In the south of Oman, in Salalah, Dhofar, big shining watches with crystals and diamonds are boys and girls best friends. Besides other brands favorites are ‘Louis Arden,’ ‘ Jacques Leman,’ and the luxury diamond watches of ‘ Talos.’ All brands are Swiss made.
Once upon a time, in the nineteen – seventies the Swiss watchmaking industry was in deep crisis. Hong Kong and Japan relegated the Swiss watchmaking industry to the third place in the world ranking. Taiwan, China and South Korea also gained considerable ground. The Swiss had missed the boat, despite the fact that it was they – and not as might be thought the Japanese – who had developed the first quartz wristwatch. The market was flooded with watches from Asia equipped with quartz movements.
But….. The watch that changed the world was born 30 years ago today. March 1, 1983, the first 12 models made their debut. Looking back now, they seem unlikely heroes, but events soon revealed their true identity: they were the avant-garde, the shock troops of a revolution named “Swatch.”
Today, after three decades Swatch has every reason to celebrate. Those first 12 watches from 1983 have been followed by millions, and now there is one that brings it all back to mind — the impossible, incredible story of Swatch: SWATCH Est. 1983 (SUOZ161).
A New Gent, SWATCH Est. 1983 features a transparent plastic case and strap and a skeleton dial offering a clear view of the movement within. Key components are highlighted in gold; on one, a golden driving wheel, the word CELEBRATE appears twice, in black. And printed in gold on a broad silver band are all those extraordinary years, from 1983 to 2013.
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