Results for Grail Watch

Throwback Sundays: Six Dream Watches, from Our Archives

What are some of the dream watches that collectors would like to have in their watch collection? We decide to compile a list of six grail watches for consideration.

Business News: Swatch Group Annual Profit Falls with Hong Kong Slowdown

Hong Kong’s political unrest has resulted in the first fall in annual profits at the Swatch Group since 2018. The world’s biggest watchmaking group, which owns brands like Omega and Longines, just announced its 2019 results, showing declines in both sales and profits. Net profit fell 13.7%, while sales declined 1.8% at constant exchange rates, or 2.7% at current rates, to 8.24 billion francs. The drops in profit and sales were primarily due to a drastic contraction of its business in Hong Kong – a city with a population of just 7.4 million – where Swatch Group owns over 90 retail stores, largely catering to shoppers from the China. Sales in Hong Kong for the second half of 2019 fell by 200 million francs. While Hong Kong was the key driver of the decline, it was not the only one. The luxury watch business in general is suffering from anaemic growth, which is also evidenced by the watch division results at diversified luxury groups like LVMH and Kering. On a more positive note, Swatch Group has managed to fulfil its stated aims of reducing operating expenditure and thinning inventory. Operating expenses dipped about 6%, while operating cash flow rose 30% in 2019. And after several consecutive years of growth, the group’s inventories declined by 1% in 2019, to a still-substantial 6.85 billion francs at cost. It’ll be a slow 2020… With Swatch Group predicting the situation in Hong Kong will continue to be “challenging” in 2020, it is in a weaker positio...

Swatch Introduces the Big Bold Jelly

One of the iconic Swatch watches from its 1980s heyday was the Jelly Fish (ref. GZ010), which was unveiled in 1983, the same year Swatch itself was launched. A quartz movement entirely exposed in a clear plastic case – accented with brightly coloured hands – the Jelly Fish was a bestseller that encapsulated what Swatch was all about: no-frills but fun watchmaking. The Jelly Fish remained in production, in one form or another – there was even a COSC-certified chronometer limited edition (GK124) in 1990 – for over two decades. Now the spirit of the Jelly Fish returns as the Big Bold Jelly, essentially the same idea but in a larger watch case. The Big Bold Jelly features a quartz movement inside a Big Bold case, just like the recent limited editions created in collaboration with fashion label A Bathing Ape (BAPE). The case is a large 47mm in diameter, with the crown unusually positioned at two o’clock. But just as with the original Jelly Fish, the case is clear plastic, while the band is translucent silicone. And the hands are rendered in bright colours – red, yellow and blue – with a bit more colour provided by the gilded wheels within the movement. Key facts and price Big Bold Jelly Ref. SO27E100 Diameter: 47mm Height: 11.75mm Material: Clear plastic Water resistance: 30m Movement: Quartz Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds Strap: Silicone with aluminium pin buckle Availability: At Swatch stores Price: US$110 For more information, visit Swatch.co...

Swatch Inaugurates New Headquarters in Biel

A long snaking building that stretches some 240m, the new Swatch headquarters in Biel, or Bienne in French, is the culmination of five years of work. Selling about 9.5m watches a year for about 450m Swiss francs of revenue, according to Swiss bank Vontobel, Swatch was the foundational company of its parent, the aptly named Swatch Group, which also owns Omega and Longines. Like many of its parent company’s recent projects, the Swatch building was designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, the 2014 Pritzker Prize winner who is best known for his works of wood or paper, as well as his temporary structures for humanitarian aid. Its new home is covered in a honeycomb timber grid that incorporates windows, nine balconies and solar panels. Visible from the inside is the Swatch logo, derived from the Swiss cross, incorporated into some of the grid’s cells. And hidden within the structure is a network of wires and cables for telecommunications, electricity and the like. The Swatch headquarters, with the Omega building at the far left The Swatch building ends in La Cite du Temps, which sits in front of the Omega factory and headquarters Shigeru Ban, Nayla Hayek, and Nick Hayek Jr at the opening ceremony on October 3, 2019 The glass-walled Swatch store in front of the new headquarters With the new headquarters in the background Light, flexible and sustainable, the timber beams used for the outer structure number some 4,600, all precisely cut to fit with join with each other per...

BUSINESS NEWS: Why the Swatch Group has millions of watches sitting in warehouses

The Swatch Group have published their 2019 Half-Year Report, revealing some interesting information. The group has reported an increase in their inventory levels, which include components, movements and watches, to a total of 7.1 billion Swiss francs (up 2.6 per cent from 2018). More broadly, the group, which owns brands such as Tissot, Longines and … ContinuedThe post BUSINESS NEWS: Why the Swatch Group has millions of watches sitting in warehouses appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Highlights: Sotheby’s Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Auction

Taking place on July 19, Sotheby’s thematic auction to mark the 1969 Moon landing – Omega Speedmaster: To the Moon and Back, Celebrating 50 years since Apollo 11 – is all about the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, plus a handful of watch accessories and lunar paraphernalia. The auction is 50 lots, covering a variety of Speedmaster models, starting from the very affordable to “grail” references like the ref. 2915-1 and “Alaska III”  prototype. For those interesting in a lot-by-lot opinion of the sale, check out the article written by Speedmaster enthusiast William Roberts over at speedmaster101.com. Here’s a look at a couple of highlights. Lot 10 – Speedmaster ref. 2915-1 The ref. 2915-1 is substantially different from the later Moonwatches but is the one that started it all, being the very first reference of the Speedmaster ever. Its particular combination of features – steel bezel, “broad arrow” hands, straight lugs – give it a distinct and appealing look compared to the later Speedmasters. This particular appears correct, albeit showing its age. The wear seems pretty even throughout, from the case to dial to back, and is detailed in Sotheby’s condition report. According to the extract, it was delivered to Mexico in 1958, a year after the model was introduced. With one of the best examples of the ref. 2915-1 having sold for just over US$400,000 at Phillips last year, the estimate for this well-worn example is US$150,000-200,000. Lot 13 ...

Swatch Group-Audemars Piguet Collaboration Creates Non-Magnetic Balance Spring

The Swatch Group announced on 29 August the creation of a revolutionary balance spring with exceptional paramagnetic characteristics. This balance spring is made from a new non-magnetic compensating alloy called Nivachron™ which the Swatch Group developed in collaboration with Audemars Piguet.

Swatch Sistem51 Review: Should You Keep The Receipt?

The first time that I was introduced to a Swatch Sistem51 was in a marketing email from Hodinkee announcing their collaboration with Swatch. The Swatch Sistem51 cost $150, which piqued my interest immediately. It was only a fraction of the cost of anything else that Hodinkee offered (besides a magazine).

Press release: Swatch launches Spring-Summer 2018 collection

Swatch introduces its Spring-Summer 2018 collection, which dives into the Swiss watchmaker’s DNA. Spring and summer are all about the great outdoors, and Swatch takes the party from the garden to the street before heading to the beach.

HYT CEO Gregory Dourde on H1 Colorblock, X Series and Future Projects

The grail for HYT is to have a fully fluidic watch with fluid regulation system and power supply; for now, it celebrates 3 with the new H1 Colorblock.

Introducing – The 2026 Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio-Blu Racing Edition

As the official sponsor and timekeeper of the historic Mille Miglia since 1988, Chopard enjoys one of the longest-running partnerships between a watch brand and a car event. The brand’s Mille Miglia collection is the watchmaking extension of co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s lifelong passion for the classic Italian road race. With the 44th edition taking place […]

Hands-On: Five Things You'll Want To Know Before You Buy The Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop — And How To Get It

Earlier in the week, I got a chance to see the new Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop collaboration in person, the hottest (and most hotly debated) thing since, well, Swatch did their first collaboration with Omega. There were some restrictions, like the fact that I couldn't handle some of them without gloves, but I did get enough of an impression to have a lot of thoughts. Yes, I think they're a lot of fun, and actually pretty impressive in some ways. I get that a lot of people will disagree, and that's fine. But to answer the last part of our headline first: you can get the Swatch x AP Royal Pop watches only at select retail stores starting May 16. You can find those stores on the Swatch website by going to the homepage, looking for the collab, and clicking the "See Stores" link. One version (with a crown at the right) is $420, while the other (with a crown at the top) is $400. Also, this is not an AP-led product, so don't call your local AP AD hoping to get one. Swatch is in charge here. Love it or hate it, the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop is big news. How big? A few hundred comments on our site is a good measure. But how about the fact that, in 24 hours, our "Introducing" story on the collab got about 20x an average story would do in a month and 1.75x more page views than the Rolex "Pepsi" GMT cancellation (which was the highest-traffic story of Watches & Wonders to date). We love watches over here, but it can be a bubble. There are a few rare moments when the wa...

The AP X Swatch Royal Pop: The Royal Oak Gets Swatch-ified With Eight New Pocket Watches

The duo plays to their strengths with a fleet of Bioceramic pocket watches packed with a new movement and endless styling possibilities. More

Thomas’s Watches And Wonders 2026 Favorites: Conservative Classics Catch My Gaze

As Fratello writers, my colleagues and I always have this article in the back of our minds as we work our way through the Watches and Wonders peak workload. We all know that sooner rather than later, Head of Content Nacho will schedule a Watches and Wonders 2026 favorites article for each of us, so […] Visit Thomas’s Watches And Wonders 2026 Favorites: Conservative Classics Catch My Gaze to read the full article.

Swatch Drops Four Jellyfish-Themed Affordable Dive Watches at $155

The Swatch Scubaqua returns with four new affordable dive watches at $155, including two with built-in Swatch Pay at no added cost.

Rolex at Watches and Wonders 2026: Daytona Enamel, Jubilee Gold Day-Date , Centenary Oyster Perpetual, and the Return of Yatch-Master II

First Look – The 2026 Collection of Montblanc Watches, from Rieussec and Iced Sea to 1858 and Star Legacy

When a brand drops a set of updates like this, it is rarely about just one watch. With Montblanc’s start to 2026, the focus is more on variety. The Rieussec brings in a historical link, while pieces like the Iced Sea focus more on materials and colour, including a brighter coral dial. There are also […]

AI Designed My Custom Swatch Watch

Announced last year, Swatch’s AI-DADA platform is now live, enabling customers to design and build their own custom Swatch with a design that will never be repeated. With a low entry price and quick turnaround, I took the platform for a spin. Why AI Swatch has been a design-oriented brand since its debut in 1983. Not only has Swatch produced a dizzying array of original designs of its own, over the years the brand has collaborated with celebrated artists and leading institutions to democratise access to wearable art. About a decade ago, Swatch’s world-class logistics infrastructure enabled it to offer customised watches via an online configurator that enabled customers to mix and match different elements from a pre-selected range of options. That was quickly followed by the ability to generate a custom-printed design, by dragging a Swatch template over a selection of human-created patterns and designs. The AI-DADA system, launched earlier this year, builds on this basis in way that only Swatch could pull off. The system leverages an undisclosed large language model (LLM) to generate a custom design based on a user’s 300-character prompt. The result is a made-to-order Swatch of the customer’s own design, delivered in as few as five days. What’s more, the cost is little more than an off-the-shelf model, at just US$195. With little to lose, I took the plunge. AI-DADA Swatch watches are powered by standard quartz movements in the typical New Gent case size. Three str...

Marco Lang’s Seven Spheres Tourbillon is Futuristic Classicism

Independent watchmaker Marco Lang has just unveiled the Seven Spheres, a wristwatch containing a multi-axis central tourbillon. Diversifying away from his conservative style, the Dresden-based watchmaker presents an ambitious and dynamic mechanical sculpture that tells time. Inspired by the ideas of both Ptolemy and Carl Sagan, Mr Lang has achieved a rare feat with the Seven Spheres, building a watch that is both technically imaginative and artistically crafted. Initial thoughts We are seldom treated to multi-axis tourbillons, so Marco Lang’s entry to this niche and ambitious category is most welcome. The Seven Spheres is the his first tourbillon since leaving Lang & Heyne in 2019, and demonstrates the full breadth of his technical skill. The theme of seven spheres was inspired by the geocentric universe model theorised by Ptolemy in the first century. The astronomer’s theory was built around having the Earth as the centre of the universe, orbited by seven planets. Inspired by this obsolete theory, Mr Lang created the Seven Spheres, which places the regulating organ inside seven turning rings, which comprise the complex multi-axis tourbillon cage. The movement with its central multi-axis tourbillon vaguely resembles Vianney Halter’s Deep Space Tourbillon. However, the Seven Sphere’s architecture is even more interesting than that of the Deep Space, since the central tourbillon appears to be suspended in mid air.  The Seven Spheres is one of the most complex multi-...

Swatch Group Responds to Morgan Stanley Report in Open Letter

Business News: Swatch Group Publishes Open Letter To Morgan Stanley Management Saying Longines Is Profitable And Tissot Sales Grew

Swatch takes aim at the numbers and methods of the widely read Morgan Stanley 'Swiss Watcher' industry report.

Masterpieces of Modernism: Swatch Debuts Guggenheim Collaboration

Having previously collaborated with almost every major art museum in the world, from MoMA to the Louvre, Swatch has licensed four masterpieces of 20th-century art from the Guggenheim, including works on display in New York and Venice. Accessibly priced, non-limited and available online, the Swatch x Guggenheim collection brings works from Monet, Degas, Klee, and Pollock to a wrist near you. Initial thoughts Painted dials have a long history in watchmaking, but the difficult nature of the work meant that for most of history they remained out of reach for all but the wealthiest clientele. While hand-painted dials are vanishingly rare and breathtakingly expensive, modern production methods mean that legendary masterpieces can now be easily scaled down and mass produced. Swatch was a pioneer in this regard, introducing its first artist collaboration with Kiki Picasso in 1985, just two years after the company launched its revolutionary plastic watch. The Picasso collaboration was the first of many, and since then there’s hardly a major art museum that hasn’t licensed selected works to Swatch. The works selected for this collaboration come from two different Guggenheim collections. Three of them are famously on display at the Guggenheim New York, while the fourth may be seen at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The odd-looking double-length seconds hand is an homage to this transatlantic duality. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. Functionally, the four quar...

First Look – Hublot Big Bang Original Unico Collection

Although the Big Bang theory is a widely accepted explanation for the universe’s origin, the Big Bang that exploded on the watch scene in 2005 could not have detonated without two factors: the bravado and marketing genius of CEO Jean-Claude Biver and former CEO Carlo Crocco’s original spirit of fusion on board the 1980 Classic […]

Introducing – Hublot Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo

While Hublot’s Classic Fusion model might look tame in comparison to the brand’s muscular Big Bang quarterbacks, in 1980 it sent shockwaves through the industry. With its unorthodox combination of a gold 37mm porthole-shaped case with exposed screws in the bezel paired with a black rubber strap, Carlo Crocco’s Hublot (French for porthole) watch was […]

New release alert: Swatch Year of the Horse

Swatch releases a special edition to celebrate the Year of the Horse with a special art piece in collaboration with Chinese artist Yu Wenjie.

Dispatch: Inside The Swatch Sistem51 Factory

How exactly does one fully automate the making of a mechanical movement?

Swatch’s New ‘Cold Moon’ MoonSwatch Only Sells in Swiss Snow

Introducing the MoonSwatch Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold “Cold Moon,” a winter release with a limited snowfall-based availability.

The New Swatch Holiday Collection Finds the Sweet Spot Between Fun and Refined

The new Swatch Holiday Collection mixes polished chronographs and SISTEM51 automatics in a balanced, easy-to-wear lineup.

Introducing: Omega x Swatch Are Finding New Moons To Conquer With The MoonSwatch Mission To Earthphase Moonshine Gold "Beaver Moon"

I tried to do a "Leave it to Beaver" pun but I couldn't make it work, so just imagine I did.

Hands-On: Swatch 'What If…Tariffs?' A Bioceramic Take On A Watch You Can Only Buy In Switzerland

Swatch mixes up a few key elements with its What If? model to note its displeasure with the financial burden faced by Swiss watchmakers exporting to the key U.S. market.