And this allowed the brand to keep its price tag low. With that said, it was inevitable for the brand to use a quartz movement instead of mechanical ones. They are equipped with quartz instead of mechanical movements.Īs mentioned above, Swatch was founded with a purpose in mind - to compete with affordable quartz watches. In fact, they use a durable mineral crystal over the dial to protect their watches. Despite the use of plastic, Swatch did not compromise on durability. So instead of stainless steel, most Swatch watches are made with plastic. The most common way to keep prices low is to use cheaper materials. Here are a few things that the brand does to keep the price tag of their watches low. What Makes Swatch Watches Cheap?Ĭheap doesn’t necessarily mean low quality, and Swatch watches are proof of that. Apart from that, the Swiss watch industry started gaining back the trust of the market. Thus, it helped provide jobs for the watchmakers who lost their livelihood due to the Quartz Crisis. With that, Swatch watches gained popularity. Indeed, it is not unusual for people to have two to three Swatch watches in their watch box.
Aside from the plethora of design options, the watch was ridiculously cheap. Needless to say, the gimmick was well-received by the market. Think of it like a necktie or jacket, which you can change depending on your mood or outfit. The idea was that Swatch watches should be affordable enough for you to have a rotation. In truth, it is a contraction of the words ‘secondary’ and ‘watch’. Photo from Swatch Facebook page Secondary WatchĬontrary to popular belief, the name Swatch doesn’t come from ‘Swiss watch’. With a brilliant marketing strategy, an affordable price tag, and eye-catching designs, the Swatch watches really hit the right formula that got them to its current status. Without a doubt, that price range alone is enough to catch the attention of people. The lineup consisted of 12 designs with a price tag ranging from $44 to $55. So, on March 1, 1983, they introduced the first collection of Swatch watches. Accordingly, they did something out of the ordinary - they turned watches into a fashion statement.Īfter consulting with designers and brainstorming marketing strategies, they were ready to lift the Swiss watch industry back to its feet. With that said, they had to think of another gimmick to catch people’s attention. However, the Japanese were already offering cheap and reliable watches. The goal was simple - to create a watch that is both durable and inexpensive. So during the early ’80s, a small team of watch engineers headed by Ernst Thomke began developing something unique and special. Things were starting to get out of hand and somebody had to do something. A number of factories were closed, thus leaving thousands of people unemployed. Especially considering that the watch industry was big in the country. In fact, the whole Swiss economy was in turmoil. To clarify, mechanical watch enthusiasts were not the only people affected by the Quartz Crisis. In fact, a lot of people thought that it was the end of an era, even for legendary names such as Audemars Piguet.
The demand for mechanical watches plummeted that Swiss watch shops started closing here and there. This point in time is what we now call the ‘ Quartz Crisis’. Suddenly, customers preferred the battery-powered ones to the mechanical timepieces. However, the Japanese brand Seiko had a trick up their sleeves - the introduction of quartz watches.
Switzerland was the leading country when it comes to watches. It is also known that they come with an extremely expensive price tag. Swiss watches are known for their high-quality mechanical movements. Photo from Anthony Kwan, Getty Images History of Swatch Watches In fact, it saved the Swiss watch industry from the brink of falling. In fact, I’ll bet my bottom dollar that to most of us, Swatch was the entry point to the fascinating world of horology.īut don’t make the mistake of thinking that Swatch watches are just about the gimmick. You were considered one of the ‘cool kids’ if you have that plastic band wrapped around your wrist.
Back in elementary, Swatch watches were the norm.
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