What type of homage watch would you buy?
I use to be very anti-homage watch, of any kind. This was one of my first attempts at chasing unicorns.
However, the more you look, the more you realize that there is almost nothing came from nothing. Everything was inspired by something. This led me to purchase my first homage watch: a Dan Henry 1942
I would call watches like Dan Henry an indirect homage watch: they pull from an already established design language while taking direct cues from various models and merging them into one watch.
For me, although this is definitely not an original design, this feels a little bit more personal. It feels like they are honoring rather than copying.
Now on the other hand, you have something like Pagani Design which I would call a direct homage watch. Here, they are doing their best to create a copy of the original design minus the logo.
This is where it gets complicated for me- On one hand, it seems like a great way to show that you really just love the design; devoid of any conitations associated with the brand/price.
However, if you really love the design, it feels like you should be willing to compensate the original designer.
I understand that many of these watches are inacessable due to price and/or availability. Still, even if you never have a chance to own one; to me, when you buy a direct homage, you are stealing from the original designers. I would rather just enjoy the design from a far.
Who knows though…maybe though if I did experience a direct homage, I would find that feeling to not be true.
I’m curious to hear what you guys have to say. Is it fair for me to feel this way about direct homages? Where do you draw the line between original and homage and what type of homage would you be willing to buy?
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
I have a DH so it’s B for me.
Any homage. But never a branded fake.
I have a DH so it’s B for me.
Fake people buy fake watches.
Well, all I have right now are field watches, and since they are based on old WWI or WWII designs I find it hard to get upset about any company selling them. So, I suppose I have indirect homages, but if I saw a direct homage that I liked, I wouldn’t have any qualms about buying it. My only requirement is that it NOT have the name of the original on it, which would then make it a fake, which I couldn’t tolerate. I will NEVER be able to afford a watch that costs more than my car, nor would I care to have something like that hanging off my wrist! I work with my hands and would probably wreck a high end watch fairly quickly, hence why I prefer low end field watches which, I suppose, are indirect homages.
I'm fine with counterfeits.
I'd tick answer D : All of the above. The watch getting most of my wrist time this year is a Seestern S434, i.e. a pretty direct GO SeaQ homage. My only chronograph so far is a Pagani Design PD-1739, which is a direct homage of the Furlan Marri mecaquartz chronos inspired by some unobtainium PP chrono from yesteryear. My latest acquisition (waiting to be unboxed as a present in about a month) is the Wise AD773, which many consider quite Aqua Terra-ish and the next one on my shortlist is an Orient Star Heritage Gothic, which is clearly inspired by IWC. But I certainly wouldn't hesitate to buy an original design within my budget, such as the Echo/Neutra Averau Big Moon. As far as compensating the original designers is concerned, I guess most of them aren't around anymore, if you think of Gerald Genta or of the Cartier Tank, designed during WWI.
I'm good with any homage, except a fake branded as the real thing.
Call me fake, idc. I'm not looking for your approval.
As long as it’s not fake.
Counterfeits fuel organized crime. And it is outright theft.
Short of that, whatever floats the boat.
I have a few homage watches, I usually try to go for ones that have something unique going on from the original (but not always!)
As long as they are good quality I don't really mind