When in Switzerland, make a Swatch. This topical and original Gent tells the story of Swatch with a bright and colourful photo-collage of Swatch watch dials. The collage is printed on an innovative textile strap that is further embellished with three watch dials, each covered with a raised transparent plastic dome that adds a tactile third dimension: the low-relief Swatch on the 6 o’clock side of the strap presents a black Irony Big dial with white Arabic numerals and hands; the 12 o’clock side presents a red Irony Chrono dial with two black counters and one silver, and a white Irony Chrono Retrograde dial with silver counters. This fascinating strap holds a transparent clear plastic case framing a printed dial that takes up the strap’s photo-collage design and transforms it into a declaration of fashion principles: This is not a watch (it’s a work of art). Set in the dial to mark all hours are 12 white crystals, adding sparkle to the world of time. Slim white hour and minute hands and a delicate white seconds hand mark the time.
Here’s another playful exploration of the decorative possibilities offered by Swatch. The broad black synthetic leather strap of this remarkable Irony Nabab presents variations on a heart-shaped theme: symmetrical floral-heart patterns cut through the leather reveal fluorescent grounds—lime green on the 12 o’clock side, bright orange on the 6 o’clock side. The stainless steel 316L buckle, moulded case and bezel present shiny gold PVD surfaces and are otherwise unadorned. The dial of this huge beauty is a delight in itself: the designer uses golden appliqué numerals (Roman at hours 3, 6, 9 and 12, Arabic at all others!) set off by a fluorescent pink dial, which on closer inspection presents a riotous tone-on-tone pattern of swirls and pink hearts. Tie-shaped lime green hour and blue minute hands enhance the design contrasts and serve to mark the time.
There’s a wonderful Swatch sense of humour shining right through this spectacular Irony THE Chrono. Taking up the romantic theme of the Collection, the designer presents giant shiny hearts in relief on the massive links of the bracelet, which is fashioned in stainless steel 316L and coated with gold PVD. The impressively massive stainless steel 316L case and bezel likewise feature polished gold PVD surfaces. The bezel is set with a ring of 36 white crystals, and a parallel ring of smaller white crystals adorns the golden surface of the rehaud surrounding the textured red tone-on-tone dial. A giant silver dollar sign with a textured decorative surface dominates the dial. The chrono and continuous seconds counters have all but disappeared: only the golden hands remain, offset by the subtly textured pattern of the dial. The pattern presents a delicate variation of the Collection’s hearts and flowers theme, enhancing the continuity and coherence of the overall design. Golden hour and minute hands with white highlights serve to mark the time and are complemented by a delicate golden chrono seconds hand.
And the lady is a vamp—presented here in a playfully seductive take on the Collection’s romantic theme. The bracelet of this light-hearted Irony Square Lady is made of gold PVD stainless steel 316L; each of its shiny golden links features a pair of large heart-shaped pink crystals. The bracelet forms a broad shiny road to the case and bezel, also fashioned in gold PVD-surfaced stainless steel 316L. Drawn in pink on the shiny golden bezel are hearts within hearts, suggesting a romance without end. Set within the hearts is a turquoise frame around the square turquoise dial. Round-tipped shiny metal hour and minute hands mark the time.
Hearts are a favourite theme in designer Manish Arora’s work, and this delightfully over-the-top Skin brings Bollywood-style romance to the wrist. The semi-bangle bracelet is formed of hearts-within-hearts in stainless steel 316L on either side of the case. Dangling from the bangles are clusters of heart-shaped charms, each one made of stainless steel 316 combined with sparkling or coloured synthetic resin inlays or white crystals. The bracelet holds a solid matt silver plastic case. Romance reasserts itself at the centre of the bright, fluorescent pink dial: it’s another heart, with the flange rising to the surface level. Shiny silver applique hearts of different sizes mark all hours—large at 3, 6, 9 and 12, smaller at all other hours. Short, delicate and shiny silver hour and minute hands find their centre in one last silver heart printed on the glass.
In a colourful tribute to the art of dance, this striking Swatch Puzzle Motion features close-up shots of bejewelled and painted hands in motion. The top folio strap presents a column of coloured panels, each featuring a single hand caught in a stylized gesture. Each multi-colour hand has one or more rings and wears a colourful bracelet. The strap holds a solid pink plastic buckle and case around the multi-level dial: mounted on the white base level are two sets of rotating plastic discs. Each disc features another close-up of a colourful bejewelled hand, set off against a coloured ground. The colour scheme from the strap is repeated with variations across the dial. As the hands revolve through a twelve-hour cycle, each disc rotates and the coloured hands combine to perform a dance with their companions. In the absence of all numerals and indices, slim black hour and minute hands mark the time. In Manish Arora’s fashionable dance, time moves on but the performance never ends.