I have a slight obsession with vintage swatch watches right now - 80's and 90's swatches are like works of art for your wrist. I've been searching on ebay everyday for a perfect bargain but haven't purchased yet - these are all found on Swatchandbeyond.com which has the best collection I have come across in mint condish... one for everyday of the week.
I can heartily recommend Swatch and Beyond if you are interested in ever purchasing a vintage/retro Swatch. I had to replace one of mine that broke at the band lugs. My replacement arrived brand new in the box, and with the proper paperwork (not usual ). If you want to buy from Ebay, be careful!! Make sure that the watch works, and look at all pics provided, and ask questions. I bought a new one, and after replacing the battery, it didn't work. The old battery had been left inside, and had corroded the contacts. It was cleaned very well, and now works fine. I have 12 80s and early 90s Swatches, but all are retired now. The plastic watch case will deteriorate over time, and become quite brittle. My "new" Swatch is an Irony automatic made in '92, with an '88 watch face that belonged to a Swatch that had become brittle and fell apart at the band lugs. Mostly the transparent cases become brittle; the solids seem to hold up much better. The bands will also deteriorate with time. They can (and will) break at the most inopportune moment. The best solution I found is to purchase aftermarket bands for them. They are not made by Swatch, but are more supple than the original bands. Swatch guards are not made any more,but still can be found, and I recommend using them. I hop this info helps, and good luck finding the vintage/retro Swatch of your dreams.
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