Swatch@Baselworld

MANILA, Philippines - Each year, the world’s biggest watch show is held in Basel, Switzerland called Baselworld.

The history of the show goes back to almost a century ago, in 1917. Baselworld is like the Las Vegas of watches where the high-rollers of the world’s watch market meet. This year, I’m lucky — I was there.

All systems go for Swatch Sistem51.

Time stopped in Baselworld as I was awed with all the watch brands in one place. From the Swatch Group alone, there were Breguet, Harry Winston, Blancpain, Omega and Longines, among others. To a watch lover, Baselworld is like Disneyland. The best part is… Swatch was there, too. It was the first time Swatch joined and made it so impressively big. Swatch had a two-story stand with a structure in the shape of a Swatch case, and with a carpet size of 3,000 square meters, showcasing more than 5,000 different Swatch watch models produced in three decades: a colorful history of serious innovation, playful provocation and audacious design.

On the first day, Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek welcomed journalists from more than 30 countries to “Planet Swatch,” where he talked about “Swatch Sistem51,” an automated (self-winding) mechanical movement made from 51 components — no more, no less — made possible by its simplified and more efficient design. Most mechanical movements have at least twice as many parts; some have more than 600. Fifty-one is the magic number (and Swatch’s lucky number, too).

Nick Hayek was quick to point out that Sistem51 is “100-percent Swiss made,” and that the thinking process leading to many of the innovations and the revolutionary new movement will likely find application elsewhere in the watch industry and beyond. The new Sistem51 models will be priced within the usual Swatch range.

The Planet Swatch booth and the flashes of creativity

The Best CEO of the Swiss Blue Chip Companies in 2011 is truly a visionary, that’s why he is my new idol. Nick expects to sell millions of Sistem51 Swatch watches around the world.

My favorite experience was my personal encounter with Nick Hayek. I was amazed with Nick’s wit, passion and vision of changing the habits of people with Swatch, their second watch. The mission of Swatch is to put a watch on every wrist — as there are still millions of people who do not have a watch.

Like the world we all live in, Planet Swatch changes every day. It started with “Planet Innovation.” Then it evolved into “Planet Art” and I got to meet famous European artists like Ted Scapa and Ugo Nespolo as well as two young female painters Orianne Zanone and Ellen Shang who all did live painting onsite on big, 2m x 3m canvases. Planets Fashion, Sports, Ladies and Colors followed, with the event culminating tomorrow, May 2.

I was so proud to have been there, not only to celebrate 30 Years of Swatch but also for being the first Pinoy to see upclose the latest Swatch innovation, Sistem51.

Can’t wait to wear a T-shirt I bought from the airport . . . “I LOVE SWATCHERLAND.”