![]() ![]() All three models in the Swatch Space Collection offer an underwhelming 30 meters of water resistance.Īll three dials in the Swatch Space Collection share the same basic layout, including trapezoidal printed indices and sharply pointed ladder hands. Less aggressive than its chronograph stablemates, the Big Bold Jumpsuit takes its stylistic cues from the jumpsuit uniforms used by NASA astronauts for a variety of land-based tasks from press conferences to everyday facility work. Lastly, the Big Bold Jumpsuit takes on a deeper, slightly more reserved look with an optic white main case and blue bezel. The inspiration here is NASA’s long-serving “pumpkin suit” uniform, used by astronauts for space launches. With its sky gray main case, intense signal orange bezel, and bold accents in red and blue, this is a color combination that demands attention in any scenario. The Big Bold Chrono Launch, on the other hand, presents itself as a wilder and darker alternative. ![]() It’s instantly recognizable as a space-inspired color combination and makes for a versatile statement piece with a variety of casual outfits. In terms of coloration, the Swatch Big Bold Chrono Extravehicular feels like the “hero piece” of the collection, with a stark white, red, and blue colorway in reference to the clean white EVA spacesuits worn by NASA astronauts for spacewalks since 1983. The simple pillbox crowns of all three models and wide pushers in bright red and blue reinforce the vibrant toyetic feel of the overall design, adding intense contrast to the main case body. The use of brightly colored bi0-ceramic is a cornerstone of the Swatch Space Collection’s look, both setting the tone for the series and referencing three of NASA’s most iconic uniforms. The narrow smooth primary blue bezel of the Big Bold Jumpsuit helps to further compress the design on the wrist, while the crenelated design of the chronograph bezels gives those models a slightly heftier feel. This flowing, organic curve ensures that the bezel is the widest point of the case, overall, and limits the actual footprint of the watch on the wrist to something far more manageable. There’s no denying that all three models wear large, but the wearing experience is far from overwhelming, thanks to a combination of the abrupt downward curve of the short four-pronged lugs, the tapering strap which flows seamlessly into the case, and, most prominently, the bowl-like inward slope of the case sides toward the wrist. The 47mm diameter of these three models is also somewhat misleading in terms of wrist presence and wearability. Nothing about the material feels hard or plasticky, and the weight of the material, when paired with the quartz movements in the Big Bold Chrono Extravehicular and Big Bold Chrono Launch, gives those models an almost impossibly lightweight wearing experience in contrast to the bold case dimensions. Made from a blend of traditional case ceramics and organic plastics made from castor beans, the resulting matte material is impressively light, smooth, and soft to the touch, with a premium feel on the wrist that belies its affordable price point. The new Swatch Space Collection, including the Swatch Big Bold Chrono Extravehicular, Swatch Big Bold Chrono Launch, and Swatch Big Bold Jumpsuit combine a bright and cheerful toyetic space aesthetic with futuristic cases to create a vibrant and unique tribute to NASA equipment.Īll three models in the Swatch Space Collection begin with an imposing 47mm case made of the brand’s unique bio-ceramic material. The bright whites, vibrant colors, high-tech materials, and futuristic shapes used by NASA equipment make these machines prime candidates for toys (one of my own favorite toys growing up was a plastic model of the space shuttle Endeavor, complete with astronauts), and Swatch has seized on NASA’s vibrant and toyetic signature look to create a playful new series of lightweight watches cased in advanced bioceramic material first developed for space exploration. Whether intentional or not, the space vehicles and equipment used by NASA have long been prime examples of toyetic design. Although the toyetic concept has dominated blockbuster filmmaking for decades, toyetic thinking extends far beyond the confines of entertainment. What toyetic design generally boils down to, in practice, is the creation of characters, set pieces, locations, and even entire movies or TV series designed to sell as much merchandise and as many toys as possible. One of the most powerful and influential ideas to emerge from Hollywood in the last half-century is the concept of toyetic design. ![]()
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