Shop of the Week: Swatch

Swatch recently unveiled a new store design at their flagship in Times Square.  Kelly Osbourne hosted the event, and if you haven't stopped by a Swatch in a while, now's the 'time' (heh) to get reacquainted with the Swiss watch company.  The revamped store nixes standard glass-enclosed jewelry cases in favor of a more modern and hands-on approach to merchandising.  The watches are laid out along interlocking pearly white displays so shoppers can touch, tinker with and closely inspect the goods.  Prices are clearly marked next to each item, preventing any of those painful sticker shock moments -- not that Swatch will be breaking your bank to begin with.  Their M.O. has always been fun, fashionable, and for-the-people.  Most of the selection is between $60-110, with a handful of higher-priced special collections.

The store just debuted an exclusive Sign of the Times watch ($65) which benefits the City Harvest food rescue organization.  It's got a colorful band with Times Square iconography and is part of brand's Destinations collection, a vibrant line featuring cityscapes from around the country.  We dug the 2009 Seasons watches -- a festive, chic collection in all black and gold ($95 and up) -- and noted several Chrono Automatics showcased throughout the store.  They're the new line of self-winding chrono automatic precision timepieces -- and with competitive pricing ($380) for world-renowned Swiss performance, they're a runaway hit for the brand.

There are hundreds of watches to see here -- including custom-made chandeliers made out of Swatches.  Check out the pictures above or bust a move to Times Square for the full Swatch experience.  The staff is super-attentive and the store is open until midnight (1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday) for added gift-buying convenience.

Swatch
1528 Broadway
(212) 764-5541
www.swatch.com

Photos by Rebecca Prusinowski