There are objects we associate with the late 20th century that function almost like time machines—cassette tapes, arcade tokens, VHS spines bleached from sunlight. Add Swatch watches to that list. The Swiss brand has always been an antenna for cultural frequencies, and this fall, it’s tuning back into the neon glow of the ’80s and ’90s with its newest release: the Swatch NEON Collection.
A Flashback in Style
The six-piece lineup is a technicolor homage to some of Swatch’s most beloved models from the analog decades. Arcade-era inspiration has been given a present-tense remix, with refined silhouettes, bold neon palettes, and even modern upgrades like SwatchPAY! functionality. The result is a family of timepieces that feel like both pure nostalgia and fresh invention.
Iconic Models Reimagined
The Swatch NEON Flumotions ($125), first introduced in 1988, now returns with a slimmer Skin Classic case. It pulses with neon hues, a design at once familiar and newly unexpected. From there, the collection moves into the 1990s with the Swatch NEON Signal Flag ($135), a vibrant reinterpretation of the original model, turning up the saturation on its orange, yellow, and green energy.
Then there’s the Swatch NEON Emerald Chrono ($135), originally an Emerald Diver from 1986, now reborn as a chronograph. It’s equal parts precision timekeeping and exuberant color therapy. The Swatch NEON Skychart ($80), from1991, arrives in a high-voltage mix of green, purple, and blue, a bold statement that’s impossible to overlook.
Not all the models are subtle. The Swatch NEON Seppia ($165), from 1994, has been super-sized into a Big Bold silhouette, its 47mm dial alive with neon pink, green, and yellow against a textured strap. Finally, the Swatch NEON Hielo ($120) takes a modest 25mm design from 1993 and inflates it into a commanding 47mm case, reimagined with radiant accents that demand attention.
Neon Nostalgia Meets Modern Energy
The NEON Collection is more than a design exercise—it’s a way of bottling cultural memory and giving it back in a form that hums with positivity. For Swatch, this is what it has always done best: turning playful creativity into wearable artifacts of their era.
The Swatch NEON Collection launches worldwide on September 18, 2025, available at Swatch.com and Swatch stores across the globe.
