Hobbies And Interests
History
Swatch is a Swiss watch company that helped the country out of hard times during the early '80s. Historically, the Swiss are known for their watches, but the Japanese had dominated the industry in the late '70s and early 80's with their inexpensive, digital watches, leaving the Swiss watch market reeling. In 1983, Swatch debuted its first watches, inexpensive analog counterparts to the ubiquitous digital watches. The cost was lower for Swatch watches as they were made up of only 51 parts instead of the standard 91 parts in similar analog watches. Swatch watches became a huge success and helped bolster the Swiss watch industry.
The Look
Swatch watches weren't like the other standard time pieces of the day. Watches and watch bands tended to be plain with solid colors, but Swatch watches came in a variety of colors and designs. Stripes, polka dots and unique shapes were incorporated to elevate the watches into an art form. Swatch watches were available in most moderately priced stores, and new designs were coming out monthly. Swatch fans would wear two, three or more Swatch watches at the same time on their arms.
Accessories
When the Swatch watch became a cultural phenomenon in the '80s, the company designed accessories for the watches. People could buy face guards, and Swatch Pops let you attach the colorful watches to your clothing. Swatch watches spawned wall-size watches and even those that could be hung on a ponytail.
'80s Swatches Today
As of 2011, Swatch continues to make watches, but they are far different from the inexpensive, multicolored art watches of the '80s. By the end of the decade, Swatch watches had lost their allure and began to slowly disappear from stores, but a resurgence in 80's nostalgia has made them a collector's item for those looking to reclaim a little piece of 80's history.