The Popularity of the Swatch in the 80s

When you think of the 80s, what did everything have in common? Big and colorful right? Everything from clothes to home decorations was big and colorful. Watches were no different, especially the Swatch. They may not have been big, but they made a big statement, especially when consumers wore more than one.

The Swatch is short for second watch and is simple in design, made of plastic and quartz. But despite the minimalist construction, it has withstood the test of time and even inspires modern designs today.

Why the Swatch Was Popular in the 80s

The Swatch Watch was popular due to its colorful and vibrant analog quartz marvel, perfectly matched with the crazy colors and loud designs of the 80s. It was also cheaper compared to the traditional European watch and yet bold, created to draw attention. This combined with an aggressive marketing campaign was what ultimately created the Swatch craze of the 80s.

About the Swatch

While the luxury European watches topped $8,000 (and that was during the 80s), the Swatch Watch sold for anywhere between $20 and $37.50, depending on where it was bought. Each watch is made from strong plastic, is both water- and shock-resistant and has a battery that last three years instead of one. It’s also considered to be the Nokia of watches, durable for with rugged lifestyles.

While it doesn’t quite reach the quality of the European watch, it was marketed as a low-cost quality watch as the majority were sold in jewelry stores. Right alongside the Piagets, Patek Philippes, and Audemars Piguets, was the new, fashionable Swatch Watch.

History of the Swatch

During the late 70s and early 80s, the trendsetters were getting tired of the traditional bulky leather and metal watches. So Swiss designers Elmar Mock, Ernst Thomke and Jacques Müller came up with a more slender, mass-producible design of a wrist watch that could be made by machines instead of handcrafted. It was deliberately constructed with lightweight plastic quartz and made up of 60 neat and tidy components within a closed system. This meant that other than the battery, it was not made to be repairable, but rather a disposable piece of plastic once it stopped working.

It wasn’t long before the marketing potential of the Swatch was noticed, particularly by Nicolas Hayek who founded the company Swatch Group as its CEO in 1983 and thus, the brand took off.

More for Fashion than Telling Time

But it was more of a fashion statement than anything, which was why it was also sold at chic boutiques, department stores and even sporting goods stores.

According to the president of the Swiss Watch Distribution Center; Swatch Watch, USA Inc., Max Imgruth claims, “Swatch is not so much in the watch business [where the low end is somewhat saturated] as in the fashion-sports-and-accessories business…We don’t think of it as a timepiece as much as a design piece. We think that soon, if not already, people won’t be saying ‘Gee, my watch isn’t functioning; I’ve got to get a new one,’ but rather ‘Gee, that color looks good; I’ll get it for sailing, playing tennis, or to go with an outfit.’”

Popular Styles

The most popular styles of the Swatch were those with black faces. But gray, navy and tan were also hot sellers in Europe while red was big in the United States. The bands could also be switched out to make each product unique.

Around 310 million Swatch watches are sold annually, which sums up to be a $7 billion business. In just 1982 alone, 65 million Americans paid $2 billion and another 70 million in 1983.

But more than half of the watches were purchased as gifts, with September through December making up 60 percent of total sales. Imgruth calculated that each American owned approximately 2 – 3 watches.

Advertising Campaign

Created by McCann-Erickson in Switzerland, the Swatch’s advertising campaign was duplicated by a New York agency, which was to rely on the New Wave to draw in the young trend setters.

One of the commercials would play punk rock, with various Swatch-sporting wrists in different scenarios, playing cards, popping a champagne cork and flexing a bike brake. Then a voice-over would announce that Swatch has “come a long way since the cuckoo clock.”

By 1983, the campaign became more focused on the adventurers, claiming that the Swatch was built to “keep up” with a more rugged lifestyle. But it never lost its stylish appeal, with 6 bold fashion colors and 25 styles to match your outfit or mood.

Using the latest technology in watch manufacturing, its unique construction made for a fashionable yet comfortable timepiece.

The biggest attraction point of the Swatch was its versatility. They came in all different colors, from black faces with neon design to a Jelly line that almost defined the Swatch Watch in general. One of the most popular aspects was that the face made the perfect canvas for both abstract design and artist collaborations, not to mention the bands could be changed out for infinite combinations, making each one unique.

A Collectors’ Item

There are still numerous Swatches today that collectors’ go nuts over, like the limited edition, glow-in-the-dark watch that commemorated the passing of Halley’s Comet. There were also a ton of artist collaboration watches. Keith Haring, a popular pop artist, did a series of watches, some of which were named Blanc sur Noir and Serpent, which matched his open attitude towards the commercialization of fine art. This helped to promote the combination of intricate design with mass marketable commercial products.

Whatever you could think of, you could find a watch with it, even including literary and artistic classics like Cupydus and Sappho or ‘60s illustrations of the Russian astronaut Yuri.

Some watches had a clear face with cartoon cutouts, such as Mango Dream. You can still find pictures of the designs today, including on the Swatch Group’s website.

Popular Trends of the Swatch

Despite its affordable price, the Swatch Watch became so popular during the 80s that it became a status symbol. Numerous trends were started with this fashionable item, including the most popular trend of wearing more than one on one wrist. Consumers had their own reasons, including pure aesthetics, keeping track of time zones in various countries.

Another trend was to wear the watch upside down so when users went to check the time, they had to do a cool flip of the wrist. Just like everything else, teens constantly sought out the latest and greatest trends, and with Keith Haring and hip hop groups like The Fat Boys promoting them as the hottest accessories, they went from disposable to fashionable.

Swatch Watch Accessories

As the popularity of the Swatch Watch exploded, Swatch accessories came out to complement the watch or enhance their artistic design. One particular accessory was the Swatch Guard, which was a rubber guard that stretched over the watch face to prevent it from cracks and chipping. And of course, the Guard was also a fashion item as people would twist together two different colored Swatch Guards and place them on the watch for a bi-patterned effect.

Then there was the Swatch Pop, which was used to secure the Swatch Watch to one’s clothes or backpack, instead of the wrist. Girls would even use Swatch Watches as a ponytail holder, which was a precursor to the 90s scrunchies trend.

Another popular item that came out was the Swatch Watch wall clocks, which were huge clocks designed to hand on a wall of course, but still looked like a wristwatch, even coming with a band.

Swatch Watches Today

While not as popular as before, many are still in love with Swatch Watches today and continue to follow its crazy trends, as they are always releasing new designs and Swatch Watch lines to keep consumers vested. The originals lines from the 80s are now collectors’ items, and some continue to wear them today, despite their throwaway nature.

Now, the Swatch Watch has more modern and simpler designs, but you can still find some with more bold features. Regardless if you are looking to blend in or stand out, the Swatch Group has a design for you.

Do You Have A Swatch Watch?

If so, what does yours look like? Did you have any during the 80s? Do you still wear them today? Let me know in the comments section below, I’d love to hear it!