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It’s certainly no surprise that our inboxes here at Worn & Wound continue to be inundated with new releases heralding the year of the snake. The first weeks of January are traditionally a slow period for new watch releases in every category except lunar new year novelties. It’s safe to say that if this type of thing is your primary interest in watch enthusiasm, we are in the midst of what is surely your Super Bowl. While a lot of the new lunar new year releases are extravagant, high end demonstrations of a brand’s craft, there are, thankfully, examples of watches in this vein that are far more approachable. That brings us to the Year of the Snake collection from Swatch, a pair of impressionistic snake themed designs for those who are looking to celebrate the new year on a budget.
First up is the Golden Red Bamboo reference, a ultra slim 38mm quartz powered watch with a glimmering gold dial. The dial’s motif appears to be a somewhat abstract idea of a snake rather than a zoologically correct representation of a serpent, and I think it’s better off because of it. The orange accents on the hands and dial make for a nice contrast with the gold, which is extended to the case, crafted from stainless steel and given a PVD gold coating. The strap is described as “leather and textile” and has matching orange embroidery and gold accents.
If something a little bigger is more your speed, Swatch has you covered with the Blue and Gold Lithe Dancer reference, part of the brand’s Big Bold collection. The Big Bold watches are, as you’d expect, larger in diameter, and this one comes in at a measurement of 47mm. It features the same abstract snake inspired dial design as the Golden Red Bamboo, but in various shades of blue. We still get orange accents on the hands as well as the crown, and the case is made from Swatch’s “bio-sourced” material, which we believe is similar (if not identical) to the “Bioceramic” used in the MoonSwatch releases. Like the Golden Red Bamboo, the Blue and Gold Lithe Dancer runs on a quartz movement, displaying the day and date at 3:00.
I feel like Swatch’s profile has been raised somewhat in the last few years with the hysteria surrounding the MoonSwatch, and that’s a fundamentally good thing for the brand, which has always offered a ton of variety and has long been a genuinely cool, “enthusiast approved” option that allows anyone to participate in the hobby. It’s easy to forget in the midst of MoonSwatch-everything that Swatch does a lot more than plastic Speedmasters, and their Lunar New Year releases (as well as their art themed watches, and designs evoking various elements of pop culture) are a great reminder of that.
Both of the new watches in the Year of the Snake Collection are available now. The Golden Red Bamboo retails for $195, and the Blue and Gold Lithe Dancer sells for $130. Swatch
