Swatch Light Tree - GZ152

It's my last day at work before Christmas today, so I thought I'd treat my colleagues to my most extravagant Christmas watch today.

Watch year, Swiss watch maner Swatch releases a special Christmas edition, and today's watch is their 1996 release.

It is part of their originals range of POP Swatches with a standard 3 hand dial. The face of the dial is see-through showing the movement. Around the dial is a large clear plastic watch head with two additional batteries visible through. These batteries power the unusual feature of the watch (and the part that gives it it's name) - the LED stalks.

Poking out of the front of the watch around the dial are 5 bendy rubber stalks with twisted coloured wires through. At the end of each stalk is an LED, 2 green, 2 red, and 1 yellow. When the red button on the side of the watch is pressed, the LEDs begin to flash in an apparently random manner for around 20 seconds.

With the flashing, and the fact that the stalks poke out up to around 7cm, this watch is definitely noticeable (-I have had many strange looks from passers by when they've noticed the watch). The size of the stalks does make it a little difficult to get your coat over as well!

It was released as a limited edition run of 20,000 when it came out in 1996. It also came in an interesting case which when closed is a giant (maybe 15cm across) red Christmas tree bauble!