A fun watch by Swatch (is there any other Swatch?), see-through case, semi-transparent straps, with vivid new colors – from electric yellow, neon green, orange fluo and azure blue. This is the Chief Editor’s personal watch – in azure blue, which Swatch calls BLUEINJELLY. He talks about it.
Swatch Big Bold Jelly BLUEINJELLY
The message is clear. Its big. Its bold. Its transparent! and its fun. Fun, fun, fun seems to be the message from Swatch. Perfect for summer…well, its summer all year round in Singapore, so there you go!
The Big Bold Jelly was introduced as an update to the Jelly Fish Ref. GZ010 of 1983, and is still available now! The concept of the jelly fish is taken to the semi-transparent body which allows the innards to be visible. The Big Bold Jelly was first spotted in late 2019 ready for Christmas. And as recently as June, an update to the collection with the Neon series – comes dressed in neon colors, all bright with a lively feel.
Here is our attempt at a serious review.
The case, dial and hands
The Big Bold collection is, well big and bold. The lines are very simple. The case rather large at 47mm diameter. And the dial layout very simple, legible with big bold indices, big bold hands. Very clear. Very simple. Very big. And yes, very bold.
The case is plastic, and feels suitably high quality. The hue is kinda like a cloudy white, translucent hue. The build is sturdy, with no squeaks or anything quirky. The fit and finish is very good and not likely to fail anytime. Blue accents on the Swatch signature 3 prong hinge which attaches the strap to the case, and the prong buckle completes the picture. The strap itself feels very supple, and nice to the touch.
The dial is almost completely transparent, with a remnant of white cloudiness. The quartz movement is visible through the dial, as is the plastic superstructure which keeps the structural integrity of the watch. All in a semi-transparent styling. Kinda like the innards of a jelly fish. In fact, the overall look of the watch has the uncanny look of the sea creature.
And the indices are huge bar markers in azure blue, with the equally large bar shaped minute and hour hands in the same blue, while the seconds hand is a long, slender number in the same hue. Minute markers are stroke indices, also in the same blue with bold strokes for the 5 minute intervals.
The movement
The movement is a standard quartz standardized movement by Swatch. The caliber number is not published, and thus not known. The battery is located on the back of the watch, and can be removed easily with a small screw driver. A very convenient design that is used in many Swatch watches. But the owner need bother with battery changes. Swatch provides free battery change for all their watches for life. A service which is available at all Swatch boutiques worldwide.
The movement is nothing to look at in terms of horological merits or finishing. But in the time that we have had the watch, it works. And works well. Keeping fairly good time.
Competitive Landscape
Are you serious? A S$164 watch needs a comparison to competing products to make a buy decision? It cost less than a nice meal for two, and in exchange, you get a fun, interesting, rather beautiful watch. If you like the looks, and the lifestyle fits, just get it!
Concluding thoughts
This is a fun watch, if ever there was one. And a this price, it can be. And it is! With this goal in mind, the Swatch Big Bold BLUEINJELLY works. It is uber cool looking, with the fun element played up by the funky vibes one picks up from wearing it. Perfect for summer…which need we remind you again, is all year round in Singapore.
Other color options within the range are in electric yellow, neon green, orange fluo, as shown in the Press photo below. Choose one or two or heck, all of them, and it will cost you less than what a strap cost from most high end manufactures.
Photo Notes: Photographs of the Big Bold BLUEINJELLY (watermarked) are made with the Leica SL2 with the Sigma Art 70m DG Macro. (full review coming soon)
PRODUCT DETAILS
Case Material – Plastic
Strap Material – Silicone
Movement – quartz. No specific caliber defined
Product Line – Originals
Product Family – Big Bold
Year – 2020
Reference SO27E105
2 Comments
What a happy watch!