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Swatch Voie Humaine 1993 Collectable Illustrated Watch- GX126 - Z4304
Ref. GX126
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Released in the Spring/Summer collection of 1993, the Voie Humaine belongs to the period when Swatch was treating the watch as a canvas as much as a timekeeper. The name — Human Way — runs through the design literally: the orange rubber strap carries a continuous print of antique human silhouettes, figures repeating band to band, and the dial answers them with a fine filigree wreath motif picked out in silver and black against the orange ground. The translucent resin case is finished with a metal ring at the top edge that gives it just enough structure to stop it reading as purely casual. At 34mm and under 9mm deep it sits flat and weighs almost nothing, which is partly why these early Gents age so well on the wrist. What makes this particular example unusual is its condition: new-old-stock, untouched in storage since the early nineties, and supplied with the original box and paperwork. The orange strap will be fragile after thirty years, and that is worth knowing before deciding whether to wear it or display it, but the movement — a sealed Swiss quartz unit that needs only a battery to run — tested and runs.
- Reference
- GX126
- Brand
- Swatch
- Collection
- Gent
- Case size
- 34mm
- Case thickness
- 9mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Orange
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Orange
- 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 Gent range (9), Back in Stock (5,018), Watches Under 37mm (1,760), Watches Under £100 (647) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (382).
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
- Acrylic crystal marks easily, though it polishes out
Swatch Voie Humaine 1993 Collectable alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | GX126 | A168WG-9EF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £60 | £60 |
| Case size | 34mm | 36.3mm |
| Water resistance | — | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
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.
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 comparedIs 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.
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