Have a piece of watch story for less than 200 US dollars: The Swatch Sistem51

Despite all the points of criticism that the Swatch Sistem51 receives, it is still part of the Watch History. And the best thing is that you can buy a less than 200 US dollars.

The Swatch Sistem51 has been around since Baselworld in 2013 and has received a lot of positive and negative coverage since then. However, removing the noise remains the sistem51 a great technical performance and will decrease as a defining historical model. It is not perfect, but it is still worth considering for every watch lover.

Fast background

Swatch was founded in 1983 in response to the Quartz crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. This was a time when Quartz watches became slightly available and consumers offered an inexpensive and exact clock and a competition for the Swiss watchmakers like never before.

Swatch focused on simple, colorful designs that are more conservative watches in contrast to the clocks available at this point in time. This meant that color fields were immediately recognizable. It was the first time that they could buy a watch as a real fashion accessory, and this created a strong supporter for Swatch.

Today it is common to see a lot of hype about the introduction of a product, be it watches, sneakers, cars, etc., the queues and excitement. Just look at what happened to the Moonswatch! However, it was Swatch that was the first brand to reach this hype level in the 1980s.

Swatch realized that a lot could be won by keeping the quantities low and working with well -known artists such as Keith Haring And Kiki Picasso Would offer great marketing and designs. This was unique and future -oriented for the time, which meant that Swatch strengthened its place as one of the most famous brands in the world.

Fast lead until 2013 and the 30th anniversary of Swatch. Where the brand was founded to defend itself against the falling sales of Swiss Watch in favor of the Japanese quartz, another threat to wristwatches from technology and smartwatches came 30 years later.

Swatch had to create something that was fresh and able to create a sum. They managed to start Sistem51. The original swatch was created with 51 components (why it was so cheap), and Swatch decided to honor this with the creation of the sistem51. This time a fully automatic offer with a movement that was only created 51 components.

Why the sistem51 is different

The sistem51 is an affordable, automatic Swiss watch. However, it has several characteristic properties that offer it in contrast to everything else.

Usually the dial and the housing design has priority when discussing a watch, but with the sistem51 it is the movement that makes this watch so special.

Swatch created a revolutionary production line and managed to put together a fully automatic movement only from robots. No such thing as female here. In order to achieve this, Swatch had to simplify the movement as far as possible and ultimately manage, which means that many patents on the way.

With a movement of 51 parts, the swatch landed in 5 modular sections, all of which rotate around a central screw.

Take a step back and that's crazy to think about it. Most mechanical watch movements require twice the number of components, and in some cases complex movements are created with many hundreds of parts. Each sistem51 movement only takes 20 minutes to produce in a clean environment from start to finish.

The oscillating system is set to 3Hz during the process and cannot be changed. It is constructed using a non -magnetic alloy called ARCAP (copper, nickel and zinc), which means that the accuracy should have little effect.

All of this leads to a movement that offers +7/-7 seconds a day with a 90-hour current reserve!

The best thing about it is that Swatch made the movement visible back through a clear plastic cover. In view of the non -magnetic alloy and the production system, Swatch seals the Hermetisch case and guarantees a “long service life” of 10 to 20 years.

The sealing of the housing protects it from dust and moisture. I suspect it was also a way to prevent human interventions and protect your innovation. However, this eliminates any ability to wait for the watch.

They either leave it under guarantee or simply buy a new one if something goes wrong. Swatch represented a disposable view, something that was historically connected to quartzuhen, but never mechanically.

The original topic was moved from the movement to the rest of the clock and was built on the central screw that the movement was related. The screw looks as if it were a heavenly object with the rotor that circles it, and this astronomical idea found the way to the dial of the original publications.

Over the years there have been a number of new styles if the astronomical concept is not for them. It is not only the dial colors that change with every style, but also the actual housing color and straps.

Swatch also moves the date from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. and even completely removes it in some cases.

Then there is the case back to pay as much attention to the Swatch as the dial. They create abstract, playful patterns for the movement and rightly draw attention to the movement.

In summary: there is a model for you. However, the housing has remained constant to achieve a plastic or steel with a diameter of 42 mm.

What is a sistem51?

I have had a sistem51 for a few years and can speak from experience. The first thing to say is that it is an unmistakable swatch. It is the same when it comes to the Moonswatch, so please don't expect anything.

If you put the watch on your wrist, it is 13.6 mm high. It is thicker than expected, but still manages to fit under a cuff.

The dial is large and easy to read. It is also very light and combined with the silicon strap on my model, it is very comfortable and you can easily forget that you wear it.

There are some leather band variants out there, but it is worth mentioning that you can only switch the strap to other Swatch straps. So remember it.

With regard to the actual time measurement, I never noticed that the movement is not exactly, although I am not the kind of person to actively measure this. The whole experience amounts to a funny, casual clock that keeps the ethos of what Swatch is about.

There are some areas in which they are reminded that it is Swatch. The tubular shape is very square and with a large measurement of 51 mm with a large lug-to-lug measurement, so that it is quite high on the wrist.

If you wrap the clock, the feeling is quite rough and loud, and even if you wear the watch, you can sometimes hear the rotor turning.

It is a relatively loud movement when ticking (although it doesn't matter to me) and I didn't notice the 90-hour power reserve. This could be my own fault if I can't keep an overview, but I have the feeling that the electricity reserve is less in real use.

Then this whole idea is that it is available. It's not an extremely expensive watch, but I don't consider it cheap enough to be available. If it was $ 50, maybe, but at 200 dollars it feels a little too much.

Not many things take 20 years and if this is the case, I have no problems. I am happy that after 3 years so far!

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A must-have watch?

It is easy to choose problems with the sistem51. Would I recommend it as the first o'clock? Maybe not – there is Seiko 5s out there that you last for a lifetime and probably offer a more sophisticated experience.

However, this is clear as a watch that expands the broader collection. The sistem51 has a permanent place in the history of watchmaking. When looking back, some important moments mark the development of watches – including the first waterproof wristwatch in 1926 (Rolex Oyster) and the first automatic chronograph of 1969 (Zenith el Primero).

However, there will be the sistem51 along this horological timeline. The first automatic watch that was completely created by machines. An automatic movement only simplifies 5 modules and 51 parts. A defined model of one of the largest Swiss watch manufacturers in the world. This is a real collector's item.

And the best thing is that you can go online now and order one. In contrast to other defining models, the Swatch Sistem51 does not have its own aesthetics because the movement is of interest. You can find a model that corresponds to your style and makes it to you while knowing that you have a piece of history.

You can find more information at www.swatch.com/en-us/sistem-51.html

Fast facts: Swatch sistem51
Indications: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Dimensions: 42 mm diameter x 13.8 mm high
Case: Biological or steel
Movement: Automatic Mechanical 3 -Hz frequency
Belt: rubber or steel
Water resistance: 30 meters
Price: From $ 165

* This article was first published on May 9, 2023 in Own a Watch History for less than 200 US dollars: The Swatch Sistem51

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