How To Change Your MoonSwatch Battery
If you were one of the lucky ones who got a MoonSwatch when they first came out, chances are your watch’s battery is dead by now. That’s always an awkward moment. How do you replace the battery? Is it a demanding job, and what type of battery do you need? We’re here to help.
Contrary to its manual-winding big brother and shining example, the Omega Speedmaster Professional, a Swatch MoonSwatch runs on a battery. Most watch lovers prefer a mechanical movement in a watch, but some people swear by a battery-powered quartz movement. These watches always run and keep accurate time. However, after a few years, it will stop when the battery dies. Of course, even a mechanical watch needs maintenance from time to time, but that usually doesn’t happen as abruptly as the moment you realize your watch’s battery is dead.
How to change your MoonSwatch battery
What other options do you have besides switching to YouTube to learn how to change the battery of a MoonSwatch? Let’s take my Mission to Mars as an example. I was one of the lucky few who received my MoonSwatch in the week it was launched. Working for Fratello has its advantages, although I want to make it clear that I paid the full price for the opportunity. That was the end of March 2022, and indeed, the battery of my MoonSwatch died a month or so ago.
Here to stay
Meanwhile, since the initial 11 models debuted in 2022, we’ve seen a flood of new MoonSwatch variants. Now there aren’t only models representing a celestial body but also many variations on that theme. There are or have been the Missions to Moonshine Gold, Missions to Moonphase, Mission to Earthphase, and even a MoonSwatch paying tribute to the original Omega Speedmaster’s space-flight qualification in 1965. And I’m sure I’ve left out some others. This tells us, however, that the MoonSwatch isn’t an insignificant, passing hype. Indeed, it’s here to stay.
Swatch boutiques to the rescue!
Back to my Mission to Mars MoonSwatch and its depleted battery. As my colleague Daan briefly mentioned some time ago, you don’t have to change the battery of your MoonSwatch yourself. Not only can it be done by any good watchmaker or jeweler, but any Swatch boutique will also do it for you on the spot, free of charge! This isn’t something everyone is aware of, so we thought it was worth mentioning now that the first MoonSwatches will soon require new batteries. By the way, this isn’t just true for MoonSwatches; it concerns all Swatch watches.
So, instead of finding out what battery I’d need and how to replace it, I traveled to Amsterdam to visit the Swatch boutique on Amsterdam’s premium shopping mile, the PC Hooftstraat. Pretty much all major (fashion) brands have their boutiques here, and the Swatch boutique is a cheerful note among the otherwise less frivolous shops. While strolling the boutique and learning about new models and available replacement straps for my MoonSwatch, the staff replaced the battery of my watch. Before I knew it, it was done.
Do it yourself
We do understand, however, that not everyone has direct or easy access to a Swatch boutique, and we can already hear the comments rolling in. Well, in that case, a fresh 394 silver oxide battery and a small screwdriver to pop off the battery lid — i.e., the mission logo on the back of your MoonSwatch — will do the job. The battery can be easily removed and replaced with a new one. The battery cover also pops back into place with ease. Still, for me, a visit to a Swatch boutique is a much nicer experience.
Have you had any experience with replacing the battery in your MoonSwatch? Let us know in the comments below.
