Hongkongers love to queue up for just about anything. But nothing made that more apparent than the recent craze over the Omega x Swatch Bioceramic MoonSwatch collection. The Moonswatch collection sees the joint collaboration between a luxury and street brand – a recent trend as of late – that features 11 colourful and affordable watches, retailing at $2,100 apiece. This, of course, sparked a shopping frenzy for watch fans not just in Hong Kong, but also around the world.
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With so much buzz generated about the new watch series, one question is on everyone’s mind – is it worth the hype? While some seem to adore their new bling, claiming that the watch is lightweight and that the velcro straps are great for those living in hot climates, others were not so impressed with their new timepiece.
One watch fan took to the Omega x Swatch Moonswatch Facebook group (a Facebook fan group for Moonswatch collectors) with their disappointment, claiming that the Mission to Neptune watch had apparently left a blue stain on his wrist after a night out, and that the “straps also feel like garbage. Would rather have rubber.“
Watch enthusiast and lifestyle YouTuber Simply Serge also found some issues with the blue dye staining his wrist, and even raised health concerns about unknown chemicals absorbing into the skin.
Another YouTuber, Random Rob, who specialises in reviewing watches, took the matters into his own hands and tested out the Neptune watch to see how and where the blue stain comes from. After rubbing a wet Q-tip against the watch’s back case, Rob found that the watch does indeed stain when met with moisture.
So, is it really worth the hype? While it's clear that Omega and Swatch had missed the quality control mark with the Neptune watch, it seems that watch fans all over the world are still crazy about the collection. If you can't afford the original Speedmaster, Moonswatch is the next best thing. Though there are drawbacks that play into this price bracket, it still has the Speedmaster's iconic look and dimension, features small details inspired by the real thing, and comes in rarely seen colours. One thing is for sure, this collaboration is one for the history books. The story of how you're able to get a piece is one that you'll probably tell for quite some time.
The trend of streetwear and luxury brands coming together isn’t going anywhere soon. American streetwear brand Supreme has been drumming up collabs with brands like Burberry for their Spring 2022 collection. Meanwhile, the forthcoming collaboration between French luxury house Dior and German footwear brand Birkenstock – set to debut in June, 2022 – has got the fashion crowd buzzing with excitement. How will these collaborative collections turn out? Are we to expect yet another shopping frenzy around the world? Keep your eyes peeled on our pages as we bring you all the latest news on shopping and more.
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