The Bad Guy Brigade
Swatch recently released a new collection of watches inspired by the villains from all 22 James Bond films made till date. APARNA GUPTA highlights the ‘007 Villain Collection’ by Swatch, and the grand launch event that epitomised living life on the edge

Clock wise: Nicolas Hayek, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Swatch Group along with Bond villains Richard Kiel and Mads Mikkelsen; ‘Artistic’ plastic timepieces; A gigantic version of the 'Once Again’ plastic watch mounted on Lake Constance stage; Finland’s notoriously entertaining Leningrad Cowboys

Forbidden fruit is always sweet. Shades of grey are so much more exciting than pristine white, with the intrigue surrounding the persona of suave yet spooky villains. In a provocative move, watchmaker Swatch aligned itself with the enemies of the world’s most famous spy, James Bond. The brand unveiled the ‘007 Villain Collection’ of 22 watches each drawing inspiration from the villains of the 22 Bond films made till date. The launch event was held in Bregenz, Austria, where ‘Quantum of Solace’, the 22nd Bond movie has been filmed.

Time in Plastic
Also celebrating 25 years of plastic in watchmaking, the event was a day-long affair, hosted by Nicolas G. Hayek, Founder and CEO, Swatch Group. Aptly called ‘Plastic Royale’, the event showcased the most famous plastic watches from Swatch. The day began with a tour that chronicled the ‘History of plastic’—25 years of plastic being a prominent part of the Swiss fashion watch industry. Guests also witnessed a spectacular exhibition of 250 Swatch pieces, from the first plastic watches of 1983 to the Swatch Plastic Chrono watches—a new series of bold and colourful sports watches.

In a Villainous Role
After that, Hayek elaborated on Swatch’s association with the Bond villains. “In Bond films, the villains play a crucial role,” he stated. “If Bond is popular even today, it is thanks to the enduring power of his enemies.” What ignited public hysteria was the presence of two of these bad guys—Richard Kiel who played Jaws in ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ and Mads Mikkelson who played Le Chiffre in ‘Casino Royale’. While the Jaws watch is a massive, polished-steel Chrono watch, the Le Chiffre is an Irony Big watch with an ace of spades. Celebrating the latest villain to take on Bond—Dominic Greene from ‘Quantum of Solace’, there is the elegant Swatch Chrono Plastic on a black silicon strap with ivory silicon inserts leading up to the matt black plastic case.

Pirate Attack!
Later in the evening, on their way to the Gala Dinner by ship, guests got a taste of the thrill often associated with Bond films—their yacht was thrillingly attacked by a crew of Swatch villains, who arrived in two speedboats! The excitement didn’t end there; Star Swatch Pro Team Outlaw Géraldine Fasnacht took a breathtaking jump from a chopper and the speedboats took off, leaving behind a vivid trail of red fumes, an excellent finish to this mock hostage drama.

The party went on…
The candlelit, sit-down dinner that followed was a chic affair. In true Bond style, the event moved to an exciting climax, with Finland’s notoriously entertaining Leningrad Cowboys driving the crowd to the dance floor with a fantastic selection of recent hits along with theme music and songs from James Bond films.