New Swatch Store Says Watches Back In Style

Whether for love of fashion or plastic, the Swatch phenomenon is back, according to the owner and manager of the new Swatch Store in Harvard Square's Galleria.

And with collectible pieces priced as high as $30,000, this time it's not just for kids.

The new store opened last Saturday to become the "world's largest" at 1,500 square feet, said store manager P.J. Levin.

Owner Raman Handa said he hopes the store--which prides itself on being at "the cutting edge of plastic fashion," as one worker phrased it--will bring in watch collectors from all over the world.

Though most of the watches are in the more pedestrian price range of $40 to $80, the store does have some high-priced collectibles on display "just for sizzle," said Handa, who also owns the neighboring Alpha Omega Jewelers.

The store has Swatches for everyone--deep sea divers, college students with a wall to decorate, even the environmentally correct who wish to shun batteries--but don't expect anything other than Swatches. This is, after all, a specialty store.

Alex P. Zoullas '93, who was looking at a wall-size Swatch watch in the store, said he found the store's raison d'etre "wild."

"This is what I'd call taking the concept of neoplasticism to a level that not even Mondrian wouldn't understand," said Zoullas, a fine arts concentrator.

In 1983, the Swatch era began as just a watchand in just one style. Then came the commissionedartists: Kiki Picasso, Keith Haring, FeliceVarini.

Then followed the commemorative editions:Christmas, Mother's Day, the Olympics, even theUnited Nations Earth Summit.

And on top of all this, Swatch has nowdeveloped its own "attitude," according to theSwatch collector's book provided by the store'smanagement:

"[Swatch has] encouraged diversity, creativity,and a lighthearted attitude. It broughtgenerations together. It made life a little lessserious, a little less grandiose..."

With 90 million Swatches sold to date, Handasaid he hopes the company will continue to fosterthis lighthearted attitude at its new location inHarvard Square.PhotoJeff ZarefIT'S TIME AGAIN. Those plastic watches areback, this time at a store near you--at theGalleria, in Harvard Square.

In 1983, the Swatch era began as just a watchand in just one style. Then came the commissionedartists: Kiki Picasso, Keith Haring, FeliceVarini.

Then followed the commemorative editions:Christmas, Mother's Day, the Olympics, even theUnited Nations Earth Summit.

And on top of all this, Swatch has nowdeveloped its own "attitude," according to theSwatch collector's book provided by the store'smanagement:

"[Swatch has] encouraged diversity, creativity,and a lighthearted attitude. It broughtgenerations together. It made life a little lessserious, a little less grandiose..."

With 90 million Swatches sold to date, Handasaid he hopes the company will continue to fosterthis lighthearted attitude at its new location inHarvard Square.PhotoJeff ZarefIT'S TIME AGAIN. Those plastic watches areback, this time at a store near you--at theGalleria, in Harvard Square.