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Established 15th January 1996.
Welcome to Rob's Swatch Chronosphere. This
site has been around in various guises since 15th January 1996 and
apart from a few days downtime and a few URL changes it has stayed
around mainly because people have asked me to keep it going.
I have effectively
"given up" collecting swatches since having one 'stolen' from me by Swatch. See here how to fix a draw. Hence the domain name givenup.com. Another major reason is the fact that Swatch lost their
appeal to me during and after the Olympic games in the USA when Swatch
released well in excess of 100
"new" watches. Almost all were actually old watches with a
new strap and it was clear the company had abandoned collectors in favour
of all out profit. Fair go to them, it's their business but not for
me thanks. The final straw really came when I was "robbed" of
a Perfect Timing watch by Swatch. If you want to know more on that read
this.....
It was fun while it lasted and has left me with some interesting
wall displays. I still find occasional Swatches I covet and am still
hoping to turn up the odd old one but it's over for me.
It just lost the fun aspect. "Limited editions" of 50,000+? No thanks.
Valuations.
I don't like giving valuation's. I am not an
expert and valuation should only come from someone who has SEEN the watch
in person, someone who has physically examined the item.
If you have a WORN Swatch then I'm sorry but it is worth little if anything at all. Then the value is purely up to the needs of the buyer. It's worth 100 pounds ONLY if that what someone wants to pay. I just can't make this clear enough. A worn Swatch has only a residual intrinsic value compared to an unworn Swatch which is worth considerably more and has a MARKET VALUE due to the fact that it has not been worn. It's easy to find a worn Swatch, it is difficult to get hold of an unworn, perfect one. That's why it costs more!
One can take a value that one has seen in a shop, book wherever, as being the value for their watch. It isn't, it is only the value the seller has placed on the watch in question. The "book price" for a Swatch isn't neccesarily what it is "worth". The watch in that shop is for sale at a premium to cover various costs. Harrods don't sell their stock for the same price as your local market trader now do they ?
OK it still isn't very clear so I'll have one last go at this. Let's say I have a Europe In Concert musicall watch made in 1993. It's unworn, in original packaging, perfect condition. I paid £26.50 for it at the time. I was offered £110.00 for it at a Jean Michel Jarre concert a year or so later.
Values in catalogues are there as guides only. A private seller will rarely sell for the same amount. Now if your question hasn't been answered feel free to e-mail me. Thanks.
If you want links, try the biggest collection and longest established of Swatch links on the net at Jerry's place. Click the pic below!
If you want to trade some watches then go here.
You can e-mail me at:
Here since 15th Jan '96.