THE FUSE

Swiss brand Swatch first emerged in the early 1980s as a fresh, sportier alternative to the more staid luxury producers making up the country’s timepiece industry. It was the quartz crisis—a period marked by decline in the market due to shifts in mechanical systems and international competition—and the emergent company seized the moment by fully embracing the new technologies. And while its established counterparts eventually bounced back, Swatch remained a rebellious favorite, an accessible go-to for BMX-ers, skateboarders, surfers, and young gen-x looking to define their era: the 1990s.