How to set up the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase (New Moon and Full Moon)
Short answer: Pull the crown to III and use the lower pusher B. A long press moves the moon disc in big jumps, and each short press moves it one hour, so finish with short presses. To put the chrono hands back on zero, pull the crown to II, press A to pick a hand and B to move it.
Mission to the Moonphase — New Moon at a glance
| Versions | New Moon SO33B700 (black) and Full Moon SO33W700 (white). Neither is a limited edition. |
|---|---|
| Crown | Three positions: I (pushed in), II (one click), III (two clicks) |
| Pushers | A (top): start and stop, and picks which hand to adjust at II. B (bottom): reset, and moves the moon at III or the chosen hand at II. |
| Moon disc | Sub-dial at 2 o'clock with Snoopy. It replaces the 1/10 s counter of the planet MoonSwatches. |
| Moon steps | Short press of B (under 1 s) = 1 hour forward. Long press = continuous, in about 5-day jumps that speed up as you hold. |
| Time setting | Crown at III. The small seconds hand stops, so you can sync to a clock. |
| Chrono hands | Central chrono seconds hand and a 60-minute counter at 10 o'clock. There is no 1/10 s hand. |
What do you need to set on the Mission to the Moonphase — New Moon?
Set up moon phase on the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase — New Moon
- 1
Pull the crown to III
Two clicks out. Here the lower pusher (B) drives the moon disc.
- 2
Hold B to move in big jumps
A long press keeps the disc moving, in steps of about five days, and speeds up the longer you hold.
- 3
Tap B to finish
Each short press (under a second) moves the disc forward one hour. Stop when the moon matches tonight.
- 4
Push the crown back to I
The disc now moves on its own. The hands stood still while the crown was at III, so check the time.
Reset chronograph hands on the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase — New Moon
- 1
Stop and reset first
Crown at I. Stop the chronograph with A and reset with B, so you can see which hand is off.
- 2
Pull the crown to II
One click out.
- 3
Press A once: seconds hand selected
The central chrono seconds hand makes one full turn to show it is selected.
- 4
B moves it to 12
Short press = one step, long press = fast. Stop exactly on 12.
- 5
Press A again: minute counter
Now B moves the 60-minute counter at 10 o'clock. Bring it to zero.
- 6
Crown back to I and test
Start, stop and reset. Both hands should land on zero.
🎯 All chrono hands at zero ✓
Set the time on the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase — New Moon
- 1
Pull the crown to III
Two clicks out. The small seconds hand stops.
- 2
Turn to set the time
Turn either way until the hands match your clock.
- 3
Push the crown back to I
Push it in on the beat of your reference clock.
What owners run into
- The moon only moves forward. If you overshoot, you have to go all the way round (about 29.5 days of travel), so slow down with short presses near the end.
- Owners often try the planet-MoonSwatch routine (top pusher at B for a 1/10 hand) and get nowhere. This model has no 1/10 hand, and at II the top pusher selects a hand rather than moving one.
- When you press A at position II, the chrono seconds hand sweeps a full turn. That is the watch showing you it is selected. It is not a fault.
- At III the small seconds hand stands still. Push the crown back to I when you have finished, or the watch stays stopped.
How the Mission to the Moonphase — New Moon differs from similar watches
The Full Moon (white) and New Moon (black) versions differ only in colour, so this guide covers both. Compared with the planet MoonSwatches, the crown is labelled I/II/III, the moon replaces the 1/10 s counter and the chrono re-alignment works differently. The Pink and Super Blue Moonphases use the same buttons but have a pulsometer bezel.
Models covered by this guide
Quick answers
Does the Moonphase moon disc move on its own?
Yes. Once set, it advances with the movement. You only need to set it again after a battery change or if it drifts.
How many presses for one day of moon?
About 24 short presses, one hour each. For several days, hold B for the faster continuous move, then finish with short presses.
Is the white Full Moon version set up differently?
No. SO33W700 and SO33B700 share the same movement, crown positions and pusher roles.
Where do I find the official instructions?
Swatch publishes a PDF manual for the Mission to the Moonphase. It is linked under Sources below.