Whether you love it or hate it, you can't deny the success of the MoonSwatch. Nothing else has captured the zeitgeist quite like it, with massive second hand prices and scenes resembling Beatlemania outside stores.
The best watch on the market? Certainly not, though it is certainly a cool and quirky piece. It's also quite hard to get hold of. By that, I mean there is no option to purchase them online. Instead, the watches are only sold from select Swatch boutiques around the world.
That's all changing now, though. For the first time ever, a full suitcase of the 2023 Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch models will be available to buy online. In fact, 11 of them will go on sale, being auctioned by Sotheby's for one of Omega's charity partners, Orbis International.
All 11 will be showcased around the world before they go on sale, too. 11 Omega boutiques will each take one of the suitcases on, with a commemorative coin in the case and an engraving on each watch marking which city the case was located in. Those boutiques are: Zurich, Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, London, Milan, Paris, and Sydney.
The cases will be on show from today until the 11th of February, before they go up for auction between the 12th and the 24th of February. While there is no guide for the price here, expect to see large figures.
If the pieces themselves weren't hot enough, the cases have never before been available to the public. Being able to purchase a full set, plus commemorative extras is certain to excite those with collecting instincts and deep pockets.
It's certainly a novel approach for the range, having never been available online before. Will it convince the brand to offer online sales as standard? It's too soon to say, but it's certainly an exciting prospect.
