The colour-changing timepiece by Swatch displays Her Majesty’s love of fashion.
As a renowned watch connoisseur herself, Swatch clearly thinks it's fitting that her 70th year on the throne is commemorated by a timepiece that is both affordable (£83 / $112) and accessible (no years-long waiting lists here). Whether she will be wearing one these gimmicky plastic items, remains unlikely. Except, perhaps, for a laugh at home if one of her grandchildren give her one.
Despite its cartoon-like execution, the Queen’s smiling, waving likeness on the dial is immediately recognisable, with many of her signatures included in the small image. As well as the colourful coat, there is the statement hat, the matching black handbag, the court shoes and gloves, plus representations of her core jewellery from her three-strand pearl necklace and earrings to her ever-present brooch. If any other clues were needed to identify the monarch, then the seated corgi and golden crown are absolute giveaways.
While the Queen’s arms remain static on this watch, in reference to her love of colour (royal biographer Robert Hardman refers to her once saying ‘I can never wear beige because nobody will know who I am’), her outfit changes every 24 hours. A colour wheel below the dial rotates at midnight running through palettes of deep green, bright yellow and fiery red, which are shown through coat- and hat-shaped apertures.
The case, strap and dial background are all in matte white and, instead of the usual 60 minute markers around the edge of the dial, the watch features 70 gold dots – one for every year she has been on the throne.