The First Swatch Watch 1983
Swatch (the Swiss watch brand) launched its first watches in 1983 . Here’s a quick breakdown: Background: In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Swiss watch industry was in crisis due to the rise of cheap, accurate quartz watches from Japan (the “Quartz Crisis”). The Idea: Nicolas G. Hayek and the Swatch Group (then SMH) developed Swatch as a fun, affordable, Swiss-made quartz watch with a plastic case and bold, colorful designs. First Collection: The first Swatch watches debuted in March 1983 with 12 models. They were meant to be fashionable, collectible, and inexpensive — unlike traditional luxury Swiss watches. Impact: The launch was a massive success and is credited with saving the Swiss watch industry. Swatch became a pop culture phenomenon in the 1980s and 1990s.