Fifty-one parts and a see-through back
By Sam Okafor, London ยท
Fifty-one parts, assembled by machine and sealed shut: that's the whole automatic movement. Marco would tell you why that's remarkable from an engineering point of view. What interests me is that Swatch put the movement on display through an open caseback, printed with a graphic pattern, which makes the back of the watch more designed than the front.
The front is fine. A blue dial, a date, clear hands, a plastic case at 42 mm and 12.6 mm thick. It's a pleasant enough face but a bit generic, and at that size it feels slightly inflated for what it is.
The 90-hour reserve is genuinely useful: leave it on the bedside table all weekend and it'll still be running on Monday. 160 to 260 dollars on a fabric strap. Since it can't be serviced, think of it as a very well-made disposable. I'd buy one for a curious teenager.