Swatch, Logo Prototype, Version B, 1981
Categories: mock up
Description: Black, ABS plastic mock-up. Back of the case stamped with ‘SAMPLE’, no other info. Black brass dial with white printed Arabic hour numerals. White printed ‘Swatch Quartz’ at ’12’ in alternative font. White printed ‘Swiss’ in alternative font over ‘6’. White, very thin hour and minute hands, red seconds hand. Day/date display at ‘3’, white metal discs. Acrylic crystal. Nickel chromed, brass crown, cnc machined battery cover.
Dimensions: 34mm (without crown), lug width: 16mm
Movement: No movement
Additional info:
This prototype shows the definitive case design by Marlyse Schmid and Bernhard Müller, which by then received the nick name ‘Schmüllers’ as they were alway working together. The logo itself passed a few phases of re-design such as the crossed branches of the ‘w’ (as in this version B of this prototype series) and whether the stroke for the ‘Q’ in ‘quartz’ should be vertical or oblique (vertical in this version, oblique in variant ‘A’). There was also an attempt to squeeze the Swiss flag between the ‘S’ and the ‘w’, but because of severe restrictions in using national flags for commercial purposes, that version of the logo was dropped quite fast. Finally another font altogether was chosen.
Some other details are not yet finalised, such as the crown and the hands. Some of the ‘Logo prototypes’, as this one, still lack the two additional, central lug-bridges for the strap, which will get one of the main design features of Swatch and an important stabiliser for the strap mount to the case. Not many know, that these stabilisers and major feature of the Swatch-design have also been created by Marlyse Schmid and Bernhard Müller, Müller having been inspired by the caterpillar links of a LEGO construction set.
Provenance: This prototype originates from an ETA engineer working on the project ‘Delirium Vulgaris’. Ex collection D. Komar.
Ref.:
Electric Watch Prototypes 