The new Swatch x MoMA releases offer fresh proof that watches can be a work of art
Nick KenyonWhen you think of art in watchmaking, your mind probably turns to the painstaking creation of a cloisonné enamel dial for a Patek Philippe World Time, or the engraving of an A.Lange & Söhne balance cock. But art in watchmaking suddenly got a whole lot more accessible thanks to the Swatch x MoMA collection that was announced this week.
This is the second time that MoMA and Swatch have joined forces, the first being when the watchmaker and the gallery produced three watches in the year 2000. In the latest Swatch x MoMA collection, there are six new watches, each of which depicts a different artwork that resides in the MoMA collection.
The artworks include The Starry Night (1889) by Vincent van Gogh, Hope, II (1907-08) by Gustav Klimt, The Dream (1910) by Henri Rousseau, Composition in Oval with Color Planes 1 (1914) by Piet Mondrian, The City and Design, The Wonders of Life on Earth, Isamu Kurita (1966) by Tadanori Yokoo and New York (1968) by Tadanori Yokoo.
If you’re a fan of the entire collection, it will be available for sale in a special box set, that includes a description of each artwork and the artist behind it. Alternatively, each watch will also be available for individual purchase as well.
The Starry Night (1889), by Vincent van Gogh
Hope, II (1907-08), by Gustav Klimt
The Dream (1910), by Henri Rousseau
Composition in Oval with Color Planes 1 (1914), by Piet Mondrian
The City and Design, The Wonders of Life on Earth, Isamu Kurita (1966), by Tadanori Yokoo
New York (1968), by Tadanori Yokoo
The Swatch X MoMA collection will be available on March 4 at the MoMA Design Stores or from Swatch directly.
Swatch x MoMA price and availability:
The Swatch x MoMA collection available is from $92USD to $115USD for individual watches or $810USD for the six watch collector’s set.