Thirty years ago Swatch, honestly revolutionised the watch industry by introduced a simplified, Swiss made quartz wristwatch with only 51 parts, so ? Whats the big deal ? Well, it was the world’s first plastic watch made not by hand in the traditional Swiss manner, but on a fully automated assembly line. The small number of parts and automated assembly made quality Swiss watches accessible, for the first time, to millions of people. Thirty years later, Swatch has done it again: sustained investment in research and development, innovative thinking, advanced engineering and simple creativity have turned the watch world on its head yet again. The “lucky number” of Swatch – 51 – being not only, the point of reference, but creativity.
The protagonist of the story this time is an automatic (self-winding) mechanical movement made from a total of 51 parts. The parts form five separate modules, which are welded into a single unit centered on a single screw. Conventional mechanical watch movements have at least twice as many parts; some of the more complicated, high-end models have more than six hundred, assembled by hand over weeks or months by master watchmakers in their ateliers.
SISTEM51 is the first and only mechanical movement with fully automated assembly. The high-tech escapement has no regulator; the rate is set at the factory with a laser, making the manual rate adjustments normally required by a mechanical watch unnecessary. The movement, which features a 90 hour power reserve, is made of ARCAP, an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc with exceptional anti-magnetic qualities. All parts are hermetically sealed within the case: no moisture, dust or foreign elements can interfere with performance, assuring a very long life and sustained accuracy over time, well maybe by 10seconds give or take.
For a fraction of the price of traditional luxury mechanical watches, a SISTEM51 Swatch opens up the fascinating world of mechanical movements to millions who could not previously afford a Swiss made mechanical watch. It is a luxury, an accessible point of entry to high-end mechanical watchmaking—for everyone.
The whole look of the Sistem51, has been completely thought through. The dial side reveals six of the movement’s 19 rubies, and from the back one gazes through a transparent oscillating weight into the heart of this fascinating microcosm. Design is a key part of the Swatch DNA, and SISTEM51 extends its reach into the innovative depths of the movement itself. Coming in four different Sistem51 colour ways of White, Black, Blue and Red to finish the overall aesthetic of this latest creation.
