On what exact date was the first Swatch collection launched?

The first Swatch collection was launched on March 1, 1983.

Swatch introduced its debut collection in Zürich, Switzerland, with twelve models. The launch came as Swiss watchmakers were struggling through the quartz crisis, when inexpensive, accurate battery-powered watches from Asian manufacturers were eroding the market for traditional mechanical timepieces.

The new watches were designed to be Swiss-made, affordable, colorful, and easy to wear as casual accessories. Their plastic cases, simplified construction, and reduced component count helped lower production costs. The name “Swatch” was presented as a contraction of “second watch,” emphasizing the idea that consumers could own several watches for different moods or outfits.

The initial models cost between CHF39.90 and CHF49.90 before the price was standardized at CHF50 later in 1983. Nicolas Hayek became important to Swatch’s later corporate expansion, but he did not launch the original collection alone: the product had been developed at ETA under Ernst Thomke, with key engineering work by Elmar Mock and Jacques Müller. The March 1 date refers specifically to the first public collection, not the beginning of development.