This page does not contain any fancy pictures but I hope to provide some substantial information for collectors. If you want to see some pictures of interesting swatches then go to my virtual swatch museum. Although I am probably a bit biased, it is highly recommended , especially the section about special packagings.

Older Swatch info

• Summer Sport collection 2006.  The summer sport collection 2006 will consist of the following watches:  gent plastic / skin, ladies / square, elegant skin, fun scuba, beach volley (gent and skin chrono), irony chrono, skin chrono / diaphane chrono.
  
• Taiwan Valentine 2006 special.   Swatch Taiwan will release a new special called Honey Bear for the 2006 valentines’day.  The wooden box contains two Irony Swatches and two little bears.  It rumored that the bears are designed by the Honk Kong Qee bear designer.  The box is limited and numbered to 1314 pcs.  The meaning of the number 1314 is “I will love you in my all life time” for the Chinese pronounciations.  The set will be very heavy and it will be more expensive than the previous Taiwanese Valentine's specials.  The exact release date is not yet clear.  Thanks to Sophia Chang for the information and pictures.
  
• Swatch at Mall of America.  Swatch opened a new store in the USA at the Mall of America near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The mall is one of the largest in the USA with over 520 stores.  On 17-NOV, Swatch celebrated the opening of the new store. Swatch the Club Pioneer member Tom Rolnicki was asked to cut the ribbon to open the store. Tom lives in Minneapolis, has collected Swatches for many years, and has authored a book about Swatch collecting. Professional hockey player Pierre-Marc Bouchard was also at the opening to meet customers and sign autographs.  Thanks to Brian Pier for the report and pictures.
  
• Paris Lustrous Bliss Event.  Philippe Danjean sent me this short report about the Lustrous Bliss launch event in Paris last month:  "On 14-DEC evening, Swatch The Club members as well as Le Figaro readers (newspaper in France) were invited for a Champagne reception at Swatch Megastore on Champs Elysees at 7:30.  Members were welcomed by Swatch France staff and were invited to see the 3 new Lustrous Bliss. Last but no least, members received a nice Lustrous Bliss Note book and a Book Mark of the red Lustrous Bliss."
  
• Xmas club event / special.  From 1 to 4-DEC, the international Swatch The Club event took place in Istanbul, Turkey.  About 120 collectors participated at the event.  They received the Xmas special 2005 in a slightly different packaging, it is grey instead of white and it features the club logo on the box.  The participants also received a very nice welcome package including a special blue vest, Alladin's wonder lamp and much more.  Here is a detailed report with many pictures from the event.  You can also check out more pictures from the event at Michael's nice website!  Here and here are the pictures by Toty Booms.
  
• London Play Time special. A Swatch Play Time game set consisting of playing cards, a retro cube, an IQ match maker and a Sudoku puzzle is being distributed in a promotion in partnership with Virgin Mobile phone.  If you are selected by Virgin and sent an email, you have to take a copy of the email to the shop to claim your "Play Time" gift.  It is only 1 gift per household, this is available until stocks run out.  Alternatively, you could get this at the London Covent Garden Store when buying any swatch watch at two saturdays in december.    Thanks to Michael for the information and to Peter Rollings for the update.
  
• New Love Explosion Bijoux Ring.  A nice new Love Explosion Bijoux ring is now available in Switzerland and world wide next year.  The ring has a lot of cubes on the top.  Thanks to Michael for the information.
  
• Swatch sponsors snow mobile race.  From 8 to 10-DEC, a snow mobile race event called Snow Mobile 2005 will take place in the center of Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria.  Swatch is „Official Timing Partner“ of this event.  Update:  A nice special Access Swatch (In Process, SHB104, with a new strap) was released for this event, limitation is 550 pcs.  Thanks to a club member from Austria for the information.
  
• Taiwan Charity Xmas Event.  Read all about the 2005 Christmas Event for Charity in Taiwan on Sophia Chang's nice website!
  
• Xmas club events.  The international Swatch The Club Xmas event will take place in Istanbul, Turkey from 1 to 4-DEC.  The UK Swatch The Club Xmas event will take place on 11-DEC in Dorking.  Update:  Here are pictures from the UK Xmas event (no special packaging of the Xmas special), thanks to Michael for the good work! Thanks to Henk Seligmann for the information.
• Swatch at Miljonair Fair.  Here are the pictures by Toty Booms from the Amsterdam Miljonair Fair (and from the Amsterdam Instant Store).  Swatch held a small party for the Dutch members at the Miljonair Fair where they could get a "right to buy" the X-mas special Sparkling Night.
• Flash Mob events.  Swatch is organizing a number of Flash Mob events which will be filmed and broadcasted on Eurosport & Eurosport 2 as well as be streamed on the Swatch website.  The events will take place on 9-DEC at 01.06 p.m in Barcelona: Center of Plaça Catalunya, Munich: Marienplatz 26,  Ecke Rosenstrasse (report by Michael), Milan: Piazza Duomo, in front of the entrance of Palazzo Reale, Paris: Place St Michel (report by Philippe Danjean!), Zurich: Pestalozziwiese - Bahnhofstrasse quite vis-à-vis of Swatch Store.  So go ahead and participate!  Bring a football and/or your football fan shirt to this Flash Mob, and you will be on TV all over Europe!
  
• Golden Swatch.  In France, a very expensive (~5000 EUR) version of the Dates In Circles gent (GK417, 2000) is available now, designed by greek designer Lina Fanourakis.  It features a 22 karat gold strap.  Thanks to Rodolphe Foucard for the picture.
  
• Turkish Surprise packaging.  The Swatch stores in Turkey are currently selling two different surprise special packagings.  You can buy these special packagings for around 30 EUR each if you buy a swatch from the current collection.  The packagings are sealed so you cannot check in advance which watch you will get.  The boxes contain watches such as Nisis (GE123), Kranaos (GK392), or Baggy (YLS4013).  Here is the shop display for this promotion. 
  
• Vendôme / Spiga Xmas special.  A very nice Xmas special has been released at the Vendôme Store in Paris and the Spiga Store in Milano.  It is called Angel's Air (GE140APU).  It is limited to 600 pcs and it comes in a nice special packaging.  If you are interested in getting this special, you can contact Philippe Danjean. Thanks to Philippe Danjean for the information and pictures.
  
• New Irony The Chrono.  Swatch has just launched a new product called Irony The Chrono.  It is a chrono in 'Breitling' style:  larger diameter (47mm instead of 40mm) and thinner than the current Irony chrono.  Four models are available initially: The Moonscope (YOS400G), Unknown Destination (YOS403), Wealthy Star (YOS401G), Sea Pride (YOS402G).  Price is 120 EUR (leather strap) and 130 EUR (metal strap).   This picture illustrates the difference between Irony The Chrono and a normal Irony Chrono.  Thanks to David Rippmann for the information and to Squiggly for the picture.
• Portuguese Charity special.  A charity special for the Gil Children Foundation was released in july in Portugal.  It is a Touch swatch called Casa Do Gil (STGK107) and it comes in a very nice special packaging with an orange wristband.  Retail price is 60 EUR (6 EUR goes to Gil Foundation).  Update:  A special packaging in a plastic doll's house (ref.no. STGK107S) was just released in Portugal, it is numbered to 999 pcs.  Retail price is 140 EURO.  Here is a picture of the opened packaging.  Thanks to Marco Soares and Pedro Coelho for the information and pictures.
  
• Swatch perfume.  In Switzerland, Swatch sells a "Swatch 'Woman' eau de toilette, 50ml".  Each store has received about 25 bottles, price is 60 Swiss Francs (about $45 US).  Thanks to Henk Seligmann for the information and to Marco Soares for the picture.
• Xmas special 2005.  The Xmas special 2005 is called Sparkling Night (LZ106).  Here is another picture of the special.  The watch comes in a round glass bowl, see this picture of the packaging. This is the first xmas special with a lady swatch.  It is limited to 16999 pieces, numbered.  Thanks to Jacky Beauverd for the information.
  
• Lustrous Bliss variations.  In 2004, Swatch has issued a diamond special called Lustrous Bliss (SFZ106, 4000 pcs).  The special was quite expensive (1150 EUR in Germany) and it is not yet sold out everywhere.  Nevertheless, Swatch will release 3 variations of this special in different colors:  Ruby Lustrous Bliss (SFZ112), Pink Lustrous Bliss (SFZ110), and Blue Lustrous Bliss (SFZ111), 1000 pcs each, with ruby, or pink or blue sapphire.  Retail price will be increased to 1250 EUR!  Dealers who still have the first Lustrous Bliss (SFZ106) in stock (it wasn't a huge success after all!) will increase the retail price for the first one from 1150 EUR to 1250 EUR as well!  That's inflation!  Launch events for the new Lustrous Bliss variations will take place in Switzerland:  24-NOV in Geneva, 25-NOV in Zürich, 26-NOV in Lugano.  Thanks to Henk Seligmann and Squiggly for the information and to Rodolphe Foucard for the picture.
• Fun Boarder press packaging.  A nice special press packaging of the new Fun Boarder Snowy Sky (SULK100) has been released in Italy (here is the stamp of the guarantee).  No idea about limitation.  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli  for the information.
  
• Xmas collection.  The first ever Swatch Xmas collection is available now, it consists of five watches (not limited):  Star Hunt (Skin, SFK242), Frozen Beauty (Irony Lady, YSS197), Send Me A Star (Lady, LK259), Touch Of Heaven (Square, SUBK123), Clock The Time (Irony Chrono, YCS468).
  
• Fiesta Che Guevara in Berlin.  On 11-NOV at 8pm, a Fiesta celebrating Che Guevara will took place at the Swatch Instant Store in Berlin, Münzstrasse 18.  Michael has many nice pictures from the fiesta...  The legendary Swatch To Che (GJ115) is available now exclusively at the Swatch Instant Store in Berlin.  This swatch was a huge success when it was launched originally in 1995 and it sold out immediately.  It was reissued before in 1997 in Cuba.
  
• Spiga anniversary event.  On 28/29-OCT, the 3rd anniversary of the Spiga store was celebrated in Milano, Italy.  A nice special packaging (front closed / front opened / back) of the Irony Behind (YGS443PU), limited to 120 pcs was issued.  Collectors also received some gadgets such as a bag, a T-shirt, and a key cord (with inscription "collezionista" (=collector) or "accompagnatore" (= accompanying person)...  Here are pictures by Dino Wierz from the Swatch The Club event.  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli and Henk Seligmann for the information and to Dino Wierz for the pictures.
• Swatch participates at Bookparade.  The team of the Swatch Store in Frankfurt (Germany) has designed a huge (2 meters) book sculpture called Zeitdruck (time pressure).  This sculpture is part of the Bookparade exhibition which is currently on display all over Frankfurt, just in time for the Frankfurt Book Fair (19 to 23-OCT).   After the exhibition will be closed (probably end of november), the book sculpture will be auctioned for charity.  Update:  On 23-OCT (sunday), the Swatch Store Frankfurt will be opened to the public.  If you buy a swatch, you get a free sketch book (a miniature version of the book sculpture) as a gift.  The sketch book is limited to 69 pcs, handnumbered on the last page.  Michael has some more nice pictures from the mini-event.
  
• Swatch Bijoux Store.  On 13-OCT, the first ever Swatch Bijoux Store has opened in Munich, Germany in Neuhauser Strasse 45.  MTV-VJ Anastasia will also be there.  A Swatch Bijoux-Special was sold, it is limited and numbered to 111 pcs.  Michael has some nice pictures from the store and the special.
• More Fall / Winter 2005/06 swatches.  In the near future, Swatch will add some more watches to fall / winter collection 2005/06.  The watches consist of the following subcollections:  Winter Sport (part 1 / part 2 / part 3), Next! (part 1 / part 2 / part 3), Chrono, Olympic Collection (for Torino 2006, part 1 / part 2), Xmas collection (part 1 / part 2).  Thanks to J.Malheiro for the pictures.
  
• Swatch Urban Expression.  Swatch is sponsoring the free Swatch Urban Expression event, taking place in London on 11-SEP.  The event will feature live music, live DJs, live Graffiti etc.  So Swatch is going back to the roots of the 80s when they sponsored the Breakdance event at the Roxy and other similar events.  Swatch is also using their new logo for this event, similar to the Instant Store logo.  Update:  A special access swatch (Ora Et Signora with a new strap, SKZ106E) was released for this event.
  
• Golden Shaq will be reissued.  Yes, no, yes...  It seems that the neverending story will end soon:  The Diaphane Chrono Shaq 34 Gold (SVCK4008G, originally limited to 10000 pcs) will be available again soon!  But as it was not possible to extend the contract with Shaquille O'Neal (this was already previously reported), Swatch has come up with a clever idea:  They removed the '34' from the dial and they will sell the otherwise identical watch as a new model soon, it is called Full Blooded (SVCK4032G).   Thanks to Squiggly for the information.
  
• Las Vegas special.  A nice new special Las Vegas swatch is available now at the two swatch stores in Las Vegas (Caesar's Forum and Fashion Show).  The watch is only available in Las Vegas (similar to the New York Times Square special).
  
• Fun Boarder Launch Event.  From 26 to 28-SEP, the Fun Boarder launch event in took place in Buergenstock (near Luzern, Switzerland).  The Fun Boarder swatch is a new product line and it combines and access swatch (snowpass) with altimeter function, available from november.  The first Fun Boarder collection consists of four watches.  To commemorate the event, a special packaging of a Fun Boarder model was released, approx. 300 pcs.  Collectors also received some extra stuff related to the event.  Here are a few press pictures from the event.  Mr. Hayek sr. was also present at the event.  Here is a report by Michael about the event and here is a report in german by Matthias Stawinski.  Christine Tanner has a lot of pictures from the event!  Here is an online report from United Arab Emirates and here is a nice german newspaper report from Biel, Switzerland!  Thanks to Christine Tanner and Nikolai Kuttler for the information.
  
• Rare early prototypes.  For your amusement, here are pictures of three ultrarare authentic early Swatch prototypes:  Four Flags, Calendrier, Crawling Baby (by Keith Haring, not released).  These watches are very very hard to find and of course very expensive!  Thanks to a good friend for the pictures.
  
• Portuguese Fall / Winter 2005/06 collection special.  A special packaging of the brand new gent Extra Long (GB228) has been released in Portugal.  The watch is packaged in a nice tube.  This time, the tube is a little longer as in the last years.  Limitation is unknown (not numbered).  Thanks to Pedro Coelho for the information and pictures.
  
• New Vendôme models.  You can see the recent models from the Vendôme Store in Paris here.
  
• Swatch brand will be alive in the future.  Swatch CEO Nick Hayek rules out abandoning own-brand watches despite a 5-6 pct drop in first half sales and the unit only breaking even.  Here is a nice long report (in German) about this topic.  Update:  Here is another interesting report about Swatch and the Hayek family.
  
• Taiwan Access special.  On 20-SEP, a special access swatch (SKK1002) has been released in Taiwan by the Taipei Smart Card corporation company.  You can use this access swatch to store money on the built-in chip and you can pay the tax fee, metro fee, or the park fee etc.  The swatch can be ordered at the Family convenience store.  The watch is limited to 10000 pcs.  1000 pcs of these 10000 are available at the swatch stores with a free paper sleeve showing public railway stations (on the right of this picture).   Thanks to Sophia Chang for the pictures and information.
  
• Unique Swatch auction.  On 22-SEP, a charity watch auction called OnlyWatch 05 will take place at the Monaco Yacht Show.  Swatch has created a unique skin swatch called Charme de Crystal (numbered 1/1!) to be auctioned as Lot 31.  Estimate price is 75 CHF, I bet that this will go much higher :-)  Update:  The unique swatch was sold for 12000 EUR.
  
• Swatch bourse at the world museum.   The 6th Swatch Bourse took place at the World Museum (near Milano, Italy) on 18-SEP.  A very nice special packaging (with a 6! limited to 97 pcs, numbered) containing the new swatch At School (GE167) has been released to commemorate the event.  A VIP version of the special packaging was also released, it is blue, not orange, and the packaging is numbered in roman numbers (.../XXI, 21 pcs).  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the information and picture, to Marco Soares for the information, and to Zep and Alain Choisy for the pictures.
  
• Swatch Exhibition in Berlin.  A Swatch Exhibition called World Of Swatch has started on monday, 6-JUN, at the famous department store KaDeWe in Berlin, Germany.  The exhibition (in the nice entrance hall of the KaDeWe) features all important swatch specials such as the Puff  watches, Keith Haring, ...  Also the shopping windows of the KaDeWe feature the different themes of the exhibition. The exhibition will run until 2-JUL, so check it out while you are at the G&P / International Swatch The Club Event in Berlin at the end of june, in parallel to the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship :-)  No special / special packaging will be released for the event except for:  On 14-JUN,  the swiss artist Matthias Winkler created a unique maxi swatch, together with Berlin MTV-VJ Anastasia in only 30 minutes, starting with a rare blank maxi.  This maxi was auctioned for charity until 2-JUL, minimum bid is 250 EUR.  The watch was sold for 1200 EUR to a collector in Hamburg.  Here is a newspaper report from Die Welt.  Congrats Daniel :-)  Update:  Michael has also many nice pictures from the exhibition (hi Valter! :-)
  
• Irony Automatics reissued.  There has been a resurgence in the popularity of automatic watches.  So Swatch has decided to reissue Body and Soul (YAS100), Heraceles (YAS402), and Noir de Noir (YAS403) in the fall in the USA and probably elsewhere as well, definitively in Switzerland as well.   Update:  In contrast to previous rumours, the Diaphane Chrono Shaq 34 Gold (SVCK4008G) will not be available again!  It was not possible to extend the contract with Shaquille O'Neal.  Thanks to David Rippmann for the information.
  
• New Swatch Museum to be opened.  In less than six months, a new Swatch Museum will be opened, probably in Torino, Italy, around the time of the Olympic Games 2006.  The exhibition will feature the collection of private collector Ezio Perino.  His collection consists of approximately 13.300(!) swatch watches and other swatch related material.
  
• Swatch Instant Store in Zürich.  On 11-AUG, a Swatch Instant Store has opened its doors in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire in Spiegelgasse 1 (Niderdorf).  This Instant Store was also painted by Pixelpunk.  Here is a mini report by Andrea Marco Faggioli:  "The store will be open until 26-AUG. They sell new and old watches [no 83! :-] but no special packagings. They are also displaying fake Swatch watches produced in China (pic1 / pic2)."  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the pictures.
  
• .beat revival.  Swatch wil re-issue four .beat swatches in a modernized design.  Click here to see the new models.  Update:  Another special .beat is Brazil bezel (YQS1000CD), retail price is 85 CHF.  This is not a Montreux special as previously written here...  2nd Update:  Two more special .beat watches are available now:  Tribal Black (YQS1003D, Virtual Wave) and Tribal Red (YQS1001D, Webstream).   Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the picture and to Alain Choisy / Andrea Marco Faggioli / Michael for the updates.
  
• Fossil to Exit SPOT Market.  Yes, I know, Fossil is the opposite of swatch but they have one thing in common:  They produce SPOT watches.  The Swatch SPOT watch is called Paparazzi.  According to this article, Fossil will stop to produce SPOT watches, and "Microsoft has recently pulled the SPOT initiative back into R&D".  So the future does not look to bright for the Paparazzi swatches as well.  Also very interesting:  Paparazzi is only at 3rd position in the list of most Popular SPOT Watches but when Fossil will exit the market, Swatch will be at #1 because Fossil is currently at position 1, 2, 6, 7, ...  By the way, the Paparazzi review is somewhat mixed:  "...Swatch has made a nice effort, but for some reason they didn’t use the creativity or quality I would expect from them...".
• Kindercity access.  Kindercity is the biggest edutainment center in Switzerland for families and kids.  Two access swatches Kindercity Blau (SKK124H) and Kindercity Rot (SKK124I; Clearance Two with a special strap) have been released, they are used as entrance passes for Kindercity.  No special packaging.  If you are interested in purchasing these watches, you can contact Alain Choisy.    Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information and pictures.
  
• Signed Vegetable Swatches.  If you are interested in purchasing the famous Vegetable set signed by late designer Alfred Hofkunst and Nicholas G. Hayek , you can bid at the 2005 charity auction of the Stiftung Roth-Haus in Muri, Switzerland on 27-AUG.  Bidding starts at 1000 CHF per vegetable swatch.  The full catalogue of the auction can be browsed here.
  
• Sweet Teddy reissued.  The brown bear has returned to the Swiss Alps, more than a century after it was last seen in the country (full story here).  Swatch has reissued the Sweet Teddy gent swatch, in a standard plastic box, not in the special packaging with bees and special box.  More details about this here (in German).  Thanks to Philippe Danjean for the hint and to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the information.
• Locarno Film Festival special.  For the 58th International Film Festival Locarno (3 to 13-AUG), a special packaging containing the gent swatch Phoning Home (GB225) has been released.  The packaging is limited and numbered to 500 pcs.   The poster of the festival has been designed by Swatch artist Valerio Adami.  Swatch is sponsoring partner of the Orson Welles retrospective at the festival.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information and to Christine Tanner for the picture
  
• Klagenfurt Beach Volleyball special.   During 3 to 7-AUG, the 2005 Swatch FIVB BeachVolley World Tour went to Klagenfurt, Austria.  Swatch the Club had a club event on the weekend.  A special packaging containing the Swatch Skin Chrono Perfect Play (SUYK114) in a blue metallic frame with magnetic plexi cover was released to commemorate the event.  Limitation is 70 pcs, not numbered.  Club members also received a nice welcome package.  If you have an extra special for trade or sale, please email, I have lots of stuff for trade!  A nice VIP access special (Vertical Flavour with special strap, ref.no. SHM102E, limitation around 1700 pcs) was used as an entrance ticket for the games.  You can find a nice report about the club event with lots of activities on Michael's webpage.  Thanks to Michael for the information and pictures.
  
• Swiss Soccer Access specials.  The new Stade De Suisse (previously the Wankdorf-Stadium where Germany won its first soccer world cup championship in 1954!) in Bern was opened on 30-JUL.  Two new Access swatches have been launched, they can be used as an entrance pass for soccer games at the stadium.  Swatch is one of the co-sponsors of the stadium.  For the opening events, the two access swatches were sold in a special packaging and used as entrance ticket.  Here is a picture of the closed packaging for 30-JUL, containing the Swatch Access SKK2000, and here is a picture of the opened packaging for 30-JUL (the box shows the stadium in 3D).  Here is a picture of the closed packaging for 31-JUL, containing the Swatch Access SKK2001, and here is a picture of the opened packaging for 31-JUL (the box shows the stadium in 3D).  Each watch is limited to 32000 pcs, they are only available as an entrance pass for 30/31-JUL, they are not available in the stores.  Entrance tickets to the opening event cost 100 CHF, including one access swatch.  A Swatch The Club event open to all swiss club members took place on 30 and 31-JUL.  On each day, about 60 club members participated.  The club members also received the special but in a different paper sleeve (green writing, no date, Swatch The Club logo, same sleeve for both days).  The welcome package also contained a T-shirt (two different dates) and a keyring.  David Rippmann, Christine Tanner, and Matthias Stawinski have nice pictures / reports from the opening event on 30-JUL, Michael, Christine Tanner, and Matthias Stawinski have nice reports with pictures from the opening event on 31-JUL.   Here is a Swiss newspaper report about the 30-JUL event.  Thanks to Ralph Ammann for the update and to Alain Choisy for the pictures.
  
• New Store concept.  A new swatch store concept (Swatch Instant Store) has been unveiled on 9-JUL in Berlin, Germany, Münzstrasse 18.   All you could see before the opening was a sticker in the shopping window...  Update:  Here is a newspaper article in German from the Bieler Tagblatt about the Instant Store concept.  It seems to be about an almost mobile store which can be used for only a few hours or a few weeks (guerilla concept)...  Michael has also some additional info.  The store was painted by Swiss artist Pixelpunk (Olivier Rossel, his page contains many nice pictures from the store!).  Here, here and here are more newspaper articles about the instant store. 2nd Update:  Swatch has launched a very nice website about the store, the concept behind it, and with many pictures from the performances in Berlin involving Mexican wrestlers(!) and international kung fu artists(!!).  3rd Update:  The Swatch website now contains a very nice movie (23MB!) with the performances in Berlin. Thanks to Christine Tanner for the information.
  
• Swatch Advertising Videos.  The current swatch advertising videos (Summer Sport Product and Beach Volley TV commercials) can be found here.
  
• Upcoming Swatch products.  You can see all the details of the upcoming swatch watch products on David Rippmann's nice webpage.  One highlight is an Xmas collection (not limited) which will be sold for the first time before Xmas.
  
• Gigathlon 2005 Finisher special.  From 8 to 10-JUL, the Gigathlon 2005 took place in Switzerland.  Teams and single starters competed in five different disciplines:  Swimming, Biking, Running, Inline-Skating, and Mountain-Biking.  Every finisher received a special access swatch:  Gigathlon Finisher 2005.  The loop around the strap indicates the competition of the participant (Single woman /man, Couple, Team of Five, Sunday Team of Five), so there are five different variants.  Congratulations to the Team of Swatch The Club who also finished successfully! :-)
  
• Spiga Swatch Event. A special event called Swatch Summer Cocktail took place at the Spiga Swatch store in Milano on 7-JUL. A special packaging (limited to 80 pcs) was released.  I guess that the Diaphane Chrono is called Racing Fold (SVCK4030PU).  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the information and to Zep for the picture.
  
• Montreux Club special.  On 3-JUL, a Swatch The Club event took place at the 39th Montreux Jazz Festival.  To commemorate this event, a special version of the 2005 Montreux special Le chant des sirènes was released, it has a special loop around the strap.  Limitation is around 110, because that's the number of participants at the event.  The festival artist Zep (Philippe Chappuis, Switzerland) also signed the specials.  20 specials For Artists Only (extra loop around the strap) were distributed in a lottery among participants at the event.  You can browse some pictures from the club event on the webpages by Michael and Christine Tanner.  Thanks to Jacky Beauverd and Sam Tanner for the information and pictures.
  
• Montreux Jazz Festival special.  A special gent swatch called Le chant des sirènes (sirens song), ref.no. GN 222, was released for the 39th Montreux Jazz Festival (1 to 16-JUL).  The watch comes with a special sleeve.  It is designed by Zep (Philippe Chappuis, Switzerland), the creator of the (in)famous kid Titeuf.   If you are interested in purchasing this watch at swiss retail, you can contact Alain Choisy.  Update:  A special version For Artists Only (extra loop around the strap) also exists.  Thanks to Jacky Beauverd for the information and to Alain Choisy and Christine Tanner for the pictures. 
  
• Taiwan Valentine 2005 special.  The "2005 chinese valentine's day special" is available since 2-JUL.  It consists of the POP swatch Circles and Spheres (PMK154), 2 coffee cup,  message card (front / back), and a tin can.  Here is a picture of the set.  The Swatch logo is on the downside of the coffee cups.  Limitation is probably around 1000 pcs, not numbered.  Thanks to Sophia Chang for the pictures and information.
  
• Gold & Pioneer Event in Berlin.  The traditional (now in its 10th year!) Gold & Pioneer Event took place in Berlin, Germany, from 22 to 24-JUL.  To commemorate this event, a superb nice golden Nabab special swatch (YNZ100, stainless steel) was given to the 165 participating club members.  It is the first golden Nabab swatch, and it is limited to only 170 pcs, unnumbered.  It comes in a very nice acrylic display.  The details of this watch are really very unique and special:  It has the words GOLD & PIONEER  10th ANNIVERSARY engraved on the bezel around the face, the words THANK YOU engraved on the side(!) of the case, and the date and location (Berlin, Germany) embossed on the leather strap with the golden clasp.  A perfect watch with many interesting details for a perfect event!  Collectors also received a certificate about the watch signed by Nick Hayek sr.  Here is a detailed report with many pictures from the event!  You can also browse some pictures on the webpages by Christine Tanner, David Rippmann, Michael, Rob Gough, and Roberto (OnlySwatch).
  
• Berlin Beachvolley Event.  Directly after the G&P Event in Berlin, the Beachvolley event open to all international club members took place also in Berlin from 24 to 26-JUL.  During that time, the FIVB Beach-Volleyball World Championships were held at the Schlossplatz in Berlin, directly in front of the soon to be demolished Palast der Republik.  To commemorate this event, a very nice special packaging (a cup) of the Swatch Skin Chrono Perfect Play (SUYK114-1) was distributed, limitation is 180 pcs, unnumbered.  Here is a detailed report with many pictures from the event!    You can also browse some pictures on the webpage by Michael.
• Gstaad Beachvolleyball special.  During 15 to 19-JUN, the 2005 Swatch FIVB BeachVolley World Tour went to Gstaad, Switzerland.  Swatch the Club had a club event on the weekend.  A special packaging (plastic box with imprint) of the Beach Volley access Sea Sun and Beach (SKK128) was released. Thanks to Jacky Beauverd for the information and picture.
  
• GE Olympic specials.  General Electric is now a "Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games" and as released two Swatch watches with a pin in the band.  350 pcs were issued each.  Thanks to Jose Miguel Dos Santos for the information and pictures.
  
• Hong Kong spring / summer special.  A nice giveaway is available in Hong Kong.  When buying the Floral Flash (GE152) or Fleur Noir (SUDB114) swatch from the new collection, you receive a nice matching shopping bag.  Thanks to Peter Rollings for the information and picture.
  
• Italy FIVB special.  On 11-JUN, a Swatch The Club event linked to the Italian dates of the Beach Volley World Tour took place in Milan.  A special packaging was released, it is limited and numbered to 120 pcs.  It contains the Beach Volley access Sea Sun and Beach (SKK128).  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the information and pictures.
  
• No special Zürich Teddy Summer special.  For the Zürich Teddy Summer 2005, swatch is currently selling the goold old portuguese Ursinhos (GZ185) special in the normal paper box (closed / opened) at the Swatch store in Zürich (Bahnhofstrasse).  So it is not a new special swatch and not a new special packaging as previously rumoured.  Thanks to Torsten Rube for the information and to Henk Seligmann and David Rippmann for the update.
  
• No more X-Large / Square.  Swatch will no longer produce X-Large watches and Square watches.  I guess that these two product lines were not very successful. Update:  Emanuele Bertodo tells me that Swatch will continue to produce Turnover watches. Thanks to Thomas Bürki for the information.
  
• Taiwan Student special.   If you currently buy any swatch watch in Taiwan (not including the bijoux and filk falk), you will receive a special notebook as a gift.  There are four different books available.  Here is the advertising poster for the notebook gift.  Thanks to Sophia Chang for the pictures and information.
  
• Montreux Jazz Festival Club Event.  The Swatch The Club event for the 39th Montreux Jazz Festival will take place on 3-JUL where Swatch The Club invites collectors to an ultimate Instant Vibes party.  No further details so far.
  
• "Nobody's Perfect" collection in Paris.  The special Swatch chairs (see "Nobody's Perfect" Event below) designed by Gaetano Pesce are on exhibition and for sale at the Swatch Megastore in Paris.  Opening of the exhibition is on 25-MAY.  Here is the invitation card and here is the back of the invitation card.  Update:  Here is a very nice report by Philippe Danjean with many many pictures from the three Gaetano Pesce exhibitions currently running in Paris!
  
• Lifeball 2005 Charity auction.  As in the last years, Swatch is one of the main sponsors of  Lifeball 2005, Europe’s largest and liveliest AIDS charity night.  It takes place on 21-MAY in Vienna, Austria.  A unique swatch special designed by top model Alek Wek was auctioned internationally on ebay from 12 to 22-MAY.  The watch was sold for 4517 EUR to Portugal.  More info here.  Thanks to Philippe Danjean for the information.
  
• Swatch bourse at the world museum.   A swatch bourse took place at the World Museum (near Milano, Italy) on 15-MAY.  A special packaging called Design The Time, limited and numbered to 97 pcs was released, containing the gent swatch Linear Linen (GS126).  Here is a picture of the outer box of the special.  A second version of the special, reserved for VIPs, was also released, it is numbered .../XXI (21 pcs).  The difference is the color of the print.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the pictures.
  
• Gold & Pioneer / International Club Event 2005.  This year, the traditional Gold & Pioneer Event will take place in Berlin, Germany, from 22 to 24-JUN.  Afterwards (24 to 26-JUN), an international event open to all club members will take place (in Berlin as well of course).  During the same time, the 2005 Beach Volleyball World Championships will take place in Berlin!  Updated:  The detailed programme has been posted to club members, here is some additional info (in German) about the locations in the programme...  More club events:  July, 2005, Montreux, Switzerland for the 39th Montreux Jazz Festival.  And some more during the FIVB tour around the world, some details can be found here on the swatch website.
  
• Vendôme Mother's day special 2005.  The Vendôme Mother's Day special 2005 is called Mother Wish (SFK230PU).  An overview of recent Vendôme models can be found on Thomas Sonneville's nice site here, also with some pictures of the watches.
  
• Taiwanese Giveaway for Mother's Day.  Currently, a nice giveaway is distributed at Taiwanese swatch stores:  When buying any swatch watch from the current collection, you receive a little mirror shaped like the mother's day special 5-PETAL JOY (GE406).  Here is a picture of the closed mirror.  Thanks to Sophia Chang for the information and pictures.
  
• Mother's Day special 2005.  The mother's day special 2005 is called 5-PETAL JOY (GE406).  It comes packaged with a nice hand bag.  Here is a picture of an interesting ad for the watch that can be found at bus stations in Germany (sorry for the crappy picture).  The text reads "give your mother something new to wear for mother's day".  I haven't seen a large advertisement campaign like this for Swatch in Germany in the recent years...
  
• "Nobody's Perfect" Event.  A Swatch Event called "Nobody's Perfect" took place in Milano, Italy on 17-APR during the annual furniture expo. It took place at the Zerodisegno showroom in Milan (Via della Spiga). Gaetano Pesce, an Italian furniture designer, has created a series of chairs featuring Swatch components embedded in the back and seat, like so many artefacts from a time beyond time: cases, dials, straps, mechanisms...  299 unique chairs are made, numbered and signed.  Here are three examples:  chair 1, chair 2, chair 3.  Super nice!  Price in the USA will be $1750 US.  In addition, a Swatch The Club Event took place and a special packaging (numbered xxx/100) containing a pink or green jelly swatch (from the Spiga collection, eg. Voglia (GG192PU) or Farfalla Rossa (GP117PU)) was released.  Here is a closeup of the pink watch in the sealed packaging.  Here is a picture of the green jelly packaging (note the intresting animal affixed to the strap!).  Distribution of the chairs will be handled exclusively by Zerodisegno through leading galleries and art boutiques; a selection from the "Nobody's Perfect' collection is part of the permanent collection in some of the world's most important museums, including the Louvre in Paris, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Guggenheim in New York and Die Neue Sammlung in Munich.  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the information and picture and to Brian Pier for the pictures.
  
• French Brazil special.  A limited edition special packaging called L'Année Du Brésil (year of Brazil) containing the Swatch POP Freunde (PMK140) has been released in France.  It is issued to commemorate the year of Brazil in France.  The packaging contains:  The POP swatch in a special box with a green silk Wish strap with the words "SWATCH...... I wish time" is written in french.  In France "Voeux" (wish) and "Veux" (want) sound the same, so it is a joke on the strap.  A special instruction card is also  included.  Limitation is unknown.  Thanks to Henk Seligmann and Philippe Danjean (email him if interested) for the information and pictures.
  
• Portuguese Spring / Summer 2005 collection special.  A special packaging of the brand new skin Pasteloop (SFK231) has been released in Portugal.  The watch is packaged in a colorful tube.  Limitation is unknown (not numbered).  Retail price is 65 EUR.  Thanks to Pedro Coelho for the information and pictures.
  
• Verbier Xtreme 2005 contest / special.  As in the last years, swatch sponsors the Xtreme Verbier 2005 contest (the 10th contest already!).  It takes place from 18 to 20-MAR-2005.  A Swatch The Club event will also take place during this weekend.  Swatch is also running an exciting competition on its homepage, there you can also see a picture of the Xtreme Verbier 2005 access special).  Here is a picture of the actual access special Xtreme Verbier 2005 (a Sonar Dream SHM107 with a new strap).  Update:  At the Swatch The Club event during the weekend, club members received the Xtreme Verbier 2005 swatch in a special paper sleeve.  Here is another picture of the sleeve.  It is rumoured that around 75 pcs of the Club special were made.  Thanks to Alain Choisy and to Jacky Beauverd for the pictures.
• French Spring / Summer 2005 collection special.  As in the last years, a special packaging of one of the gent swatches from the new collection is available in France.  This time, a special packaging of Jungle Friend (GE154), limited and numbered to 450 pcs, is sold in the swatch stores in France.  Together with the watch, a nice cup is contained in the packaging.  Three different colours of the cup are available:  blue, green, orange; 450 pcs total.  The special packaging was launched at the Swatch Megastore on Champs Elysées in Paris on 11-MAR at 12am (noon).  Official store price is 75 EURO.  Thanks to Rodolphe Foucard for the pictures and information and to Henk Seligmann, Thomas Sonneville and to Arnaud Perche for the information.
  
• Swatch Exhibition in Paris.  The Paris department store Samaritaine featured a swatch exhibition called "Quelle Swatch est-il?" (What Swatch is it?).  The exhibition was shown from 22-SEP to 23-OCT-2004 and it displayed Swatch watches by Christian Lacroix, Keith Haring, and others.  Visitors of the exhibition could get a small special plaque which can be affixed to the back of a Turnover swatch.  It comes free with the purchase of a Turnover swatch.  Update:  While this is old news, Philippe Danjean has prepared a nice report about the exhibition which you can read here.  Thanks to David Feist and Philippe Danjean for the information and pictures.
• Vendôme Xmas Lightning special.  For the inauguration of the special X-mas lighting called Sensations Suisses on Place Vendôme  (25-NOV-2004), a special swatch called Cross Pass (LK226PU) was issued by the Vendôme Store in Paris:  One of the Muuh-Cufflinks with a special strap.  Limitation is 90 pcs, 50 of them were given away in a lottery by Paris news paper Le Figaro.  Here and here are pictures from Place Vendôme, taken during the day.  It also looks great at night!   Update:  While this is old news, Philippe Danjean has prepared a nice report about the exhibition which you can read here.  Thanks to Toty Booms and Philippe Danjean for the information and pictures.
  
• Swatch continues to sponsor beach volleyball.  The international beach volleyball federation FIVB and Swatch have signed a four-year agreement in which Swatch will serve as naming partner of the SWATCH-FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, beginning with the 2005 World Tour.  More details here.  So we'll have more club events at beach volleyball tournaments in the future!
  
• Taiwanese White Valentine's Day 2005 special.  In order to celebrate the Taiwanese White Valentine's Day 2005, Swatch Taiwan has issued a very nice special packaging of the Irony Nabab 'TILL DAWN  (YNS102).  The special is limited to 300 pcs, numbered, the watch comes in a nice jewelry box (open / closed).  Thanks to  Sophia Chang for the information and pictures.
  
• Bormio Club Event special.  From 4 to 6-FEB, a Swatch The Club Event took place during the FIS World Ski Championship 2005 in Bormio, Italy.  To commemorate the event, a special packaging of the Climatic Descente Bormio Special (SHB110C, back of the strap with special writing FIS ALPINE WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS 2005, 1900 pcs) was released, it is the normal Bormio access special in a nice special paper sleeve (front / back), ref.no. is SHB110C-3.  About 40 club members participated at the event, limitation of the special is 100 pcs.  Markus Muth has many nice pictures from the event on his webpage.  Update:  Here is a picture of the back of the strap of the regular Climatic Descente access (SHB110).  Thanks to  Roberto Tintori for the update and additional information.
  
• World Museum Anniversary special.  For the second anniversary of the World Museum near Milano, Italy, on 13-MAR, a special packaging called Treccani World Museum special, containing the gent swatch Brand Name (GE162), will be released in a limited edition of 78 pcs, numbered.  Here is the draft version of the special.  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the information and pictures.
  
• Hong Kong Prosperous Fish special?  The nice gent swatch Prosperous Fish (GB226) is sold in Hong Kong with a special sleeve.  Is this sleeve only available in Hong Kong?  Or anywhere else as well?  Please let me know...  Update:  The sleeve is also available in the USA and in Taiwan, so it is not that special...  Thanks to Jonn and Sophia Chang for the info.
  
• Swatch Alternative Fashion Week 2005.  Swatch is the main sponsor of the Swatch Alternative Fashion Week, taking place in London from 14 to 18-MAR-2005.  Read more details here on the swatch website.  Update:  Here is a nice newspaper report about the Swatch Alternative Fashion Week.
  
• Portuguese Bear special.  Now that the house built with money raised from the Fraldinhas swatch special is finished, swatch Portugal has released the swatch gent Ursinhos (portuguese for "little bears") as next swatch special for charity.  This time the purpose is the Fundação do Gil organization that helps childrens in need of medical care.  The watch is sold with a pin.  There is a regular package in a paper box (closed / opened), a special limited edition packaging of 1999 pcs  (numbered) packaged in a stuffed bear, and a maxi swatch.  Update:  Swatch has released new versions of the Ursinhos special watch to celebrate the valentine day 2005 (Portugal only).  It is the well known package with the stuffed bear, this time with an additional key ring, and the regular paper package with a brace with some hearts.  Thanks to Pedro Coelho, Ricardo Rocha, and Pedro Mota  for the information and pictures.
  
• Vendôme / Spiga Valentine special.  The Vendôme / Spiga valentine special is a square, it is called Love Flame (SUBR107APU/BPU).  It comes in a nice packaging, here is a closeup picture of the front of the watch and here is a picture of the back.  The Vendôme store sent out a nice invitation for a valentine event on 14-FEB, here is a picture of the back.  A valentine ring has been released too, it is called Turning Love.   Thanks to Rodolphe Foucart and David Feist for the pictures and to Thomas Sonneville for the update.
• Oldtimer swatches.  Swatch will re-release 'oldtimers' together with the new collections. Among these are some nice Irony swatches: the original Happy Joe, the chrono Cadmos (black) and the first Irony alu Loomi Zebah (that actually never went out of production).  Maybe, a more complete list can be published in the next days...  Update:  The 'oldtimer' swatches being available may differ from country to country.  In France, the skin Flattention (SFB106G, 1999), will be available.  Also:  In the 2 next seasons, no new POP swatch will be launched. But as in France the POP swatch still has buyers, swatch will sell one old POP swatch in France.  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the information and to Arnaud Perche for the update.
• CES commemorative Paparazzi swatch.  Swatch and MSN Direct have launched a commemorative CES Smart Watch (Smart = Paparazzi) called Paparazzi for MSN (SUHZ100) for the CES 2005 in Las Vegas.  Here is a news article about the watch.
  
• Swatch no longer official timekeeper at the olympic games.  Omega is now the official timekeeper at the olympic games, starting already at the Turin 2006 Olympic Winter Games.  Read all the details here.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information.
• Portuguese special.  As in the last years, there is a portuguese only special for the launch of the spring / summer 2005 collection:  The gent swatch Friandise (GE159) comes packaged in a nice paper tube.  Thanks to Pedro Coelho for the information and picture.
• 2005 swatch chinese new year special.  On 14-JAN, the 2005 swatch chinese new year special will be released in Taiwan in a limited edition of 1688pcs, numbered.  Here is a preliminary picture.  You can find all the info on Sophia Chang's nice webpage.
  
• Vendôme Ephiphany charms.  The Vendôme store in Paris had a nice promotion during 3 to 8-JAN:  Anyone who bought a Vendôme watch got a little box with 7 gold-coloured metallic charms, for free. The charms were supposed to be used (and can be used) as an item you put in the dough of the special "Dreikönigsbrot" (Epiphany bread or cake, in french Galette du Roi) and bake it. Upon eating (amongst friends or family) the person who finds the "bean" in his/hers piece is the KING (or queen).  The box (160 pcs) was produced in cooperation with a french bakery/bakery products manufacturor LeNôtre.  Extra special thanks to Henk Seligmann for the information!