In the 80s Swatches were highly collectible and some of them "designed" by artists like architects and painters fetched the equivalent of thousands of $/€/francs.
That fashion fortunately faded away in the mid 90s but I have a friend o'mine who religiously collected some of them thinking that one day they would have been worth of a lot money.
Today I think the most desirable at least for me is the Irony Automatic chrono with a "downgraded" Lemania 5100 movement, it's also fitted in some Tissots but IMO they are ugly, the Swatch was much cheaper and with a better design...they discontinued because I assume they could not sell the Tissots.
They are nearly all ETA, I only heard of one that wasn't.
EDIT: just checked on the one I was thinking of and that is also ETA, probably the one you mean? Some of the Irony Automatics have a 2841 which is a modified 2824 which is based on an old movement from the Eterna days.
That would be the Blum Collection, which sold at auction for $6.5 million USD. The Swatch website has a lot of info about that collection. For most collectors, the most desirable watches are (for the most part) the earliest Swatches, although there's some serious money involved in specialty "niche" watches like the ones designed by painter Keith Haring. Many of the most valuable Swatches are worth thousands -- some in the tens of thousands -- and although I've been collecting for twenty years now, there are a number I've never actually seen except in photos. The newer Irony watches are very nice, but they don't seem to be appreciating the way the old classic "Gents" plastic watches do. The website Squiggly is a great place to get up-to-date info on vintage Swatches (and a good place to shop for them, too).
I come across old new in the box swatches from time to time and a quick check with ebay always seems to show no value. the Swatch craze never did make me jump back in the day but I can see how the rarity of a few pieces can bring in the big bucks. Will keep my eyes peeled at yard sales and the like.
I have this Swatch Irony Diaphane SVGK402 mechanical chronograph, and it's quite collectible.
Powered by the (184 parts and 15 jewels) C01.211 ETA movement, which is based on the famous Lemania 5100. It has a 46 hours power reserve and can be charged by hand winding.
The chronograph can keep time from 1/5seconds up to 6hours.
It has a semi-transparent case back, and a sapphire glass on the front dial.
I had so many Swatch watches as a kid, but my favorite was an X-rated. I wish I still had that thing...
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