Kim's Christmas gifts to me this year were the 2014 and 2015 Bencab collaboration Swatch watches.
The Sabel Swatch was released in 2014, and was also packaged with a Bencab sculpture and a numbered watch. The watch that Kim purchased was in the regular Sabel Swatch packaging:
The Bencab+Swatch collaboration for 2015 is the Ode to the Flag. It is reminiscent of the Philippine Centennial Swatch released to commemorate the 100th Independence of the Philippines, but that one was a Zobel+Swatch collaboration.
I don't intend on wearing the Swatches, I just took them out of their packaging to inspect them further.
Under the specially designed packaging, the watches came in the standard plastic cases of Swatch. The 2015 Swatch's inner packet however had Swatch Club stamped all over it.
Here are pictures of the Swatches out in the wild for a photoshoot:
I really don't mind the size of the Swatch. I would guess without confirming that it is about 39mm. I'm used to wearing watches sized at 44mm upwards. However, the design is really intricately done on the straps and the watch face. The hour and minute hands are also quite distinct - it is noticeable even if the watch face of the Sabel Swatch, for example, is pretty busy with details.
It was a good thing that Kim was still able to chance upon a Sabel Swatch - it was released 2014, and I suppose they have very limited stocks now. I had made inquiries on the Chinese New Year Swatch designs from the previous years at a Swatch booth, because Bencab also designed a Year of the Horse commemorative Swatch, and unfortunately, the previous years designs are no longer available.
This further my resolve to purchase the Chinese New Year Swatch come next year - will not let the moment of getting another special Swatch pass me by again (here's to hoping that Bencab will also design it).
The Bencab Swatches combines two of my passions right now, watches and art. I know I may not be able to afford a Bencab as of yet, but owning a piece, nay, two pieces designed by him at such an affordable cost of PhP 3,500.00 each, is not bad at all!
Swatch can boast that they single-handedly revived the Swiss watch industry, so the designer-collaborations aside, owning a Swatch is an affordable investment to own a part of Swiss horological history.
I hope some readers become convinced and go out to buy these beautiful pieces while they're still available!
