Swatch watches are one of the areas of watchdom that I’ve noticed watch enthusiasts don’t seem to explore so much. There seems to be a separate specific , almost cultish group, that have been collecting these for a long time when you look at the various auctions for old pieces. When subscriber @TickSweep dropped me a note around buying a Swatch, he suggested I do a video on it. Little did I know I would be down a 5 week rabbit hole!!
An amazing history combining art, horology and swiss watch industry history. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. This video should help give you a pretty comprehensive overview of their offerings in the 80s, as well as some of the pre-history of how the affordable plastic fashion watch came into being. I hope you enjoy the video!
If you enjoy consider donating a beer or coffee here : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/illuminating
Chapters:
Pre-Swatch: 0:00
1983: 4:25
1984: 5:39
1985: 7:46
1986: 10:21
1987: 11:36
1988: 14:02
1989: 15:48
Amazing sources I used for this video are:
Stay Tuned to Swatch Website – amazing resource!!
Swatch Beyond Website
Squiggly.com (from web archive)
Lauritz.com and other auction sites
Watch Papst (if i doubt – most of the photos came from here)
Fred Edwards – Swatch – A Guide for Connoisseurs and Collectors
And many more from the usual Etsy, ebay sites that I’ve tried to reference where possible
I remember when in the 80's a journalist on German television visited the Swatch factory. He asked how much it did cost to make one watch. If I remember correctly, if was something like 25 or 40 Pfennig. (I don't know exactly how much. But it was less than half a Deutche Mark.) My mind was blown. As the price for a swatch in the 80's was about 50 Deutche mark. I never had one myself. As I was more into digital Casio's.
Thank you so much for the huge amount of time it must have taken you to compile this AMAZING video! Incredible!
I was around in the 80s. The Swatch brand was never my thing, too loud, too fashion focused. But Swatch is very much a milestone and influential brand, and you simply can't discuss the history of watches and not include Swatch.
Scooby Doo approved!
Amazing work with this video. Really enjoyed!
Good Lord, the research involved , the horrors you have seen, even so theres quite a few cool ones, As a collector I'm interested in a System 51 and have a coupla Irony Chronos, Im assuming they're still to come in the 90's vid?
An excellent overview of SWATCH.
In 1985, I had the 'Calypso Diver'… warm gray case, blue band.
That was a masive job!
Super cool and informative video, really appreciate all the research that you put into your channel! i recently started getting into vintage digital watches but i've been collecting swatches for a bit now, my favorite that i own is definitely the "mackintosh" from 1987 🙂
Great video, it's true that I never care about swatch watch
Hi I've just got a Casio A-V3 from 1999 and I'm now wondering if you know of a website which lists all of the Casio watches that have been made Thanks
Oh manI HAVE to get the tech Swatch GA101 – thanks for bringing that one to my attention!
Can't argue against the coolness factor of many of those examples. And also, I seriously doubt that there are another 19 mins out there that visually summarizes the 80s in a better way. Thanks as always for sharing your amazing videos
My 2-GA101 just arrived. Brilliant Swatch! All thanks to this vid hehehe I blame you, man!
Great, but to quick!
Another brand I notice people have limited knowledge of passed a certain point is Citizen so you may enjoy my video on their history here -> https://youtu.be/V0xI3XJQCfk
Very informative video. One thing you should have mentioned (but I won't hold this against you, most people have forgotten or never heard about) is the Swatch Guard Too. These were coloured plastic rings, which sat upon and encircled the crystal in order to protect it from scratching it. Usually someone would buy a couple of those in different colour when bought the watch so they could change or enrich the looks of the watch. They were pretty cool cheep gadgets but they stopped producing them sometime around 1992 I believe.
Swatches were and still are cool. Memphis design is something that I absolutely LOVE (likely because it was/is so loathed, as I've got a bit of a punk streak in me, too), and I'd love to have one of those GM100s. Along with an entire living room of Memphis design furniture!
I just found your channel the other day, I've been missing out! You're covering an area of watches that not enough people give the proper time, respect and attention to. That Giogaro video especially pulled me in, thanks!
14.32 GB122. My cousin got this one Christmas. I was 10 he was about 16. I loved this watch. It was my first glimpse into the Swatch world. I wore it a few time when I was a little older when I had slightly bigger wrists. I’ve owned many since then.
Bravo! That was informative and delightful.
You know it’s Wierd how when I was a kid I thought these were a gimmick a cheap watch and I discounted their importance I am 38 now and I just hit the eureka moment. The importance of these watches as a entry point into watches especially now when our youth have turned away from the importance of being able to tell time is very important. The swatch is not your dads Rolex but it’s still affordable, collectible, with Swiss match making. I had finally attracted me is yes it can be a fashion watch but it leads in design which makes the wearer be able to express their individuality I am thinking of buying a Zulu time by longines but I am also considering a nice looking swatch this says something
Amazing work
Waiting for Next videos from Swatch watches from 90' s and 2000 decades. It would be awesome from you my Friend.
Then in the last 10 years Swatch became very conservative.
niceeeeeee video
How on Earth did I miss this one?
As always very good stuff, mate!
I soooo wanted a Swatch as an 80's kid, but my parents wanted me to have a "real watch"…
I like the high moon one
swatch isn't for the watch "enthusiasts"
it's just for fun. no one can deny thier watches are so much fun.
I was a kid in the 80s and had at least 6 or 7 different Swatch’s. I really wish they’d make a popular comeback because they’re are so cool and allow the wearer to have a model that speaks to him or her alone.
Swatch watch is the highest technologie in wrist watches. Shock proof, water resistant, affordable, comfortable, accurate, personally stylsh, Swiss, and free batteries, buffing, and small strap and buckle repairs for free! Swatch, all day, everyday! ❤
I have a 1984 Swatch, “don’t be too late”, i bought it for 24 Australian Dollars, and it’s still going strong.
Wow! 13:55 -my new grail watch. What is that called pls? (just before the Tadanori Yokoo Rorrin 5)
The Dali chair thing references his inspiration method. He would intentionally nap in his chair at his desk and the drop of his pen would wake him up in that twilight phase
Tonga will always be my favorite.
I love Swatch watches… especially their early 90s designs. The four that I have in my collection all come from that period.
I recently went to the Swatch museum in Biel. Incredible place I can highly recommend!
Great content. I startet collecting Swatch-watches in the end of the 80s as a member of the Satch Collectors Club in Germany.
I remember swatch was the rage for kids in my school. My brother had a GG103 and I had a GN102 Flumotions. Still have them, although the bands have broken long ago and no longer working. I still get so much nostalgia just looking at them, memories of going to the mall and gawking at the ones at the Swatch store. Such a fun time to be a kid, swatch and the 80's. And I had a HUGE crush on the Swatch Ambassador model in my country (Mikee Cojuangco).
YBNORMAL!!!!!
TOTALLY AWSOME!!!! I LOVE THE VARIETY AND CREATIVITY!!!!!
SUGGESTION: HOT WHEELS, MATCHBOX AND BARBIE THEMED COLLECTIONS OF SWATCH WATCH. AND A DISNEY COLLECT, MARVEL AND DC.
SUGGESTION: NASCAR, NHRA AND FORMULA DRIFT SWATC WATCH COLLECTIONS, AND MONSTER JAM!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE EVRYTHING!!!!
SUGGESTION: RETRO RETURN!!!!
I wish I had all my Swatch watches that my girlfriends in high school took from me and never gave back