A plastic watch that changed European design
The Swatch watch is an inexpensive plastic watch from Switzerland recognized for its colorful and joyful design. It is lightweight and invites you to own more than just one watch but rather one for every occasion. Colorful watch like this were virtually inexistent in European style design and plastic was not really cool as design material. On the sad occasion of it’s founders death today it is worth to look at what this plastic Swatch has set in motion.
Nicolas Hayek moved to Switzerland from Beirut as a young man. He studied mathematics, chemistry and physics in France and came to Zurich, Switzerland to start his consulting firm. Notably, at that time the Swiss society was pretty tight and closed and he made an amazing carrier as a foreigner. He was pretty outspoken and direct, which is not exactly what we find often in the business world today.
The classical Swiss watch industry is a pillar of the national economy and had fallen into a crisis. Japanese digital watchmakers like Seiko had begun to undercut Swiss prices. Also public tastes were shifting from the prestigious hand made analog Swiss timepieces to the digital watches that came to serve the mass market. The Swatch watch and Mr. Hayek company have saved the Swiss watch industry to stay in business long enough to see the renaissance of the classical Swiss watches made by craftsmen.
The Swatch has also influenced the car industry by the invention of the tiny Smart car, a truly European style design car. Your still see only a few of these cars in the US.
Swatch is a European idea that inspired European style design with respect to cars, watches and the use of plastic as a design material of choice. We will admire him for his imagination and free outspoken voice. Let’s not be sad but celebrate by buying a wonderful Swatch.
 Smart Car |
 classical Swatch - European design |