Swatch Year of the Dragon range hopes to recreate MoonSwatch success
Amid a booming market for high-end mechanical timepieces, Swiss giant Swatch continues to knock it out of the park at the more affordable end of the market. Still flush with the continuing success of its Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch collection, which is still virtually impossible to buy, the brand has just announced a new Year of the Dragon range to celebrate the lunar new year.
The lunar new year ticks over (pun intended) on 10 February and this year marks the coolest sign of them all: the dragon.
“Swatch believes that there is a dragon in all of us,” says the Swiss company. “And that’s what’s behind this new collection. Those looking for the perfect gift or accessory to wear to a celebration will find a Swatch to suit all tastes and to express their inner dragon.”
There are five pieces in the collection, each one reflecting aspects of Asian celebrations, from Chinese lanterns to neon lights – and, of course, the ubiquitous symbol of the dragon.
The cheapest option in the range is the £77 Dragon in Waves watch, which features a blue dial printed with a neon-hued dragon, a dark blue biosourced case, and a blue, multi-color printed strap with red and gold printed loops.
The most expensive is the £190 Dragon in Motion, a chronograph with a “sun-brushed” red dial emblazoned with a multi-colour dragon print in a gold coloured case. It has a red, printed strap with black, printed loops.
Our favourite is the £96 Dragon in Wind Pay! – the rather unwieldy name reflects the fact it comes with SwatchPay – with a black dial and strap printed with red and yellow dragon motifs and featuring snazzy gold hands.
All five are available now through the Swatch online store at swatch.com, or in various Swatch outlets across the country.