Recent Swatch info (Last updated: 22-JUL-2021)

• WANTED! Mimmo Paladino (#021/100). I am asking for your help:  The Mimmo Paladino Swatch (#021/100) has been stolen on its way from the UK to Germany.  Apparently, the package was opened during transport (with TNT Express) and the watch (incl. the metal box) was taken out of the parcel.  If this watch shows up somewhere or is being offered for sale:  Please inform me so that I can forward the info..... This watch has been STOLEN!  Back to the regular news service:
• Chinese Valentine's special.  For the upcoming Chinese Valentine's Day (15-AUG, Qixi Festival), Swatch has released two special watches: 1. New Gent Bioceramic Sea Of Clouds (SO32Z105, 800 CNY);  2. Gent Bioceramic Red Kite (SO31Z102, 720 CNY).  The watches are available in separate boxes but also in a special boxset (SZS32, 1490 CNY, limited(?) to 420(?) pcs in China). Here is a photo of the opened boxset.  Thanks to Ed Chung for the photos.
• Lime Big Bold.  A very strange Lime Big Bold called C-Lime (SB03J100) has appeared in the Swatch Online Store.  Looks VERY "bio-sourced".  Available online (only!) starting 22-JUL.  Update:  Here is a photo of the actual watch.  Looks different compared to the preview...    Thanks to Ed Chung for the photo.
• Brussels Destination special / Belgian National Day SwatchXYou special.  On 21-JUL, Belgium celebrates Belgian National Day.  The Brussels Destination Watch (Ketje From Brussels, SUOZ712) is available in the Swatch Online Store until 22-JUL.  Additionally, one special SwatchXYou watch is available online:  Swatch Celebrates Belgium (canvas).
• Tokyo 2020 Olympics SwatchXYou specials.  Two Tokyo 2020 Olympics SwatchXYou specials are now available in the Swatch Online Store:  1. Olympics Tokyo Picto (canvas);  2. Olympics Tokyo Street (canvas).
• New Geometrics SwatchXYou specials.  Three new Geometrics SwatchXYou specials are now available in the Swatch Online Store:  1. Fireworks (canvas);  2. Gradient (canvas); 3. Thin Lines (canvas).
• New Street Art SwatchXYou specials.  Three new Street Art SwatchXYou specials are now available in the Swatch Online Store:  1. Mouth (canvas);  2. Monster Dolls (canvas); 3. Crazy Eyes (canvas).
• Swatch Canada Day specials.  Canada Day is celebrated on 01-JUL (154 years ago, four colonies joined together as the Dominion of Canada).  To celebrate Canada Day, three special Canada Destination watches are available in the Swatch Canada Online store (until 02-JUL):  1. a prefabriated SwatchXYou Swatch Celebrates Canada (SUOK145-001, $130 CAD);  2. a brand new Destination special (#74) L'Expérience Montréal (SO29Z100, $120 CAD, the first "Bioreloaded" New Gent  Destination special);  3. the well known Toronto Destination special (#59) 6IX6 (SUOB702CO, $120 CAD).  Update:  Additionally, a SwatchXYou Swatch Celebrates Canada OK (canvas) is available worldwide. It is not possible to create the exact same watch as the prefabricated SwatchXYou Swatch Celebrates Canada (SUOK145-001) above, the design is slightly different.  Update 2: The packaging of the new Destination special L'Expérience Montréal is made of recycled paper which is a first.  Thanks to Thomas Chan for the information.
• New Covent Garden Swatch store.  A new Swatch store has opened at Covent Garden in London, UK.  Update:  A special limited SwatchXYou Covent Garden is available exclusively at the new store (instore only). Update 2: The special SwatchXYou is (was?) limited to 193 pcs (instagram announcement).
• Propose your design for a SwatchXYou.  Swatch is currently running a design contest where you can submit your proposal for a SwatchXYou design:  Swatch Calling: The World's Most Inclusive Art Project.  From each country participating at Expo Dubai 2020 (OCT-2021 to MAR-2022) [194 countries in total], one artwork will be selected and be available as a SwatchXYou.  Design competition ends on 08-AUG.  All chosen artists will receive a symbolic compensation of 351 CHF and seven watches made from their canvas.
• Talking Swatch.  On 13-JUL, the Dutch watchmaker Kalle Slaap from Chronoglide Vintage Watch repair hosted a Very special Swatch live stream.  Two well known Swatch experts (Swatch Club Pioneer member Hans van Buuren and "Dr. Swatch" Jeroen Kieven) from the Netherlands talked Swatch for about 85 minutes, presenting one of the earliest Swatch Gent watches (manufactured in August 1982!), the ultra rare Puff collection, Diaphane One, and many more....  Lots and lots of nice stories for Swatch Enthousiasts (and Swatch Beginners), professionally presented with several cameras, a microscope (have you ever seen the ETA logo and the glued mainspring inside a SISTEM51?) and more...
• French Destination special / Bastille Day SwatchXYou special.  On 14-JUL, France celebrates Bastille Day (Fête nationale).  One French Destination Watch (Bisous De Paris, SUOZ233) is available in the French Swatch Online Store until 15-JUL.  Additionally, two special SwatchXYou watches are available online (France only so far):  1. France Regions (canvas);  2. Monumental (canvas).  Update:  Several Club members in France received a nice gift box for Bastille Day.  Nice!
• Italia Campioni SwatchXYou.  Italia is the (well deserved) winner of the UEFA Euro 2020 soccer tournament which finished on 11-JUL.  A special SwatchXYou Italia Campioni (canvas) is now available in the Swatch Online Store (including the United Kingdom :-)
• New 5th Avenue Swatch pop-up store.  A new Swatch store has opened at 711 Fifth Avenue, New York City, USA.  Update:  Roberta sends the following update:  "I just came back from the NYC store at 711 Fifth Ave.  I asked the salesperson why there were such few watches (relatively) in the store and she said they were just a pop-up location expected to be open through December."  Thanks to Roberta for the information.
• Gstaad Beach Volleyball special.s  The Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball Major Gstaad 2021 takes place from 06 to 11-JUL in Gstaad, Switzerland.  A special SwatchPAY! Cheer It Up (SVIZ102C-5300, 100 CHF) has been released, this is the current 'Club' watch (My Time, SVIZ102-5300) with a special strap.  The watch is available onsite in the swatch booth.  Additionally, a SwatchXYou Gstaad Vienna (canvas) is available in the Swatch Online Store.   Here is a special page on the Swatch website, incl. livestream of the tournament.  Update:  On 10-JUL, a group of about 20 Swiss Swatch Club members was invited as VIPs to the Beach Volleyball Major in Gstaad.  Thanks to Christine Tanner and to Joachim Meyer for the information and photos.
• Tokyo Olympics NOC specials.  For the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in July/August (2021!), it seems that Gent NOC specials are issued for different countries based on an unreleased Gent Kasane Blue (GZ336):  1. NOC Toyko 2020 Germany (GZ336CI).  The watch is packaged in an unusual paper sleeve.  If you have photos / ref.codes of other NOC Tokyo specials, please let me know.  Thanks to Daniel Licata for the photos.
• Tappei Japanese SwatchXYou special.  As a continuation of the celebration of the Swatch Harajuku store opening, a special SwatchXYou Time Tappei (canvas) is available in the Japanese Swatch Online store.  The special is designed by the local artist Tappei.  Here is a photo of a finished Time Tappei special.
  
• USA Destination specials / Independence Day SwatchXYou special.  On 04-JUL, the United States of America celebrate Independence Day.  Five USA-themed Destination Watches are available in the Swatch Online Store until 05-JUL.  Additionally, a special SwatchXYou Swatch Celebrates USA (canvas) is available online.
• Two additional Expo 2020 Dubai specials.  Two additional Expo 2020 Dubai specials (#4 and #5) are now available in the UAE:  1. A "Bio-source" Gent Hekmah (SO28Z101, "Wisdom");  2. A New Gent Al Wasl (SUOZ329, "Connection").
• ROBO Swatch ad from the 80s.  A funny late 80s "ROBO Swatch" POP Swatch ad (from the UK [elsewhere too?]).  Rarely seen before, probably from 1988/89 (looking at the POP straps in the background)...
• Portuguese Gelado Santini special.  A Gelado Santini special is now available in Portugal.  Santini fabricates handmade ice cream.  The watch is a New Gent Sweet Valentine (SUOZ168, 2014 Valentine's special) with a special Santini loop around the strap, in a special gift packaging.  The watch costs 60 EURO and it is available in Portuguese Swatch stores and in Gelado Santini stores.  A Gelado Santini Maxi has been made as well, not sure if it is available for sale.
• Swatch in Watch Around magazine.  Here is a recent interview (in German) with Carlo Giordanetti (CEO Swatch Art Peace Hotel Shanghai) in the Swiss Watch Around magazine.  Quite interesting!
• Team USA 2020 Olympic Games special.  A special Swatch One Team One Dream (SUOZ716, $74.99 US, backside) is now available in the Team USA shop, right in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.  Thanks to Thomas Chan for the hint.
• Hopp Swiss SwatchXYou special.  Switzerland has reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Euro 2020 soccer tournament (in contrast to Germany :-(  As this is a first for Switzerland in many years, Swatch has published a special SwatchXYou Hopp Swiss (canvas).  "Hopp Schwiiz" ("Hopp Swiss") is the traditional cheering for the Swiss soccer team.
• Swatch NASA Space collection.  Swatch takes Bioceramic into orbit with a new NASA Space Collection.  The five Swatch watches will be launched on 03-JUN (in some countries on 05-JUN).  More photos here.  The collection consists of:  1. Big Bold Bioceramic Chrono Extravehicular (SB04Z400, 19800 JPY, 155 EURO);  2. Big Bold Bioceramic Chrono Launch (SB04Z401, 19800 JPY, 160 EURO) [no date window on dial => wrong ref code?];  3. Big Bold Bioceramic Jumpsuit (SB03Z100, 15400 JPY, 125 EURO);  4. Gent Take Me to The Moon (GZ355, 10450 JPY, 80 EURO);  5. New Gent Space Race (SUOZ339, 12100 JPY, 90 EUR).   The Big Bold watches take their inspiration from the various uniforms worn by the astronauts.  Additionally, there will also be a limited special packaging (SZS32, 800 pcs, unnumbered, 950 EURO) with all five Swatch watches (plus one additional Flik Flak NASA special watch), price seems to be 8000 RMB (~1025 EURO)!  It is rumoured that distribution of the sets is as follows:  USA 200 pcs, China 80 pcs, Switzerland 60 pcs, UK 33 pcs, Hong Kong 15 pcs, Canada 12, Thailand 8, Singapore 8, Taiwan 8, Australia 6, Malaysia 5 (available online), ...  Update:  Some nice teasers by Swatch on Instagram and via email to club members and the Swatch webpage is also already prepared...  Update 2: Nice promotion with "real" astronauts in London.  Update 3: After some complaints by Swatch collectors and (probably) many(?) unsold special sets, it is now planned to hand out a certificate of authentication as proof of 1 of 800 signed by the Creative Director & Head of Global Marketing within the Switzerland Corp office.  Update 4:  Street advertisement in Switzerland.  Update 5: The first Swatch collectors have received the certificate of authenticity for the NASA special set, signed by Carlo Giordanetti (CEO Swatch Art Peace Hotel Shanghai) and Bernado Tribolet (VP Marketing Swatch).   Update 6: Meanwhile, the limited Swatch Space Collection Exclusive Set  (SZS32) is available online, it seems that it did not sell out in the Swatch stores.  Thanks to Tak Lun Lee and to Ines Brem for the photos and to Thomas Chan for the hint.
• New Harajuku Swatch store.  On 17-JUN, a new Swatch store will open in the Harajuku area in Tokyo (Japan), right in time for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.  Several DJs will play live music during the day.  To celebrate the opening, Swatch Store Harajuku will hold weekly live performances by various artists in the future as well.  Update:  Here are some preopening photos.  Update 2: A special SwatchXYou designed by Tappei is available exclusively instore at the new Harajuku Swatch store.  On 25-JUN, Tappei held a live painting session at the store, painting white Swatch maxis as a canvas.  The five Maxi watches, painted live, will be given away to five lucky winners.
  
• Debbie Burghardt-Platt Swatch stories.  Debbie Burghardt-Platt worked for Swatch from 1986 (SMH back then) to 2009.  At the time, she was director of special Swatch events for the US.  In 2021, she started to post stories and photos from the 80s, 90s and 00s to the SWATCH ENTHUSIASTIC GROUP WORLDWIDE Facebook group.  With her permission and in order to preserve them, I republish and share these stories and photos here.
• Destination watches eco packaging.  Meanwhile, the first Destination watches are available in the new "eco" packaging.  No more paper sleeve but a paper box that can be opened at the top.
• Russia National Day SwatchXYou.  For the Russia National Day (День России) on 12-JUN, two special SwatchXYou are available: 1. Swatch Celebrates Russia St. Petersburg (canvas);  2. Moscow (canvas).  The current " Swatch Celebrates Russia St. Petersburg" canvas is very similar to the Swatch Takes Me Places St. Petersburg canvas from 2020.  Additionally, the two Russia Destination special are available online until 14-JUN: 1. Evening Ring (SUOZ262, Moscow);  2. Peter 1st (SUOZ263, St. Peterburg). Thanks to Daniel for the hint.
• Portuguese National Day SwatchXYou.  For the Portuguese National Day (Dia de Camões) on 10-JUN, a special SwatchXYou Swatch Celebrates Portugal (canvas) is now available.  Additionally, the Swatch Porto (SUOZ315) Destination special is available online until 11-JUN.
• Pride month SwatchXYou.  US President Joe Biden declared June LGBTQ+ Pride Month in 2021.  Four different SwatchXYou Pride watches are now available in the Swatch Online Store:  1. Pride Heart (canvas);  2. Pride Square (canvas);  3. Pride Sticker (canvas);  4. Pride World OK (canvas).  Additionally, two Swatch Pride themed watches are available in the Swatch Online Store.  A third Big Bold Let's Parade (SO27E107) can still be found on the Swatch website but it is not for sale at the moment (manufacturing delays?).  Therefore, this watch is not shown in the overview page of Pride themed watches.  Thanks to Andrea Marco Faggioli for the hint.

• Older swatch news. Click here to read older swatch news with more pictures and info. Check it out if you haven't!
• I am currently looking for:

• Kiki Picasso (poster piece)
• Kiki Picasso poster (original only)
• Mimmo Paladino
• Helmut Newton Fingernails
• Prototypes, variants, hybrids, test models
• PunkXJob MAXI (MSUOZ280S) by Studio Job
• 1983 swatches mint only:  GG400, GT402, GB100 FHL, GG400 FHL, GN100 FHL, GN400 FHL
• "blister" plastic boxes for 1982/1983 swatches.
• original plastic boxes for Keith Haring (with correct price sticker) for:   Modele Avec Personnages (GZ100)
• Folders, brochures, documentation, advertisement material 1982-86.

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