The Farr & Swit Solar Chrono Vice

by Tyler Frederick

Channeling your inner child

Growing up, I was blessed with a video game nerd for a dad. He showed me classics like Galaga, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Missile Command, TRON, and many others. We still talk about those games. Luckily, I have an arcade close to my house. But I often associate a lot of my nostalgia with bright, playful and vibrant colours, which take me back to when things were a little more straightforward–when all I thought about was games. I still do, but everything hits a bit different when you’re a kid and don’t have “real life” to worry about.

^{The Farr & Swit Solar Chrono Vice @horologyobsessed}

While my passion for games still exists, I’ve noticed much of that energy has shifted into my love for watches, and with that comes a pull towards brighter and more colourful pieces, but also ones that bring out the “nerd,” if you will. Adam Hodge from Farr & Swit graced me with the opportunity to check out not one, but TWO watches from his catalogue, both of which reflect the bright and colourfulness I search for, and one that encapsulates an 80s vibe for your wrist: the Solar Chrono Vice 2.0 Bubblegum and NEW Vice 3.0 Electric Blue.

Check out the Hanhart 417 ES 1954

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Key Features of the Farr & Swit Solar Chrono Vice 2.0

Let’s make something weird

When I met Adam at the Toronto Timepiece Show, I knew of Farr & Swit mainly for their dive watches. When I saw the Vice editions, I had the dumbest smile and wanted to get my hands on one as soon as possible. The fact that I didn’t know these neon beauties existed felt illegal and wrong. I often fall back on this, but I love watches that make me feel something. I can appreciate great design from many brands, but the second that inner 9-year-old goes, “this is so cool…” I am instantly hooked. I could also tell these watches were created to have fun and came from a place of “let’s make something weird,” I’m here for it.

Crockett and Tubbs

The Vice series, named after the TV classic Miami Vice, is a watch from the ’80s encapsulated in a sapphire crystal. However, the watch first caught my eye because of one of my favourite music genres: Synthwave. Synthwave is often inspired by ’80s movies, video games, or music. It also shares a similar design aesthetic, implementing shades of cyan and pink with computer-generated graphics and TRON-esque gridlines. The Vice is a physical representation of three of my worlds colliding into one: video games, watches and music. You can see why I’m in love.

“Going back in time with a retro future dial design, the Vice Edition takes you back in time. Its vibrant neon colors and 1980s car posters remind us of the ones that used to hang on our bedroom walls.” -Farr & Swit

The magic is in the dial

For me, the magic is the dial. Yeah, the case shape is nice, the watch is comfortable even at a larger 42mm, the pushers feel fantastic, and the rubber strap is supple and provides a lot of support, but my God, that dial. If you take away the hands and indices, you’re greeted with a staple image used in the Synthwave/’80s aesthetic: a pink/cyan 3D grid running across the ground with the 12 o’clock subdial representing the gradient yellow/orange/purple sun, it’s such a classic design that brings this watch to life–a DeLorean or Ferrari are missing, but I digress.

Calibre

Farr & Swit have implemented a different movement choice: the Seiko VS71A. I don’t get to talk about this movement much, and having something a little different is already refreshing. For those unaware, the VS71A is a solar-powered quartz chronograph movement, which I think is perfect for the Vice series. The Vice series is meant to be a fun, carefree wearing experience, and having a watch that can be charged simply using solar power is the most user-friendly. Not to mention that the first commercial solar panels were created, developed and sold in 1986. This is an 80s-styled watch; you get where I’m going with this.

Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel 42mm Diameter 5mm Lug-to-Lug 12mm Thick 22mm Lug Width 100m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Sapphire Crystal Vice Bubblegum/Vice Electric Blue Applied Markers Pencil Handset Tachymeter Scale C3/C9 Super-LumiNova
Movement	Seiko VS71A Solar Quartz
Strap	Teal FKM Rubber Strap Light Blue FKM Rubber Strap

The Farr & Swit Solar Chrono Vice

Quibbles

While 42mm is a bit large, bringing out the beauty of the dial’s art is necessary. I don’t think the dial would hit as hard in a smaller form factor, so as much as I would have appreciated a smaller watch, it wouldn’t have worked as well.

Final Thoughts

Based entirely on how this watch made me feel, it’s fantastic, but I also understand it’s from a place of nostalgia, and I know many share the same emotions towards things from the ‘80s, from shows to games. Taking away from the nostalgia, it’s something different. While there are so many chronographs, the neon colours and design of the Vice series stand out in the crowd; it’s been a topic of many conversations over the last few weeks. It’s a comfortable piece, and I’ve enjoyed my time with it. If you can, I recommend getting one on your wrist.

Pricing & Availability

The Vice 2.0 Bubblegum is available now, and the Vice 3.0 Electric Blue will be available on March 1st. Both variations are available for $525USD through Farr & Swit.

About the author

Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.

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