News It’s been a long wait! Last month, after a slight delay, the Sistem51 by Swatch finally made its appearance, exclusively at the brand’s own stores in Switzerland. The first four models incorporating the revolutionary movement were unveiled from 16 December to 4 January at a temporary boutique in Zürich.
The first ever mechanical movement not produced manually, but on a fully-automated production line, this unprecedented technological innovation (17 patents pending) comprises just 51 parts, spread over five modules connected by a single screw. Hermetically sealed in its case, this 3 Hertz, self-winding mechanical calibre offers precise and long-lasting performance and requires no maintenance. Furthermore, it is manufactured exclusively in Switzerland and offers an exceptional 90-hour power reserve.
Sistem51 also opens up a new world of beauty. On the different timepieces, the dial face reveals six of the movement’s 19 jewels, while the case-back shows another through a transparent oscillating weight. Since design is a key element of Swatch’s DNA, the visible surfaces of the movement’s five modules create a blank canvas, a new space on which contemporary graphic designers and artists can hone their powers of creative expression.
Sistem White displays a look of disarming simplicity. Six red points surrounded by coloured dots appear on the white dial, directly above six of the movement’s 19 jewels. On the back of this timepiece, the transparent crystal oscillating weight reveals brightly coloured modules, as well as the captivating motion of gear-trains and balance-springs. The style is pure pop, linking this watch to the brand’s legendary association with art.
Sistem Black represents a star map in black and white. This model reveals a universe rotating about a single point of central light, like a mirror of our solar system. Six red dots shine in the darkness of infinite space, surrounded by a series of white lights. On the back, this map is transformed into a work of optical art consisting of a whirling black and white vortex. The transparent crystal oscillating weight rotates to reveal the wonders of a mechanical microcosm revolving around a single central screw.
Sistem Red begins and ends with the colour of its jewels, the centrepiece of its movement. The dial represents a dark night illuminated by stars and faint white trails. The hour symbols on the black bezel encircle a cosmos perfectly contained within a transparent red plastic case. Like the moon, this celestial body possesses a hidden side: on the rear, an explosion of constellations and rays of light streaking through space from a single central point.
Sistem Blue expresses the essence of cosmic night. On the black dial, slender white lines connect a handful of similarly coloured dots. Twelve of these indicate the hours on a black bezel installed on a luminous translucent blue case. On the back, an intense explosion of stars and a graduated motif run from the central screw to the oscillating weight, the driving force of this extraordinary mechanical movement.
January 14, 2014
