Hodinkee & Swatch Team Up for a Pair of Summer Watches

The Hodinkee x Swatch collaborations around the holidays have become a tradition of sorts over the last few years, with the watch media site and Swiss brand known for fun, affordable, and collectable timepieces bringing us a new Sistem51 each of the last three years. These watches tend to be inspired by vintage designs and classic Swatch cues, and tend to be incredibly popular, judging by the fact that they’re often in short supply soon after being announced. This year, they’re doing something a little different by introducing a new watch right at the height of the summer season, perfectly styled to complement sitting by the pool, hanging out the beach, or just generally relaxing in the warm summer air. They also haven’t stopped at just one new watch. Here are the all new Sistem51 Hodinkee Summer Edition, and the Flik Flak Hodinkee Summer Edition.

Swatch Sistem51 for Hodinkee Summer Edition

• Case Material: Plastic
• Dial: White
• Dimensions: 42 x 13.9mm
• Crystal: Plastic        
• Water Resistance: 30 meters
• Crown: Push/pull                       
• Movement: Sistem 51 with Nivachron hairspring 
• Strap/bracelet: Silicone 
• Price: $170
• Reference Number: SUTZ407
• Expected Release: Available now

Flik Flak Hodinkee Summer Edition

• Case Material: Plastic
• Dial: White
• Dimensions: 31.85 x 9.25mm
• Crystal: Plastic        
• Water Resistance: 30 meters
• Crown: Push/pull                       
• Movement: Swiss-made Quartz
• Strap/bracelet: Two-tone textile strap
• Price: $40
• Reference Number: ZFPNP075
• Expected Release: Available now 

Let’s jump right into the Flik Flak, the first product Hodinkee has ever created specifically for kids. Of course, I don’t think anyone expects kids to actively log on to the Hodinkee Shop and buy this on their own. Rather, it’s a product for watch enthusiast parents to buy for their children, serving the dual purpose of teaching them how to tell time, and, perhaps, starting them on the long path to watch obsession. It’s a genius idea, and frankly now that it’s here I’m a little surprised it’s taken so long, but here we are. 

The Flik Flak has been around since 1987 and is considered by many to be the best children’s watch out there. It’s kid sized at 31.85mm in diameter, easy to read, built to withstand shocks, and comes with a game meant to be used by parents to reinforce time telling skills with their kids. It’s powered by a quartz movement, and is even machine washable, which is not an advertised feature that I can recall seeing on any other watch I’ve had the pleasure of writing about. 

Moving on to the Sistem51 Summer Edition, the slightly more mature watch in this pairing, we have a crisp white take on the “Generation 1986” release from this past November. Autumnal blacks and reds have been swapped for a more carefree white and blue, with the same bold hour markers in circular, rectangular, and triangular shapes. 

As with other Sistem51s, the plastic case is 42mm in diameter and houses a movement made entirely through an automated process using just 51 components. The movement can be seen through the caseback and has been finished with the interlocking “H” for Hodinkee logo. This watch is playful, sporty, and doesn’t take itself at all too seriously, which really ought to be the essence of any summer watch. 

While the Flik Flak and Sistem51 have been announced as a pair, they are available to purchase separately, with Flik Flak selling for $40 and the Sistem51 for $170. Still, there’s something charming about the two of these watches together that is really appealing, with similar colorways and the same easy and casual style.

The summer editions of the Flik Flak and Sistem51 seen here can be purchased today at the Hodinkee Shop, the Swatch website, and Swatch’s Times Square flagship store.