SWITZERLAND. The latest Swatch collection for the Athens Olympic Games 2004 captures the bright colours and spirit of Greece. In the new models, just released in travel retail, Swatch’s designers have taken their inspiration from timeless forms and symbols of ancient Greece, as well as the modern Greece of our dreams with its blues and greens of the sea and the whites of island villages.
The relationship between the Olympic Games and Swatch Group goes back a long way, to the 1932 Games in Los Angeles. Time-keeping technologies have made progress since then, but it was a relationship of trust which contributed to the appointment of Swatch as the Official Timekeeper of the International Olympic Committee. That is the official title for Swatch’s involvement in Athens 2004, the Olympic Winter Games in Turin in 2006, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010.
The Diadromes model (pictured) features blue, black, white, red, orange and grey stripes on a plastic strap, transparent buckle and transparent Original Gent case with a continuation of the coloured theme. Idanika, with a transparent strap features text such as “Human Scale”, “Participation”, and “Heritage” representing the values of the Olympics. Kymata in dark blue and yellow represents nature with circling blue ribbons in the sand and sky and the olive branch of victory.
Astrapi in pink with a zig-zag wave motif has a flower shape floating on the face. Athlimata has more overt Olympic theme, featuring tiny human shapes or glyphs in athletic poses, similar to the abstract human shapes created in the Cyclades Islands several thousand years ago. Other models such as the Nikitis, the Minoic Ticking and Antochi use the Irony Big Chrono Case or the lightweight Irony Diaphane case with aluminium or steel bracelet, rubber strap or orange synthetic strap.
For travel retail enquiries, contact the newly-appointed head of travel retail worldwide for Swatch Group (from 1 March) Christophe Savioz at e-mail Christophe.Savioz@omega.ch
