Just Because: My Top Picks From The Upcoming ‘Swatch, The All It Takes Is The Will To Do It Exhibition’

By Justin Hast

Phillips has announced that it will hold a new show called “Swatch, The All It Takes Is The Will To Do It Exhibition,” and when I saw the email, it really put a smile on my face. I am a huge vintage Swatch fan, and anyone who follows me on Instagram will know I have a particular penchant for the original 1992 chronographs such as the White Horses and Flash Arrow. They are, to my mind, the ultimate non-compete watch. I mean, a 5711 is mega, but a dude rocking a 1992 Rollerball chrono – that’s next level. It is all about fun and the joy of design. Those dials! Come on, there just isn’t anything quite like them any more.

Through the exhibition, Phillips is selling over 200 Unworn Vintage Swatch Watches in London. James Marks, international specialist and director at Phillips, said, “This is an amazing single owner collection of Swatch from one of their most expressive periods of design. This is a sale that will be a nostalgic trip down memory lane where at least one piece will bring back memories and evoke emotions from a period in someone’s life. This is a brand that everyone has owned, or with its color and fun approach has touched your life.”

The exhibition runs October 25 through 28 at the recently opened Perpetual boutique, in the Phillips showroom at 30 Berkeley Square, in London. Over 200 unworn vintage Swatch watches with original box and guarantees will be offered. Highlights include an unworn Tresor Magique Platinum Automatic alongside a number of limited editions, including Magic Spell and C-Monsta On The Beach. Art pieces by Tachibana, Kurosawa and Troxler will be there, alongside editions by Vivienne Westwood from the world of fashion. Early, unworn and significant pieces from the 1980s and 1990s will feature prominently, including the popular 37mm Grand Prix and 34mm X-Rated. “Swatch, The All It Takes Is The Will To Do It Exhibition” coincides with the London watch auction previews of highlights consigned to the November sales in Geneva and Hong Kong, and the December sale in New York.

“From the tender age of seven, the Swatch brand has captivated me and been an inspiration for my desire to collect watches,” said Marks. “Phillips Perpetual is delighted now to showcase …read more