Swatch;Time in the 1980s

For those who grew up in this era it was golden, for others it seems like a time of bright colours, electronic music and doggy hair-dos. However, from a design perspective and a technology angle, it was an exciting time. For example, it was the birth of the watch brand Swatch the Swiss watchmaker founded in 1984 by Ernst Thomke, Elmar Mock, and Jacques Müller. Find out more here in Swatch;Time in the 1980s

Swatch as a watch company initially started life as a response to the “quartz crisis” (the quartz crisis was caused by the advent of quartz watches in the 1970s and early 1980s, that largely replaced mechanical watches around the world) of the 1970s and 1980s. And the brand’s name comes from the idea of a ‘second watch’; think of it as a fashion and style item rather than a technology-driven item. Now let’s celebrate because 1984 has never been so 2021, enter the re-released new collection.

The brand looked back to its roots for inspiration and combines a set of its original and most coveted 1984 designs with BIOCERAMIC, a new achievement in responsible materials. The unique mix of ceramic and bio-sourced plastic derived  from castor oil delivers a robust, lightweight material offering scratch resistance and a tactile ‘soft touch’ finish.

 The New  Gent and Gent channel some of the most iconic colourways of the decade, like yellow, red,  black,  grey and white and pairs them with strong monochrome graphics on the dial. However, it’s the BIOCERAMIC case and bio-sourced material strap and loop that bring the 1984 Reloaded models ready for a new ear The white New Gent and grey Gent are also available as a special set.

The two 1984 Reloaded models look to the anti-modernist Memphis design movement for inspiration and come with a matching special edition packaging. Featuring bio-sourced and BIOCERAMIC materials, the white New Gent has a multicoloured dial, while the grey Gent features a monochrome dial design.

As we enjoy the design aesthetic of the 1980s via this collection which has arrived in retail and e-commerce from the 7th October 2021 we can expect to see more on the bio-innovative Swatch story in the coming months.

Find out more about back to 1984 Here at Swatch.com and if you enjoyed reading Swatch;Time in the 1980s why not read Earth Knickers Here