Expanding its long-standing relationship with the art world, Swatch is re-embarking on its ongoing Art Journey collection once again. Earlier this month, Swatch announced the release of its Art Journey 2023 collection. The latest available instalment features a collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Foundation Magritte, with more to follow. Turning world-famous masterpieces into wearable art, the resultant models are lively, colourful, and imaginative, in true Swatch style. All models in the collection are powered by a quartz movement and boast a water resistance of up to 3 bar.
Swatch x MoMA
Since 1985, the brand has collaborated with numerous artists and museums alike to create various special edition lines. In fact, this is the brand’s second collaboration with MoMA. This time around the partnership honours pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, specifically the 100th anniversary of his birth. Characterised by its bold lines and Ben-Day dots, Lichtenstein’s work was a trailblazer in the 1960s pop art movement. Vibrant and iconic, his work is a perfect fit for the Swatch brand.
Swatch MoMA GIRL BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN, THE WATCH SUOZ352
One of the two MoMA collaborative pieces, this model features Lichtenstein’s two-page spread piece ‘Girl’ (1963). Set into a blue plastic case and blue silicone strap, the girl’s smiling face takes the centre of the dial. On the reverse side of the watch, there is an enlarged version of the piece. Here, the details of the Ben Day dot design are more visible, as is the aerosol spray from the same painting. Blue hours and minutes hands complement the dial’s colour scheme, and the MoMA logo can be found printed onto the watch loop.
Swatch MoMA REVERIE BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN, THE WATCH SO28Z117
Perfect for fans of bold colour, Lichtenstein’s jazz-inspired piece ‘Reverie’ takes centre stage on this model. The dial exhibits the woman’s face, and her blonde hair is mirrored by a canary yellow silicone strap. Matching the strap, the dial is housed in a yellow case made from bio-sourced material. Above, an extra watch loop forms the speech bubble from the original piece, which reads “The melody haunts my reverie”. The dial is paired with silver-tone hands which correspond with the colour of the woman’s microphone.
Swatch x Magritte
To commemorate Rene Magritte’s birth 125 years on, Swatch has reimagined two of his most famous paintings as fashion watches. One of the fathers of the Surrealist movement, Magritte pushed and exposed the boundaries between reality and representation in his work. The offbeat nature of his paintings makes them a great fit within Swatch’s curious and expressive portfolio.
Swatch Magritte LA TRAHISON DES IMAGES BY RENE MAGRITTE SO29Z124
With this model, Swatch plays into the wit of Magritte’s legendary ‘La Trahison des Images’. Written in the same handwritten style as “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (“This is not a pipe”), the strap declares “Ceci est une Swatch” (“This is a Swatch”). This beige silicone strap is then fastened with a buckle. Following the same colour scheme, the dial is also beige and features a representation of the infamous ‘pipe’ (or ‘not pipe’). Against this lie silver-tone hour and minute hands, which are framed by a beige bio-sourced material case. On the watch loop, the artist’s signature can be found.
Swatch Magritte LE FILS DE L’HOMME BY RENE MAGRITTE SUOZ350
This model features an all-over design of Magritte’s self-portrait piece ‘Le Fils de L’homme’. The portrait’s iconic apple-covered face is aligned with the dial, and silver-tone hands sprout from the forehead. The suited body extends down the bottom half of the silicone strap, with the sky stretching through the top half. The back of the strap also pays homage to La Trahison des Images, with “Ceci est une Swatch avec une pomme” written beneath the adjustment holes.
What do you think of these new Swatches? Will you be buying one to celebrate your favourite masterpiece? Let us know down below!
