Watch Category Chart
I didn’t make this, but I thought I’d start a discussion about where people think these brands stack up. No offence intended towards anyone’s favourite brands. I myself own many watches in the “Entry“ category. I just want to get a discussion going. What is missing? What is miscategorised? What do you think of this chart? I think it’s a pretty good reference.
81 comments
Sort by
Looks pretty much spot on to me.
The only high end placement that I really disagree with is H. Moser & Cie. I think that they belong a tier down from where they are. Same with Luminox, Marathon and Poljot on the lower end. Seiko and Citizen are currently attempting to move up into the next bracket. Other than that it's a great list.
Looks pretty spot on to me.
I'd add a category though; Basic Entry. It would have the low end (but still good) watches from Timex, Casio, Citizen, Invicta.
Timex Casio & Citizen could be double-listed there and in the Entry tier. Invicta could stay in only Basic Entry.
I find these charts unhelpful. Not because they're insulting or anything, but because they don't really take into account price ranges within watch brands themselves.
Using examples of watches from brands I actually own and have owned
A Seiko 5 ($150) is an Entry Level watch. A Seiko Presage SPB167 ($600-1kish) is probably closer to your entry luxury category A Seiko Prospex LX ($5-6Kish) is probably closer to luxury level.
A Grand Seiko SBGN011 ($3Kish) is probably close to basic luxury. A SBGA429 ($5Kish) is probably on the lower end of luxury. An SBGD 201 ($59Kish) is probably high to ultra.
A JLC Reverso Classic is firmly in the luxury camp. The Hybris Mechanica is higher than the highest tier you can think of.
I also think it tends to lend credence to these incredibly simplistic ideas about brands and the relatively values of their watches. People look at charts like these and, without ever having experienced a watch in the metal, spout off about how something is a good value or overpriced or whatever. I think this is beneath us as a watch community.
I remember once taking a watch dilettante friend to my Cartier boutique to try on this.
I have a long standing relationship with my boutique and my friend was interested in a perpetual calendar, so I offered to take him in to see it.
And the dude (who is still my friend) couldn't stop carping about how it just wasn't the same as Rolex.
"Rolex doesn't sell watches that are below $5K. I could buy two Tanks with that money."
To him, Cartier was a brand that sold watches that were not to his spending standard. If any of you know the watch above, you know just how ludicrous a statement that is. And I think that misguided attitude is, in part, driven by these brand ranking exercises which miss how broad some of these collections actually are.
Evaluate the watch, not the brand.
Meh.
Panerai needs to be downgraded. Tudor needs to be upgraded.
Sinn/Eterna/Ball in the same category as Tag Heuer? Wtf?
At least JLC is correctly placed next to Patek/VC/AP, in this list.
https://czapek.com/all-timepieces/
I’ve seen a lot of these, and they usually have some pretty bad takes on brands in each tier. This is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
Yeah Moser is row two but that’s probably the most accurate ranking I’ve seen.
Not that I see much value in them (grumbles about languishing in tier 3 like some kinda chump)…
Damn you.
looks pretty good to me. Although as usual some very credible German watch makers have been left off the list.
Immediate thoughts go to Jochen Benzinger and Moritz Grossmann in High End luxury and Mühle Glashütte , Hanhart, Tutima and Archimede in Basic luxury alongside Sinn
I've only hear of two out of five of the ultra luxury watch brands 😅
Riding the bandwagon on this one, Looks about right.
I find these charts unhelpful. Not because they're insulting or anything, but because they don't really take into account price ranges within watch brands themselves.
Using examples of watches from brands I actually own and have owned
A Seiko 5 ($150) is an Entry Level watch. A Seiko Presage SPB167 ($600-1kish) is probably closer to your entry luxury category A Seiko Prospex LX ($5-6Kish) is probably closer to luxury level.
A Grand Seiko SBGN011 ($3Kish) is probably close to basic luxury. A SBGA429 ($5Kish) is probably on the lower end of luxury. An SBGD 201 ($59Kish) is probably high to ultra.
A JLC Reverso Classic is firmly in the luxury camp. The Hybris Mechanica is higher than the highest tier you can think of.
I also think it tends to lend credence to these incredibly simplistic ideas about brands and the relatively values of their watches. People look at charts like these and, without ever having experienced a watch in the metal, spout off about how something is a good value or overpriced or whatever. I think this is beneath us as a watch community.
I remember once taking a watch dilettante friend to my Cartier boutique to try on this.
I have a long standing relationship with my boutique and my friend was interested in a perpetual calendar, so I offered to take him in to see it.
And the dude (who is still my friend) couldn't stop carping about how it just wasn't the same as Rolex.
"Rolex doesn't sell watches that are below $5K. I could buy two Tanks with that money."
To him, Cartier was a brand that sold watches that were not to his spending standard. If any of you know the watch above, you know just how ludicrous a statement that is. And I think that misguided attitude is, in part, driven by these brand ranking exercises which miss how broad some of these collections actually are.
Evaluate the watch, not the brand.
And I think Seiko has a problem here, because many people are going to have trouble placing them in the luxury tier. At least for me, a $7k diver is a tough sell from a company that also produces $300 divers. I look at it and I just see a slightly nicer version of the $1000 one that was just a slightly nicer version of the $300 one.
Part of paying so much for an Omega or Rolex is that there isn’t a cheap version. There’s no $1000 Submariner or Speedmaster.
And before anyone mentions Tudor, that’s the point. If you want to make watches of vastly different prices, make different companies to do it. If that Seiko is really made on a th GS factory, fine, let’s call it a GS then.
Maybe this doesn’t bother most of you, but it bothers me. A $5k+ watch from Seiko doesn’t make sense to me.
I find these charts unhelpful. Not because they're insulting or anything, but because they don't really take into account price ranges within watch brands themselves.
Using examples of watches from brands I actually own and have owned
A Seiko 5 ($150) is an Entry Level watch. A Seiko Presage SPB167 ($600-1kish) is probably closer to your entry luxury category A Seiko Prospex LX ($5-6Kish) is probably closer to luxury level.
A Grand Seiko SBGN011 ($3Kish) is probably close to basic luxury. A SBGA429 ($5Kish) is probably on the lower end of luxury. An SBGD 201 ($59Kish) is probably high to ultra.
A JLC Reverso Classic is firmly in the luxury camp. The Hybris Mechanica is higher than the highest tier you can think of.
I also think it tends to lend credence to these incredibly simplistic ideas about brands and the relatively values of their watches. People look at charts like these and, without ever having experienced a watch in the metal, spout off about how something is a good value or overpriced or whatever. I think this is beneath us as a watch community.
I remember once taking a watch dilettante friend to my Cartier boutique to try on this.
I have a long standing relationship with my boutique and my friend was interested in a perpetual calendar, so I offered to take him in to see it.
And the dude (who is still my friend) couldn't stop carping about how it just wasn't the same as Rolex.
"Rolex doesn't sell watches that are below $5K. I could buy two Tanks with that money."
To him, Cartier was a brand that sold watches that were not to his spending standard. If any of you know the watch above, you know just how ludicrous a statement that is. And I think that misguided attitude is, in part, driven by these brand ranking exercises which miss how broad some of these collections actually are.
Evaluate the watch, not the brand.
Your very good point is well taken. But I still wonder if it’s worth knowing the “average” range of a watch brand, though, even if they play in different segments. For example, Patek Philippe make watches that cost as much as houses, but they also don’t sell anything below $10k. And I don’t think you could sell a Seiko, however fancy, for over $2k. Of course, it’s not just about the price either…
Is #montblanc not in consideration😕? They have some good ones out there. ✔ for Entry - Luxury. Need to work on the top two categories.
And I think Seiko has a problem here, because many people are going to have trouble placing them in the luxury tier. At least for me, a $7k diver is a tough sell from a company that also produces $300 divers. I look at it and I just see a slightly nicer version of the $1000 one that was just a slightly nicer version of the $300 one.
Part of paying so much for an Omega or Rolex is that there isn’t a cheap version. There’s no $1000 Submariner or Speedmaster.
And before anyone mentions Tudor, that’s the point. If you want to make watches of vastly different prices, make different companies to do it. If that Seiko is really made on a th GS factory, fine, let’s call it a GS then.
Maybe this doesn’t bother most of you, but it bothers me. A $5k+ watch from Seiko doesn’t make sense to me.
I'm not going to argue the merits of Seiko's strategy. I don't think it's how I would do it but clearly it works for what they consider their core markets (which may or may not be you or me). I do know those high end Seiko Prospexes ranges sell out pretty quickly (but also show up used at significant discounts) so I think there is clearly someone buying them.
But you see microcosms of all of these things across the spectrum. JLC could very well be considered a step below Lange or a step above based on the range of their collections and complications. I just don't think this chart is a great way to put it.
I think a Gantt chart with price ranges might be helpful rather than just a chart with vague names.
Pretty mich spot on, but have to say thar Nomos and Oris value propo is awesome and soon may be in bracket above. E.g Rolex not really living up to it exept for the investment into the brand. hype… no wow effect already for a long time. Tudor more exciting
Playing devil's advocate, but didn't Omega just colab with Swatch to produce a cheaper version?
That doesn’t sound right.
Lol, I’d argue that they did a one-time (probably) collaboration intended to get people talking about the brand. Possibely the success of the venture as well as the success other brands are having with such ventures will spur them to more such projects. I think it’s also important to note the watch was sold as a Swatch. It’s a fancy swatch, not a cheap Omega. Kind of.
I think that you can put the Junkers Watches in the Entry Luxury (https://en.junkers.de).
The Philippe Dufour should be in the Ultra category I think.
Talk about a name that doesn't translate well to another language's slang.
given the irrationnality of the watch game, any such ranking will be challenged by the fans of brand x, y or z
As an owner of models both from Tudor and Sinn, I'm surprised to see them sitting in the same box. Tudor is a notch above Sinn, even if I like a lot the Frankfurt guys
No doubt Rolex and Omega are Luxury brand, but I'm struggling with the concept of basic Luxury.
I find these charts unhelpful. Not because they're insulting or anything, but because they don't really take into account price ranges within watch brands themselves.
Using examples of watches from brands I actually own and have owned
A Seiko 5 ($150) is an Entry Level watch. A Seiko Presage SPB167 ($600-1kish) is probably closer to your entry luxury category A Seiko Prospex LX ($5-6Kish) is probably closer to luxury level.
A Grand Seiko SBGN011 ($3Kish) is probably close to basic luxury. A SBGA429 ($5Kish) is probably on the lower end of luxury. An SBGD 201 ($59Kish) is probably high to ultra.
A JLC Reverso Classic is firmly in the luxury camp. The Hybris Mechanica is higher than the highest tier you can think of.
I also think it tends to lend credence to these incredibly simplistic ideas about brands and the relatively values of their watches. People look at charts like these and, without ever having experienced a watch in the metal, spout off about how something is a good value or overpriced or whatever. I think this is beneath us as a watch community.
I remember once taking a watch dilettante friend to my Cartier boutique to try on this.
I have a long standing relationship with my boutique and my friend was interested in a perpetual calendar, so I offered to take him in to see it.
And the dude (who is still my friend) couldn't stop carping about how it just wasn't the same as Rolex.
"Rolex doesn't sell watches that are below $5K. I could buy two Tanks with that money."
To him, Cartier was a brand that sold watches that were not to his spending standard. If any of you know the watch above, you know just how ludicrous a statement that is. And I think that misguided attitude is, in part, driven by these brand ranking exercises which miss how broad some of these collections actually are.
Evaluate the watch, not the brand.
Not sure where this fits, and if it is price that establishes a tier then the Richard Mille Rafael Nadal RM027 has a few that they want $2.5Million for. Is it really that good, that exclusive? I don't know what to think.
Other than that, great chart!
Talk about a name that doesn't translate well to another language's slang.
The Junkers? Its a Germany company.
You can learn more in they website.
The Junkers? Its a Germany company.
You can learn more in they website.
Yes, and highly related to POINTtec, Germany's largest private label manufacturer. And no, not junkers as in wrecked cars, but rather related to a German aircraft engineer, whose company was seized during the 3rd Reich, and produced many German warplanes of that era.
Could anyone tell me what this chat is for?
Chart, that is. To reassure people that they have a top notch watch? To upset people who haven't? To offer a very dubious and uncontrolled listing of what is good, bad or indifferent? Does anyone actually use a chart like this.
The only "rating chart" that I care about is my own chart.
1-My Watches
2-Everybody elses watches
Chart, that is. To reassure people that they have a top notch watch? To upset people who haven't? To offer a very dubious and uncontrolled listing of what is good, bad or indifferent? Does anyone actually use a chart like this.
As I mentioned earlier, it helps people roughly categorize brands they have never heard of or know little about.
If you know all about each of the brands listed the chart is pretty useless to you, as you have your own ideas about where each brand fits into your personal spectrum of brands.
Looks pretty much spot on to me.
same
As I mentioned earlier, it helps people roughly categorize brands they have never heard of or know little about.
If you know all about each of the brands listed the chart is pretty useless to you, as you have your own ideas about where each brand fits into your personal spectrum of brands.
This!
Would add Czapek, Gronefeld, and Credor.
I agree with most, wondering which category would Girard Perregaux fit in, probably Luxury?
I agree with most, wondering which category would Girard Perregaux fit in, probably Luxury?
At the very least!