Swatch Debuts the Big Bold Irony Collection, Combining Steel and Bioceramic

Summer is in full swing, cool and casual is the name of the game, and for Swatch that means bigger and bolder watches. Big Bold Irony, that is. For the first time, the brand is bringing its Irony treatment to the Big Bold lineup in the form of five new watches. The Irony collection was originally conceived in the 1990s as a premium offering featuring cases made from metal, and indeed, the new Big Bold Irony watches are fitted with stainless steel cases. They are also the first to combine steel with Swatch’s proprietary Bioceramic.

There’s no getting around the fact that these watches truly live up to their namesake. At 47mm wide, they undoubtedly make a statement. Swatch has cleverly shaped the lugs, which start towards the underside of the case and curve sharply downwards, resulting in a case length of just 44.8mm. This is identical to the current Big Bold collection and is remarkably wearable for a wide audience. In fact, the only difference in dimension between these and the standard Big Bolds is thickness: the new Irony watches are 13.3mm thick as opposed to 11.75mm in plastic. Swatch’s design choice of keeping the crown at 2 o-clock ensures it will never dig into your wrist, and at 108 grams (with a quartz movement), these watches can easily be worn all day, every day, which is kind of the point.

With five options of summery colors – Dark Irony (Black), Azure Blue Daze, Red Juicy, Mint Trim, and Bolden Yellow – you will have no trouble finding one that matches your vibe. All five come with color-matched, non-tapering rubber straps and steel buckles (as opposed to aluminum on the regular Big Bold). The mainplate and skeletonized dials are made of Bioceramic, which make for an interesting new contrast with the new case material.

The sand-blasted finish of the case is subtle and adds a degree of sporty, cool, and seriousness to the watch (though “serious” has to be one of the last descriptors to describe it). Legibility appears to be excellent despite the skeletonized dial thanks to the large hands and high contrast chapter ring and hour markers. The bioceramic mainplate and dial showcase the components of the movement and bring considerable depth, something that is further accentuated by the fact that the “Swatch” wordmark is printed on the bottom of the crystal. All of these factors come together for a watch that is unapologetically playful and brash.

Following this first wave of new watches, Swatch is also teeing up a fall release of an additional five Big Bold Irony models, this time on matching steel bracelets. These will feature sunburst dials in new colors and integrated sport bracelets. Until then, however, you can find the new Big Bold Irony watches now in stores for $195. Swatch