launch, it's undoubtedly going to create quite a few lines around the world this Saturday and continue a familiar sight since the first MoonSwatch was introduced back in 2022.

Brand: Swatch
Model: Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold
Reference Number: SO33N701L

Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 13.75mm
Case Material: Bioceramic
Dial Color: White with sparkling blue accents
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Grade A Super-LumiNova + UV Ink
Water Resistance: 3 bar
Strap/Bracelet: Velcro rubber strap

Caliber: Quartz
Functions: Chronograph, moonphase indicator, earthphase indicator

Price: $380
Availability: Select Swatch stores
Limited Edition: Yes, only available on August 9th. Limited to one per person, per store.

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