Swatch gives its square WHAT IF? watches the JELLY treatment
Swatch has always been willing to play with ideas that other watchmakers would never consider. Its latest release, the WHAT IF…JELLY? Collection, continues that tradition by asking a simple question: what if the brand’s very first watch had been square instead of round?
That idea first appeared with the WHAT IF? Collection, which reimagined Swatch’s history through an alternate timeline. The new WHAT IF…JELLY? models take the concept a step further by combining the square case with transparent construction, bright colours and biosourced materials.
The collection includes five new models, each built around a 33 mm by 33 mm square case made from biosourced materials. Clear cases reveal the colourful dials beneath, while transparent straps are infused with matching colours that give each watch a distinctive monochromatic look. The result is unmistakably Swatch, playful, colourful and designed to stand out.
Each watch features contrasting hands that make the dial easy to read while adding another splash of colour. One model, finished in black, pays tribute to the iconic Jelly Fish Swatch from the 1980s, bringing one of the company’s most recognisable designs into this alternate square universe.
The transparent cases and straps create a lightweight appearance that complements the compact square design. Rather than trying to look technical or luxurious, the watches embrace the fun, experimental spirit that has defined Swatch since its earliest days.
The WHAT IF…JELLY? Collection also highlights Swatch’s continued use of biosourced materials, a direction the company has steadily expanded across much of its catalogue in recent years. While the concept may imagine an alternate past, the materials firmly place these watches in the present.
The new collection is another reminder that Swatch succeeds when it refuses to take itself too seriously. By revisiting one of its most successful design ideas through a fresh lens, the company has created a collection that feels both familiar and completely new. Sometimes all it takes is asking one simple question: what if?
