The Swiss take their money very seriously indeed, but now they’re breaking out in smiles, surprised and happy to learn that Swatch has just made shopping easier: Swatch Bellamy is up and running in Switzerland. The new “bel ami” («good friend» in French) offers everyone a great way to shop and save time.

Following the agreement announcement with Visa last November, Swatch announced today that a partnership agreement has been signed with Cornèr Bank Ltd. / Cornèrcard and that the first Swatch Bellamy models will be available throughout Switzerland from mid-June, at a cost of only CHF 105.

Swatch Bellamy is a fast alternative to cash: bring the watch up close to a contactless payment terminal for a moment, and payment is completed in a matter of seconds, saving precious time. Since using the watch to make a contactless payment doesn’t require any energy, the Swatch battery lasts as usual for years. Unlike traditional payment cards, there is nothing about the watch that reveals it can be used for payment, making it a discreet way to pay.

The beauty of Swatch Bellamy lies in its simplicity: every watch is equipped with a built-in NFC (Near Field Communications) antenna and Visa contactless chip to communicate with contactless payment terminals. As with contactless prepaid cards, purchases are debited from funds pre-loaded on the associated bank payment function, so even if you lose your watch, your up-loaded money is safe.

After purchasing one of the first three models at any Swatch store, clients can sign up with the bank, pre-load the watch with funds, and start shopping in Switzerland and around the world wherever Visa contactless is accepted.

In Switzerland, Swatch has joined forces with Cornèrcard and Visa Europe to launch this coolest way to pay. Switzerland is the first country in Europe to offer Swatch Bellamy watches to its customers. Swatch Bellamy premiered in China earlier this year.