Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Yuki Tsunoda spotted wearing Swatch

When Omega and Swatch dropped the MoonSwatch collection in March 2022, the queues outside Swatch boutiques worldwide became headline news in themselves. Among the eleven planetary editions, 'Mission to Pluto' — distinguished by its rich burgundy-red bezel insert and matching chronograph subdials set against a creamy panda-style dial — immediately emerged as the collector's pick, partly because Pluto's demotion to dwarf-planet status in 2006 gave it an underdog narrative that resonated instantly with watch enthusiasts.

The reference SO33E100 is built around Swatch's proprietary Bioceramic material, a blend of two-thirds ceramic and one-third bio-sourced plastic derived from castor oil. The 42mm case houses the Swatch Caliber SW-C1, a quartz movement decorated to evoke the Speedmaster's legendary manual-wind architecture. The dial layout faithfully mirrors the Speedmaster Professional: three subdials at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock for running seconds, 30-minute and 12-hour counters respectively, a tachymètre scale on the bezel, and applied baton indices. The grey Velcro-style NATO strap carries both the Omega Ω logo and 'Swatch' branding — flipped upside down on the deployment end, a detail visible in this image.

From a collector standpoint, 'Mission to Pluto' consistently commands the steepest secondary-market premiums of the original lineup. Its colorway is more restrained than 'Mission to the Moon' or 'Mission to Jupiter', appealing to buyers who want wearability alongside conversation-piece status. The watch retailed at a deliberately democratic $260, a price point engineered to bring the Speedmaster DNA to a mass audience without cannibalizing Omega's core catalogue.

Yuki Tsunoda, the Japanese AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) F1 driver, is a natural fit for this watch. Racing drivers operate within milliseconds — the chronograph's raison d'être — and Tsunoda's own career narrative carries an underdog quality not unlike Pluto's: fast, combative, perpetually proving himself against larger forces. Spotting the MoonSwatch on a race-weekend wrist rather than a red-carpet appearance underlines its genuine everyday appeal.

On the grey market, SO33E100 'Mission to Pluto' trades well above retail, reflecting sustained demand nearly two years after release. For a $260 quartz watch to hold such premiums speaks volumes about the cultural weight of the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch collaboration — and about collectors' appetite for the burgundy edition specifically.