[benjamin-lee]

I’m a huge fan of the moonwatch both for its beauty and history with the space program. Ever since I was 10 I’ve wanted one. However, I’m a PhD student and there’s no way I can afford to get a “real” one. The Swatch release is really attractive to me since it captures the spirit of the watch while making it accessible.

For reference, there’s a very popular variant of the Speedmaster Professional that uses a sapphire crystal rather than a hesalite (basically plastic) crystal. Despite never having been used in space (since the shattering crystal is a risk) the sapphire model is still considered a “professional” edition and highly sought after. People who wear it enjoy the aesthetic of the spacefaring version with the earthly practicality of scratch-proof sapphire. The Swatch version’s desirability is just the same logic a taken a few more steps. It’s made by Omega, has the same basic design, and evokes the imagery of the space race.

Alternatively, consider the popularity of the Tesla toy car for kids. It’s not anything like the real Tesla in terms of functionality but is still a cool electric vehicle, especially if you already have a Tesla.

[hef19898]

If that's the watch you want, you should get it one day. And when you do, you will value it for the rest of your life. One of the benefits of not being rich enough to just buy one because you can.

I never wanted a particular watch, just a nice mechanical one. I finally got one of my grandmother's inheritance money, an entry level TAG Heuer. It got refurbished twice in the last 14 odd years, I wear it daily. And it is basically my only piece of jewelry. It is also absolutely impractical when compared to a modern Garmin smart watch, the combined refurbishment costs so far could have financed a top-of-the-line Garmin. Which I'd assume is a lot more robust than the fragile mechanics. I'll never get one of those Garmins then, because a good mechanical watch is piece of art.

Getting a nice Omega (lovely watches, especially the Moon one) would feel like betrayal of my TAG.

[jp0d]

Fair enough. I totally understand. I'm employed full time as a data analyst and I still can't afford an Omega. But it's the engineering behind the manual movement that fascinates me.

Just like the mechanical/automotive engineering behind petrol/diesel engines fascinate me more compared to electric motors on EVs. I'd still own an EV as that's the future but I'll always appreciate those mechanical gasoline powered engines. I get you analogy! :)