“I must have over 200 Swatch watches, with two tall glass display cases to house my collection. But sometimes I find one of them in my eldest son’s room,” said Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.

 

She was the first endorser of the iconic Swiss-made timepiece, handpicked by Virgie Ramos who owns the local franchise.

 

Twenty five years later, Swatch watches continue to be coveted by today’s youth generation.

 

Billy Crawford, Luis Manzano, Derek Ramsay, Anne Curtis and Vice Ganda all own more than 100 Swatch watches.

 

Celebrity endorsers were a-plenty when Ramos celebrated Swatch’s silver anniversary in Manila by launching its largest retail outlet outside Switzerland.

 

There were 25 top fashion designers and 25 beautiful model-celebs who interpreted and wore the Sabel Look from the brand-new Swatch watch designed by National Artist BenCab—whose Sabel series as prints and paintings were on exhibit.

 

It was a wonderful party to usher in the holidays, with Louie Ocampo providing the music, and fireworks tracing the Makati skyline on the rooftop.

 

The food, catered by Cibo, was glorious—lechon inside hollow apples, paella and gelato with caviar washed down by many flutes of Moet champagne.

 

There was famous sculptor Ramon Orlina’s Volkswagen Beetle painted with Sabel figures, originally owned by ace photographer Wig Tysman. Even in the art world, what goes around comes around.

 

Swatch has collaborated with artists to design limited editions of its PVC watches—from Andy Warhol to Jaime Zobel who designed the Millennium Swatch in 2000 featuring the colors of the Philippine flag.

 

The Keith Haring limited edition is prized by collectors.