Way Back WhensDay: Swatch Watches

A blast from the past

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

In middle school I had bad hair, bad glasses, and a bad sense of fashion.  My one saving grace (at least in my mind) was my collection of Swatch Watches.  They came at time that I had outgrown my Mickey Mouse and Snoopy watches and offered something stylish and fun at the same time.  Bright colors, cool designs.  They were the embodiment of the 80's.

I had three Swatches back in the day.  While the faces stayed the same on them, you could pretty easily swap out the bands on them.  This helped in making a new fashion statement at a lower price.  It seemed like back then everyone had at least one Swatch Watch.  It was truly a timeless time piece.

Guard 1

Along with the watch you could add some protection to the fashion.  There were two different kinds of guards.  One was a rubbery piece that went down the middle of the watch face. It attached at either end of the band.  It was a bit thicker and more durable than a rubber band, but  I don't know how much protection this piece added.  They came in multiple colors, so the guards were very stylish.

Guard 2

The other guard fit around the face of the watch.  It clicked around it and was a bit more practical.  Those guards didn't obstruct the view of the watch the way the rubber one did.  I'm trying to remember, but I think it was possible to add both guards to the watch for the ultimate form of protection and style.

I know Swatch is still around, but I don't know if the campy designs of the 80's are still for sale.  I wish I still had my collection from my teen years, as it's always fun to look back on those relics of the past.