The latest Swatch watches don’t usually get a lot of press. I’m not talking about the Swatch Group subsidiary brands like Omega, Blancpain and Harry Winston, which make up a significant chunk of the Group’s business in the prestige category.

Rather I’m referring to Swatch watches, the entry-level models which nevertheless make a major contribution towards the Swatch Group’s bottom line.

Part of the reason why they don’t get much coverage is because they don’t change much in terms of their nuts and bolts – with the major exception of the System 51, which was something of a game changer.

The Swatch quartz models are the equivalent of fast fashion for watch aficionados. They are affordable, offer a wide range of ever-changing style choices, and you wouldn’t think twice about scuffing them up in daily wear.

In other words, they make the prefect “second watches” – exactly what they were meant to be in the first place.

We already have a taste of the Swatch watch Summer 2018 collection, and it seems to be all about outdoor adventures. The collection that first caught my eye was the inspirationally named Mediterranean Views collection.

The funky Mediterranean Views collection by Swatch

It includes 17 watches, 13 of which are being billed as unisex and 4 orientated towards the ladies. The former come in 41mm wide plastic cases, while the other options are markedly smaller at 34mm in diameter.

Being Swatch watches, the majority are only offered in silicone straps, but there is one model that comes in an adjustable stainless steel strap. Three of the references even feature lume, which is nice for those long summer nights.

As ever, the new watches are light, colorful and carefree. Exactly what you might expect from the brand. The one quibble I have is that this sea-inspired collection can only come up with 3 bar (30m) of water resistance. In practice, that essentially means that the watch is sweat-proof, and probably splash proof.

Admittedly, I might be asking a lot from Swatch. But thankfully prices remain affordable, as the entire Mediterranean Views collection ranges from $60 to $100 USD. So you just might throw caution to the Mediterranean wind and even go for a swim with one - the risk is almost worth the cost.