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Swatch Pulsometer 1988 Collectable Black Strap Watch- GA106 - Z4329
Ref. GA106
Sits in Swatch’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Swatch watches we list, which start at £70.
Price range £70 to £170 across 16 Swatch watches in stock.The pulsometer scale — that ring of graduated numbers designed to calculate a pulse rate from fifteen beats — places this squarely in the mid-to-late 1980s moment when Swatch was treating the wrist as a canvas for ideas borrowed from medicine, sport and graphic design. This particular model has sat unworn since then, which means the acrylic crystal and white dial are in the condition Swatch originally shipped them, not the condition decades of wear produces. At 33mm in resin, it sits with almost no presence on the wrist — light enough that first-time wearers often check it is still there. That compactness, combined with the Swiss quartz movement inside, meant these were built to keep accurate time indefinitely with nothing more than a battery change, and the survivors that surface now still do exactly that. The strap, however, is the realistic caution: rubber and plastic components from this era harden and crack without warning, and a watch in new-old-stock condition is now primarily something to own rather than to daily-wear.
- Reference
- GA106
- Brand
- Swatch
- Case size
- 33mm
- Case thickness
- 10mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Functions
- Heart rate, Pulsometer
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Vintage
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Learn more about Swatch
Swatch was the Swiss industry's answer to its own near-death. By the early 1980s Japanese quartz had reduced Swiss watch exports catastrophically and employment had collapsed. Nicolas Hayek, brought in as a consultant to advise on liquidating the ASUAG and SSIH conglomerates, recommended the opposite: merge them and attack the low end.
The engineering that made it possible was radical. Ernst Thomke, Elmar Mock, and Jacques Müller designed a watch with fifty-one components instead of the usual ninety-odd, with the movement assembled directly into the injection-moulded case so the watch could not be opened or repaired. It could be made in Switzerland, by robots, for less than the Asian competition.
The first Swatches went on sale in 1983. They were cheap, plastic, colourful, and — critically — sold as fashion rather than as timekeeping. Buyers owned several. Artists including Keith Haring, Kiki Picasso, and later Vivienne Westwood designed editions, and some early models now trade for thousands.
Swatch sold over a hundred million watches within its first decade and financed the rescue of the entire Swiss industry. The Swatch Group that resulted owns Breguet, Blancpain, Omega, Longines, Tissot, Hamilton, and Glashütte Original, and remains the largest watch company in the world.
The MoonSwatch collaboration with Omega in 2022 caused queues around the world.
- 1983
- The first Swatch launches with a 51-component movement.
- 1985
- Keith Haring designs the first artist editions.
- 1992
- Cumulative sales pass 100 million watches.
- 2022
- The MoonSwatch collaboration with Omega sells out globally.
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Will the glass scratch?
Yes, but it polishes out. Acrylic marks easily and a scratch can be buffed away at home, which is why vintage-style watches still use it.
Does it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are F.Hinds?
F.Hinds has been run by the same family since 1856 and is now in its fifth generation, with more than 115 shops across England and Wales. They are a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and an Authorised Diamond Dealer.
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