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Which watch should I make my buddy buy for me? AKA, the story of my risk-taking friend and how he has to buy a watch for me by losing a bet
Hublot is awesome, and the greatest words of wisdom I've ever heard with regard to watches... AKA, window shopping with @edge168n
The value of brand... AKA, why Rolex should continue to dominate the watch market centuries from now, but they won't because they're completely EFF'ing up their long-term competitive advantage in fixed cost economies of scale
Recent Comments
Ha! If I remember, last year, GS released something like 73 new models, while Swiss brands might do 4 or 5? That's the power of Seiko's lean manufacturing. You can put out a ton of variety, in order to meet the tastes of the incredibly varied buying public.
It's the difference between Network Television and Netflix. Network Television was notorious for pilots, followed by intense focus group testing, etc., etc. They have to get every single show just right. Because they've got limited time slots in their live schedules. Think of it as analogous to "inflexible manufacturing."
Netflix, meanwhile, has creators make hundreds upon hundreds of shows, and then Netflix just dumps 'em out there, and sees what hits and what doesn't. They don't pretend to know what is really going to capture people's attention. And, as a result, you sometimes get "Haters Back Off." Never heard of it? Me neither. Probably an indication of how terrible the show is. But, other times, you get "Squid Game."
Unlike Network Television, Netflix's philosophy is "let a thousand flowers bloom." And it works.
That's GS's philosophy as well!
Oh, man! I'm so glad that you were able to do that! I was worried when you'd originally indicated that you weren't in love with it - feared that you'd end up having to sell at a loss!
You know, in signaling theory, the strongest and most reliable signals come when someone goes AGAINST type. Like if, for example, the New York Times endorses Biden for President, or Fox News endorses Trump, those signals provide exactly ZERO useful new information. It’s only if NYT endorses Trump or Fox endorses Biden, that you learn anything useful out reliable.
The fact that you’re an Omega man, but endorse the VC… now that is a valuable signal!
Yeah, exactly!
But, something about that Moonshine Gold is tempting me to "backslide." Dammit!
That's crazy! I guess I've got several thoughts on this:
It's a bad marketing move
GS absolutely should fix that watch - doesn't matter if they need to hand machine every single part from scratch
If they were smart, and clearly they're not, they would fix the watch in order to avoid piercing the illusion and make the admission that "luxury" watches are just durable consumer goods that depreciate over time and end up as worthless junk in drawers - you want your consumer base to continue to delude themselves that these are somehow special and magical artifacts that will last for all eternity, passed from grateful generation to grateful generation
But, as we all know, Asians are TERRIBLE at marketing, so clearly they're EFF'ing that up big time! (And, of course I'm allowed to say that, because I'm Asian, but more importantly, anyone is allowed to say it, because it's the truth)
The reality
Nonetheless, the reality is that "luxury" watches are nothing more than durable consumer goods that depreciate over time and end up as worthless junk in drawers!
I mean, the whole "You never really own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation" is an absolute genius marketing slogan! It's a Swiss thing, created by absolutely genius Swiss marketers. Seiko could learn a thing or two from Western marketing minds. But, well, the past 3,000 years of history would suggest that Asian cultures are too insular to adopt modern practices / technology!
Does this change my views in any way with regard to Spring Drive?
No. Gonna happily continue to buy them left, right, and center
Why? Because "luxury" watches are nothing more than durable consumer goods that depreciate over time and end up as worthless junk in drawers!
I expect all my 9R calibers to last significantly longer than 25 years - that's just something that comes with manufacturing learning curves. Every mass manufactured good today has incomparably better reliability and quality than the same good manufactured 25 years ago
But, I don't expect to be alive for much longer than 25 more years, and the last thing my children would want is a bunch of durable consumer goods that have depreciated over time and have ended up as worthless junk sitting in my drawers continuing to clutter up their lives after I've died!
More posts
New Year, new charity watch auction! Unison Model Orbital in Ion Blue (#28)
Limited editions are a good thing and this is why. AKA, forget all the talk about FOMO or tricking us out of money, limited editions increase consumer and producer surplus
What does Rolex have to do with Marvel's poopification, streaming movies, and those weird DVD bundles at Walmart? AKA, how Rolex's purchase of Bucherer was a terrible, terrible mistake on their part
For god's sake, can we finally put a fork in it? AKA, putting an end to threads about "which watch is a better investment?" or "which watch will hold its value better?"
Why we all feel such disdain for Seiko now... AKA, the @ichibunz SPB143 homage perfectly illustrates why Seiko and other mid-tier manufacturers can no longer compete for enthusiasts’ hearts and minds
Luxury brands are misleading all of us with the fiction of their "artisan watchmakers." AKA, why it takes 3 months for your watch to get serviced, when it should actually take 2 weeks
I acquired a Grand Seiko Lion... not the watch, but a statue!!! AKA, a field report and meetup recap from the Annual GS9 Experience in Hollywood
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