49-456: Swatch is a Swiss watchmaker founded in 1983 by Ernst Thomke, Elmar Mock, and Jacques Müller. It is a subsidiary of The Swatch Group . The Swatch product line was developed as a response to the " quartz crisis " of the 1970s and 1980s, in which inexpensive, battery-powered, quartz-regulated watches were competing against more established European watchmakers focused on artisanal craftsmanship producing mostly mechanical watches . The name Swatch
98-406: A diffuser to provide even lighting from an uneven source. Backlights come in many colors. Monochrome LCDs typically have yellow , green , blue , or white backlights, while color displays use white backlights that cover most of the color spectrum . Colored LED backlighting is most commonly used in small, inexpensive LCD panels. White LED backlighting is becoming dominant. ELP backlighting
147-480: A 90-hour power reserve – and is 100% Swiss made on a 20-metre-long (65 ft) automated assembly line in clean-room conditions, without human intervention. The movement is permanently sealed in its case with structural adhesive securing both the acrylic crystal over the dial and the case back, making it invulnerable to environmental conditions including moisture, dust or foreign objects – and also making it maintenance free – i.e., impossible to service. The movement
196-461: A Bioreloaded watch is made of a material derived from the seeds of the castor plant, while the packaging material is a biodegradable "paperfoam" created with tapioca and potato starch. The Swatch x Omega collaboration debuted in 2022, with MoonSwatch , a collection of reimagined Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatches in eleven different color variants themed after the Sun, Moon, and planets of
245-463: A backlight, for example, OLED displays, cathode-ray tube (CRT), and plasma (PDP) displays. A similar type of technology is called a frontlight , which illuminates an LCD from the front. A review of some early backlighting schemes for LCDs is given in a report Engineering and Technology History by Peter J. Wild . The light source can be made up of: An ELP gives off uniform light over its entire surface, but other backlights frequently employ
294-462: A challenge; first generation implementations could potentially use more power than their CCFL counterparts, though it is possible for an LED display to be more power efficient. In 2010, current generation LED displays can have significant power consumption advantages. For example, the non-LED version of the 24" Benq G2420HDB consumer display has a 49W consumption compared to the 24W of the LED version of
343-473: A large stack of uniaxial oriented birefringent films that reflect the former absorbed polarization mode of the light. Such reflective polarizers using uniaxial oriented polymerized liquid crystals (birefringent polymers or birefringent glue) are invented in 1989 by Philips researchers Dirk Broer, Adrianus de Vaan and Joerg Brambring. The combination of such reflective polarizers, and LED dynamic backlight control make today's LCD televisions far more efficient than
392-448: A new LED iMac , meaning all of Apple's new computer screens became LED-backlit displays. Almost every laptop with a 16:9 display introduced since September 2009 uses LED-backlit panels. This is also the case for most LCD television sets, which are marketed in some countries under the misleading name LED TV , although the image is still generated by an LCD panel. Most LED backlights for LCDs are edge-lit , i.e. several LEDs are placed at
441-399: A product that allows one to design their own Swatch by selecting the category and design one wishes to use. An outline of a watch is superimposed over the user's image to assist with designing. The Bioreloaded line was introduced by Swatch in 2020, consisting of a relaunch of Swatch's 1983 debut collection, but partially made from "bio-sourced" materials. The case, strap, and strap clasp of
490-763: A result, the white point is less dependent on individual LEDs, and degrading of individual LEDs over lifetime, leading to a more homogenous backlight with improved colour consistency and lower lumen depreciation. The use of LED backlights in notebook computers has been growing. Sony has used LED backlights in some of its higher-end slim VAIO notebooks since 2005, and Fujitsu introduced notebooks with LED backlights in 2006. In 2007, Asus , Dell , and Apple introduced LED backlights into some of their notebook models. As of 2008 , Lenovo has announced LED-backlit notebooks. In October 2008, Apple announced that it would be using LED backlights for all of its notebooks and new 24-inch Apple Cinema Display , and one year later it introduced
539-444: A sheet on which phosphorous luminescent materials are printed for colour conversion. The principle is similar to quantum dots, but the phosphors applied are much more robust than the quantum dot nano-particles for applications that require long lifetime in more demanding operational conditions. Because the phosphor sheet is placed at a distance (remote) of the LED it experiences much less temperature stress than phosphors in white LEDs. As
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#1732780557551588-462: A specially designed layer of plastic that diffuses the light through a series of unevenly spaced bumps. The density of bumps increases further away from the light source according to a diffusion equation . The diffused light then travels to either side of the diffuser; the front faces the actual LCD panel, the back has a reflector to guide otherwise wasted light back toward the LCD panel. The reflector
637-460: A technology where the intensity of the LEDs are kept constant, but the brightness adjustment is achieved by varying a time interval of flashing these constant light intensity light sources ), the backlight is dimmed to the brightest color that appears on the screen while simultaneously boosting the LCD contrast to the maximum achievable levels If the frequency of the pulse-width modulation is too low or
686-444: Is a contraction of "second watch," its concept of "low-cost, high-tech, artistic and emotional" watches marketed as casual, disposable accessories. Swatch began development in the early 1980s under the leadership of the then ETA SA 's CEO Ernst Thomke with a small team of watch engineers led by Elmar Mock and Jacques Müller. Conceived as a standard timekeeper in plastic, Franz Sprecher, a marketing consultant hired by Thomke to give
735-748: Is a form of illumination used in liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) that provides illumination from the back or side of a display panel. LCDs do not produce light by themselves, so they need illumination ( ambient light or a special light source) to produce a visible image. Backlights are often used in smartphones , computer monitors , and LCD televisions . They are used in small displays to increase readability in low light conditions such as in wristwatches . Typical sources of light for backlights include light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs). Simple types of LCDs such as those used in pocket calculators are built without an internal light source, requiring external light sources to convey
784-400: Is a poor match to the transmission peaks of the red and green color filters of the LCD. This causes the red and green primaries to shift toward yellow, reducing the color gamut of the display. RGB LEDs consist of a red, a blue, and a green LED and can be controlled to produce different color temperatures of white. RGB LEDs for backlighting are found in high end color proofing displays such as
833-418: Is based on blue LEDs (such as gallium nitride (GaN) LEDs) that illuminate a layer of nanocrystal phosphors, called quantum dots (QDs). The quantum dots convert the blue wavelengths to the desired longer wavelengths as narrow-bandwidth green and red colors for optimal illumination of the LCD from behind. The manufacturer, Nanosys , claims that the color output of the dots can be tuned precisely by controlling
882-507: Is exclusive to Swatch and is derived from 2824 to 2822. Irony Chronograph was introduced in 1996 (type/code: YCS101). The Skin family contains two sub families: Original Skin and Skin Chronograph . The Original Skin was introduced on 6 October 1997 as a thinner version of the original Swatch watch. It is ultra thin, standing at 3.9 mm ( 1 ⁄ 8 in), hence the name Swatch Skin. The Swatch Skin later went on to enter
931-521: Is hard to achieve, especially as the LEDs age, with each LED aging at a different rate. The use of three separate light sources for red, green, and blue means that the white point of the display can move as the LEDs age at different rates; white LEDs are affected by this phenomenon, with changes of several hundred kelvins of color temperature being recorded. White LEDs suffer from blue shifts at higher temperatures varying from 3141K to 3222K for 10 °C to 80 °C respectively. Power efficiency may be
980-426: Is made from ARCAP, an anti-magnetic alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc – designed to free the movement from the need for adjustment. The escapement has no manual adjustment or regulator; the initial rate is factory laser-set. Swatch reports precision of ±5 seconds per day. The design's peripheral bi-directional rotor allows viewing of movement components through the caseback. In 2017 Swatch introduced Swatch x You ,
1029-471: Is often abbreviated as "FALD". This arrangement allows for local dimming to obtain darker black pixels depending on the image displayed. LED backlight are often dynamically controlled using the video information (dynamic backlight control or dynamic "local dimming" LED backlight, also marketed as HDR, high dynamic range television, invented by Philips researchers Douglas Stanton, Martinus Stroomer and Adrianus de Vaan ). Using PWM (pulse-width modulation,
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#17327805575511078-408: Is often used for larger displays or when even backlighting is important; it can also be either colored or white. An ELP must be driven by relatively high voltage AC power, which is provided by an inverter circuit. CCFL backlights are used on larger displays such as computer monitors, and are typically white in color; these also require the use of an inverter and diffuser. Incandescent backlighting
1127-429: Is operating the backlight at a frequency higher than the brain can perceive. The flicker can be reduced or eliminated by setting the display to full brightness, though this may have a negative impact on image quality and battery life due to increased power consumption. For a non-ELP backlight to produce even lighting, which is critical for displays, the light is first passed through a lightguide (Light guide plate, LGP) -
1176-543: Is sometimes made of aluminum foil or a simple white-pigmented surface. The LCD backlight systems are made highly efficient by applying optical films such as prismatic structure to gain the light into the desired viewer directions and reflective polarizing films that recycle the polarized light that was formerly absorbed by the first polarizer of the LCD (invented by Philips researchers Adrianus de Vaan and Paulus Schaareman), generally achieved using so called DBEF films manufactured and supplied by 3M. These polarizers consist of
1225-599: The Guinness Book of World Records as the world's thinnest plastic watch. The Swatch Chronograph is simply the Swatch Skin with a chronograph function, adding two additional buttons on the side of the watch. The Bijoux line is a jewelry line Swatch released in the new millennium; it partnered with Swarovski to encrust the Bijoux line of watches. The Digital Touch line, launched in 2011, derives its name from
1274-485: The NTSC color specification. LED backlighting in color screens comes in two varieties: white LED backlights and RGB LED backlights. White LEDs are used most often in notebook computers and desktop screens, and make up virtually all mobile LCD screens. A white LED is typically a blue LED with broad spectrum yellow phosphor to result in the emission of white light. However, because the spectral curve peaks at yellow, it
1323-443: The touchscreen technology used. In contrast to other Swatch families, a digital LCD shows the time. Various models in different colors of the display are available, which include backlighting for reading in the dark. These Swatch models of wristwatches with a quartz movement are additionally equipped with a near-field communication (NFC) chip to accommodate contactless payment. As an improved second generation, Swatch introduced
1372-663: The CRT-based sets, leading to a worldwide energy saving of 600 TWh (2017), equal to 10% of the electricity consumption of all households worldwide or equal to 2 times the energy production of all solar cells in the world. The evolution of energy standards and the increasing public expectations regarding power consumption have made it necessary for backlight systems to manage their power. As for other consumer electronics products (e.g., fridges or light bulbs), energy consumption categories are enforced for television sets. Standards for power ratings for TV sets have been introduced, e.g., in
1421-510: The HP DreamColor LP2480zx monitor or selected HP EliteBook notebooks, as well as more recent consumer-grade displays such as Dell's Studio series laptops which have an optional RGB LED display. RGB LEDs can deliver an enormous color gamut to screens. When using three separate LEDs ( additive color ) the backlight can produce a color spectrum that closely matches the color filters in the LCD pixels themselves. In this way,
1470-759: The Home Ministry and the Malaysian governement, challenging the legality of the seizure in July 2023. The ban was gazetted only in August 2023. In a September 2023 interview, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the raid was 'excessive', but defended Malaysia's current stance on the LGBT issue. In November 2024, the Malaysian High Court ruled that the raid was conducted without a warrant therfore
1519-507: The LGBTQ+ cause worldwide. The collection has six watches with different monochrome colours that corresponds to the colours of the gay pride flag. In Malaysia, the Home Ministry banned the sale of the watch and raided 13 Swatch outlets to seize and impound 172 watches over three days in May. The company reported that Malaysia was the only country which seized the watches. Swatch filed a lawsuit against
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1568-461: The Swatch brand: The Originals are plastic-cased watches. They are available in various sizes, shapes, and designs. The Originals consist of various sub-families as well. The Irony family contains all the metal-cased watches produced by Swatch. These include both quartz-driven and automatic mechanical watches that can be serviced. The automatics have a 21J/23J ETA 2842 movement. This movement
1617-493: The board of directors and CEO in 1986. Later he changed the company's name to Swatch Group . This combination of marketing and manufacturing expertise restored Switzerland as a major player in the world wristwatch market. Synthetic materials were used for the watch cases as well as a new ultra-sonic welding process and assembly technology. In 1997, the Swatch Group opened about 60 stores worldwide. There are families under
1666-467: The display image to the user. Most LCD screens, however, are built with an internal light source. Such screens consist of several layers. The backlight is usually the first layer from the back. Light valves then vary the amount of light reaching the eye, by blocking its passage in some way. Most use a fixed polarizing filter and a switching one, to block the undesired light. Many types of displays other than LCD generate their own light and do not require
1715-447: The edges of a lightguide (Light guide plate, LGP), which distributes the light behind the LC panel. Advantages of this technique are the very thin flat-panel construction and low cost. A more expensive version is called full-array or direct LED and consists of many LEDs placed behind the LC panel (an array of LEDs), such that large panels can be evenly illuminated. Full-array local dimming
1764-424: The filter passband can be narrowed so that each color component lets only a very narrow band of spectrum through the LCD. This improves the efficiency of the display since less light is blocked when white is displayed. The actual red, green, and blue points can be moved farther out so that the display is capable of reproducing more vivid colors. A method to further improve the color gamut of LED-backlit LCD panels
1813-500: The group hired Jacques Irniger—who formerly served as the marketing executive for Colgate and Nestlé—to launch the swatch. The first collection of twelve Swatch models was introduced on 1 March 1983 in Zürich , Switzerland. Initially the price ranged from CHF 39.90 to CHF 49.90 but was standardized to CHF 50.00 in the autumn of the same year. Sales targets were set at one million timepieces for 1983 and 2.5 million for
1862-522: The model Pay for the Chinese market in July 2017. Unlike the Bellamy, Pay can be programmed and activated in Swatch shops using a Cloud Computing service operated by several Chinese banks. Swatch introduced Sistem51 at Baselworld 2013 as "the world's first mechanical movement with entirely automated assembly." The movement uses 51 components anchored to a central screw with automatic winding and
1911-438: The project an outsider's consideration, sought to create a fashionable line of watches. Swatch was originally intended to re-capture entry level market share lost by Swiss manufacturers of mechanical watches and the subsequent growth of Japanese companies such as Seiko and Citizen in the 1960s and 1970s. It was also meant to re-popularize analog watches at a time when digital watches had achieved wide popularity. In 1983,
1960-558: The resulting combined white light allows for an equivalent or better color gamut than that emitted by a more expensive set of three RGB LEDs. At the Consumer Electronics Show 2015, a number of companies showed QD-enhanced LED-backlighting of LCD TVs, including Samsung Electronics , LG Electronics , and the Chinese TCL Corporation . There are several challenges with LED backlights. Uniformity
2009-402: The same display ( G2420HDBL ). To overcome the aforementioned challenges with RGB and white LED backlights an 'advanced remote phosphor' LED technology has been developed by NDF Special Light Products, specifically for high-end and long-life LCD applications such as cockpit displays, air traffic control displays, and medical displays. This technology uses blue pump LEDs in combination with
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2058-482: The size of the nanocrystals. Other companies pursuing this method are Nanoco Group PLC (UK), QD Vision , 3M a licensee of Nanosys and Avantama of Switzerland . Sony has adapted quantum dot technology from the US company QD Vision to introduce LCD TVs with an improved edge-lit LED backlight marketed under the term Triluminos in 2013. With a blue LED and optimized nanocrystals for green and red colors in front of it,
2107-443: The solar system. The collection uses the 4 jewel chronograph quartz movement used in other Swatch chronographs and Swatch's BIOCERAMIC composite material. The MoonSwatch collection was released March on 26, 2022, at select Swatch stores. The New York Times called the release "the watch industry's defining moment of 2022". The collection sold out internationally on its release date, with lines formed at most Swatch boutiques where it
2156-436: The user is very sensitive to flicker, this may cause discomfort and eye-strain, similar to the flicker of CRT displays . This can be tested by a user simply by waving a hand or object in front of the screen. If the object appears to have sharply defined edges as it moves, the backlight is strobing on and off at a fairly low frequency. If the object appears blurry, the display either has a continuously illuminated backlight or
2205-425: The year after. With an aggressive marketing campaign and relatively low price for a Swiss-made watch, it gained instant popularity in its home market. Lebanese entrepreneur Nicolas G. Hayek , together with a group of Swiss investors, took over a majority shareholding of Swatch during 1985 in the newly consolidated group under the name Societe Suisse de Microelectronique et d'Horlogerie , or SMH. He became chairman of
2254-538: Was based on a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) by using two CCFLs at opposite edges of the LCD or by an array of CCFLs behind the LCD (see picture of an array with 18 CCFLs for a 40-inch LCD TV). Due to the disadvantages in comparison with LED illumination (higher voltage and power needed, thicker panel design, no high-speed switching, faster aging), LED backlighting is becoming more popular. Many LCD models, from cheap TN-displays to color proofing S-IPS or S-PVA panels, have wide gamut CCFLs representing more than 95% of
2303-410: Was carried. Swatch initially stated each consumer could purchase up to two watches but later limited each consumer to one watch. While Swatch initially added the product to their online catalog, it later announced the collection would not be available for sale online. The MoonSwatch is neither a limited nor numbered collection. In May 2023, Swatch released a Pride collection of rainbow watches to support
2352-694: Was deemed illegal. The judge, Justice Amarjeet Singh Serjit Singh, also noted that the ban was imposed only after the watches were seized, which meant that no laws were violated in May 2023. The court ordered the returned of the seized watches to the company. Watchmaker Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 222827389 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:55:57 GMT Backlighting A backlight
2401-406: Was used by early LCD panels to achieve high brightness, but the limited life and excess heat produced by incandescent bulbs were severe limitations. The heat generated by incandescent bulbs typically requires the bulbs to be mounted away from the display to prevent damage. For several years (until about 2010), the preferred backlight for matrix-addressed large LCD panels such as in monitors and TVs
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