Swatch revolutionized the watch industry in 1983 and continues to bring fun, innovation, joy and positive provocation to the world. The revolution began as it has continued, with a pioneering attitude and the idea that everything is possible.

On September 20, 1984, Swatch hosted the first ever World Breakdance Championship in New York City. It was a magical moment of street culture bringing together the sports, art and music that have been a part of the Swatch DNA from the very beginning.

Groundbreaking, boundary pushing, innovative, filled with joy and creativity: The event at the Roxy in NYC was a moment of pure ‘Swatchitude’ and showed what can happen when you give people time, space and freedom to express themselves. No pressure, no medals at stake, just creativity and the chance to truly BREAK FREE.

The event was promoted in a similarly freestyle way. Buzz spread organically and by word of mouth following the distribution of the event poster all over the city. Created by iconic street artist Keith Haring, the poster captured the essence of the event–as well as the zeitgeist–and was created especially for Swatch. Such was his enthusiasm for the event that Keith Haring appeared as a judge on the panel, helping select the eventual winners who received a unique Swatch.

Looking back to the Swatch World Breakdance Championship in 1984 and celebrating the creativity that time, space and freedom bring, at Swatch we’re excited to look forward as we invite you to BREAK FREE and express yourself! The Swatch BREAK FREE Collection shows that Swatch has all the right moves, uniting past, present and future, sports, art and music, time, space and freedom.

The watches in the collection are presented as BIOCERAMIC WHAT IF? models. The square case and dial provide the perfect frame for the designs and the modern materials ensure these Swiss-made, water-resistant watches are light, smooth and comfortable to wear as well as vibrant and eye-catching. As with all BIOCERAMIC WHAT IF? watches, there is a hidden design element on the battery cover on the case back. In this case it is Keith Haring’s famous hand-drawn Swatch logo from the original poster.

"That’s what kind of art interests me the most and always has; invention and some kind of, not endowing but, embodying some kind of basically human spirit into an object. Whether it’s on a canvas, or on an object, or a carved piece of wood or whatever this thing is, it’s this transformation of these raw materials by a human spirit or a human thought." - Keith Haring

At the 1984 event, performers, musicians, judges and audience members were able to BREAK FREE from their everyday lives and spend a moment together that defined the times, put Swatch on the map as a creative force and left lasting memories of a magical moment in street culture. It was a moment that only Swatch could create and its impact – just like the art of Keith Haring – is still felt today. 

The Swatch BREAK FREE Collection is available in Swatch stores worldwide and online at swatch.com from October 3, 2024.

Stay tuned for more moves to come.