Swatch sistem51

WOTY 2014: Swatch Sistem51

Joint Winner. Innovative Watches of the Year 2014.

Swatch was the brand that made sense of the Quartz Crisis and turned it to its advantage with a Swiss-made disposable, plastic quartz watch with just 51 components.

Since its launch in 1983 the Hayek family-controlled brand has turned into the highest volume producer of watches in the world, a group that has used its considerable influence to establish the mechanical watch as a luxury product rather than merely a high-quality product.

Things came full circle last year when Swatch announced its development of a sealed, simplified mechanical automatic watch with just 51 components that could be produced on an entirely mechanised production line.

The Sistem51 made it into shops this year costing just £108 in the UK. The concept made Sistem51 a horological milestone while strong design made it one of the most bankable watches we can think of.

James Buttery

Editor of WatchPro, the WatchPro Hot 100 and The Luxury Report.

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