Swatch, Visa launch pay-by-wrist watch venture

Swatch watches are displayed in front of a shop at the central station in Zurich in this February 4, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/Files

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss watchmaker Swatch SA, Visa Inc and Visa Europe have launched a project that lets Visa cardholders in the United States, Switzerland and Brazil make payments with Swatch's new "pay-by-the-wrist" Swatch Bellamy watch. Set to launch in early 2016, Swatch Bellamy can be used around the world wherever contactless near-field communications (NFC) Visa payments are accepted, the partners said in a joint statement. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Christoph Steitz)