Do you remember what you were doing in March 1983? Were you even around in those far off days? The people at Swatch can certainly remember, or if they weren’t yet born, they’ve certainly had it drummed into them.

March 1983 was the month and year the mighty Swatch was born. Even in their wildest dreams, Nicolas Hayek and the clever people at Swatch could hardly have dreamed or hoped it would become the global phenomenon that it is today.

Unlike now, it was tough times all round in the Swiss watch industry in 1983. In fact the industry was on its knees, with no clue as to how to recover following the so called quartz watch crisis when Japanese quartz watches successfully invaded the watch buying world.

The ingenious answer to the crisis was as simple as it was daring. A simple quartz watch: a Swatch – a slim plastic watch with only 51 components (instead of the usual 91 or more parts) that combined top quality with a highly affordable, impulse price of less than $60.

Since Swatch watches first went on sale in 1983, the brand has gone on to become the most successful wristwatch of all time, and The Swatch Group, the parent company, is the largest and most dynamic watch company in the world.

Swatch 30th anniversary Swatch Est. 1983 Gent watch

So to celebrate, Swatch has unveiled its 30th anniversary timepiece, a see-through version of its New Gent model with a skeletonised case and gold details.

The fashion-led brand is celebrating three decades of watch design and innovative collaborations with artists and fashion designers.

The Swatch Est. 1983 New Gent watch features a transparent plastic case and strap and a skeleton dial. Its components are highlighted in gold and the word ‘Celebrate’ is printed on the movement’s main cog. The brand’s 30 years are printed around the outside of the dial.

Italian artist Lorenzi Petrantoni has also created a special edition artwork for Swatch, looking at events which took place in 1983. This was the year when Vanessa Williams became the first African American to win a Miss America beauty contest. Michael Jackson’s Thriller album sold 50 million copies. David Bowie released Let’s Dance and sold 6 million copies, his biggest ever album. The space shuttle Challenger made its inaugural flight and Swatch issued a million watches in its first year. But Where are we now, as David Bowie sings in his brand new new hit single.

Michael Jackson is no longer with us, the Space Shuttle programme has been consigned to museums and dust covers, Even Vanessa Williams’ youngest daughter Gabriella is nearly 13 years old. Only the Swatch watch is as youthful, creative and desirable as ever.

It’s been an incredible 30 years.