Metal Cap Prototypes
After the first three years of basic design research and the last year being solely consecrated to sober graphic design components, in 1984 Swatch tried to innovate in terms of material usage. The few trials in making metal cases ended up being discarded due to the more complicated translation into an automated assembly. One possibility, which gathered the attention of the designers and the engineers, was the possibility of placing a metal cap on top of the plastic case, in order to get the look of a more sophisticated and more expensive watch.
The detail work consisted in creating the recesses for the crown and the metal pins, which retain the strap the way that the placement of the metal cap can be inserted into the automated assembly line. As can be seen on the watches shown in the picture, different metal-to-plastic transitions have been tried. Aesthetics, functionality and straight forward manufacture being the factors, which needed to be optimized.
The watches on the picture are non-working samples with no movement, just built to test for the look and functionality of the metal caps. The metal caps are made of steel, with the one on the right being coated to look like aged brass. Latter sample has a functional flaw, as no strap can be attached as the metal cap prevents the pivoting of the strap. The hands are attached to the dial by means of a green plasticine type of putty. The dials are taken from the 1983 line and from the upcoming 1985 spring summer collection.
Finally Swatch introduces metal caped watches as late as 1988. Since then the engineers have found ways to create Swatches with all metal cases, which correspond to the ‘Irony’ lines.
Not many know that the Schmüllers had two watches made out of 18K yellow gold in 1986.
Don’t Be Too Late Proto-Variant and Prototype
The ‘Don’t Be Too Late’ (DBTL) model is the most successful watch of 1984 together with the ‘Grey Memphis’ and has one of the more graphic designs together with the GB103 of 1983 and again the ‘Grey Memphis’. The success of these watches led to the mix of the designs one of which is shown in the picture. This model has the typical DBTL configuration but features the hands of the model ‘Grey Memphis’. The watch is a working model an has no codes on the back.
Another example of the willingness to re-issue a successful piece is the blue version of the DBTL. This watch is part of the variants with differently colored case (white, yellow, green, red, blue, black), but as the intention was to redestribute them like this it is considered a Proto-Variant. Other examples are the white GB103 from 1984 and Inc. from 1985, which can be seen in their respective sections.
This blue DBTL is a working model and has the production code for early 1985.
Dead Tree Prototype
The design process for the ‘dead tree’ model began back in 1983.
The design for this model is coming from Bernard Müller and is also one step for developing new methods for the dial coloration. This time it is the trial to print on an anodized aluminum dial. Several colors exist.
Other techniques for printing dials have been tried, one of which is the ‘photodial’ method, which is explained and backed up with examples in the 1986 section.
Only a few of these watches have been made and all of them are working models. There are different colorations of the dials among the produced pieces such as white / pink, and black / clear brown.
Swatch Prototypes 