Swatch SISTEM51 Disposable Mechanical Watch Available Now

Am I the only one who get the feeling that Swatch is pulling our legs on this one? Don't get me wrong. Personally, I love Swatch watches. I have quite a few. But this SISTEM51 model does my head in. Have a good, long, hard, think about it. This is in plastic. Completely assembled by robots and it's sealed. You can't service this watch. What is the point of a throw-away automatic watch? Isn't the whole mechanical thing about longevity and serviceability and craftsmanship?

For my dollar, if they made it completely serviceable, with a capped price servicing at say, $50, and at 10-year service intervals, then for me that will be true progress and much, much more revolutionary.

Right now for around the same money (CHF150) you can get a stainless steel Swatch, no less, with an automatic movement that CAN be accessed and serviced for around about the same price as these. Yes I realise that the design/manufacturing process is a major revolution, but really. Ask yourself what you really want out of a mechanical watch. Because with this model, the romance of that "ye olde world" hand-assembled watch is well and truly dead.

If you must have one- they're exclusively available in Swatch stores in Switzerland for now.

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