The MoonSwatch is the watch people re-strap fastest, and the reason is on the wrist within a week: the Velcro it ships on is a novelty, not a daily strap. What has changed since the launch is that you no longer have to make a generic 20 mm strap work – there is now a rubber strap cut for almost every mission, curved to meet the bioceramic case instead of leaving a gap.
The original Velcro strap, and why it comes off
We have had several of these since launch, and the pattern is always the same. The hook-and-loop strap is fun for a weekend – it is part of the joke, and it photographs well next to the box – but it snags on knitwear, it loosens through the day, and it makes a light watch feel cheap in a way the case never does.
The watch itself deserves better. A MoonSwatch is 42 mm of bioceramic weighing next to nothing, and the moment you put it on something with a proper buckle it stops feeling like a stunt and starts feeling like a watch you would wear on purpose.
What changed: straps cut for one mission
This is the part most guides have not caught up with. The early answer to a MoonSwatch strap was a generic 20 mm strap with straight ends, which fits – the lug width really is 20 mm – but leaves a visible wedge of daylight where the strap meets the round case.
What Wristbuddys now make instead is a strap per mission: a curved end shaped to that case, in the colours that appear on that particular dial. Twenty-odd missions have their own product, which means the Mars strap is not just red, it is the red on the Mars bezel.
| MoonSwatch family | Missions with a dedicated strap |
|---|---|
| The planets | Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Mission to the Moon |
| Mission on Earth | The standard version plus Desert, Lava and Polar Lights |
| Moonphase | Moonphase, New Moon, Pink Moonphase and Super Blue Moonphase |
| Earthphase | Earthphase, Moonshine Gold and the Moonshine Gold Cold Moon |
| The vintage pair | MoonSwatch 1965 and Mission to the Moon 1969 |
If your mission is on that list, buy the strap made for it. The colour matching is the whole point of the watch, and it is the one thing a generic strap cannot do for you.
The four ways to re-strap a MoonSwatch
Mission rubber
The default, and the right answer for most people. TPU rubber cut for your specific mission, in five to seventeen colourways depending on the model.
$79See it at Wristbuddys
Curved rubber, plain
The cheapest curved end there is. One colour, no mission tie-in, and it fits a Speedmaster too. Black is the safe second strap.
$75See it at Wristbuddys
Leather for the 1965
Suede, Epsom and denim, in two lengths, with a buckle or a deployant. The 1965 is the mission that carries leather best.
from $109See it at Wristbuddys
Leather for the Earthphase
The same leathers cut for the Earthphase and the Moonshine Gold. Green suede and dark denim are the two that work.
from $109See it at WristbuddysWhich one to buy first
If your mission has a dedicated rubber strap, start there – $79, curved end, quick-release bars, and the colours taken off your own dial. If it does not, or you want a plain second strap, the curved rubber at $75 does the same job in one colour. Leather is the third strap, not the first.
Use the code KLOCKFEBER10 at checkout – it gave 15 per cent when we tested it on 13 August 2026, which takes a $79 strap to $67.15.
See the MoonSwatch straps →We have a partnership with Wristbuddys. The links here are affiliate links – you pay the same price, and a small commission helps keep the site running.
Matching the colour to the mission
Our rule, after several years of doing this on our own watches: amplify a colour that is already on the dial rather than introducing a new one. The MoonSwatch is loud enough without help.
Jupiter is the clearest example. It is a sand-coloured watch with orange hands, and on an orange strap the whole thing snaps into focus – the hands stop being a detail and become the point. Mars does the same trick in red. Neptune on its blue is the calmest of the set and the one we reach for most often.
The exception is Mission to the Moon, where the dial is black and white and almost anything works. That is the one to experiment on, and the one where a plain grey or dark grey strap looks more expensive than it costs.
Leather on a MoonSwatch: when it works
Leather is not the default here, and forcing it is the classic MoonSwatch mistake. It is a plastic chronograph, not a dress watch, and a glossy black hide makes it look like it is wearing a borrowed suit.
Two missions are the exception. The 1965 has a clean white dial and vintage detailing, and it takes grey suede or black Epsom without any argument. The Earthphase and the Moonshine Gold versions are muted enough for green suede or a dark denim. The leather itself is worth knowing about: it comes from Mastrotto in Italy and Haas in France, both proper tanneries, and it is cut in two lengths with a choice of buckle or deployant clasp.
There is also a Wristbuddys x REM calfskin for the Mission to Saturn at $149, with the planet printed on the underside. It is the one strap here that is a collector’s object rather than a practical swap, and it is priced accordingly.
Sizing and fit
| Specification | MoonSwatch |
|---|---|
| Lug width | 20 mm – the same across every mission |
| Buckle width | 18 mm |
| Strap length, rubber | 12 cm + 9 cm, fits wrists of roughly 13–20.5 cm |
| Strap length, leather | Small 70/105 mm or Medium/Large 75/120 mm |
| Fitting | Quick-release spring bars – no tools needed |
| Material, rubber | TPU with anti-UV, anti-dust and anti-allergy treatment |
The quick-release bars are the reason people end up with four straps rather than one. Changing a MoonSwatch takes about fifteen seconds and no tools, so the barrier to owning a second colour is basically zero.
What to check before buying
- Check whether your mission has its own strap. Twenty-odd of them do, and the mission-specific version is cut curved and coloured to the dial.
- Curved end, not straight. A straight-ended 20 mm strap fits, but leaves a gap at the case. It is the single biggest difference in how the finished watch looks.
- Pick the colour off the dial. Amplify something already there rather than adding a new colour.
- Leather is for the 1965 and the Earthphase. On the bright missions it fights the watch.
- Keep the Velcro. It is part of the box, and it matters if you ever sell.
Ready to re-strap your MoonSwatch?
Mission-specific rubber at $79, plain curved rubber at $75, leather from $109 – all in 20 mm with quick-release bars, and 15 per cent off with KLOCKFEBER10.
Browse the MoonSwatch straps →Affiliate links. You pay the same price; a small commission helps keep the site running.
MoonSwatch strap FAQ
What is the most popular strap for the MoonSwatch?
Rubber, by a distance. It is comfortable, it suits the watch’s sporty character, and there is now a version cut for almost every mission in colours taken from that dial.
What size strap does a MoonSwatch take?
The lug width is 20 mm on every mission, and the buckle is 18 mm. A generic 20 mm strap will fit, but a curved end made for the MoonSwatch sits flush against the round case instead of leaving a gap.
Which strap fits the Jupiter MoonSwatch best?
Orange. The Jupiter is sand-coloured with orange hands, and an orange strap picks that detailing up and makes it the focus of the watch. Beige is the quieter alternative.
Which strap fits the Mars MoonSwatch best?
Red, or red with white stitching. The dedicated Mission to Mars strap comes in the same red as the bezel, which a generic red strap will not match exactly.
Can you wear a MoonSwatch on leather?
On the right mission, yes. The 1965 takes grey suede or black Epsom, and the Earthphase and Moonshine Gold suit green suede or dark denim. On the brighter planets leather tends to fight the watch.
Do you need tools to change a MoonSwatch strap?
No. The straps come with quick-release spring bars, so the swap takes about fifteen seconds with a fingernail.
More strap guides
We have run the same exercise for the watches people re-strap most: Rolex, Omega, Panerai, IWC, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Breitling, the Tudor Black Bay and the Tissot PRX.
Staying inside the Swatch collaborations, we have also covered straps for the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop and the Blancpain x Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms. New to strap changes? Start with our guide to changing a watch strap.
Henrik is our most experienced watch expert and has been in the industry for soon 10 years. He has a good ear to the ground and are following what the big brands do, but also what trends that smalled microbrands and exploring in order to follow whats next in the watch industry.