YouTubers watches? Worth the Punt??
Evening watch Crunchers, hope your all good!
It seems lately a lot of YouTubers are getting into the watch business, whether it’s the likes of TGV, Andrew Morgan (watchfinder) or MWC putting their design on a watch or Jody stepping into the fray and producing his own watches. It seems to me we are getting a lot of options.
Is this a good thing??
I’m interested to hear what you guys think. Would you happily buy one of their watches and treat them like a collaborator or microbrand or do you have your reservations being worried that maybe their trying to make a few quid off the back of their subscribers?
Personally I like the look of MWC’s collab, and Erebus’s Ascent in the white enamel and malachite is decent looking. However not sure if I would part with my money for one of them……… Not yet anyway!
But do you guys think??
Been watch collecting for about 5 years now, don’t necessarily follow the masses with trends, tend like the older style watches as they seem to have a bit more style to them! You do get some gems in t...
It’s gonna fizzle our It’s like celebrity perfumes it seems
I personally love seeing it!
I love seeing microbrands instead of just the big brands that overprice their watches haha.
I personally love seeing it!
I love seeing microbrands instead of just the big brands that overprice their watches haha.
I’m a big fan of micro brands, not sure about collabs though!
If TGV is to be believed, he's been in on designs of watches over the last few years we know nothing about.
If he's to be believed...
The overt collabs are gonna fizzle. Covert collabs if they exist may not.
Collaborating on a design is one thing if you want to support them. Partnering with a popular microbrand to make their watches under a different name would not be producing per se, more private label, but it is fine too, if one likes the look of said brand, have at it. They make a little bit in the process and the microbrand gets another revenue stream.
I think it's interesting that YouTubers are offering their own line of watches, but I think they need to do more with the designs of their watches. It seems most are only going so far as offering different dial designs and throwing their logos on at the 12 o'clock position. They have to do more to differentiate. I look at what Ming, Paulin, and Brew has done over the years as examples of brands creating designs that they can call their own.
I like it only so far as they actually design a watch that I want to buy. So far the only colab watch I have purchased is the first one from Long Island Watch and TGV. I sold it, so what does that tell you.
I think it's interesting that YouTubers are offering their own line of watches, but I think they need to do more with the designs of their watches. It seems most are only going so far as offering different dial designs and throwing their logos on at the 12 o'clock position. They have to do more to differentiate. I look at what Ming, Paulin, and Brew has done over the years as examples of brands creating designs that they can call their own.
Yes but is that because brew, ming etc have actual designers involved??
I only want a watch from @islandwatch
I like it only so far as they actually design a watch that I want to buy. So far the only colab watch I have purchased is the first one from Long Island Watch and TGV. I sold it, so what does that tell you.
You bought for the hype but cold light of day you realised it was impulse buy and not what you really wanted??
I only want a watch from @islandwatch
Was he a watchmaker before YouTuber?
Meh...these "watch influencer" collabs don't really interest me at all really.
You bought for the hype but cold light of day you realised it was impulse buy and not what you really wanted??
I actually really liked it. When you look at the numbers, they just looked like they are squashed. If the Numbers could have been cleaned up it would have been a keeper. And yes, it was an impulse buy.
Get the only YouTuber watch that matters: the Spaghetti Scametti!
That’s a shame I have something similar with my Zelos. I loved the look of it on a Pete Kosta review. Looked on the internet for other reviews and then bought it. But I just haven’t bonded with it yet. It might get sold. I’m wearing it a lot to try and get that bond. However it’s a potential impulse buy because of YouTube
I agree but they do that same thing with similar parts Nothing new Heck the prices are not even less than oems
I get that.
They have Seiko movements but, have much better QC usually and their customer service is usually much better since they care more about their customers.
I just like seeing new brands trying to break into the market as well.
I pre-ordered the erebus ascent. I did so primarily because I like the look of the watch and I had already been shopping for a GADA black dial watch in that style, but one of my biggest reasons for doing so was this idea:
Jody has seen and compared and complained about SO MANY WATCHES at this point. If anybody is going to make a watch that's not shit it should be the guy who has been handling hundreds of watches over the years.
Same applies to Mark from Long Island watch, he was already a professional within the business before starting the microbrand, could that prior experience be why Islander watches is so successful?
TGV for all his entertainment over the years, has not looked at the sheer volume of watches as JOMW. And I find his collabs to have been quite boring and derivative. Oh wow, an additional lion logo on the dial and some tweaked colors. Yawn
Was he a watchmaker before YouTuber?
Marc has been around a very long time.
He and his store Long Island Watch have been selling watches for at least as long as I have been into watches. Which would be '07-ish or close to.
I believe they started in '03, but not for sure.
One of the reasons he started Islander watches was because Seiko was doing away with the SKX line.
In fact he basically stated at first he would make a better watch spec wise than Seiko did. And he did.
I kick myself for not picking up the last few SKX013's he had on fire sale right there at the end years ago........that and also getting a Lew and Huey.
He's sold Citizen, Seiko, Orient, Squale, Marathon, Bertucci, and others (micros and big brands) for awhile.
I think that it makes perfect sense for a YouTuber to move into having a watch brand. They get to handle lots of watches, and receive feedback from viewers regarding what they want from a watch. They also come with a built-in fanbase, unlike brands starting from nothing.
I'm not as big a fan of collaborations with YouTubers though, mostly because I haven't seen one yet that appeals to me.
Hello! “YouTuber” here. I made a watch. A collab, of course, with Nodus, who makes great watches.
Our collab watch is not a marketing exercise. It’s an all new piece, with specific requirements that people who know and collect watches would appreciate.
I get the point of this thread. But also it was important that our watch is not a marketing exercise or a shameless aesthetic project - it brings the goods to people who care about this hobby in a manner that is above and beyond what others offer at this price point.
shameless plug** we have 2 new colorways coming this year!
Hello! “YouTuber” here. I made a watch. A collab, of course, with Nodus, who makes great watches.
Our collab watch is not a marketing exercise. It’s an all new piece, with specific requirements that people who know and collect watches would appreciate.
I get the point of this thread. But also it was important that our watch is not a marketing exercise or a shameless aesthetic project - it brings the goods to people who care about this hobby in a manner that is above and beyond what others offer at this price point.
shameless plug** we have 2 new colorways coming this year!
Hey Matt, I gotta say I really liked the colour of your collab with Nodus! I’d say that’s a Collab done right, nice colour choice and the knurling on the crown 👍🏻
Great Watches are all about the memories behind the one you end up getting. The ones we end up keeping for the long haul usually depend on the answers to the where, when, why, who -and what questions. If the answers are right, for you, then the brand is usually behind those questions and third comes the physical.
#letthewatchdoallthetalking
Would be a no for me. Have my doubts.. I see them as YouTube watches.. Where fellow YouTubers a careful to criticize a fellow YouTuber.
I think we’re in the golden age of micro/indie brands. I just purchased the Brooklyn 36 from Maen and im impressed with the quality and it runs very well on a timegrapher. I think these brands are going to deliver quality without the associated price tag and eventually mainstream brands will have to accommodate.
Of course it's a good thing keeps the big boys on there toes and the cost of descent specs down what's not good about that .🤷
Not opposed to amateurs having a go, unlikely to buy them as I'm not into microbrands.
Seems like for every Zelos and Erebus, we see something fail harshly too, like the Kickstarter from I.Like Watches ... It was an ok design but Roman numerals seem divisive and possibly appeared Too basic and plain to elicit much excitement.
I view YouTube videos for purely entertainment purposes primarily and secondly for information. Since I stopped watching cable tv and cable news, I pretty much watch YouTube exclusively. Watch content is pervasive and some good and some not so good. But I enjoy it for interesting content and also watch content on other topics as well. Real people making content that I either find interesting or just see through their opinions and make my own judgement.
I've yet to see one catch my eye yet, the closest it's been is an Ascent but I'm not keen on getting one (yet)
I bought Ascent, not because I love watching JOMW (not even subscribed, yet), but because I just liked the watch with its price range.
Yes, those "YouTuber Watches" have some advantages. However, I don't think they are doing for an advertisement or a quick cash grab. As they do have advantages, they also possess huge risk. If the product turns out to be bad, fake, or a copy of other goods, their YT career will be heavily damaged I think!