# Swatch Irony Review



## ebrandwein

Since most of us are a bit poorer these days, I thought it made sense to explore one of the brands that is really equated with both value and quality, Swatch. Oddly, I have never owned a Swatch until now. But, when my local jeweler came into a number of NOS (new old stock) models at discounted prices, I decided to take the plunge. My initial thought was that a Swatch would make a terrific year end gift to a co-worker who had been wistfully eyeing some of my other toys. (I got him a "Wealthy Star" model chronograph if you are interested). What I wasn't expecting was to like it enough to want one for myself.

The model you see above is called the "Struggler". It dates from 2001 and is one of Swatch's Irony models. Being a NY Mets fan, the colors immediately appealed to me. (Come to think of it, the name makes sense too) Swatch, as most of us know, made its name in making fashionable plastic Swiss watches. The Irony takes this concept and extends it to stainless steel. The result is a solidly made man's wristwatch that frankly seems to be a relative bargain, even at today's list price. (The Swatch Group incidentally is the powerhouse in the Swiss watch industry. The story behind this company is a good read if you are interested. See here or here as well as this Wikipedia entry as well).

The watch itself measures 40mm in width not including the crown (Swatch says 39mm but my ruler says 40 so I'm going with that number), 14mm in thickness 47mm lug to lug and has a 22mm band lug width. Internally, it is powered by a 4 jewel ETA G10.711 quartz chronograph movement. Water resistance is rated at 30 meters and the lume, despite this example's age, is quite good. The bracelet on this Irony is especially worthy of praise. For what is marketed as a consumer/fashion watch, it is a heavy solid link design with a nicely made signed clasp. As watch bracelets go, it is better than many others I've encountered. Lastly, the watch case is also interesting with drilled lugs and a one-piece design with an access point only for the battery.

All told, there is really no downside to a Swatch Irony. It is affordable, even in these awful times, very well made and looks terrific (albeit by my eye). If you are looking for a good solid daily wearer or a nice gift, you really can't go wrong with a Swatch.

As an aside, I got this one at Watch Station located at the Third Avenue entrance to the Lexington Avenue/53rd street subway station in NYC. The shop is one flight down at the back of the news stand. Raphael, the owner has a number of these new old stock Swatch models available and I got the impression that the prices were negotiable. (He has some beautiful vintage pieces too by the way) It's worth checking him out.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/ebrandwein/DSCN3273.jpg

http://edscorner1.blogspot.com


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## UCrazyKid

I bought a SWATCH Irony automatic about 6 years ago. In about 6 months it was gaining 5 minutes a day. After contacting SWATCH because it was still under warranty I was informed by SWATCH North American Headquarters that it was within spec. and would not be regulated under warranty.  After that BS I will never buy another SWATCH automatic and quite possibly any other SWATCH. Crappy customer service can ruin a whole company.

Here's a pic of it:


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## ebrandwein

5 minutes! That is complete crap. Sorry to hear it :-( I have a feeling that a quartz watch would not have an issue like that but it is still bad indeed.


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## zippofan

Nice review Ed, and I always enjoy your blog :-!
I own 3 Swatches, a ca. 1990 Black Friday chrono (22 jewel movt!), a Skin Phenomenon chrono (thinnest I have ever seen), and a Fun Scuba Moray's Bite (which has a dive meter/timer).
All of them were well under $100, and IMHO a perfect affordable watch. I don't own any autos...yet!

Thanks!
Griff


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## ebrandwein

zippofan said:


> Nice review Ed, and I always enjoy your blog :-!
> I own 3 Swatches, a ca. 1990 Black Friday chrono (22 jewel movt!), a Skin Phenomenon chrono (thinnest I have ever seen), and a Fun Scuba Moray's Bite (which has a dive meter/timer).
> All of them were well under $100, and IMHO a perfect affordable watch. I don't own any autos...yet!
> 
> Thanks!
> Griff


Many thanks. I am actually pleasantly surprised with this Swatch.


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## Norwolf

Thanks for the review.

Yesterday i picked up a Body and Soul (the skeleton automatic in the Irony family), and am really impressed with it. For the price: under 200 usd. It also has the solid 5 cross link bracelet, which is a nice shiny silvery color. I like the look of the movement too for a skeleton. An over all nice looking piece. Sorry no pic.


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## ebrandwein

Norwolf said:


> Thanks for the review.
> 
> Yesterday i picked up a Body and Soul (the skeleton automatic in the Irony family), and am really impressed with it. For the price: under 200 usd. It also has the solid 5 cross link bracelet, which is a nice shiny silvery color. I like the look of the movement too for a skeleton. An over all nice looking piece. Sorry no pic.


I've seen that one. Looks good :-!


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## StanSuarez

Here is mine after 6 years of abuse. Its keeping about +20seconds per day in the watch box but i'm not loosing sleep over it. SOmeday I'll get it polished and regulated. But for now, its a fine beater when I have to go into "hotspots" where bringing a Swiss watch or even a Seiko will get my arm chopped off.










Oh wait, this IS a Swiss watch! LOL!


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## Bud001

I have the "Dreamnights"Quartz as a result of a drunk impulse buy in South Beach. I actually like it quite a lot. http://www.squiggly.com/us/en/swatch/dreamnight-YCS485G.htm


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## ebrandwein

StanSuarez said:


> Here is mine after 6 years of abuse. Its keeping about +20seconds per day in the watch box but i'm not loosing sleep over it. SOmeday I'll get it polished and regulated. But for now, its a fine beater when I have to go into "hotspots" where bringing a Swiss watch or even a Seiko will get my arm chopped off.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh wait, this IS a Swiss watch! LOL!


That watch looks like it could tell some stories :-!


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## ebrandwein

Bud001 said:


> I have the "Dreamnights"Quartz as a result of a drunk impulse buy in South Beach. I actually like it quite a lot. http://www.squiggly.com/us/en/swatch/dreamnight-YCS485G.htm


I like the bracelet on that one :-!


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## StanSuarez

The first one would be how I put it on right after I bought it and headed for the mens-room in the mall. 

I then banged it against the concrete wall when a guy cut across my path-leaving me with a nasty scratch on the glass barley 15mins after i paid for it. Good thing the acrylic polishes easily and I had it back in brand-new condition by the next day.


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## Bud001

ebrandwein said:


> I like the bracelet on that one :-!


Its supposedly half ceramic (black) and steel.


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## Asteroid

Do the automatic swatch use sealed one piece construction like the quartz watches? If so wouldn't servicing or regulation be impossible.

I've had two Irony chronos. One was a Rough and Rugged flex from 96 that lasted five or six years (but I was probably too rough with it when I was younger). The other is a well worn Blustery from 03 that's sporting more than a few scars! 

They're very well made watches. The bracelet in particular is fantastic, no other watch anywhere near this price range has a bracelet this nice. I however have a few small quibbles: the domed crystal is extremely prone to scratches, the lume on my example was never particularly good and it's not all that accurate for a quartz (I seem to have to wind it forward a minute or two every few months). But these are all pretty darn minor indeed. I've just given mine a good scrub and made it shiny again with some car polish, a green kitchen scourer and a silverware polishing cloth. |>

I've always wondered how the swatches are made given the one piece case design. Anyone ever come across anything?


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## ebrandwein

Asteroid said:


> Do the automatic swatch use sealed one piece construction like the quartz watches? If so wouldn't servicing or regulation be impossible.
> 
> I've had two Irony chronos. One was a Rough and Rugged flex from 96 that lasted five or six years (but I was probably too rough with it when I was younger). The other is a well worn Blustery from 03 that's sporting more than a few scars!
> 
> They're very well made watches. The bracelet in particular is fantastic, no other watch anywhere near this price range has a bracelet this nice. I however have a few small quibbles: the domed crystal is extremely prone to scratches, the lume on my example was never particularly good and it's not all that accurate for a quartz (I seem to have to wind it forward a minute or two every few months). But these are all pretty darn minor indeed. I've just given mine a good scrub and made it shiny again with some car polish, a green kitchen scourer and a silverware polishing cloth. |>
> 
> I've always wondered how the swatches are made given the one piece case design. Anyone ever come across anything?


I don't really know if the case on the autos can be opened. Good point. As for their quartz models, I haven't heard too many complaints from anyone. The consensus seems to be that they are well made mid-range watches that should last for a long time. Sounds like you've done quite well with them.


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## UCrazyKid

ebrandwein said:


> I don't really know if the case on the autos can be opened. Good point. As for their quartz models, I haven't heard too many complaints from anyone. The consensus seems to be that they are well made mid-range watches that should last for a long time. Sounds like you've done quite well with them.


I was unable to have the case opened and regulated on my Auto.


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## dkouzou

If Swatch's CS and *QC* is good, this will hurt Invicta. (same price category)


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## ebrandwein

dkouzou said:


> If Swatch's CS and *QC* is good, this will hurt Invicta. (same price category)


I agree. They are largely comparable in price terms and, I personally believe, that Swatch has an edge in quality.


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## sshami

I too had an Irony once. It was great but not Quartz so was not too accurate. It was cool to look at, very large yet very light at and had an easily scratched but also easily polished domed perspex crystal. 

Its chrono features were not too pleasant to use because the pushers felt very vague.

I sold it to buy some Seiko Divers. I was surpised how much someone was willing to pay me for it on Ebay (inspite of how I always clearly list all the faults), which suggests that they are somewhat collectable.


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## weizhen77

StanSuarez said:


> Here is mine after 6 years of abuse. Its keeping about +20seconds per day in the watch box but i'm not loosing sleep over it. SOmeday I'll get it polished and regulated. But for now, its a fine beater when I have to go into "hotspots" where bringing a Swiss watch or even a Seiko will get my arm chopped off.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh wait, this IS a Swiss watch! LOL!


I used to wear this watch for 10 years. Brought it to authorize service center to regulate it. After getting it back, end up it is gaining 1min per day :-|. Got fedup, I bought myself a Rolex.


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## Enoran

Is Swatch using ETA for its Quartz/Auto movements ??


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## Eeeb

Eta is owned by The Swatch Group.

These movements are generally custom made for Swatch Watch. While often based on standard Eta movements, some modifications have been made in the interests of economy and robotic assembly.


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## Eeeb

weizhen77 said:


> I used to wear this watch for 10 years. Brought it to authorize service center to regulate it. After getting it back, end up it is gaining 1min per day :-|. Got fedup, I bought myself a Rolex.


Wow... for the price of a Rolex you could have bought 100 Swatches, cherry picked the one or two that met your accuracy standards, sold the other 98 for half what you paid for them, and still have have a pile of money in your pocket ;-)


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## Enoran

Eeeb said:


> Eta is owned by The Swatch Group.
> 
> These movements are generally custom made for Swatch Watch. While often based on standard Eta movements, some modifications have been made in the interests of economy and robotic assembly.


So it means to say for example, the ETA G10.211 movement so often used in Tissot, Certina etc. in their Chronograph watches are modified in some way or another on Swatch's Irony Chrono or Chrono plastic models ...


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## weizhen77

Eeeb said:


> Wow... for the price of a Rolex you could have bought 100 Swatches, cherry picked the one or two that met your accuracy standards, sold the other 98 for half what you paid for them, and still have have a pile of money in your pocket ;-)


:-d yup, you are right in terms of material sense.
Aside from that, wearing a Rolex gives a different life experience ;-)


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## Guest

I have the Swatch Irony YCS429 'Dark Phoenix' as its called. What it lacks in looks it makes up for in toughness, I gave it to my 2 year old nephew to play with and he bashed it off the ground for a good 20 minutes, eventually the battery cover flew off along with the battery. I brought it down to get a replacement cover and it still works not even a scratch. Not bad for a 150 euro watch.|>


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## corps_commander

I had my first Swatch in 1998. It was a Swatch Irony Chrono Aluminium "New Reference" (YCS4000AL). I must say its one of the best Chrono Swatch ever made. Used it everyday since then. Had battery and bracelet replaced several times but it just wouldn't die. I still have it with me...and I will not change it for any other watch. Here's a pic of the watch.


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## JohnWatch

That´s a nice (S)watch!


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## chriscolorado

yep....it's one of best Swatch watches..I received 1 as a present in 2000 & still it is in excellent condition.


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## nsquared

corps_commander said:


> I had my first Swatch in 1998. It was a Swatch Irony Chrono Aluminium "New Reference" (YCS4000AL). I must say its one of the best Chrono Swatch ever made. Used it everyday since then. Had battery and bracelet replaced several times but it just wouldn't die. I still have it with me...and I will not change it for any other watch. Here's a pic of the watch.


I have this watch too. It's a great watch - have had it for so long. It's super-lightweight and I always get compliments on it and people are always surprised when I tell them it's a Swatch.


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## Wlover

I used to have about 5 swatches when I was still studying... 
4 plastic ones died along the way and 1 irony survived...

This one was the youngest of the 5 but by far the toughest..
Still going strong after 15 years...


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## dsheikh

Here is mine . White face dial. Originally with white leather strap. Now also worn with black rubber strap and the steel bracelet originally meant for swatch wealthy star.


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## Jorgerg

My swatch blustery has received a lot of daily abuse since I got it as a present 7 yrs ago
Always keeps time very good
Now it takes turns with my tissot PRS200









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## arogle1stus

UCrazyKid:
5 minutes a day? Buyers of this model (if they are akin in accuracy might as well strap a sun dial to their wrists!!!!
Ive never owned a watch that was this inaccurate. No wonder none of the watch nerds I hang with, buy em.
If this watch were mine it woulda been in the Goodwill Collection container long ago.


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## Stephen2020

I have had a Swatch Irony Chrono "Secret Agent" for 15 years and it's probably my most worn watch. The chrono partially stopped working about a year ago but the ordinary time works fine.


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## Jmloyman

Good watches had it since 2007 still ticking


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