80s Swatch: The Iconic Pop Culture Watch

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!

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
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

[iandavidson]

Thank you so much for the huge amount of time it must have taken you to compile this AMAZING video! Incredible!

[emanuelmoralesgalarza]

Waiting for Next videos from Swatch watches from 90' s and 2000 decades. It would be awesome from you my Friend.

[shawndurbs]

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.

[Malkav]

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).

[johnbehneman]

TOTALLY AWSOME!!!! I LOVE THE VARIETY AND

[acunacorporations]

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!

[wattsj]

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 :)

[JulianM_Col]

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

[LambentOrt]

I love Swatch watches... especially their early 90s designs. The four that I have in my collection all come from that period.

[clockhunterGermany]

Great content. I startet collecting Swatch-watches in the end of the 80s as a member of the Satch Collectors Club in Germany.

[aaron]

In 1985, I had the 'Calypso Diver'... warm gray case, blue band.

[MichaelEngel]

I recently went to the Swatch museum in Biel. Incredible place I can highly recommend!

[Bear-nuxm]

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.

[yerkodiegoborjakvessitchva]

HELLO FRIEND, ANOTHER HISTORY OF WATCHES, ALL RIGHT, ALL ABOUT THE SWISS WATCH SWATCH COMPANY . WELL DONE . GRETTINS FROM SPAIN . CARE YOU ! . 🙂👍🖐️😉⌚⌚

[TimeToGoTravelAndTimepieces]

Amazing work with this video. Really enjoyed!

[Beechhill]

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"...

[dimitriostsiganis]

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.

[Dorelaxen]

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!

[johnbehneman]

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE EVRYTHING!!!!

[Daud]

I was in my single digits in the 80s, but I do remember my cousins having Swatch and always being intrigued on that interesting battery replacement plate on the back. Even more so when my cousin said his Swatch eventually broke at that point. He had a navy blue Swatch with naval flags and his brother had a chocolate banana themed Swatch. I am not sure if he still has it. Nevertheless, great video as always. Keep it up. 🤙🏼