Collab overload
Is it just me or have there been more collabs this year (especially towards the end of the year) than any other year before? Nivida seem to have partnered up with anyone that will look their way. Nomos have been in cahoots with the 'Dink and Fratello for a while (I don't think it's a coincidence that the bulk of these collabs are dropping around Xmas).
Don't get me wrong - teaming up with adjacent or historically relevant partners is a great way for watch brands to get exposure of their product with the right audience and create that sense of whimsy and/or nostalgia. Dropping these as LE's creates that FOMO feelings and gets prospective purchasers to make that impulse buying decision. But how far does a collab have to go to get you to drop your hard-earned?
If a collab is done with certain partners, then it can lead to something spectacular (eg Zenith x Kari Voutilainen x Phillips 135 Observatoire). And while this product will be out of reach for 99.99999999% of the watch buying market, nevertheless, the collaboration was undertaken to create something truly unique, which I can appreciate.
But if we're talking about changing colorways or dropping a brand/logo on the dial, then I don't have as much interest. For me, I'd rather buy a stock model variation.
What kind of collabs are enticing to you? What do you think about recent collabs and are they enticing enough for you to pull the trigger?
Adventures of a watch tragic.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the Nivida upside-down dial colab or what ever it's called. Silly...just Silly!!!
I’m wearing the Islander, TGV collab today. But I’m usually not too interested in collaborations.
I hear ya. Seems like all the cool kids are cashing in with a collab this year (and particularly around the holidays, like you said). Although I did part with cash for the Fratello-Minase joint venture. I figured that was a good way to get a Minase on the cheap (relatively speaking).
What concerns me is that this will be the preferred way of extending a collection rather than innovating on materials, movement, sizing, complications etc.
What concerns me is that this will be the preferred way of extending a collection rather than innovating on materials, movement, sizing, complications etc.
The likely reason is that there are only so many materials, movements, and sizing suited to wristwatches.
An 85mm parmesan cheese case, with a nuclear reactor for power would be different, but slightly impractical.
I think collaborations/LEs are a great way to create unique versions of a popular models.