Are we still living in the past?

For me it’s all about the PRICe !! 😂

Design! I have to be attracted to the damn thing right! If I have to look at it might as well be gorgeous. But we also have to understand the Past in order for us to create a better future… dang it I sound like an old man prophesying…

I think when dealing with luxury goods like the ones you mentioned the story is just as important as the look, because the story is part of the overall image the watch presents.

If it was just looks, people would stick to non-luxury versions of the same styles.

Let's be honest here. This heritage hooey means "previously approved of by better people."

This is why people are still reticent about Grand Seiko and microbrands. Richer, smarter, cooler people of the past haven't given their thumbs up on which the modern insecure and uncertain customer can rely.

I live in the past for different reasons.

Yep 100%.

But I'm old, much preferred the world years ago before it went mental, corrupt and banal...

Zero interest in smart watches or tech in general, happy looking at the world through rose tinted specs at technology I can understand if not fix myself.

No, the watch industry has decided that this is how we move forward... by moving backward. And everybody seems fine with it so why not.

Accuracy, they don't want to compete (because many expensive watch movements actually suck) and the consumer doesn't care...

Technical specifications, they used to give these (like balance inertia, regulating power, useable energy in the mainspring) which could be used to judge an architecture's efficiency are nowhere to be found anymore. Power reserve and bph. The watch person seems extremely uninterested and the media ignorant (I recall reading an article by Jack Forster who admitted he wouldn't know what to do with those figures) in that regard. It ain't that hard, torque is torque, energy is energy and the physics of a spring and a single frequency resonant are not that complicated... people spend 10 grand upwards and don't even bother reading an article to understand the basics of it. And yet all the customers want is a nice story, integrated bracelet and power reserve... beats me. That's like selling a car and only providing the range and engine rpm... Good luck with that. But hey, watches are different apparently.

I either can't afford or justify the cost of actual heritage and/or prestige when it comes to wristwatches. I have my so-called "grails", but am content to let them live with my fantasy of actually winning the lottery someday! LOL! Hell, I'd like a Porsche too but ... 😉 😀

As far as the past goes ... well with the current state of the world, looking back, the 80's seem pretty damn good! I was a young adult then, without a care in the world! 😎

I agree 10000%!! But honestly I had to look up, “reticent” 😂…

I too live in past for a different reasons…

A little nostalgia for a time I wasn't even alive in is strangely comforting. To a certain extend my tank makes me feel like Cary Grant and my speedy like a NASA engineer working on the Apollo mission. A Seiko diver just feels like summer and good times. Many modern watches just don't let my imagination fly. But there is so much selection in watches from vintage inspired to super technical modern stuff that there is one for everybody. I cannot blame brands sticking to designs from the past that just work and I am thankful Omega for example does not mess too much with the Moonwatch and offers more modern designs on other Speedmasters.

Yes i note that history is definitely important for us to create new innovation.

Of course also noting that our time we have apple watch which could replace any mechnical watch.

But sometimes is overwhelming of marketing of being the 1st watch to space, the 1st wrist watch, first dive watch etc etc... I mean defintely there is more interesting innovation they could boast.🤣

Definitely looks is important! of course quality and innovation as well! But i always seems the same few suspects boasting of their heritage😬

You're right! Require approval of "better people".

Ya definitely those brands deserve to be recognise for their acheivements. But that was 50years + ago.... i mean it is nice to be part of history by owning abit of it. But i am just thinking shouldn't we as consumers get more from their current collection? instead of the same of that hike/inflated price with little design or movement improvements?

It all depends what you get out of watches.

Art. Soul. Concept, ideas, history, story, authenticity, inspiration

Design. Mind. Nice looks, works well, cool functions, specs.

Craft. Hand. decorated Finishing, materials, effort.

Personally I'm 60‰ art, 20% of the other two.

There is no requirement to care about the technical details to appreciate watches, just as many car buyers don't care about horsepower and torque.

People buying watches care about what the watch looks like, how accurate it is, and how long it can sit on their nightstand before it dies.

People buying cars care about how comfortable it is, what features it has, how it feels to drive, what it's fuel economy is, and how many kms they can go between fill-ups. Most car buyers don't understand suspension systems, CVT vs. Auto. vs. DCT, etc...

For some reason tour comment doesn't show for me here @KristianG

There is no requirement to care about the technical details to appreciate watches, just as many car buyers don't care about horsepower and torque.

I agree there isn't. One can appreciate a watch for ay reason.

People buying watches care about what the watch looks...

But why do so many then "care" about movement? Has to be mechanical, can't be Sellita, must be in house. Stick a 10 Euro mecaquartz inside and call it a day, looks the same and runs way better. Seems the reasoning goes

Q: "Why do you want this?"

A: "Because."

But that's actually okay with me. What really grinds my gears is when someone claims a (usually non Sellita) movement is an upgrade because of whatever feature (usually power reserve) but then actually has no idea how, i.e. at what cost, that additional power reserve was achieved and shows no curiosity regarding what the implications are for timekeeping (it almost never comes for "free"). To stick with the car analogy, is it really an upgrade to have 600 miles instead of 200 miles of the range if 80% of it need to be travelled at 20mph or less? I think such a "quirk" at least needs disclosing. Yet nobody cares whether the rotor is heavy enough and the winding efficiency high enough to wind a big mainspring (I hear Oris has trouble with that) or whether the single barrel design will result in dodgy timekeeping after a certain point because presumably the torque varies too much (I hear Richemont has trouble with that). But obviously it is just rumours/anecdotes which I cannot prove because nobody bothers to investigate on a broader scale because nobody would bother to read/watch the content and subsequently pay for an improvement unless the problem is very, very serious.

I'm old and like the world better because my life is not currently illegal anymore. "This offer void in Texas, Florida and Tennessee" Still love watches though.

Provenance and horology matter to me, but, I'm really opening up to new microbrands. I really like what Brew has to offer. If we give business to the new/up and coming microbrands, and if they continue to do well and flourish, they will add to/expand their own history and earn their place in horological history. Everyone started somewhere.

I am of 2 minds: It Matters and it Doesn't. Heritage Brands got me into watches. Many of which I have or do still own. I think these brands inspired new offerings today. They also have pushed each other to build better timepieces. No one needs a watch to keep time anymore: A $20 or $1 Million watch is Toolry. There are so many great options today! We live in the Golden erra of watches