Swatch Art
Damien Hirst x Swatch Spot Mickey
For Mickey Mouse's 90th birthday in 2018, Damien Hirst designed two numbered Swatch watches. The Spot Mickey sold out online within a day.
- Year
- 2018
- Artist
- Damien Hirst
- Brand
- Swatch
- Edition size
- Spot Mickey 1,999 pieces; Mirror Spot Mickey 19,999 pieces
Damien Hirst Spot Mickey at a glance
In November 2018 Swatch released two watches by the British artist Damien Hirst to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 90th birthday: the Spot Mickey and the Mirror Spot Mickey. They were presented on November 14, 2018, at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai. It was Swatch's first collaboration with Hirst.
The artist
Damien Hirst is one of the best-known British artists of his generation. His "spot paintings", rows of colored circles, are among his most famous works. For Swatch he used the same idea: Mickey Mouse is not drawn as a cartoon but built from colored dots.
Design and details
- Spot Mickey: a deconstructed Mickey made of colored circles on a gray dial, red and yellow silicone strap.
- Mirror Spot Mickey: larger spots on a mirrored background across dial and strap, white silicone strap.
- Both have a quartz movement.
- Hirst signed the underside of each strap with a birthday message to Mickey.
Edition size and release
Both watches are numbered limited editions. The Spot Mickey was made in 1,999 pieces and cost USD 185. It was sold only on swatch.com for 24 hours on November 18, 2018, Mickey's birthday, with a small allocation per region, and sold out within that day. The Mirror Spot Mickey was made in 19,999 pieces at USD 125 and was already on sale a few days earlier.
Damien Hirst Spot Mickey on the secondary market
The Spot Mickey, with its much smaller edition, is the more sought-after of the two. Collectors look for an unworn watch, the presentation box, the numbered packaging and the printed message on the strap. A worn strap or a missing box lowers the appeal noticeably. Mirror Spot Mickey watches are easier to find because ten times more were made.
How to check a Spot Mickey
- Make sure the edition number fits the model: up to 1,999 for the Spot Mickey, up to 19,999 for the Mirror version.
- Check the underside of the strap for Hirst's printed birthday message.
- Compare the arrangement and colors of the dots with official photos.
- Ask for the online order confirmation from swatch.com if the seller is the first owner.
See also our guide on how to spot a fake watch.
What is your Spot Mickey worth?
Upload photos of the watch, the strap and the box for a free watch value estimate. If you need a signed valuation, order a written appraisal.
Frequently asked questions
How many Damien Hirst Spot Mickey watches were made?
1,999 Spot Mickey watches and 19,999 Mirror Spot Mickey watches, both numbered.
Where was the Spot Mickey sold?
Only on swatch.com, for 24 hours on November 18, 2018. It sold out within that day.
Did Damien Hirst sign the watches?
Each strap carries Hirst's signed birthday message to Mickey on its underside.
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