Sistem51 🧐 Still with the infamous Swatch tick?
It is 1983. An advertisement campaign rushes through the media outlets. Of course, nobody needs a plastic watch with a quartz movement, nobody, until the first classmate came to school with the first Swatch on his wrist. Traditionally he is the one who has everything first.
«Look! My dad and I have been in Berlin the last weekend and we saw these Swatches. He bought me this one.» — tick, tick, tick 🧐
A few days later the Swatch population grew to five in the classroom. A week later maybe 10.
Writing an essay – tick, tick, tick 🤢
Trying to listen to the teacher — tick, tick, tick 😡
Teacher is asking me in a vocabulary test — tick, tick, tick 🤯
Writing a test, my neighbour put his Swatch on the desk to keep his time — TICK, TICK, TICK
«UAAAAH! PUT THIS F* THING IMMEDIATELY AWAY FROM ME DEEP INTO YOUR SCHOOLBAG OR I SMASH IT HERE AND NOW! DON'T EVER DARE TO TAKE IT OUT UNTIL SCHOOL IS OVER OR I'LL BREAK IT ALTOGETHER WITH YOUR WRIST! DID YOU READ ME?»
Men, did I hate Swatches! They caused physical headaches and massiv distraction, the more of them had been around the worse it was. I never understood whether Swatch did it by purpose or by incompetence.
Fast forward. 40 years later. I had missed the development of Sistem51, I had not heard about MoonSwatch, Swatch had been wiped out of my radar.
While searching for a watch for my youngest I ended up paralyzed in front of an open showcase for approximately 60 Swatches. Not single ticks but a thunderous waterfall of noise.
«Teens like Swatches. Do you want to take one for your son?»
«KEEP AWAY THIS EAR-SPLITTING BS FROM ME! NEVER WILL A SWATCH CROSS MY DOOR SILL IN ONE PIECE!»
Accidentally archaic hatred took me over for a second and I distracted the SA for a moment.
I like the Blancpain X Swatch idea, but I haven't any experiences with Sistem51 watches. Are they as noisy as the quartz movements? Are they maybe even worse because Swatch somehow managed to make the rotor or whatever an extra source of torture? What are your experiences?
I have been there, when the first Lamy Safari fountain pen hit schools. I have been there, when the first G-Shock came into the classroom. I have been there, when the ticking of my classmates' first S...
Healing from trauma is challenging and takes time. It may feel like the easiest way to overcome it is to avoid it or pretend it isn‘t happening. However, it is best to spot your triggers to learn how to manage them instead of avoiding them.
You need exposure to Sistem 51!!
Buy at least one Swatch Collab and remind yourself that this is a common reaction to a traumatic event, and you can get through it.
I had a Sistem 51 Swatch but I sold it. Not because of the noise, but because of the integrated strap. It wasn't any noisier than a Miyota 8215 movement, just like the quartz Swatch movements aren't any louder than your typical Timex quartz movement. 🤣
Even if it's loud, the Sistem51 won't last long enough as the quartz movement so the torture will come to an end much sooner.
I think these have the plastic pallet fork & escape wheel used in the Powermatic 80 so are probably quite quiet
I think these have the plastic pallet fork & escape wheel used in the Powermatic 80 so are probably quite quiet
The Sistem51 turned out to be my first mechanical watch. It’s loud but nothing worse than any cheap movement.
The Sistem51 turned out to be my first mechanical watch. It’s loud but nothing worse than any cheap movement.
What are your experiences with it apart from the noise?
What are your experiences with it apart from the noise?
It’s light and cheap feeling. I don’t wear it anymore. On the plus side, it still works so I’ll give it to my kids when they’re ready.
It was a novelty then, and its long in the tooth now plain and simple.
Nothing is as loud as a quartz Swatch 😉👍🏻
You won't hear the escapement so much. Instead, you'll hear the plastic rotor spinning on a wrist flick on occasion. Obviously not as bad, but kind of silly that it's so loud.
That said, that's comparing a Swatch that's only "water resistant" be the dive-friendly Scuba 50. It might be quieter. I have noticed that my bioceramic Swatches are quieter than my plastic ones too.
You guys have great hearing.