This page does not contain any fancy pictures but I hope to provide some substantial information for collectors. If you want to see some pictures of interesting swatches then go to my virtual swatch museum. Although I am probably a bit biased, it is highly recommended , especially the section about special packagings.

Older Swatch info

news from 2000 are below:

• Kiruna event Xmas special.  During a wonderful Xmas event (16 to 18-DEC) organized by swatch the club near Kiruna (Sweden), a special version of the Xmas 2000 special was distributed in a very limited edition of 60 pcs to the participating club members.  Here is a picture.  The special contains an additional golden greeting card personally signed by Nick Hayek jr. and an additional small snowflake charm affixed to the strap ("Swatch The Club - Kiruna 2000").  Very nice.  Is this the first ever variation of a Xmas special?  Update: Here is a report about the event, with a many pictures.  Check it out!
• TSI specials.  The Swiss TV station TSI (Télévision Suisse Italienne) has released three special swatches (older models with new strap) in 1998, 1999, and 2000 (one each year).  For '98 and  '99, they released Accelerato (GK246C) and Sabbia (YGS1006C).  In 2000, the Irony Zebah with an engraved logo RTSI (Radio Télévision Suisse Italienne) on the strap was given away to guests of the Xmas party.  The number of each special is unknown.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information and pictures.
• The Alfee Japan access special.  A Magic Show access (SKK106N) with a special strap was used as an entrance pass for the concert of  The Alfee on 31 December, 2000.  7,000 pcs were used as a ticket and 3,000 pcs were sold in the concert hall.  So, it is 10,000 pcs in total. Thanks to Takashi Odagiri for the information.
• Soulcity 2000 Vienna access special.  Swatch has released an access swatch with a special strap for the Soulcity 2000 event in Vienna on new years eve 2000.  The watch is a Vertical Flavour access (SHM102) with a new strap. Here is a picture of the complete package (watch, hat, programme) that was distributed for the event.  Only 460 pieces have been made this year.  Thanks to Peter Rollings  for the information and pictures.
• World Championship of Snowboard Italy access special.  For the next World Championship of Snowboard in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, from 21 to 28-JAN, a special version of the access swatch Moonstruck (SKK 115) has been released.  The watch has an extra loop around the strap.  Here is a picture. Thanks to Robert Tintori for the information and picture.
• Portuguese Gaia Shopping special.  To celebrate its opening, the portuguese Swatch Shop of shopping center Gaia Shopping in Vila Nova de Gaia, has released a special packaging of the gent swatch Grr! Oink! (GK329P).  The special includes a very nice mug. Limitation is ***/229 (the number of the shop in the center!). Here is a picture of the special.  Thanks to Paulo Jorge Almeida for the information and picture.
• Sydney Irony Olympic special.  For the Sydney Olympics, the IOC has released a variation of the Penrith Irony swatch:  CIO 2000 - IOC 2000 (YGZ4000).  The watch features the olympic rings on the dial.
• Apple special.  The computer company Apple has released a special swatch Learn & Earn (GN171E, Smoked Blue with a new strap). Here is a picture.  This is an official special swatch as it has the correct code on the box and on the guarantee paper.  Do you know more about this swatch (eg. how many?  when, where and why it was distributed?)?  If yes, please let me know. Thanks to Torsten Rube for the information and picture.
• New Vendôme swatches.  Besides the Vendôme diamond xmas special Nuit Cosmique, Swatch has released several new swatches at the Vendôme store in Paris.  More details can be found at my page about the Vendôme swatches.
• Vendôme Xmas special.  Swatch has released a Vendôme diamond xmas special Nuit Cosmique in a limited edition of 300 unnumbered pieces.  It is a mid size irony with 12 real diamonds, taille brillant, average weight 0.09 carat, top wesselton pure.  The band is plastic and metal.  The watch is packaged in a very nice leather coated box and in a white outer box.  On 21-DEC, the watch was still available in the store in Paris.  Price is 2500 French Francs (about $350 US).  Apparently, it was originally planned to sell this swatch worldwide in a limited edition of 1000 pcs as you can see on this page on the official swatch website.
• Azzali Carré special.  The italian jeweller Azzali has released a special box (only 12 pcs!) containing the first series (four different) of square (Carré) swatches.  Not all boxes are exactly the same, eg. one had a black frame, white paper and silver metal tag with imprint "Azzali 1881",  while another one had a dark wood frame, black paper and a gold metal tag.  Here is a picture of the front of the box (watches behind glass) and here is a picture of the back (Azzali stamp, Azzali own siganture, and a hand written number).  Overall not too impressive.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information and to Emanuele Bertodo at www.wwt.it  for the pictures.
• Dutch PcM publishers special.  The dutch company PcM Publishers has released two special swatches at the occasion of the completion of the Y2K project (end of 1999) of the Facilitaire Bedrijven ICT.  A skin Black Out Too with a special strap (picture, about 40 pcs) was given away to the female employees.  A second watch (about 200 pcs) was given to the male employees.  Thanks to Hans van Buuren for the information.
• Second Xmas special 2000.  A second Xmas special 2000 will be available soon:  A .beat alu Golden Virtual.Wave (5000 pcs, 140 German Mark, approx. $64 US).  Here is a picture.
• Calendar 2001 swatches.  Last year, swatch sold the watches Eredita (GK722) and Gourmette (GK409) with a special 2000 calendar strap.  These watches were quickly withdrawn from the market. Eredita (GK722) and Gourmette (GK409) are now being sold with a special calendar 2001 strap in Switzerland only.  As you can see from the picture, the watches are being sold with a calendar 2000 strap and an extra calendar 2001 strap.  Maybe it is too expensive for swatch to exchange the straps again...  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information.
• fèves Swatch.  My french is not good enough to translate the following story by Alain Choisy.  He talks about swatch sweets that are currently available.  Here is a picture and here is the story:  "une fabrique de fèves [objets que l'on met dans une galette (pâtisserie) pour la fête de l' Épiphanie] a produit des fèves Swatch. La série est de 10 sujets qui reprennent diverses montres Swatch. Le logo Swatch se trouve au dos de chaque fève. Dans certains pays, lors de l' Épiphanie (Fêtes des Rois Mages) le 6 janvier 2001 (petit nouvel-an). En général, c'est pendant un repas qui se fait en famille ou entre amis, que l'on divise une galette en diverses portions. Dans l'une de ces portions, se trouve la fève (le roi) . Celui qui la trouve en mangeant sa part, devient le roi pour la journée. (et porte une couronne en carton, donnée lors de l'achat du gâteau)"
• Velcro straps again. About ten older models (97-98, gent, access) have been refitted with velcro straps. They are being sold now in Switzerland (and other countries as well, probably).  Probably a good way to clear the swatch warehouse from unsold swatches (swatch did something similar in 1997 with some models from 93-95).  The following models are available now:   Crepuscule (GK278C), Booster (GB182C), Clearance (SKK103Z, a special plastic strap), Blizzard (GK273C), Space Track (GK718C), Granite Caffe (GK289C). Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information.
• Uncover special.  The German clothing company Schiesser has released a special swatch Uncover (GB737C, Espresso with a new strap).  Here is a picture.  This is an official special swatch as you can see from the guarantee paper.  This swatch was given away last year as a prize of a lucky draw.  It is very limited as less than 100 prizes were distributed.
• Japanese SMAP .beat special.  A .beat special SMAP (is this a pop group? :-) has been released in Japan.  Details and pictures can be found on the wonderful webpages by Yasuhiro Minato.
• Montreux Jazz Festival 2001.  Matthias Winkler (Swatch Zeit2) from Switzerland has designed the poster and T-shirts for the Montreux Jazz Festival 2001 (6-21 JUL).  You can see and buy the poster and T-shirts here. Thanks to Christine Tanner for the information.
• "easy pay" swatch access.  Swatch has released a new blue scuba access swatch called Easy Pay in the Netherlands.  You can use this swatch access to pay at certain Shell gas stations in the Netherlands.  Sounds like a nice application of the access system.  You have to order this access swatch directly from Shell, you cannot buy it at the gas stations.  The money is taken directly from your banking account, it is not "loaded" on the access swatch.  You need a banking account in the Netherlands to buy the swatch.  I don't know if you can use any other access swatch as well.  Here is a picture of the Easy Pay watch and here is the official Easy Pay website.  More details about this watch can be found on Hans van Buuren's excellent swatch page.  Thanks to Jürgen Walter for the information.
• New Vendôme special / new models.  Another very limited Vendôme special (similar to the 7 chrono box) will be released in december.  And about 15 new models will be released in mid november. Update: The current Vendome collection will be completely replaced by a new collection (about 60(!) models) during the next year.  One new model is called Cercle au Carré (GK353P, gent with real steel strap). Thanks to Thomas Sonneville for the information and to David Rippmann for the update.
• Skin Chrono.  A skin chrono product line will be released in spring 2001.  Thanks to Thomas Bürki and David Rippmann for the information.
• New product line Carré.  Swatch will launch a new product line called Carré (="square" in french) in november.  The watch will have a square face.  The carré swatches will be available in two different sizes:  3cm² and 5cm².  I think that the watches are looking somewhat strange...  Update:   On 27-OCT, the product line Carré was officially launched in Zürich, Switzerland.  Swatch had invited the press and the swiss gold members (about 100 persons in total).  Theme of the party which took place in Condor Film studios was Don't Be Too Square which actually is one of the two models being launched first.  Don't Be Too Square (SUAB100, a 5cm² model) is of course a reminder of a very famous 1984 swatch model...  The other square, 3cm² model, is called Typical Square (SUBR100).  Here is a picture of the packaging.  The other six upcoming Carré swatches (8 in total) are called:  Subliminal (SUBK100), Satisfaction, Straight (3cm); Synthetic, Single, Sabotage (5cm).  Update #2:  According to the local Biel newspaper, the models Straight, Single, and Sabotage will not be sold, they have been removed from the collection!  So only five square watches will be sold.  Hereis the official Carré website.   Thanks to Roy Porello and to Alain Choisy for the information, to Otto Schreiber for the pictures, and to Christine Tanner and Thomas Bürki for the update..
• Errors on swatch olympic watches.  Two errors on swatch olympic Sydney 2000 swatches have been discovered:  First of all, the Run After NOC France swatch (GK419H, 1800 pcs) has an error on the imprint "olympique", the e is printed on top of the u.  It is unknown if all 1800 pcs have this error.  Second error:  The first printing (approx. 200 pcs) of the special strap of the Sydney 2000 Aquachrono (SBZ102C, was only available in Australia) was misprinted, click here for details.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information and pictures.
• Guggenheim Museum swatch?  There is a rumour that Frank O. Gehry, the famous architect (USA) of the new Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, will design a Swatch for the Guggenheim Museums.  Thanks toTorsten Rube for the information.
• cyber.commander / net.invader / The mouse pad watch / 2nd club watch. Here is an interesting advertisement from the Schweizer Illustrierte magazine.  I try to give a rough translation:  "Door opener.  Those people who are not able to remember all passwords or codes, need a Swatch cyber.commander. In conjunction with a special mouse pad, this swatch allows to read your email on any computer.  Limited to 20000 pcs worldwide.  150 Swiss Francs (~$92 US)."  This swatch is probably an access swatch and the mouse pad contains the antenna / receiver for the access function. Update: The watch has been renamed to net.invader. It also has been declared as 2nd club swatch of 2000.  It will only be available to swatch the club members (are there really 20000 club members willing to buy this? :-)  Here is another picture.    Thanks to Marc Lenzinger for the picture.
• New Jelly skins.  A new green jelly skin (SFG101) with green face has surfaced.  This one and others in different colors will replace the current color jelly skins.  This means that the current color jelly skins might become collectable (similar to Black Out Too with black hands).   Thanks to Rob Versteeg of www.squiggly.com  for the information and pictures.
• Swatch Maxi Sydney 2000 Auction.  Swatch has auctioned twelve signed 104 Years olympic maxi swatches through their website.  All money from this auction goes to Olympic Aid.  The maxis and their final bids:  Australian Swimming Team (501 CHF), Cathy Freeman (550 CHF), Domenico Fioravanti (280 CHF), Fu Mingxia and Diving Team (500 CHF), Haile Gebrselassie (365 CHF), Inge de Bruijn & Pieter van den Hoogenband (435 CHF), Lenny Krayzelburg (333 CHF), Massimiliano Rosolino (265 CHF), Michael Johnson (453 CHF), Michel Andrieux & Jean-Christophe Rolland (350 CHF), Romanian Artistic Gymnastics Team (325 CHF), and Tom Dolan (291 CHF).
• Swatch Guide For Club Members.  Swatch has distributed (for free!) a special swatch watch guide to the club members.  It is a version of the Swatch-Clopedia guide:  Different cover, no prices (only 5 star rating system [*****=extremely rare, *=normal shop price]), a somewhat better presentation of the specials, and pictures of the Vendôme collection.  A great idea and a great gift.  Thanks.  The most interesting information that I have found so far is the info about the limitation numbers of the Run After NOC swatches (GK419).  Some of them are really limited!
• Skin Digital.  It has been rumoured for quite some time:  A Skin digital will be released in the future.  Here is a picture and here is another one.  Looks exciting!  Update:  At least three models will be released:  SIB100, SIK100G, SIN100.  In december, a skin digital with chrono function will be released. 2nd update:  The watches have been released and were immediately withdrawn again from market in order to reprogram the watches (it was impossible to use the only button of the watch to set the time).  The watches will be available again in november in Italy and in february in the Netherlands.  I don't know about other markets.  Thanks to Alain Choisy, Andrea Faggioli, and Rob Versteeg for the information and pictures.
• Portuguese Escola special.  On 15-JUN, swatch has released a benefit special called Escola ("school" in Portuguese).  There are two versions, one regular in a paper box and one special edition in a brick.  Here is a picture of the regular edition and here is a picture of the inside of the paper box .  Quite nice.  No idea about the limitation.  Swatch will donate about 6 Euros (about $6 US) from eatch watch sold for the reconstruction of a school in East Timor.  The special edition in a brick (a real brick! 1.5 kg!) will probably be available in Portugal only.  Some pieces of the brick version were signed by well known people of the portuguese Jet Set and have been auctioned to raise more founds. Apparently, there is a first edition of 500 pieces and a 2nd one of more 3.500.  Here is a picture of the packaging of the brick, here a picture of the inside of the brick, and here is a picture of the number from the 2nd edition.  The first signed brick was auctioned on 10-JUL in the Portugal major TV network SIC, and it went to $6,000 US!  It was signed by Bishop D. Basilio do Nascimento.  He is the Bishop of  Baucau (Timor).  On 17-JUL, another brick was auctioned, signed by Herman Jose (a Portuguese comic entertainer, very well known in Portugal).  It was sold at around $2,100US.  A maxi swatch is also available (limited to 400 pcs).  The face of the maxi is a little different from the gent swatch.   Thanks to Ricardo Santos, Rui Mendes and to Paulo from Jelly Fish - Net for the information.
• Le Castella Italy special.  On 24-JUN, the new fall / winter 2000/2001 collection was launched in Italy at a special event for collectors.  A special packaging of the Higher Ground access swatch (SKK116C, 500pcs numbered) was distributed.  Here are pictures of the packaging: front / back / content of box / more content / number / price sticker.  The watch has a special loop around the strap.  Thanks to Yasuhiro Minato for the pictures.
• Netherlands Roche specials.  The chemical company Roche has issued a series of four special Swatch watches (Sugarless, GM113, 1993 with four different new straps, 5000 pcs each).  Each watch comes with a nice folder in a nice box.  These watches are given to "good" customers (eg. doctors), they are not being sold.  The straps of the first three swatches were designed by famous Dutch artists.  GM113E (watch, folder, box) was issued in spring 1999.  GM113F (watch, folder,box) was issued in fall 1999.  GM113C (watch, folder, box) was issued in spring 2000.  The last (4th) watch will be issued in fall 2000.  It will be designed by the winner of a contest, held under customers of Roche. The entry to this contest is closed now and the package is expected in december.  More details on the very nice swatch page of Hans van Buuren.
• US Olympic pin specials.  Swatch will release special versions of the packagings of four or five of the current olympic swatches (such as 104 years, Nova etc.) in the USA only.  Each packaging will include an additional pin of the watch (yawn!), limited to 3000 pieces each.  Here is a picture of the 104 years packaging.  Also available is Run After (NOC USA, box and opened box), Uluru Irony (box and opened box), and Nova (picture of signed watch).  At least three of the special packagings are very nice!  Thanks to Brian Pier for the information and pictures.
• London tourist special.  Swatch has released a special London swatch (GN190). The initial issue will be available in the UK only in a special packaging.  Here are pictures of the UK special packaging.  Later the watch will be issued globally but without the special packaging.  Here is a picture of the watch.  Thanks to Paul Coombs for the information and to Alain Choisy for the picture.
• 2nd Colors access.  The Colors restaurant / bar in Zurich (Switzerland) currently gives a new access special Colors 2 (SKK103U) to guests of the restaurant.  It is the well known Clearance access swatch with a special velcro strap in a special box.  Here is a picture of the watch with the front of the box and hereis a picture of the back of the box.  Thanks to Roberto Tintori for the information and pictures.
• UK swatch event.  The launch of the London swatch and the Dare to Wear campaign will be taking place on 5-AUG at the Covent Garden Swatch store in London, UK.  The artist Ian Moore who designed the London Swatch Watch packaging will be signing the watches from 2pm-5pm.  Swatch UK writes: "This is a great opportunity to meet the artist who created the funky packaging, as well as an opportunity to meet fellow Swatch enthusiasts! You can also hear the tale of 4 Swatch the Club Members who took part in the Dare to Wear project, and are now appearing in store as part of this exciting campaign."  Thanks to Peter Rollings for the information.
• Dutch Gouden Kalf special.  The swatch store in Utrecht, Netherlands, plans to release a special packaging for the Netherlands Film Festival. Here is a preview picture.   Thanks to Hans van Buuren for the picture.
• Hannover swatch.  Just in time for the Expo 2000 world fair in Hannover, Germany, swatch has released a special city access swatch for Hannover called Colours of a City (SKK118). Here is a picture of the watch.  It is limited to 15000 pcs, not numbered. The watch is not in the catalogue for the upcoming fall / winter collection 2000/01.  Thanks to Torsten Rube for the information.
• Vendôme swatches.  On 29-JUN, swatch has opened a very special swatch store at 16, place Vendôme, in Paris, France.  At place Vendôme, only very expensive jewelry and watches such as Rolex, Patek Philippe etc. can be bought.  So a swatch store in this location is very challenging.  Swatch has come up with a very interesting idea to face that challenge: ... Read all the details about the Vendôme swatches here.  (this is really too much to write in 5 or 10 lines, with pictures!). Update: You can see the complete Vendôme collection at the new Swatch-Clopedia website.  Jacky also has a nice page about the Vendôme swatches.  Alby also has a great page.
• Big Swell designs.  Jeff Raglus from Australia has designed the access swatch Big Swell.  Here is an example for the design sheets that he as made for the Swatch design labs.  Really interesting.  Torsten Rube has more design sheets on his superb page. Thanks to Torsten Rube for the information and picture.
• Swatch special The Winner.  The Sw@tch World Journal, the publication for club members, has given away a special swatch called The Winner to (guess what?) winners of competitions held in the world journal. Here is a picture of the watch and the special packaging.  The watch looks like a Net (GB173, 1996) with a new strap, with a THE WINNER loop.  Excellent strap and packaging!  Update:  The prototype version of The Winner has surfaced:  pic1 / pic2 / pic3 / pic4 / pic5.  In total, about 10 The Winner specials have been distributed to Swatch Club members from all over the world starting in 2000.  Laurent Stefani received a The Winner special in 2002, some photos of the back:  pic1 / pic2.  Here is a photo showing Laurent and Nick Hayek in 1998, with Laurent presenting some of his wonderful artworks...
• UK Dare To Wear event.  There was a recent UK event for some very lucky club members. The members will be used in publicity posters for the new Fall/Winter campaign entitled Dare to Wear.  Read all about the event here. Thanks to Paul Coombs for the information.
• Japanese Naomi Skin special packaging.  On 8-JUL (event of the clock(?!?)), a special Naomi packaging of the skin watch has been released in Japan.  Here is a picture and here is a picture of the closed packaging.  The packaging includes a special Naomi fan and other things.  Here is a picture of a japanese promotional postcard.  Thanks to Yuji Tada and to Yasuhiro Minato for the information and picture.
• New swatch catalogue.  On 30-JUN, the "Ultimate Swatch Watches Catalog" called Swatch-Clopedia was released during the opening party of Squiggly's watch store in Rotterdam.  Some pictures of the catalogue can be found on the site www.swatch-clopedia.com.  A special packaging of the book was sold at the party:  A hardbound version of the book together with a Jelly Piano (GZ159) with a print on the strap, limited to 150 pcs.  The strap of the Jelly Piano lists many interesting figures about the book!  Update:  In the meantime, I received the catalogue:  Same format as the Bonello's guide; the Swatch-Clopedia shows seven swatches instead of five on one page.  As most of you already know the regular swatches from the official swatch catalogues, this leaves more space for special packagings (about 250 packagings on 44 pages) and even more interesting:  pictures of about 500 prototypes and variants (34 pages).  A good feature of the Swatch-Clopedia is the cross-reference to prototypes and special packagings in the section of the regular watches:  When a regular swatch has a special packaging or prototype, the corresponding page no. is printed on the page of the regular swatch.  Prices are shown is US$, EURO, and Yen.  Printing quality is very good, especially the pictures of the special packagings are superb.  Overall, it is clear that a lot of work has been put in this book as it contains a huge number of details and information about the watches.  The Swatch-Clopedia really deserves its name.   Thanks to Hans van Buuren for the pictures.
• Signed Time Tranny.  On 25-MAY,  David LaChapelle signed a few Time Tranny swatches.  Here is a picture of a signed swatch.  I have made a small report about the event.  Check it out, it is really worth it!
• Sky TV special.  In order to celebrate the 10th anniversary, the UK TV channel Sky TV has released a special swatch.  Here is a picture.  I guess that it is an automatic model with a new strap.  Can you recognize the watch?
• Paris club event.  After the goldmember event in Biel, goldmembers and other (not so worthy) club members (about 140 total) met in Paris, France, on the weekend of 24 to 25-JUN.  During the event, we had a treasure hunt all over Paris.  As a prize, each club member got the watch Anticonstitutionellement from the new fall / winter collection with a special paper loop around the sleeve. Here is a picture of the packaging for club members (watch, T-shirt, bag, hat, club phone card).  Update:  I have written a small report about the event (with pictures!).  Check it out!
• Artist signing with Marc Borgères.  On 22-JUN, the french artist Marc Borgères signed his two swatch watches Agent (GB906) and Simple Art (GK737) from the current collection in the Carlet Swatch store in Paris, France.  Here is a picture of the signed watches (he signed Simple Art on the back of the transparent watch).  About 50 pairs of watches were signed at the store.  Together with the watches, most customers (not all!) received a set of postcards by Marc Borgères in a transparent sleeve with a special sticker related to the signing event and a big black swatch paper sleeve also signed by Marc in white.  Very nice.  Hereis a picture of the set.  The remaining signed swatches were bought by the participants of the Paris swatch the club event a few days later, so they are sold out by now.
• Gold- / Pioneer club member meeting.  The annual gold- and pioneer club member meeting took place in Biel and Zurich (Switzerland) on 21 to 23-JUN.  I cannot report much about the event because I am not a goldmember.  During the event, a special packaging of the swatch Cigar (GK250)  was given to each gold member.  The watch (with a special extra loop) comes in a special nice wooden box.  Here is a picture of the outside of the box.  About 110 of these specials were distributed.
• Harajuku swatch store closed.  The swatch flagship store Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan is closed since June, 18th.  Here are some pictures from the store.  Thanks to Yasuhiro Minato for the information.
• Hawaii special.  A new Hawaii special (similar to the nice Empire State Building special) called Tropical Delight (GN188) has been released.  Here is a picture.  No ideas about limitation (probably not).  Update: The watch will be part of the fall / winter collection 2000 but without the special packaging.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the update.
• Zurich swatch presentation.  On 7-JUN, the new Fall / Winter collection was launched in a cinema in Zurich, Switzerland.  The show was called Body And Soul.  It featured body painting and music with themes from the new collection.  290 Swatch Dealers and 50 Club Members were invited.  One of the five .beatnik specials who actually went to space was given away in a lucky draw.  The lucky winner is not a swatch collector, she will wear the swatch!?!  Thanks to Christine Tanner for the information.
• Portuguese Genetic Code special packaging.  A special packaging for the Genetic Code club swatch has been released for Portugal only (GZ164F).  It is similar to the Grenchen club event special packaging from March, the only difference is a red box instead of a blue box.  The red box will also be numbered xxx/500.  Somewhat disappointing news...  Thanks to Jorge Alberto Malheiro for the information and to Ricardo Rocha for the picture.
• Streets of Utrecht special.  The Swatch Store in Utrecht has released a big and heavy (approx. 25 x 50 x 5 cm and 1.5 kg) special packaging called Streets of Utrecht.  It is a limited, numbered edition of 400 pieces.  This special was designed again by Marcel Bierenbroodspot (Twitch Twins and Peter). The box contains a board game for four players and a Streets of Bienne (GK303) swatch with a new strap (the one on the right is the one being sold, the others are test prints).  Here is a picture of the box and here is one of the inside of the box.  Price is NLG 190.  There is also a Maxi of this Swatch which was completely done by hand. You can find more details about this release on Hans van Buuren's excellent swatch page.
• Shareholder's meeting special.  During the annual shareholder's meeting of Swatch Group on 23-MAY, two different special swatch watches were given to all shareholders present at the meeting (about 500-600 persons).  Ombrellone(GO100F) and Chaise Longue (GJ109F) have been refitted (again) with a new special strap.  These two special watches will also be distributed at the Olympic Games in Sydney later this year to all volunteers (similar to Atlanta'96; but without the extra GV 2000 Swatch Group loop around the strap; GV = Generalversammlung = shareholder's meeting). Thanks to Christine Tanner for the information and pictures.
• MOMA swatch specials.  The New York Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) has released a special swatch.  Designed to embody the MoMA identity, the unisex MoMA Swatch features a clean, mirror-finish face.  The MoMA logo appears when the hands are aligned.   The watch is available with red (GZ406D), silver (GZ406), and black (GZ406D again!) strap.  The plastic box carries a MOMA sticker.  The black and the silver MOMA swatch are sold with a cardboard paper slip cover around the box.  Oddly enough, the red band version does not come with the cardboard slip cover - only a transparent plastic slip cover with the price sticker.  You can buy this swatch from the online store of the museum and in US swatch stores.  10,000 MOMA special watches were made. 2,500 went to the USA Swatch stores and 7,500 went to MOMA to sell in their store. During May, you did get a coupon good for entrance into MOMA with the purchase of the Swatch. You can use the coupon anytime in 2000. This promotion has ended at the Swatch stores.  Thanks to Melissa Starr and Brian Pier for the information and picture.
• Montreux Jazz Festival 2000 special.  A special swatch will be released for the Montreux Jazz Festival (7-22 JUL 2000).  Here is a picture and here is a picure of the actual watch and the very nice box.  Looks good.  You can buy it online here (select language, merchandising, then accessories).  Thanks to Jean-Bernard Mani and to Marc Lenzinger for the information and picture.
• HiTech Swatch rumours.  The following article (in German) from the Swiss magazine Cash describes in detail (with pictures) some upcoming hi-tech swatches:  Swatch Talk will be a mobile phone featuring GSM standard, 18 hours standby, WAP browser (in a small watch?!?) for surfing the internet, rechargable batteries.  It will be sold starting in 2001.  Also next year, swatch plans to release a GPS watch much smaller than current GPS watches.  Thanks to Christine Tanner for the information and picture.
• Swatch in the movies.  In Erin Brokovich, the new (at least in Europe) film with Julia Roberts, she's wearing a Swatch.  It may be the Mariqiuta ladies swatch (LB 148, fall/winter 1998).  Thanks to Tony smeT for the information.
• Austrian Lifeball Swatch.  The Life Ball is a yearly AIDS charity event in Vienna, Austria.  This year, Life Ball takes place on 13-MAY.  Swatch has been a sponsor for many years, and this year, a special Life Ball swatch will be sold.  The Life Ball watch is a Swatch Skin, produced in a limited edition of 1000 pieces and available only in Austria. On the left, its "Red Ribbon" strap carries the Life Ball 2000 logo. Packaged in a special transparent plastic pouch with a red cord, the watch itself nests atop a red feather boa (the picture shows a white feather boa, so the picture is not 100% correct) .
• Laax 2000 special.  On the weekend of 15/16-APR-2000, a swatch the club event took place at the Boarder-X event in Laax, Switzerland.  A special packaging of the In Process scuba access (SHB104) was released.  The watch has also been refitted with a special strap Boarder-X 2000 Laax.  According to the swatch website, the limitation is 2000 pcs.  Maybe the special packaging is limited more...  Peter Rollings has some nice pictures about the event on his webpage.  Thanks to Peter Rollings for the pictures.
• Portuguese Amoreiras .beat special.  The Portuguese Amoreiras swatch store in South Lisboa has issued a special packaging of the .beat watches.  Limitation is 150 pieces, numbered. Thanks to Rob Versteeg for the picture.
• Irony Scuba 200 chronometer / Italian launch event.  To celebrate the launch of the Irony Scuba 200 (eg. on 23-MAR in the swatch store in Basel, Switzerland), Swatch will release an Irony Scuba 200 chronometer in a special packaging limited to 2000 pcs.  Each watch will carry a numbered chronometer certificate (similar to the limited Time Cut chronometer).  Price for the Irony Scuba 200 chronometer will be around $300 US.  Here is a fuzzy picture of the special and here is another one by Rob V.  On April 9, a Swatch event will take place in Mantova (Mantua) (some 200 kilometers South-East of Milan), Italy, to celebrate the launch of the new Irony Scuba 200 Chrono. There will be a display of all Swatch Special packagings and also a space for swapping swatches. It will also be possible to buy the special chronometer edition of the Sea Counter Irony Scuba 200 Chrono. 415 packagings will be sold only to Italian collectors attending the event; price of each packaging will be 500,000 Ital.Lira (approximately $250 US). Thanks to Mark Lenzinger and Andrea Faggioli for the information and to Christine Tanner and Michael Horn for the pictures.
• Grenchen Club Launch 2000 special.  On the weekend of 11 to 12-MAR-2000, a swatch the club event took place in Grenchen, Switzerland.  500 club members from all around the world came to visit the swatch factory in Grenchen.  Here is a small report about the event, check it out!  A special numbered packaging (500 pcs) of the club watch 2000 Genetic Code was distributed.  As far as I understand, the normal packaging of the Genetic Code is the nice test-tube, so the special packaging of Grenchen is the blue box with a clear plastic sleeve showing all 51 pieces of a swatch.  Nice packaging overall!
• Inhorgenta 2000 access.  For the jewelry and watch fair Inhorgenta in Munich, Germany, a special access Inhorgenta 2000 (SKK103IN) was released.  Again, a refitted Clearance access with an extra loop around the strap. Here is a picture of the sticker on the plastic box.  No idea about limitation but it is probably quite rare because it was only given to jewellers as an entrance ticket for the swatch exhibition booth.  It was not sold to the public. Thanks to Yasuhiro Minato for the pictures.
• Thyssen-Krupp 2000 irony special.  The German company Thyssen-Krupp (produces steel) has given a special swatch to all those employees who had to work during the millennium changeover 1999/2000 (similar to the Lufthansa special).  The Thyssen-Krupp special is a Body and Soul Irony Automatic with a new black leather strap carrying the Thyssen-Krupp logo.  Apparently, two versions of this special exist:  One without and one with "2000" engraving on the case of the watch (below the 6 o'clock position).  Here is a picture of the special with the "2000" engraving and here is a closeup.  Here is a picture of the packaging of the special. The version with the "2000" engraving seems to be more rare because it was only given to those employees who had to work at the blast furnace.  Eventually, a third special (a Happy Joe Irony with new strap) also exists but I only have this bad picture.  My guess is that the Thyssen-Krupp special is much more rare than the Lufthansa special.   Thanks to Nikolai Kuttler  for the information and picture.
• Nissan Access.  A special version of the access swatch Ponentino (SKK110) has been released by car maker Nissan.  The watch has an additional loop around the strap.  Here is a picture.
• Manor Innovazione access special.  The Swiss department store Manor has distributed a Clearance access with a new strap for the millenium changeover.  Here is a picture.  It comes with a special guarantee paper.  The special sleeve and guarantee paper exists in German, English, French and Italian! Thanks to Alain Choisy for the pictures.
• Ajax Amsterdam soccer special.  The dutch soccer club Ajax Amsterdam celebrates the 100th anniversary in the year 2000.  To celebrate this event a special Swatch is sold through the Ajax site and also through some Stores. Here is a picture of the watch and here is another. 15000 pieces of this swatch were made.  The very nice swatch page of Hans van Buuren reports more details about this watch.
• Third Beaubourg artist special / variant!  After the nice Jelly Piano and the not-so-nice (sorry!) Pierre et Gilles artist specials, the third beaubourg artist swatch is called Time Tranny (GZ163).  It has been designed by the fashion photographer David LaChapelle.   Here is a picture of the watch and of the packaging.  Apparently, two versions of the Time Tranny swatch exist: Version1 (black and white stripes around the face) and version2 ("marbled" stripes around the face, this is probably the more rare variant). Thanks to Rob Versteeg  for the information and pictures.
• Japanese Nekoma Shaun Palmer Boarder-X special.  To commemorate the Boarder-X event in Nekoma (Japan) on 1 to 4-MAR-00, a special packaging of the Palmer scuba access (SHB100) has been released in a limited numbered edition of 200 pieces.  Here is a picture of the packaging and of the number on the packaging.
• The Swatchies.  I found the following picture in an official japanese Swatch newsletter.  I am not 100% sure if this is for real or just a nice advertisement idea :-)  The red record on the floor is by the B-52s!
• Dutch Pieterburen  special.  The Swatch Store in Utrecht (Netherlands) has released a special package (222 pcs, numbered) on 26-FEB-2000.  Design is by Marcel Bierenbroodspot who also designed the very succesful special packaging Twitch Twins.  This special package is great: funds raised are donated to the Seal Rehabilitation and Research Center in Pieterburen. Swatch The Netherlands is making a donation too. The package (front / back / inside) contains the Frozen Tears swatch (GK202).  The very nice swatch page of Hans van Buuren contains a nice report about the release of the special.
• Taiwan Swatch book 3.  The third taiwanese swatch book is available now.  It features details about "technical" swatches such as access, .beat, solar, etc.  Retail price is NT250 (about $9 US).  Thanks to Sophia Chang  for the information and picture.
• Unilever Access special.  A special access swatch (a refitted Clearance access) has been released by the Unilever company. Here is a picture.  The text on top strap is 'you can make the difference'.  The Unilever logo is on the loop.  No further details are known. Thanks to Winfred de Ruijter  for the information and picture.
• Swatch Swiss 2000 specials.  Two new specials have surfaced in a swatch store in Switzerland:  Eredità (GK722C, 1998) and Gourmette (GK409C, 1998) with a special new strap featuring the 2000 calendar.  They were produced because there was a delay in the production of the model It's Here (GB 741).  Each watch is limited to 2000 pcs, they were sold in Switzerland only.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the pictures.
• Davos'97 internet access.  One of the much sought after access specials is the Access To Internet from the Davos 97 meeting.  I just got the info that NO special swatch was made.  Just the box carried a special sticker.  Thanks to Alain Choisy for the information and  picture.
• Netherlands DMSA access special.  A limited access swatch DMSA (SKK106K, a Magic Snow with a new strap) was distributed in the Netherlands during a congress of a Direct Marketing Sales Association (DMSA).  This congress was held in the MECC in Maastricht.  The watch was given only to 1750 VIP's out of the 6000 visitors and it was used as an entrace key for celebrating a big VIP party in the Holiday Inn during that event. Here is a picture of the watch.  Thanks to Berjac  for the information and picture.