Eleven MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold Suitcases To Be Auctioned For Charity
This month, Omega will be auctioning eleven sets of MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold watches in special cases through Sotheby’s. The goal is to raise money for Orbis to fight preventable blindness all over the world. If that sounds like something you want to be part of, you can get your bids in from February 12th to 24th.
These eleven sets will be on display in eleven Swatch boutiques around the world until they go up for sale. Let’s have a closer look at the sets, the cause, and the auction.
Eleven MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold sets
The sets consist of all eleven MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold watches. We didn’t cover them all too extensively on Fratello when Swatch released them throughout 2023. They are slight variations on the original MoonSwatch and are aimed at collectors. These versions were produced in smaller numbers and are characterized by their gold-plated seconds hands. Each is a little bit different through, for instance, a strawberry or flower pattern. My favorite one features a lollipop hand inspired by the Speedmaster ref. CK2998 from 1961.
The sets come in blue suitcases specifically designed for the occasion. Along with the watches, these will include a gold-plated loupe and a coin with the three-letter code of the airport closest to the city where the box was on display. Swatch has also engraved that code on the flank of each of the eleven Moonswatch Moonshine Gold watches. In short, the Hong Kong-displayed set will come with an “HKG” coin and an “HKG” signature on the case band.
The eleven selected cities where the sets will be on display are Zürich, Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, London, Milan, Paris, and Sydney.
The proceeds go to Orbis
Omega will donate the proceeds from the auction to Orbis International. The brand has been a supporter of this organization and its Flying Eye Hospital since 2011. One of Omega’s contributions is a teddy bear for every child treated in the Flying Eye Hospital, outfitted with an eye patch matching the little patient’s. This auction marks a new highlight in that relationship.
Orbis International, founded in 1982, is an NGO dedicated to saving sight worldwide. The Flying Eye Hospital is a notable endeavor but far from Orbis’s only effort. The organization also focuses on training local medical teams all over the globe to treat eye diseases.
My take on the MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold auction
I am all for supporting good causes and making an effort to have a positive impact on the world we share. From that perspective, I applaud this project wholeheartedly. From a watch lover’s perspective, I am a little more hesitant. It seems that Swatch Group, even now, is adamant about keeping the MoonSwatch hard to buy.
What if, rather than displaying two handfuls and a toe’s worth of boxes at some boutiques, Swatch organized a brief online sale? Just to suggest something off the top of my head, how about making the MoonSwatch in all its versions available to order for watch lovers all over the globe during one full moon? A percentage of the proceeds from that sale could go to Orbis. It would finally satisfy admirers of the watch who don’t live near a Swatch boutique, and the proceeds would also be much greater, I suspect.
In any case, I am sure that eleven lucky collectors will raise a nice sum of money for Orbis, which is great. If you want to be one of them, get your bid in here from February 12th to 24th.
What do you think of the MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold auction for Orbis? Let us know in the comments below!
