Do you know how to read your Swatch ?
Have you ever wondered about those markings on the back of your Swatch ?
They are actually quite informative. From these markings you can determine the exact week that your Swatch was born, Date it, which country it was destined for sale in, Export? weather it has been reconditioned before sale or if it was a staff purchase from the factory, staff sale? if it was a limited edition ltd. etc. Is it a Variant ?. Are there known problems with Swatches? Trouble..
Please note. I am not a dealer and am not in the business of giving valuations !
Lets start with the guarantee slip that usually comes with your watch. On the front of the guarantee there is normally a code number identifying the characteristics of the watch. Eg GB101 or SLB101 or SSK105 etc.... You won't always get the right guarantee slip for the watch but it will suffice for the purposes of the guarantee. The code as described here is the actual code for the model, not neccesarily the (incorrect) guarantee slip.
The code breaks down like this:-
First part of code (letters). This is the model type. |
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| Letter | Model type | Letter | Model type | Letter | Model type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | Pop (1986-88) | G | Gents model | L | Ladies model |
| PAN | Pager (numeric) | PAT | Pager (tone) | PM | Pop midi |
| PW | Pop (1991 on) | PWB | Pop (1989-1990) | SB | Aquachrono |
| SA | Automatic model | SC | Chrono model | SD | Scuba model |
| SE | Aquachrono midi | SK | Access | SR | Solar |
| SS | Stop-Swatch | SL | Musicall | YC | Irony Chrono |
| YD | Irony Scuba | YG | Irony Gents | YL | Irony lady |
| YS | Irony small | SF | SKIN model |
Second part of code (letters). This describes the colour of the case (the body of the watch). |
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| Letter | Colour | Letter | Colour | Letter | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Anthracite | B | Black | C | Coffee (brown) |
| F | Transparent brown | G | Green | G | Gold (Irony) |
| I | Indigo | J | Yellow | K | Transparent/clear |
| L | Lime | M | Metal gray | N | Dark blue |
| O | Orange | P | Pink | R | Red |
| S | Electric blue | S | Silver (Irony) | T | Beige (Tan) |
| V | Violet | W | White | X | Metallic case / normal band |
| Y | Metallic case + band | Z | Special |
First number of the code. Describes the number of hands and date functions. |
|
| Number | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 Zero | With hours and minutes only. No seconds, date or calendar |
| 1 One | With hours, minutes and seconds. No date or calendar. |
| 4 Four | With hours, minutes, seconds and date. No calendar. |
| 7 Seven | With hours, minutes, seconds, date and calendar. |
The remaining two numbers appear to be for cataloguing purposes. Eg 00 = First type of a particular series, 01 = second type of a particular series etc.
Example code for "Access To Space". SKZ 100. |
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| Code | Part 1 of code | Part 2 of code | Part 3 of code | Part 4 of code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKZ 100 | SK = Access model (transparent case) | Z = Special | 1 = With hours, minutes and seconds. No date or calendar. | 00 = first model of this type |
Example code for "Navy Roman". GN 702. |
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| Code | Part 1 of code | Part 2 of code | Part 3 of code | Part 4 of code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GN 702 | G = Gents model | N = Navy Blue case | 7 = With hours, minutes, seconds, date and calendar. | 02 = third model of this type |
Export codes.
On the back of the watch case you will find an export code (only if it has been exported). A selection of these are:-
Date code. Usually above "PATENTED WATERRESISTANT" marking.
Staff sales and refurbished.
Limited editions.
True limited editions have the stamping ????/9999 or ????/****. The **** being the amount issued, ???? being the watch number of that edition. eg 069/100 would be watch number sixty nine of one hundred. This would be very rare as a great deal more than one hundred are normally produced ! This number is stamped into the watch case on most limited editions but the corresponding paperwork should have the matching number where appropriate. "Normal" editions run typically to arond 20,000. The recently added, yearly, artist colections are limited to 50,000 but are only stamped "Limited Edition" on the case. The Time Cut chronometer is a numbered limited edition but as this particular one is an Aluminium Irony, stamped at the chronometer testing centre, it is stamped with the number on the watch face (more or less tamperproof) and on the perspex display box. This is just another example given to show how wide ranging and varied the system of numbering and authentication stamping can be. If your'e not sure of the watches authenticity ask someone who does know. Don't get burned!. Top of page.
Why are the older art specials so expensive?
Well thats because firstly there are so
few. eg Kiki Picasso, 120 or even 140 depending who you ask ! ( prices currently
around £15,000 ) or the Mimmo Palladino, 160 of ( prices currently around £14,000
) . Secondly they were never on sale to the public. These were sent to people
whom had done a "service" to Swatch or to recognise those whom Swatch
held dear.
The newer art specials will never reach the prices of older ones as the watches
are no longer limited to runs of 100 or 1000 but more likely 20,000+. Good news
for collectors, bad news for "investors". The true art specials are
NOT to be confused with the Artist series of watches produced now each year.
These are a limited run ( "limited" to 50,000 ) of watches by modern
artists including such illustrious names as Yoko Ono, Kenny Scharf and Bridget
Mutji to name but a few. Some of these watches are now relatively collectible
but you couldn't retire on the strength of them.
Top of page.
Known problems.
Variations and prototypes.
Note of caution.
If you want any information or if I can help, don't hesitate to mail me. I don't know it all by a long way but you never know ! You can e-mail me at:swatch@allsopp.com