Why is Swatch such a joke?

[shnxx]

I was just hanging at the affordable section of the watchuseek and got attacked by fanboy dogs for criticizing their brand.

But seriously, why can't one of the worlds largest watch brand make any good looking watches for cheap?

There are lots of companies churning out somewhat attractive watches for very little money (below 200), either analog or digital.

It just baffles me that such a brand ever became so popular.

[shnxx]

These are the swatch designs from the discussion.

Whether it's G-shock or smart watch or some better looking seiko, there have got to be better options than those design farts.

[stockae92]

Originally Posted by shnxx

I was just hanging at the affordable section of the watchuseek and got attacked by fanboy dogs for criticizing their brand.

But seriously, why can't one of the worlds largest watch brand make any good looking watches for cheap?

There are lots of companies churning out somewhat attractive watches for very little money (below 200), either analog or digital.

It just baffles me that such a brand ever became so popular.

Seiko and Citizen are already doing that, and I am perfectly fine with that :)

[h999r]

They are looking for quantities not qualities.

[Snow-Dweller]

Whilst I may not want to wear one, I regularly find myself looking at a swatch and thinking it's a great bit of design

[AK797]

I had one bought for me by a g/f when I was a teenager, it was purple, so I have a soft spot for them and back then it was quite a thing to go and buy one at the Oxford St. store. No idea what they look like now tho...

[p_mcgee]

The 3rd one's not bad & I like some of their chronos. For the price Swatches are a decent option.

[subtona]

Swatch (Nicholas Hayak) may be the father of the current swiss watch industry, hardly a joke.

Maybe not appealing to the luxury watch crowd, but they are certainly doing many things right.

[GradyPhilpott]

It's important to distinguish between Swatch and the Swatch Group.

Colorful watches are Swatches stock-in-trade. That's what caught the attention the watch-buying public and essentially offered Hayek the means by which he could save the Swiss watch industry and create the the Swatch Group, which comprises Omega, Swatch, Hamilton, Longines, Breguet, Blancpain, and about a dozen other companies.

That's one of the most interesting and impressive business stories of all time.

That's reason enough to leave Swatch alone and buy watches you like from the companies that offer them.

[Wesley Crusher]

Swatch isn't a joke just because you don't like the design.

[Dan Pierce]

I'm not laughing.
dP

[Andad]

You might think a Swatch plastic watch is a joke but you wouldn't laugh at their sales figures.

Swatch Group, Richemont and Rolex account for 45.8% of the global watch market.

Swatch Group have watches from $100 - $1000000.

Just pick your price point.

[shnxx]

Originally Posted by directioneng

You might think a Swatch plastic watch is a joke but you wouldn't laugh at their sales figures.



Swatch Group, Richemont and Rolex account for 45.8% of the global watch market.



Swatch Group have watches from $100 - $1000000.



Just pick your price point.

Swatch group has many brands which are great.
I'm just not sure about the swatch brand.

[SearChart]

Not everyone is like us and we all have different opinions, I can understand why someone would buy a plastic Swatch watch, that doesn't mean I'd buy one myself.

[Cru Jones]

all three seem pretty nice to me. i guess i'm a joke?

[srvrf]

Actually, most people probably think spending more than $100 on a watch is a "joke." We don't, but we are a minority. As has been mentioned, we get to enjoy this great (but very expensive) hobby, in large part because Swatch watches helped Swatch Group survive the quartz crisis. In fact, it's also why a swatch watch is included on many lists if the most important watches ever made.

As for their colorful designs, that's Swatch. They won't be quartz versions of Breguets or Omegas. But they've been the entry point for more than one person into the wonderful world of watch collecting, including me.

[T. Ferguson]

Taste is an individual thing. You obviously don't like them. But the fact they sell so many watches makes it equally obvious that many people do - even if it's only because they offer so many band color choices that one will match the dress or the shoes.

[unknown]

Is it ?

When I was 14 I had several Swatches and loved them, today , many years later I have some superb watch from the best brands out there

So for me it somehow started with swatch … I would never call them a joke

[drhr]

good looking watches to me. Is your access to Swatch models limited?

[Travelair007]

Originally Posted by unknown

Is it ?

When I was 14 I had several Swatches and loved them, today , many years later I have some superb watch from the best brands out there

So for me it somehow started with swatch … I would never call them a joke

This X 1,000,000,000...

Those watches started the addiction for many of us, consciously or not...They also own one of the most prestigious brands in the world....



And those are NO joke...!

[joli160]

To everybody his own, something can be ugly in my eyes but that does not mean it is.

[Java]

They are certainly not up my street, but a long way from a joke IMHO

I recently bought a Swatch 51 for my 19YO daughter. She loves it and it has piqued an interest in the whole mechanical watch thing.
They are not made for us, they are for a much wider market. I think they have done something amazing with the 51. They have managed to appeal to a very young buyer and introduce the whole ethos of mechanical watches to a new generation. This can only be good for the industry.

[malarky_hk]

It ain't no joke to me. IMHO, I think Swatches are a great product and their lastest incarnation the Sistem51 is another example. 100% Swiss made automatic priced around US$150.

[Presa canary]

The 51 is awesome and I can't wait to buy one.

[AJMarcus]

Originally Posted by directioneng

You might think a Swatch plastic watch is a joke but you wouldn't laugh at their sales figures.

Swatch Group, Richemont and Rolex account for 45.8% of the global watch market.

Swatch Group have watches from $100 - $1000000.

Just pick your price point.

Swatch Watch Co that produces the Swatch watches and The Swatch Group (SWG) are not interchangeable. The SWG is a conglomerate watch and electronic company that produces a lot more than Swatch watches. They also include Omegas, Breguet, Longines and GO to name a few.

[shnxx]

I think the overwhelming consensus is that it's not a joke given the large commercial success.
I won't debate that.
The word joke was a bit of sensationalism and perhaps inappropriate.

I suppose most do not find the Swatch watch design ugly.


Just to clarify, I was not claiming that other watch companies under the Swatch umbrella were jokes.
I have purchased Breguet and an Omega in the past and would never think of these as jokes.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by shnxx

I think the overwhelming consensus is that it's not a joke given the large commercial success.
I won't debate that.
The word joke was a bit of sensationalism and perhaps inappropriate.

I suppose most do not find the Swatch watch design ugly.


Just to clarify, I was not claiming that other watch companies under the Swatch umbrella were jokes.
I have purchased Breguet and an Omega in the past and would never think of these as jokes.

the thing is, those inexpensive plastic watches (not the Breguet and Omega's) revitalized the swiss watch industry when the govt itself thought all was lost.

ps i had at least a 6 or more when i was younger, as did just about everyone i knew.

[vman]

Tastes differ. Some of their designs are not bad at all. Yeah, they're mass produced, but so are Rolex watches.

[The_Walrus]

This was a gift and didn't wear it at all until my work got a little hazard for a Rolex.
Look good I think!

[jhcam8]

Originally Posted by directioneng

You might think a Swatch plastic watch is a joke but you wouldn't laugh at their sales figures.

Swatch Group, Richemont and Rolex account for 45.8% of the global watch market.

Swatch Group have watches from $100 - $1000000.

Just pick your price point.

I'm closer to the lower end, I'm afraid.

(I think the Swatch brand watch is doing what it does best - cheap, fun watches - following their DNA, if you will.)