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In 1990, after almost 30 years, Swarovski Optik dropped their crystal logo. From that moment on the barrel of the left prism you see SWAROVSKI OPTIK in two lines, right-aligned. They used capital while letters, in the first segment a filled font in the second an outline font. Of course you can find series where both lines were etched in filled front. On the barrel of the left prism you got HABICHT, in capital letters written in a filled font and painted white, along with parameters. Mind you I've seen photos of binoculars from that period without any parameters at all.

Swarovski Habicht 8x30 W variant produced between 1990 and 1994. Source: John A. Roberts.

In this period an important change took place. Near 1992-1993 Swarovski ceased the production of 6x30 model. Contrary to the 8x30 instrument, offered in different variants with different fields of view across the years, the 6x30 version remained the same optical construction as in 1948, when it became a civilian device. It meant this particular pair of binoculars was offered for four decades and a half with the same parameters.

The production of Habichts from 1990-1994 standed out with a very consistent declaration of fully waterproofness up to a depth of 4 meters and a nitrogen-purged casing. The catalogues from this period of time state that the field of view of the 8x30 W model amounted to 7.9 deg and the production of the 8x30 N variant was completely stopped.

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Excerpt from a 1991 Swarovski Optik catalog featuring the Habicht 8x30 W and Habicht 10x40 W GA models.

A new system of serial numbering was another significant change. The so-called alfanumeric numbering (contrary to digits-only numeral system) was initially introduced in 1985 but in a very limited range and different forms. From January 1991 it was unified and applied in all product lines as an A+7 format (one letters, then seven digits). From September 1991 they changed it into the A+9 or, alternatively, AA+7 format.

Every alfanumeric numbering consists of 3 components:

• identifier of a product or a line of products (letter),
• a time stamp component (always stating production year, often also a week of any given year),
• sequential serial number.

First two numbers after a letter or letters meant a production year – it was enough to add them to 1930. The serial number was put on one arm of the central bridge.

Excerpt from a Swarovski Optik catalog from the beginning of the 1990s.

In 1992 Tramsmax anti-reflection coatings were replaced by a newer generation of multi coatings called Swarotop. The transmission increased along with white balance improvement.

Photos above prove that in this period the binoculars were sold with two types of hard cases, made of leather, and a plastic rainguard.

Swarovski Habicht 8x30 W binoculars from 1991 catalog. Source: Swarovski Optik.