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Are we still living in the past?
History, heritage and provenance.
This has made the famous names of the submariner, speedmaster, santos etc.
We rave and adore those designs for as long as we can remember. Yes this are watch icons and the poster boys of the watch world.
If this watches doesn’t have the same provenance, will it still be bought and queue for like hotcakes today? Or will it be just another watch sitting in windows of the AD waiting for someone to pick it up?
What’s your take on this? Does history, heritage and provenance make your buying decisions? Or you simply buy the watch because of the complications and the looks of it?
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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! 😎
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.
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.
My deciding factors are legibility and comfort. I don't care what the brand is, since nearly all the parts are made by the same factories in China now, and I've never cared about history, tradition, heritage or any of that old marketing nonsense anyway. I like to have the latest shiny, and I live in the here and now not the then and gone.
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…
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.🤣
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.
Definitely looks is important! of course quality and innovation as well! But i always seems the same few suspects boasting of their heritage😬
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.
You're right! Require approval of "better people".
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.
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.
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.
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...