Maybe I am showing my age, but I remember a time when Swatch Watches were as prevalent as the neon colored harem pants that Vanilla Ice and M.C. Hammer wore. Before you run away in fear, just know that many of us at the time were just as perplexed.
The majority of us were not cool enough to “touch this” fashion enigma, and thank goodness those baggy breeches were not available at your local J.C. Penneys store. They would not have matched my mullet anyway so I “probably” would not have bought them…. (maybe).
A fresh bouquet of Swatch Watches from the 1990s
The end of the Cold War had just occurred when the East and West Germany reunited, the Soviet Union failed and Chinese students were protesting at Tiananmen Square. The late 1980s to early 1990s were a weird time for sure, but not in a totally bad way. There was an explosion of creative ideas driven by societal changes, MTV, and celebrity culture. This often happens when an old way of life and a new way of life blend. I frankly am not qualified to discuss the era because it is all a blur… I was in art school. However, there is one cultural touchstone that I remember. The popular Swatch Watches of the 1990s stand out like neon spandex in a Stryper video. haha
Amazing graphic design and production went into the Swatch Watch
In the middle of all of this, a unique phenomenon of fashion and watch culture collided into a smash hit that maybe even the inventors of the Swatch Watch could not have anticipated or predicted. For the youngsters reading this who were not even been born yet, Swatch Watches were highly stylized, very collectible quartz watches that were released in limited number around the world. They were a mirror image of the time’s fashion and cultural sense. Because they are so tied to the time that they were created, they now present a look back to that time to our contemporary eyes.
A deep dive into the history of the Swatch Watch… or just look at the photos.
I have to admit that I never owned a Swatch Watch in the 1990s or later. I admired them for afar. I appreciate the fact that each of them was so different. As a graphic designer, I could see a creative tidal wave of ideas and styles that used the blank form of a quartz watch as their canvas. Has there ever been a line of watches that looked so different but had the same model name? I would have to say absolutely not because there are hundreds of different designs of Swatch Watches.
There were hundreds of Swatch Watches to collect
A few years ago, Swatch released the spiritual successor to the Swatch Watch called the Swatch Sistem 51. These watches have a robotically built automatic movement that never needs adjustment. Each is visually fanciful by today’s conservative standards, but they pale in comparison to the audacious designs of the 1990s Swatch Watches. Their variety and creativity are staggering. I am not sure that there is a modern counterpart or ever will be.
The Mozart Swatch Watch had lacy ruffles. Prince might have liked that one.
This feathery Swatch Watch might tickle your fancy!
This bumpy Monsta Swatch Watch looks like something found in an adult bookstore.
Even the watchbands were intricately printed. Notice the Karma Sutra image on the left dial was not for children.
There are dedicated collectors of vintage Swatch Watches, and they probably have cultivated databases of the most desirable models. For the rest of us, there is the book by Frank Edwards named Swatch: A Guide for Connoisseurs and Collectors”. This small publication is packed with photos, model names and fun facts that lets the reader get a good overview of the Swatch Watch phenomenon and some of the greatest hits worth collecting. The book contains enough information to enjoy for hours, but not too much as to become an encyclopedia.
The Swatch Watch Book by Frank Edwards
This is not heavy reading, nor is it intended to be. However, it is comprehensive and the book covers design, origin, history and the thinking of the time. If you have an interest in Swatch Watches or 1990s culture, then this book could be right up your alley. Other people who are interested in design and culture such as graphic designers and artists would also enjoy the jaw-dropping creativity and production of the Swatch Watches shown in the book.
The origin of the Swatch Watch are covered
The business and production aspects of the Swatch Watch
The best part is that it is available for very little money on Amazon. I think I paid about $12 for mine, and the smiles and wonder it provided were worth way more than the cost of entry. This book would make a great stocking stuffer or a fun gift for the watch lover in your life. Grab yours before the recycled library copies, like the one I bought, run out.
