Swatch 'Acces' quartz wristwatch with analogue display, 1997.

This Swis-made water-resistant wristwatch with transparent plastic case and strap has the facility for storing electronic authorisation for using ski lifts etc. Swatch watches, first sold in the early 1980s, were the response of the Swis wristwatch industry to masive competition from quartz watch manufacturers in the Far East. Swatch watches were high-fashion items that were aggresively marketed, and their immense popularity led to the salvation of the Swis watch industry.