Favorite Moments in the Watch Industry?
I've been obsessed with watches since I was a kid. I never concerned myself with reference numbers, technical knowledge, industry politics, etc. I just knew a good watch when I saw one.
I'm a freelance writer. Recently, I got a job writing about watches. Over the past month or so, I've been diving head first into the world of watch nerdom. I love it, I'm learning a ton, and I'm happy to rekindle a childhood interest.
I feel like I have the basics (quartz crisis, Rolex history, Moonwatch, etc.), but I'd love to hear some of you guys' favorite moments in the watch industry. Politics, drama, important releases -- I'm here for all of it. Just joined WatchCrunch today; I'm so stoked!
Cheers.
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One of my favourite little stories of the watch world is about people. I like the fact that prince William is always wearing his Omega Speedmaster Quartz everywhere and on every occasion because it was a present from his mother Diana.
UPD with the help of @Bill_Martin William owns quartz Omega Seamaster 300M and not a Speedmaster.
I have one and its gonna be controversial.
The launch of Apple Watch (AW). I thought to myself that it’s gonna distrupt the industry and it kinda did? Most people who don’t own a watch has an Apple Watch. Some who did, went on to mechanical or automatic watches. Those who are into mechanical watches took an interest in Apple Watch. Of cause, there will always be a difference between traditional watches and AW.
Everywhere i go, i see them on the wrist of folks from different walks of life. The trendy, the young, the old and the fitness conscious. As the newer models get upgraded, It attract more and more people into wrist devices.
For me, that’s the rise of smart watches. I think it’s a good thing because this will call for traditional watch makers to up their games and produce more interesting and more affordable watches.
Agree?
Excellent! Can you post some more about what you're writing?
I have said this before in other comments, but the origins of the Soviet watch industry are interesting. Hampden was an American company that could not compete for various reasons with the like of Elgin and Waltham etc. Upon their bankruptcy all of their equipment was loaded up and sent to the USSR. American technicians came too. All early Soviet watches were based on Hampden calibers. When the Soviet watch industry wanted to expand they turned to the French company Lip. Lip provided precision machinery and technical advice as well.
This was analogous to other industries as well. During Lend Lease Studebaker provided nearly 400,000 trucks to help the USSR in its war effort. Most people don't realize how much Western capital investment supported the USSR through the 1950's. Eventually, brands like Sekonda and Cardinal were Soviet-made for Western markets, capitalism financing communism.
I like that Bill Gates wears a Casio Duro and George W. Bush wears a Timex Weekender...
The battle between Omega, Rolex and to some extent Doxa to be chosen by Comex is a very interesting one. Because of it we have such watches as the Omega Ploprof and Rolex Sea-Dweller.
Literally the current ongoing battle between the Bvlgari Octo and the Piaget Antiplano to try and create the thinnest watch movement, only for Richard Mille of all companies to come out of left field with the Ferrari-emblazoned UP01. This shit got interesting.
Hi Skyler! I’m a watch writer too. Welcome to WatchCrunch.
I think for me, it was the time Zenith CEO, Thierry Nataf, got caught sleeping with the wife of the then-Rolex CEO, Patrick Heiniger. When asked about it, his simple response was, "Finally, I have defended Zenith's honor! We, after all, developed the El Primero, and it saved the Daytona! And, today, we now know who is 'El Primero' in the bedroom, no?"
I have one and its gonna be controversial.
The launch of Apple Watch (AW). I thought to myself that it’s gonna distrupt the industry and it kinda did? Most people who don’t own a watch has an Apple Watch. Some who did, went on to mechanical or automatic watches. Those who are into mechanical watches took an interest in Apple Watch. Of cause, there will always be a difference between traditional watches and AW.
Everywhere i go, i see them on the wrist of folks from different walks of life. The trendy, the young, the old and the fitness conscious. As the newer models get upgraded, It attract more and more people into wrist devices.
For me, that’s the rise of smart watches. I think it’s a good thing because this will call for traditional watch makers to up their games and produce more interesting and more affordable watches.
Agree?
I wholeheartedly agree!
One of my favourite little stories of the watch world is about people. I like the fact that prince William is always wearing his Omega Speedmaster Quartz everywhere and on every occasion because it was a present from his mother Diana.
UPD with the help of @Bill_Martin William owns quartz Omega Seamaster 300M and not a Speedmaster.
Isn't Prince William's Omega a mid-size Seamaster 300M Bond?
I have said this before in other comments, but the origins of the Soviet watch industry are interesting. Hampden was an American company that could not compete for various reasons with the like of Elgin and Waltham etc. Upon their bankruptcy all of their equipment was loaded up and sent to the USSR. American technicians came too. All early Soviet watches were based on Hampden calibers. When the Soviet watch industry wanted to expand they turned to the French company Lip. Lip provided precision machinery and technical advice as well.
This was analogous to other industries as well. During Lend Lease Studebaker provided nearly 400,000 trucks to help the USSR in its war effort. Most people don't realize how much Western capital investment supported the USSR through the 1950's. Eventually, brands like Sekonda and Cardinal were Soviet-made for Western markets, capitalism financing communism.
I never heard about this, but it's really fascinating for sure.
Isn't Prince William's Omega a mid-size Seamaster 300M Bond?
I don't know what hot my head. Of course it's not a Speedmaster but Seamster 300. Brainlag
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rocking a Minase Divido
In contrast to Vladimir Putin wearing a Patek Phillippe Perpetual Calendar Moon Phase worth $60k USD despite claiming having only a small apartment, a trailer, three cars, and making $140k a year.