Swatch watches

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The history of Swatch

In the late 1970s, faced with the growing popularity of inexpensive quartz watches, a group of engineers in Fontainemelon (Neuchatel) developed a super-thin, gold luxury watch known as Delirium Tremens. At just 1.98 mm and later at 0.98 mm in thickness, it was the thinnest watch ever made. But a thin, expensive watch would not be sufficient to stave off competition from the cheap quartz watches flooding the market. A more radical approach was needed, and the drive to simplify was soon complemented by a search for new materials and methods that would allow the production of an entirely new kind of Swiss watch — one made of a synthetic material, shock-proof, accurate, perfect for mass production, affordable for everyone, and available in a wide range of colours. Nicolas G. Hayek launched the Swatch, a plastic-cased watch consisting of only 51 components instead of the usual 91 or more, offering high quality at an affordable price. It was phenomenally successful – the most successful watch of all time – and its parent company, the Swatch Group, was to become the largest and most dynamic watchmaking company in the world.
The company continues to find new ways to impart texture and colour to an expanding range of shapes, and inventive designers take advantage of everything technology offers. The radical reduction in the number of parts known as “Revolution 51” enabled innovative assembly methods, and special packaging technologies make it possible to deliver the products in pleasing and captivating containers. Continuing advances in design, materials and production technologies have enabled the brand to make even mechanical watches accessible to a much broader range of customers.

Swatch, launched in 1983 by Nicolas G. Hayek, is a leading Swiss watch maker and one of the world's most popular brands. The first watches surprised everyone with their revolutionary concept, creative design and provocative spirit. Today Swatch continues to innovate and surprise with new models, collections and special editions. The brand maintains a strong presence in the world of sports with its commitment to snowboarding, freeskiing, surfing, volleyball and MTB Slopestyle. Right from the start, Swatch connected with art and artists, and their watches remain a prominent canvas for artists from a broad range of disciplines.

Swatch watches

Marketing and Communication
Founder Nicolas G. Hayek’s ‘second watch’ was never just a watch. It was always also a way to communicate, a ‘talking piece’ designed to let the wearers show just who they are and how they feel. Today, creative retail is the name of the game, and Swatch has monobrand stores, megastores, shop-in-shops and kiosks all over the world. The most famous stores are located on Oxford Street, Times Square, 5th Avenue and Champs-Elysees.

Golden Tac

SWATCH golden tac GB274 £58

Red Grin

SWATCH red grin GB754 £58

ultrafushia

SWATCH ultrafushia GE719 £62

Silverblush

SWATCH silverblush GM416C £58

naitbaya

SWATCH naitbaya GN414 £58

guimauve

SWATCH guimauve GP148 £58

Bordujas

SWATCH bordujas GS159 £58

Just White

SWATCH just white soft GW151O £46

pearlazing

SWATCH pearlazing GW411 £58

Lady Black Single

SWATCH lady black single LB170E £46

Silver Glistar Too

SWATCH silver glistar too LK343E £54

Golden Glistar Too

SWATCH golden glistar too LK382 £54

casual green

SWATCH casual green LK397 £54

Pinkbelle

SWATCH pinkbelle LP150 £46

Herzlich

SWATCH herzlich LW164 £50

Mediolino

SWATCH mediolino SFE112 £85

Metal Knit

SWATCH metal knit SFM118M £104

Twice Again

SWATCH twice again SUOB705 £66

grey rails

SWATCH grey rails SUOM709 £66

Love Game

SWATCH love game SUOW116 £44.50

Skinmesh

SWATCH skinmesh SVOM100M £104

Skinsparks

SWATCH skinsparks SVUN100 £104

Elegantum

SWATCH elegantum YCG418G £186

White Chain

SWATCH white chain YSS254G £87

Harmonieuse

SWATCH harmonieuse YWG406 £108

A Cote

SWATCH a cote GB286 £54

Schoggi

SWATCH schoggi GC114 £54

ultrasoleil

SWATCH ultrasoleil GE720 £62

Linajola

SWATCH linajola GN237 £54

Sir Blue

SWATCH sir blue GN718 £58

pinkbaya

SWATCH pinkbaya GP403 £58

So Blue

SWATCH so blue GS160 £58

White Bishop

SWATCH white bishop GW164 £58

berry light

SWATCH berry light GW713 £62

Something Black

SWATCH something black LB184 £46

pinkindescent too

SWATCH pinkindescent too LK354D £50

Ultraviolet

SWATCH ultraviolet LK390 £54

clearsky

SWATCH clearsky LL119 £46

Redbelle

SWATCH redbelle LR130 £46

troposphere

SWATCH troposphere SFB147 £85

Climer Flowery

SWATCH climer flowery SFK300G £104

bbbeauty

SWATCH bbbeauty SO27M101 £87

Mono Black

SWATCH mono black SUOB720 £66

blue rails

SWATCH blue rails SUON714 £66

black-one

SWATCH black-one SUSB416 £99

Skinnoir

SWATCH skinnoir SVOB100 £99

Skinnight

SWATCH skinnight SVUN101 £86

Mint Halo

SWATCH mint halo YLS193 £70

passionment

SWATCH passionment YSS310G £87

Once Again

SWATCH once again GB743 £46

Whitenel

SWATCH whitenel GE286 £58

ashbaya

SWATCH ashbaya GG407 £58

Blue Ben

SWATCH blue ben GN254 £58

White Delight

SWATCH white delight GN720 £58

Redbaya

SWATCH redbaya GR405 £58

Fraicheur

SWATCH fraicheur GS161 £58

Mariniere

SWATCH mariniere GW169 £58

Something New

SWATCH something new LB153 £46

Greenbelle

SWATCH greenbelle LG129 £46

L'inattendue

SWATCH l'inattendue LK375G £66

Ultra golden

SWATCH ultra golden LK391 £54

Ora d'Aria

SWATCH ora d'aria LN153 £54

de travers

SWATCH de travers LW146 £54

Jardin Fleuri

SWATCH jardin fleuri SFE102 £91

White Classiness

SWATCH white classiness SFK360 £91

skin suit coffee

SWATCH skin suit coffee SS07G100 £157

Yokorace

SWATCH yokorace SUOB724 £66

blue layered

SWATCH blue layered SUOS403 £66

x-district blue

SWATCH x-district blue SUSB418 £99

Skinstripes

SWATCH skinstripes SVUL100 £93

Skinskin

SWATCH skinskin SVUT100 £99

Swatch by Coco Ho

SWATCH swatch by coco ho YLZ101 £87

boxengasse

SWATCH boxengasse YVS423G £162

Sir Red

SWATCH sir red GB753 £58

ultrarose

SWATCH ultrarose GE714 £62

Silverall L

SWATCH silverall l GM416A £66

Bluenel

SWATCH bluenel GN271 £58

Astilbe

SWATCH astilbe GP140 £54

Color the Sky

SWATCH color the sky GS124 £58

purplazing

SWATCH purplazing GV402 £58

Marinai

SWATCH marinai GW189 £54

Chessboard

SWATCH chessboard LB160G £58

menthol tone

SWATCH menthol tone LK292G £75

envole moi

SWATCH envole moi LK376 £54

casual blue

SWATCH casual blue LK396 £54

Rose Glistar

SWATCH rose glistar LP132C £58

Bluedots

SWATCH bluedots LW159 £50

Pink Pastel

SWATCH pink pastel SFE111 £85

Black Classiness

SWATCH black classiness SFK361 £91

skin ristretto

SWATCH skin ristretto SS07S107 £145

Vent Brulant

SWATCH vent brulant SUOK709 £66

Rose Rebel

SWATCH rose rebel SUOT700 £66

sportire

SWATCH sportire SUSM407 £99

Skinsteps

SWATCH skinsteps SVUM101G £98

Skinbrushed

SWATCH skinbrushed SYXS102 £128

Flower Box

SWATCH flower box YSS222G £91

Night Flight

SWATCH night flight YVS444G £170

Art
Right from the start, Swatch connected with becoming a canvas for world famous artists - painters, sculptors, musicians, filmmakers. The first artist to collaborate with Swatch was Kiki Picasso in 1984, less than a year after the first watches made their appearance. American painter Keith Haring created a number of prototypes in the mid-1980s, and four watches with Haring’s designs were produced and launched in the United States, among them the watch Milles Pattes (1986). The relationship between Swatch and art has since produced a fascinating series of creative collaborations with artists from a broad range of disciplines. Among the many memorable works designed for the “the world’s smallest canvas” are Swatch watches by Alfred Hofkunst, Jean-Michel Folon, Sam Francis, Mimmo Paladino, Nam June Paik, Spike Lee, Moby and Jeremy Scott.

Sports
Sports are an essential component of the Swatch identity. Swatch has been promoting and supporting action and lifestyle sports since the very beginning. The brand shows its support through official timekeeping and sponsorships of a wide range of projects and events all over the world which include freeskiing, surfing, snowboarding, FMX and Ice Cross Downhill.

Swatch watches

Swatch Club
The Swatch Club began as a way for collectors and fans to get together and share their enthusiasm to show off, exchange and talk about the latest watches. Today, the Swatch Club has evolved to become a worldwide community. The Club helps market Swatch through social networks and engages with its members and fans through web sites in different markets and languages. Swatch Club brings people together, 24 hours a day - fans who love art, follow sports and keep up with the latest trends in lifestyles and communications. They share the fun and the brand experience with fellow members all over the world, enjoying the Swatch experience online and at live events, where they meet athletes, artists and VIPs. They live the world of Swatch through Swatch.tv, special watches, insider news and exclusive previews of future launches.