Inc. Proto-Variant
Due to the very disapointing sale numbers of the model ‚Inc.‘ in 1985, Swatch decided to re-issue the watch with a new twist in its design in 1986. In order to guarantee the success of the model, they crossed the design with the very successful ‘McGregor’ of the same year. The similarities to the model ‘McGregor’ are visible when looking at the yellow case and the red dial. In keeping the basic dial design the same but enhancing the visual effect with new colors, they hoped to increase the chances of the new model being accepted by the public. This watch is again an example of the market strategies applied for guaranteeing high sale numbers.
Finally just a few prototypes where built and the idea of re-issueing the model ‘inc.’ with different colors was abandoned. The design differences were obviously too strategically oriented to increase the sale of the model and it lacked the innovation wanted by the public, whenever a new Swatch-collection was issued. Hence Swatch preferred to issue brand new designs instead of an ‘enhanced’ old design.
The watch in the picture bears the production code of early 1986, it has no country code and its fully working.
Photodial Prototypes
Most of these designs come from the feather of the “Schmüllers”, one exception being the ‘Matterhorn’ prototypes, which were designed by Simon Tschopp. The goal of this project was to develop a method to produce photodials, a procedure which is currently used nowadays.
Many test models have been made to test the photodial method, such as the prototypes ‘Clip’, ‘Matterhorn’, ‘Cosmos’, ‘Map’, ‘Colored Checkerboard’, ‘Rainbow’. Some of them are depicted the book Swatchissmo by R. Carrera (Antiquorum Editions, 1991). Most of their individual designs are discussed below.
The only two regular watches bearing the dials printed on photographic paper (photodial type) are the models: Rorrim 5 and Skyracer (with number 12 at 12 o’clock and only on part of the production).
Clip Prototype
The genius of this design lies in using the color-test configuration of TV-Channels to test for the accuracy of reproducing colors and contrasts with the new method. As special feature there is also the names of he designers on the dial. There are two different prototypes: One as seen here with transparent case and another version with dark grey case and date.
Matterhorn Prototype
The ‘Matterhorn’ designs of course show the stylistically rendered famous Matterhorn mountain located near Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The dial of this transparent cased version is rotated by 90º , as compared to the other versions, moreover one can note the minute hand taken from the model ‘Technosphere’ from 1985. This watch, as all ‘Matterhorn’ prototypes depicted above are working models and bear no codes on the back.
Cosmos Prototype
The photodial of this version shows stars in space and a navigation projection, as found in military jets, on the foreground. Even if this dial doesn’t show as many colors as the others, it was chosen to test for the resolution and contrast which would be possible with this type of printing. As the ‘Matterhorn’ prototype and the ‘Clip’ prototype, this watch is fully working and bears no codes on the back
Map Prototype
The ‘Map’ prototype shows a section of a Swiss map. Most probably developed by Marlyse Schmid, it was also used to test for the accuracy with which it would be possible to print details on the dials. Not many now, that the section of the map actually shows exactly where the ‘Schmüllers’ live! As the photodial prototypes shown before, this watch is a working model with no codes on its back.
Sir Swatch prototype with mystérieuse hour hand
1986 was an extremely prolific year for the development of new fabrication methods: for printing dials (see above), for etching dials (search for the ultimate procedure started back in 1983) and also for having new types of hands. All kinds of shapes have been produced, some stayed prototypes, others made it into production. This is the case for the ‘mystérieuse’ hands, which have been used in several official and special models. The experiments with this type of hands started with permanent marker strokes on clear plastic foil, attached to a metal supporting axle. The idea of mystérieuse watches was not new, trials to fool or amuse people with magically turning, apparently floating hour or minute marks dates back to the middle of the 18th century, where they used glass or rock crystal discs as hands.
The designs did not make it to production in 1986 though, we need to wait several years before the first Swatches with mystérieuse hands appear.
The second ‘P’ placed at the spot where the country code usually is stamped identifies this watch as a prototype.
1986/1990 Jelly Fish Re-issue prototype
The best sold Swatch of all time is the Jelly Fish, which also had been designed my the “Schmüllers”. After the very successful reissue of 1986, Swatch decided to give it another go in 1990. So the different designs had been taken out of the designers drawers to create a new and a little different “Jelly Fish”, by only changing the case color It was even planned to get the “Original Jelly” back on track with a different case color. This prototype also features an alternative Crystal with rounder edges sometimes used to build prototypes or hybrids.
Unfortunately neither this very attractive model nor any “Original Jelly” got reissued.
Swatch Prototypes 