Introducing: Five New Models For The 2022 Swatch Clear Collection

Making a strong start in 2022, Swatch has announced the release of five new watches for the Clear Collection. A long-time fan of the classic Jellyfish models of yore, I couldn’t help but get excited when the press release came in earlier this week. But it’s not just the Gent getting the transparent treatment. In fact, the Big Bold, Skin, and New Gent join in on the fun. Keeping in line with the brand’s mission for sustainability, the materials used for three of the five models are bio-sourced. And in keeping up with the latest tech, a special Big Bold model, the Clearly Pay, will feature the SwatchPAY! NFC technology in selected countries.

Swatch has a long history of making quirky and fun watches. Models like the original Jellyfish, or even the Grand Prix (which I wrote about last year) featured transparent materials. In fact, the combination of a clear watch with splashes of blue, red, and yellow has been around since the late 1980s. Now, the Jellyfish look returns and makes its way to three different Swatch models. Combining new, responsibly sourced materials with classic Swatch design and new technology, the collection paints a bright start to 2022 for the brand. So let’s take a look at the five new models before I tell you which one I’d love to put on my own wrist.

The Clearly Bold and Clearly Pay

One of the most recent product lines from the brand, the 47mm Big Bold certainly lives up to its name. These watches are not for the faint of heart. However, as opposed to the brighter, more eye-catching models available, the new Clear models are slightly more understated. Featuring a clear 47mm plastic case, the signature colorful hands, and a matte strap, these two new models are perfect for the summer. Especially the Clearly Pay model with the addition of SwatchPAY!, allowing the wearer to make contactless payments. There’s no better way to pay for poolside drinks than by using this funky Swatch! Especially when the alternative is a debit card in your swimming trunks.

The Clearly Skin

The Skin line from Swatch gets its name from the famously thin watches. These low-profile timepieces sit as close to the skin as possible, at just 3.9mm thick, with an even slimmer strap. If you’re looking for as slim of a watch as possible, this is the one for you. Even sacrificing the ticking seconds hand, the yellow tones are represented in the wheels of the mechanism visible through the clear dial. The clear strap, matching the case (made of bio-sourced materials), means that this one will be extremely low-key on the wrist. Though typically marketed as a ladies’ model, at 34mm, it has the same size as the classic Gent, so really anyone can pull it off!

The Clearly Gent and New Gent

These two are by far my favorite models from the Swatch Clear Collection. True to the classic Swatch shape, the Gent and slightly larger New Gent are simply brilliant. Coming in at 34mm, the Gent is based on the classic Swatch case shape and size we know and love, unchanged since its creation in the ’80s. The New Gent is slightly larger, at 41mm in diameter — a perfect option for those with larger wrists or with a preference for bigger watches. Personally, though I do love the 34mm case size, I’d actually have to go with the New Gent. Especially due to the transparency of these watches, I believe they may wear slightly smaller, and having a 7-inch wrist, the 41mm size would be perfect. That said, I’d still have to try them both before deciding.

Final Thoughts

I’ve always had a very positive association with Swatch watches. As a kid, my parents would often buy a new one for the summer. For the price, you not only have an incredibly varied pallet to choose from but you also is quality quartz movement in a case with a good fit and finish. Nothing really screams Haute Horlogerie, but then again, that’s not what these watches are going for. It’s more quirky, unabashed, and affordable fun.

Pricing starts at just €70 for the Gent, €80 for the New Gent, up to €100 and €105 for the Clearly Bold and Clearly Pay respectively, and finishing with the Clearly Skin at €115. For the price, you really can’t go wrong! For more information on the new Swatch Clear Collection, head over to the Swatch website.