Swatch Makes a Statement with Sistem51
The proliferation of smartwatches and other wearable devices isn’t the only issue that the Swiss watch industry has to deal with these days. One of the biggest manufacturers of Swiss timepieces has created an innovative new watch that has competitors nervous.
Last year, Swatch launched the Sistem51, a watch totally different from what buyers have come to expect from Swatch over the past three decades. Unlike the inexpensive quartz watches that made the brand famous, the Sistem51 is mechanical and rather than being powered by a battery, it stores energy from the motion of the user’s wrist so it does not require winding. The most revolutionary thing about the Sistem51 is that it is the only Swiss mechanical watch built on a 65-foot totally automated assembly line requiring no human labor.
Another surprise is the price—$150. That’s more than the tab for your standard Swatch but an amazing price for a Swiss made mechanical watch. The very idea of an affordable mechanical watch is shocking in an industry where prices start around $500 and ascend into the stratosphere.
Swatch has expressed its intention of making the Sistem51 a staple in the line and for 2015 has added eight new models to the original four as well as offering more conservative, less colorful dial designs for the more traditional customer.
The Sistem51 takes its name from the number of components, 51 as opposed to the 100 or more of most mechanical watches. Each watch is hermetically sealed after having the escapement regulated so it never needs adjustment. That also means that it cannot be repaired but Swatch boasts that the watch will have longevity of “several years.” That means the Sistem51 will never be an heirloom and you won’t be handing it down to your grandkids, but hey, you only paid $150 for it.
