Tap the image to enlarge
Swatch Dotchair 1993 Collectable Dotted Strap Watch- GR115 - Z4346
Ref. GR115
See more premium optionsHide
Stepping up in Swatch's range
The Dotchair arrived in 1993 at the height of Swatch's most adventurous period, when the brand was commissioning designers willing to treat a watch as a canvas rather than an instrument. The white dial carries geometric spots in red, blue and black that read unmistakably as Memphis Group — that short-lived Italian design movement that shook European decorative arts in the early eighties and whose influence Swatch channelled throughout the late eighties and early nineties. The translucent red resin case is part of the same gesture: the colour runs through the material rather than sitting on top of it. At 34mm and 8.75mm deep, it sits exactly where the original Gent always did — close to the wrist, genuinely light, doing nothing to announce itself by scale. Three decades on, one that has remained unworn and boxed is a different proposition from a watch to be put into daily service: the silicone strap will have hardened with age, and this is better handled as the collectible it has become than risked on the wrist. The dial, case and geometry have aged cleanly, and the original box and paperwork make the object complete in a way that matters to anyone serious about this era of Swatch production.
- Reference
- GR115
- Brand
- Swatch
- Collection
- Originals Gent
- Case size
- 34mm
- Case thickness
- 8.75mm
- Lug width
- 17mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Silicone strap
- Strap colour
- Red
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Vintage
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Origin
- Swiss made
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.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in the Swatch Originals Gent range (10), Back in Stock (4,361), Watches Under 37mm (1,536), Watches Under £100 (601) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (310).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 34mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Swatch's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
- Acrylic crystal marks easily, though it polishes out
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Water resistance explainedWill 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.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
17mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
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.
More Swatch watches like the Dotchair 1993 Collectable Dotted
In stock, and close on style and price
