Introducing: The Moonswatch Mission To Earthphase Moonshine Gold "Cold Moon" Gets A Frosty Winter Take

What We Know

We just finished celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday here in America, and that means one thing: an immediate switch to all things Christmas and winter. And it looks like Swatch has done the same for its final Moonshine Gold Moonswatch edition of the year, and shockingly, it’s a bit different than the previous offerings.

The biggest change is the inversion of the color scheme for the Bioceramic case. Rather than a blue case with white markings and text, the case is now a snowy white with blue markings for the tachymeter, and the dial also loses a bit more of the blue by getting rid of the faux-venturine minute track as well as the surround for the small seconds subdial, though the hands remain that shimmering blue. The dial layout continues to highlight the moon and earth phase indicators, still in that sparkling blue, while Snoopy and Woodstock gaze off into the distance. In a cute move, the space helmets on Snoopy and Woodstock get a coating of snow. Finally, a white rubber and velcro strap with contrasting blue printed text completes the look.

At this point, we’re all expecting the twist to come in the form of one of Moonshine Gold-coated moonphase discs, and if you guessed a snowflake, congratulations. But wait — there’s another twist. Twistception. For the laser-engraved snowflake design on the moon, Swatch has taken inspiration from nature in a clever way, ensuring that every single snowflake design engraved on these discs will be different, making each of these Moonswatches unique in its own way.

By now, we’re all used to a continuously shifting launch strategy for these Moonswatch full moon editions, as Swatch continues to try to drum up its original hype in different ways. And I have to say, this one is the most nuts release strategy I’ve ever seen. The Mission to Earthphase – Moonshine Gold is available from this Thursday, December 4th, all the way to March 20th of next year (the last day of winter). 

But just when you thought this might mean Snoopy Moonshine Gold models for all, there’s a catch. After the first day of launch on the 4th, this specific reference will only be available in stores “when snow is falling in Switzerland,” even if the store is in a completely different country.

What We Think

I’m flip-flopping between curiosity and confusion regarding this release strategy. Does this mean that if someone is going to a Swatch store, you have to make sure that literally right then and there, there is some sort of provable snowfall in Switzerland? Or does it mean that as long as there was snowfall that day, the watch will be available to purchase during the entire business hours of that store? Is it just snowfall anywhere in Switzerland, perhaps making this watch quite available during the winter months? I guarantee you that a Honolulu collector will have never thought more about Swiss snowfall in their life.

I reached out to Swatch, and this is their reply: “After December 4, 2025, it will be available when it snows in Switzerland, and customers can visit Swatch.com to check the weather forecast. On days of snowfall, the model will be available for sale at all Swatch stores carrying the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collection.”

I’m sure making it complex and convoluted might be part of the plan here, and at this point, the Moonshine Gold versions of the Moonswatch really feel like Swatch’s full commitment to a single bit. Looking purely at the watch, the changes made here are quite nice, and I can certainly imagine a large number of people who might prefer this mainly white color scheme over the navy. But I’m sure those who want it are certainly going to be thinking twice when it comes to the uncertain combination of both inventory and meteorology, so it’ll be interesting to see what the reception for this one is like.

The Basics

Brand: Swatch
Model: Moonswatch Mission To Earthphase – Moonshine Gold
Reference Number: SO33W701L

Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 13.75mm
Case Material: Bioceramic
Dial Color: White
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Yes, Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 3 bar
Strap/Bracelet: White velcro rubber strap

Pricing & Availability

Price: $450
Availability: At Moonswatch-stocked Swatch stores from December 4th, 2025, to March 20th, 2026, pending weather forecast on Swatch.com.
Limited Edition: Yes, restricted to this time.

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