SWATCH Sistem51 arrives to Canada
Swatch Sistem51 Red
The Swatch Sistem51 was introduced at the 2013 Baselworld and it took the industry by total surprise. Swatch is proposing an automatic watch, powered by a movement made from 51 parts, using only one screw. A conventional mechanical watch movements have at least twice as many parts; without talking about high-end timepieces and complications.
The black and the red editions of the Swatch Sistem51
Sistem51 is the first and only mechanical movement with fully automated assembly. The high-tech escapement has no regulator; the rate is set at the factory with a laser, making the manual rate adjustments normally required by a mechanical watch unnecessary. The movement, which features a 90 hour power reserve, is made of ARCAP, an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc with exceptional anti-magnetic qualities. All parts are hermetically sealed within the case: no moisture, dust or foreign elements can interfere with performance, assuring a very long life and sustained accuracy over time (+/- 10 seconds per day).
In the early 80s, while the Quartz Crisis was piling up its victims, Swatch imposed its name thanks to smart marketing and aggressive pricing. Behind the scenes, Swatch managed to produce watches 80% cheaper than their competition by fully automating the assembly and simplifying the production by reducing the number of parts from 91 or more to only 51.
With the new Sistem51, Swatch recycles its original strategy, aggressive pricing, automated assembly and stripping down the movement to the maximum. With this new model, Swatch remains true to the origin of its name — “Second Watch” — offered in four different colours, the Sistem51 can be picked up as a fun weekend companion. It can take a lot of punishment and if you’re persistent and you manage to break it, it is still the most affordable automatic watch 100% made in Switzerland.
Sistem Blue and its pure Pop sister the Sistem White
Canadians, the wait is finally over! As of Saturday, all over Canada, except Quebec, you can get your hands on it at any Swatch store, priced at only $165. For us here in Quebec, we’ll have to wait one more week, till the 23rd of August, when Swatch will open its new store at Carrefour Laval.
UPDATE: For our in-depth hands-on review of the Swatch Sistem51 click here.
