Hands-On With The Rubber MoonSwatch Strap On My Mission To Saturn
Whenever I see a MoonSwatch in the wild, and there are many of them, it’s likely no longer on its original strap. Many people have changed it out for something more comfortable, like a rubber or textile strap. I also wear my MoonSwatch on an aftermarket strap, because even though it’s easy to adjust, the standard strap is not that comfortable and looks a bit cheap. At the beginning of the year, Swatch introduced new rubber straps for its MoonSwatch collection. I bought one for my Mission to Saturn, so it’s time for a hands-on review.
Did you know you can get your battery changed at any Swatch boutique? After three years with my Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission to Saturn, it was time to get a new battery. So, I went to the Swatch boutique in the P.C. Hooftstraat in Amsterdam and asked if they could change it. That was no problem, and within a minute, the shop attendant returned with my recharged MoonSwatch. She asked if she could help with anything else, so naturally, I asked her about the new rubber MoonSwatch straps.
The new rubber MoonSwatch straps
She returned with a tray with five black examples, available to try the different sizes, from XS to XL. I grabbed a random one and immediately noticed the difference from the standard straps. The new rubber ones feel more supple and soft. On the outside, there’s a sailcloth-like texture, and on the inside, there are moon-textured patches. Depending on your chosen version, the patches and the stitching come in a contrasting or matching color.
The rubber strap consists of two pieces: a shorter one with a Bioceramic loop and a longer, folding one with Velcro. Both parts are thicker on the spring bar side and thinner at the end. The Velcro patches fall within shaped ridges, which prevent the sharp edges from scratching your skin. It’s a nice detail on what feels like a well-made and sturdy strap. Another nice detail is the quick-release spring bars, which weren’t on the standard MoonSwatch strap. The branding includes MoonSwatch, Speedmaster, and the Omega × Swatch logo.
The size range serves wrists from as small as 13cm to as big as 20.5cm. My wrist is about 17cm, so I tried the medium and large sizes. In the end, the medium suits my wrist best as I still have room to tighten and loosen it.
Only available online
After checking out the strap, I decided to buy one, but unfortunately, these rubber MoonSwatch straps are only available online. So, I went home, and later that day, I ordered one for €45 through Swatch’s online strap store. I recommend trying different sizes in-store if you have a Swatch boutique nearby. Otherwise, you can also buy multiple sizes and send one back. There were (at least for me) no shipping or return fees for the strap. One thing I noticed is that when you’re on the international version of the Swatch site, the straps all appear out of stock. Only when you’re on the dedicated site for your country will the straps appear available.
18 different color options
There is a dedicated rubber strap for each of the MoonSwatch models. But you’re free to mix and match, of course. For my Mission to Saturn, I chose between two options: the dedicated brown/beige option and the brown/sand version, which is meant for the Mission on Earth Desert MoonSwatch. The latter one has a more taupe than brown color. I thought I’d like it better with my MoonSwatch instead of the more saturated brown option. So, I took the risk and ordered one in a size M.
The strap arrived in a paper pouch within a padded envelope. Besides the strap, the pouch also contains a small spring bar tool, which helps to remove the standard MoonSwatch strap. There’s also some paperwork inside, but there are no instructions on how to change your strap. If you need help with that, there’s a video available online.
Very happy with the result
I enjoy the combination of the taupe-ish rubber MoonSwatch strap and my Mission to Saturn. It’s true that the color doesn’t perfectly match any of the tones on the watch itself, but it blends in nicely. There’s also a slight difference between the colors of the Bioceramic watch and the loop, but that doesn’t bother me at all. The rubber strap is nice and flexible right out of the box, and it’s also a better option in terms of water resistance. I’ve never taken my MoonSwatch for a swim, as I’m unsure about its water resistance. However, the shop attendant assured me the MoonSwatch is fully capable of doing so.
Ultimately, I’m delighted with my new rubber MoonSwatch strap. I was pleasantly surprised by its overall design. The sailcloth-like texture and the rubber material match well with the MoonSwatch’s sporty character. It’s also the perfect summer strap, as it can handle water well and is very easy to adjust. It’s a bit annoying that it’s not available right after you try the different sizes in-store. However, ordering it online is a smooth process.
Be sure to comment below and let me know what you think of the new rubber MoonSwatch straps. Have you already got one?
