The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I stumbled across this on the weekend and was absolutely fascinated. The Swatch Sistem51:

http://www.swatchgroup.com/en/services/ ... h_sistem51

To summarize: a fully automated assembly of a mechanical movement; 51 components – Swatch’s lucky number; 1 central screw; 90 hour power reserve; Swatch – 100% Swiss made.

Cost is about $100 US. It's made completely by machine, and then hermetically sealed. It's plastic hence the low cost and comes in a few different options. Release date is Oct 2013.

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

It's amazing isn't it - 90 hour power reserve for $100. Actually saw a job posting today for a sales person at a Swatch store in Toronto - I'm almost tempted

I figured you'd be all over this Roff. Sell all your other watches and rotate to a different model each day

Can't say I'm interested but it is still fascinating to me what machines can do. Go Swatch.

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

That's frankly amazing.... from a technical standpoint... if not from an aesthetic one! It's kind of a shame it looks like every other Swatch from the 80's/90's because the internals are obviously quite an amazing exercise in design minimalism.

Impressive power reserve too, although I'll be very interested to see how accurate it is......

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I agree D8. They weren't very creative in the looks department. But then again that probably had something to do with keeping the cost down.

I read that the accuracy is like 20 seconds a day or thereabouts at worst, which again sounds about right. There is no ability to regulate either. A laser sets the timing and then the watch is sealed.

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"

Luckily, swatch will offer this watch with different dial options. Amazing technology.

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Regards,

Peter

BREITLING for Bentley Motors T & Mark VI, Aerospace
ROLEX Submariner Ceramic116610LN
OMEGA Plantet Ocean 8500 42mm Orange arabics
OCEAN7 LM-3

Please do.. I went into the swatch store at Times Square about 2 weeks ago. They haven't heard of the System51 watch.

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Regards,

Peter

BREITLING for Bentley Motors T & Mark VI, Aerospace
ROLEX Submariner Ceramic116610LN
OMEGA Plantet Ocean 8500 42mm Orange arabics
OCEAN7 LM-3

Yeah, much as I like this community that might be asking rather a lot

The Swatch sistem51 is now available in stores. There's also a unusual long tv commercial these days.

Someone needs to re-case these movements a-la AC Cobra with Ford engines.

Just need to use one of these to get to the creamy center

Ive actually been thinking about getting one, or two
When they are available, they might be a little more than $100?

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"I spent most of my money on Booze, Breitling and Boats. The rest I wasted" - mostly Elmore Leonard

Going for far more than $100 on Ebay. Maybe because they are new!!


http://www.ebay.com/itm/SISTEM51-new-Sw ... 3cd9f48616


http://www.ebay.com/itm/SISTEM51-new-Sw ... 3cd9f858a4

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"A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure."

I think that the limited store availability pieces right now are around $150 (or the equivalent - they aren't in North America yet). I like the idea, although the concept of a throwaway watch is a tough one for me. Would hope that there are some more attractive designs on the way though.

I went to Zurich yesterday and made it to the Swatch boutique at the Bahnhofstrasse (despite the millions of people). Well, it is not really a boutique, I'd rather say it is a sistem51 temple! The room is about 6 by 6 metres and only features one single column in the center of the room, just like the center screw it the new movement. Mounted around that column is a circular showcase, showing off the new watches.

The watches look really nice. On the dial of every model are several dots, indicating eighter the points where the modules of the movement are welded together or where some of the 19 jewels are located. The back ist transparent. The silicone strap feels surprisingly good and soft on the wrist!

Hmm, I might get one for my daugthers birthday in January. She seemed to like the red one best.

I want one so bad. But not bad enough to pay over retail. I'll just have to wait. Luckily there's a Swatch boutique in a mall in LA.

Anyone know when it's going to be available in North America?

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"I don't got the bright watch I got the right watch" -Jay Z