Swatch

Who are Swatch?

Swatch is a Swiss watch brand launched in 1983 and based in Biel/Bienne. It began with plastic quartz watches, and its range now includes mechanical Sistem51 watches, Bioceramic models and collaborations such as the MoonSwatch with Omega. This page is about Swatch watches and the Swatch brand. The Swatch Group, which owns Swatch and 15 other watch brands, is covered under ownership below. The page ends with what to check when buying a second-hand Swatch in the UK.

The brand was developed inside ETA, the Swiss movement maker, in the early 1980s, at a time when Swiss makers were losing ground to cheaper quartz watches from Japan (Fratello). Its name is a contraction of “second watch” (Wikipedia).

The history of Swatch

Swatch’s history runs from a plastic quartz watch developed at ETA to a brand that gave its name to The Swatch Group. The key dates are the launch (1983), Hayek’s takeover of the group (1985), the group’s renaming (1998), Sistem51 (2013) and the MoonSwatch (2022).

ETA and the first Swatch. Ernst Thomke, then chief executive of ETA, pushed for a simpler watch made from new materials. ETA had already built prototypes called Polaris. Two ETA engineers, Elmar Mock and Jacques Müller, designed a one-piece plastic case whose bottom also served as the base plate of the quartz movement, and cut the number of components to 51, when most movements of the time used at least 91 (Fratello). Wikipedia names Thomke, Mock and Müller as the founders.

The launch. The first collection of 12 models was shown in Zurich on 1 March 1983 (Fratello; Wikipedia). Swatch hired Jacques Irniger, a former Colgate and Nestlé marketing executive, to launch it (Wikipedia).

Hayek and the group. Swatch’s parent companies, ASUAG and SSIH, merged in 1983. Fratello says the Swiss banks asked Nicolas G. Hayek to oversee their liquidation and that he restructured them instead. Wikipedia says Hayek and Swiss investors took majority control in 1985, forming SMH, and that Hayek became chairman and chief executive in 1986. Sources give different years for the SMH name: Wikipedia’s Rado article dates it to 1985, while others date SMH to the 1983 merger. The group was renamed The Swatch Group in 1998 (Wikipedia).

New lines. The Irony, Pop, Chrono, Skin, Maxi, Automatic and Solar collections were introduced in the 1990s (Fratello). The Irony Chronograph followed in 1996, and the Original Skin, 3.9 mm thick, in October 1997 (Wikipedia). On 23 October 1998 Swatch launched Internet Time, which divides the day into 1,000 “.beats” measured from a meridian in Biel (Swatch).

Sistem51. Swatch introduced Sistem51, a mechanical movement with 51 parts, at Baselworld in 2013, its 30th-anniversary year (Fratello). Swatch says it is the only mechanical movement whose production is entirely automated (Swatch).

Collaborations. The Bioceramic MoonSwatch, made with Omega, went on sale on 26 March 2022 (Wikipedia). The Blancpain X Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms followed in September 2023, and Royal Pop, with Audemars Piguet, in May 2026 (Swatch; Swatch Group).

What is Swatch known for?

Swatch is known for its plastic quartz watches of the 1980s, for Sistem51, for Bioceramic, and for collaborations with other brands in The Swatch Group and beyond, above all the MoonSwatch. The details below are each sourced.

The MoonSwatch. The MoonSwatch is a collection of Bioceramic watches based on the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, with joint Omega X Swatch logos on the dial and crown (Swatch Group). The first 11 models, each named after a body in the solar system, went on sale on 26 March 2022 (Wikipedia). They are quartz chronographs in a 42 mm case, using an ETA quartz movement (SJX Watches; Wikipedia). At launch they were sold only in selected Swatch stores. They were not a limited edition, but purchases were limited to two per customer, later one (SJX Watches; Wikipedia). Long queues formed at stores in cities including London (Wikipedia).

MoonSwatch releases since. Wikipedia’s list counts 36 MoonSwatch releases up to December 2025. They include models with Omega’s Moonshine Gold from March 2023, the Mission to the Moonphase in March 2024, the Mission to Earthphase in November 2024 and the MoonSwatch 1965 in March 2025 (Wikipedia). Some are sold for short periods or in limited numbers: the Mission to the Moon 1969 is a numbered edition of 1,969 pieces (Swatch). Swatch’s UK site now sells four standard models online (Swatch).

Other collaborations. The Blancpain X Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms is a set of five non-limited dive watches, each named after an ocean, with the automatic Sistem51 movement (Swatch). Royal Pop, with Audemars Piguet, is a set of eight Bioceramic pocket watches with a hand-wound version of Sistem51, sold only in selected Swatch stores (Swatch; Swatch Group). Watch60 has brand pages on Omega and Audemars Piguet.

Bioceramic. Swatch’s Bioceramic is two-thirds zirconium oxide ceramic powder and one-third material derived from castor oil (Swatch). It is used in the MoonSwatch, the Scuba Fifty Fathoms and Royal Pop collections.

Art and design. Swatch makes art watches, including recent collections based on works in the Guggenheim and with artists from its Shanghai residency, the Swatch Art Peace Hotel (Swatch).

Which Swatch collections are there?

Swatch’s UK site lists collections including Originals, Skin, Skin Irony, Big Bold, Sistem51, Bioceramic and What If, along with the MoonSwatch, the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms and Royal Pop (Swatch). It also releases many seasonal and themed sets.

The collections table on this page gives the year each began where it is sourced, and a one-line description. A few points help when you are reading listings:

• Quartz or mechanical. Many Swatch watches are quartz, including the MoonSwatch (SJX Watches). Sistem51 models and the Scuba Fifty Fathoms are automatic, and Royal Pop is hand-wound (Swatch). Our guide to mechanical and quartz watches sets out the differences.
• Reference numbers. Swatch references are letters and digits. MoonSwatch references start with SO33; Mission to Mars, for example, is SO33R100 (Swatch). Use the reference to check a listing against Swatch’s own description.
• Standard and special MoonSwatches. Many MoonSwatch models look alike. The name, reference and caseback should match the model the seller describes, especially for Moonshine Gold or numbered editions.
• Water resistance. Check the rating for the model before swimming with it; ratings vary across the range. Our guide to water resistance explains what the ratings mean.

Who owns Swatch?

Swatch is owned by The Swatch Group Ltd, a Swiss company based in Biel/Bienne and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The group was formed from the 1983 merger of ASUAG and SSIH, became SMH, and took the Swatch name in 1998.

The Swatch Group is much larger than the Swatch brand. It lists 16 watch brands, from Breguet, Blancpain and Omega to Longines, Rado, Tissot, Hamilton and Swatch, along with production companies such as ETA and electronics companies such as Swiss Timing (Swatch Group). The brand itself is run by Swatch Ltd. in Biel/Bienne (Swatch Group). Nayla Hayek chairs the group and Nick Hayek is its chief executive (Wikipedia, The Swatch Group).

In the UK, the group’s company, The Swatch Group (UK) Limited, was incorporated on 26 October 1921 as S.S.I.H. (UK) Limited and was renamed SMH (UK) Limited in 1988, then took its present name in 1998 (Companies House).

Watch60 also has pages on Swatch Group brands including Longines.

Buying a second-hand Swatch in the UK: what to check

Check that the model, reference and caseback match what the seller describes, that the watch is genuine, and that you know what protection you have if it is not. For a MoonSwatch or another collaboration, compare it closely with Swatch’s own photos and description.

1. Box, papers and receipt. Ask what comes with the watch: box, warranty certificate and receipt. Swatch’s warranty depends on a dated certificate stamped by an official Swatch dealer (Swatch). Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

2. Model and reference. Check the name and reference against Swatch’s site. On a MoonSwatch, the planet artwork on the battery cover should match the model (Swatch Group).

3. Authenticity. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and compare the watch with Swatch’s photos before you pay. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what to look at.

4. Who you buy from. Many second-hand Swatches are sold privately or on marketplaces, where your protection is weaker than with a business. Our guides to buying from a private seller or a dealer and to your consumer rights when buying a watch online explain the difference. For a high-value special edition, a stolen-watch check is worth doing too.

5. Condition and battery. Ask for close-up photos of the crystal, case and strap, and whether the battery has been changed and by whom. On a Sistem51, ask whether the watch has been serviced.

6. Warranty. Swatch’s warranty runs for 24 months from the date of purchase and covers material and manufacturing defects; it excludes battery life and normal wear (Swatch). The MoonSwatch is sold by Swatch rather than Omega. See watch warranties explained.

Sources: Swatch, two-year warranty (checked 29 October 2026).

Frequently asked questions

When was Swatch founded?

The first Swatch collection was shown in Zurich on 1 March 1983 (Fratello). The brand is based in Biel/Bienne (Swatch Group).

What does Swatch stand for?

It is a contraction of “second watch” (Wikipedia).

Who invented the Swatch?

ETA engineers Elmar Mock and Jacques Müller designed it, under ETA’s chief executive Ernst Thomke (Fratello). Nicolas G. Hayek led the group that sold it from 1985 (Wikipedia).

Who owns Swatch?

The Swatch Group Ltd, which also owns Omega, Longines, Tissot, Rado, Hamilton and other brands (Swatch Group).

Is the Swatch Group the same as Swatch?

No. Swatch is one brand. The Swatch Group is the company that owns it and 15 other watch brands, and took its name from the brand in 1998 (Wikipedia).

What is the MoonSwatch?

A collection of Bioceramic quartz chronographs made by Swatch with Omega, based on the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. The first 11 models went on sale on 26 March 2022 (Swatch Group; Wikipedia).

Is the MoonSwatch a limited edition?

The standard models are not limited (SJX Watches). Some later releases are: the Mission to the Moon 1969 is a numbered edition of 1,969 pieces (Swatch).

Is a MoonSwatch made by Omega?

It is a Swatch watch, sold by Swatch, with joint Omega X Swatch logos (Swatch Group). It uses an ETA quartz movement, not an Omega movement (SJX Watches).

What is Sistem51?

Swatch’s automatic movement, introduced in 2013, with 51 parts and a 90-hour power reserve. Swatch says its production is entirely automated (Swatch; Fratello).

How long is the Swatch warranty?

Two years from the date of purchase (Swatch). Check the date on the certificate or receipt to see how much is left.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Swatch or The Swatch Group.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.