Isn’t it amazing that after over three decades Swatch is still as fun, funky and original as when they first launched. In all those years they brought out numerous design, and you are bound to find some you really don’t like, as well as some you love, but they all have this creative spark running through them. And as if we didn’t believe them they decided to proof it once more with the new POP-collection.
The new POP-collection consists out of 9 new models, and as always does each model comes with a character of its own, varying from the colorful Poppingpop to the Popdancing, which resembles a monochrome American flag. Although these 9 models are new, the very first POP-collection was launched 30 years ago, in 1986.
Secret of the POP is that Swatch didn’t only showed its creativity in the individual design or the watches. The POP-collection also does exactly what its names says: the watch actually pop’s out of the strap and can be used as a pocket watch, desk clock, wall clock or even as a necklace (ladies only please otherwise you might be mistaken for Flavor Flav).
Also the way you turn the watch into another type of time-keeper is quite original. The pocket watch is connected to a string with beads, color matching your watch, while the disk to make it a wall clock puts the watch at the center, but is so cleverly designed that reading the time is actually not that difficult, despite the modest size hands of the watch. The desk stand is perhaps the most fun, because that includes a magnifying glass so the dial of the Swatch POP is indeed enlarged to desk clock size.
Another aspect in which Swatch has been very consistent is pricing. The watches of the POP-collection cost US$85,-. This puts them in a price range in which a lot of people just go ahead and buy one when they like the concept and design. It is also low enough to entice people to buy multiple, so they match different outfits. The fact that a Swatch is also well made, and even years old still is a collector’s item (even though the value won’t skyrocket), helps in this matter. So who knows, the answer on how to turn around Swatch recent decline in sales and profitability might be again found in those creative plastic (S)watches.
More information on the Swatch POP can be found here