There are few brands as iconic as Swatch. Like the advent of being able to pass the rabbit through the hole and around the tree to successfully tie one’s own shoelace, the colourful Swiss timepiece is equally synonymous with passing into adulthood and beyond.

Swatch has been working with leading artists for the past 25 years including Vivienne Westwood, Kieth Haring and Kiki Picasso and this year has bought Billy The Artist, Matthew Langille, GREMS and Ted Scapa.

Swatch has unveiled the latest in its CreArt Collection, a limited edition of twelve watches designed by four leading artists. Using that same iconic plastic watch, a design classic in many eyes, each designer has bought their own unique stamp and colour use to the table and created a range of new designs launched, fittingly, at this year’s Venice Biennial.

Billy The Artist has a bold use of colour, fired by the artist’s New York surroundings who lives by the saying, ‘Create your own reality’. His two watches this year feature a kaleidoscopic primary-colour based design and a striking monochrome offering.

Ted Scapa is a Swiss multi-disciplinarian whose work takes in sculpture, art and lighting design. His four new watches are based on the same design, using colour to add depth.

Matthew Langille is a graphic artist and designer whose prolific work has graced countless fashion houses, design firms and agencies. This year his designs will increase his reach while making sure your wrist gets the attention it deserves.

Anyone with a passing affection for French graffiti and graphic art will be familiar with GREMS, whose three designs make use of the full strap and watch-face.

This year, leave the four-figure timepieces to the poncy footballers and state your intentions with a design classic decorated by some of the best designers and artists in the world. Incidentally, should anyone wish to revive the ultimate Swatch trend and wear two at once we are happy to endorse such behaviour.

By Richard Prime

Tuesday, 28 July 2009

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