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Swatch Z4369 Swatch Chandelier 1993 Collectable Wooden Crate Watch- GZ125 - Z4369
Ref. GZ125
Sits in Swatch’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Swatch watches we list, which start at £60.
Price range £60 to £350 across 28 Swatch watches in stock.Matteo Thun designed this for Swatch's 1992 Christmas Special, and the concept is as literal as it is delightful: curved wires fixed to the lugs suspend red, blue, and clear teardrop crystal beads so that the watch becomes, on the wrist, a small chandelier in motion. The edition was capped at 49,999 pieces, and the transparent resin case and strap were chosen to keep the structure light and the beadwork visible from every angle. At 34mm across and 39.2mm lug to lug it sits with almost no weight on the wrist, though the hanging crystals give it a visual presence well beyond those numbers. The case is a sealed monobloc in the standard Swatch Gent manner — the movement is inaccessible except through the battery hatch — and the strap runs through hooded integrated lugs rather than conventional spring bars. This example comes in the original wooden collector's presentation box. The silicone strap on any unserviced piece of this age carries a real risk of brittleness, which is worth bearing in mind before deciding whether to wear it.
- Reference
- GZ125
- Brand
- Swatch
- Collection
- Gent
- Case size
- 34mm
- Case thickness
- 8.75mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Silicone strap
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Vintage
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 39.2mm
- 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 4 collections
This watch appears in the Swatch Gent range (11), Watches Under 37mm (1,713), Silver Dial Watches (715) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (369).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 34mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- 39.2mm lug-to-lug keeps the 34mm case wearable
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Swatch's more premium watches
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 comparedWill it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 39.2mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs 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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