Social Media and Horology: Boon or Bane for the Watch Collecting Community?
Hello Watch Aficionados,
I trust you're ticking along nicely. Today, I'd like to start a discussion that, albeit not directly about the mechanics or aesthetics of watches, is profoundly shaping the way we perceive, collect, and discuss our beloved timepieces: The influence of social media on the world of horology.
Undoubtedly, social media platforms have transformed the watch collecting landscape. Instagram, with its visual emphasis, has become a showground for the most intriguing and stunning timepieces. Facebook groups and watch forums, like ours, are bustling with insightful discussions, DIY tutorials, and endless debates.
On one hand, social media has made watch collecting more democratic and accessible. Collectors around the globe can share their prized possessions, learn from each other, and even trade or sell watches with ease. Brands, on the other hand, have leveraged these platforms to reach out to potential customers, launch new models, and tell their stories in more compelling ways.
But, is it all as rosy as it appears?
There are concerns about the "Instagrammification" of watch collecting. Some collectors feel social media platforms, particularly Instagram, are fostering a culture of exclusivity and extravagance that deviates from the true essence of horology. With likes, comments, and shares becoming the measure of a watch's desirability, are we sidelining the craftsmanship, history, and the personal connection we share with these mechanical marvels?
So, let's dive into this:
Do you feel social media platforms are enhancing your watch collecting experience, or do you believe they are detracting from the joy of horology? How has social media influenced your perspective and decisions as a watch enthusiast?
I'm genuinely curious to know your thoughts, experiences, and stories tied to this digital evolution. Let's get the discussion ticking!
Full Disclosure: I also enjoy posting to my watch Instagram page so I am not unbiased IG: @watchyostyle
Instagram: watchyostyle
I think the worst thing social media has foisted on watch collecting is the whole "horology" thing. I'm a watch enthusiast, not a horology enthusiast... I don't particularly care about the science of time, I care about the physical object on my wrist that tells me the time, and looks good while doing it.
That said, I think social media has done far more good for hobbies like watch collecting than it has done harm. People from all over the world are able to engage with others about a shared interest. It broadens people's horizons, and allows more variety in watches.
Prior to social media people from small towns and rural areas with a Walmart and a single jewelry store might not have ever heard of most brands. Citizen, Timex, Casio, and a few Swatch group brands were pretty much all the brands I had seen in person until I went to Dubai years ago. Now I own brands like Damasko, CW, Marathon, etc...
I think the worst thing social media has foisted on watch collecting is the whole "horology" thing. I'm a watch enthusiast, not a horology enthusiast... I don't particularly care about the science of time, I care about the physical object on my wrist that tells me the time, and looks good while doing it.
That said, I think social media has done far more good for hobbies like watch collecting than it has done harm. People from all over the world are able to engage with others about a shared interest. It broadens people's horizons, and allows more variety in watches.
Prior to social media people from small towns and rural areas with a Walmart and a single jewelry store might not have ever heard of most brands. Citizen, Timex, Casio, and a few Swatch group brands were pretty much all the brands I had seen in person until I went to Dubai years ago. Now I own brands like Damasko, CW, Marathon, etc...
Totally agreed and in the same boat as you!
WatchCrunch is a "social" platform aimed at watches. Before that I was lurking on forums and mailing lists, and I find WC is lot more comprehensive and easy to use. So far it's been a pleasure engaging with people who share the same interests. I think insta ticktok etc has too much noise, and it takes a lot of effort separating the signal from the noise.
This is the only place I communicate about watches which is enough 🎯
One of the main limits of Instagram is the character count inherently, you can only talk about the watch in so much detail before you reach the limit or most of the time the attention span of the reader before they move onto the next thing on their feed.
Social media has no relevance for me, I joined Watch Crunch because I was and remain impressed with Max’s videos on YouTube. When I started collecting watches nobody cared what watch was on your wrist especially if it was a Rolex Datejust or Sub since those were the watches guys would buy after making a few steady dollars. I think social media has elevated some brands to levels that are not consistent with reality. I am not looking to start a fight but would Rolex be the glamour guy without the grey market prices challenges to buy at MSRP etcetera? AP is not Patek, used to be PP, VC, Brequet and AP, maybe Blancpain. Those were the brands, everything else was not really part of the discussion.
One of the main limits of Instagram is the character count inherently, you can only talk about the watch in so much detail before you reach the limit or most of the time the attention span of the reader before they move onto the next thing on their feed.
So many comments would look like “👍👍👌😍😍🕰🕰🕰” which is not a discussion ;)
I don’t have insta account and use FB in limited way. It doesn’t impact my watch related decisions, but I view social media (in general) in slightly negative way.
1) ads and influencing mostly promote consumerism which predominantly goes in different direction to quality. Most ads I saw are cheap watches like DW that are heavily promoted and misadvertized as affordable luxury. Ads for good entry level watches (Seiko, Casios, etc.) are almost nowhere to be seen
2) There are also too many ads with fake watches from questionable shops
3) At least on FB criticism of ads tends to be deleted by post owner so mostly there are either no comments at all or only positive feedback
Very rarely did I saw an ad that would be relevant for myself.
WatchCrunch is a forum for me which I enjoy
Speaking specifically about Instagram, I have one good point and one bad point. The good is that people often post pictures of uncommon or rare neo-vintage and vintage watches, so you can discover things you’d otherwise never know about or never see simply by using google images. In fact, one of my watches, a JDM Orient Star, was bought off an Instagram seller.
The bad: social media is full of people “flexing” their wealth with ludicrous displays of material objects, and nothing grinds my gears more than so-called “investors” who hoard dozens of expensive or high-end watches only to put them into a watch-winding cabinet like chickens on a rotisserie, never to be worn or used. What a waste.
Social media is...meh. It's whatever you make of it. I came here because I found IG far too fake. The members of this community have been top notch and actually care about watches.
One has to be careful about being in a bubble. I’ll generalize my comments below, so grain of salt is required. Note: when I say channel I mean the content creator.
- Most social media channels that focus on luxury watches will discuss watch brands they can get a hold of or own one themselves. This usually means Rolex, Omega and Tudor. This tends to narrow the conversation.
- Other luxury brands will usually be discussed over images from the manufacturers’ websites, but not hands-on with the watch itself. The serious creators will probably have hands-on experience at ADs or with friends who own a luxury watch - for watches they do not own - but may only be able to discuss using stock images. That’s OK.
- Photography and videography are integral parts of many channels. That’s great, but a watch may end up looking nicer than it is “in person”, be it intentional or not.
- Some channels will not disclose promoted material, which is at a minimum not good, and sometimes intentionally misleading.
- Some channels are owners of watch stores. Some will clearly say so, whereas others are intentionally a bit more vague.
- Enthusiasts tend to look a lot at movements and the likes. However, in the end of the day you’ll be looking at the watch when it is on your wrist, most of the time. If the watch doesn’t do anything for you on your wrist, the rest is irrelevant. I’ll give my own example. I appreciate the complexity and genius behind GS spring drive and the amount of craftsmanship involved in the case polishing. However, I put different GS on my wrist and they just did not feel like they are my thing. No connection with the watch. The same applies to display case back. It is super cool to see the movement, but again you’ll not be doing that other than a few minutes here and there.
The bubble may lead to common stereotypes such as:
- Rolex is evil
- Rolex rules
- Tudor rules
- Omega is the new Rolex
- RM sucks
- Hublot is a waste of money
- Seiko is awesome
- GS must be in everybody’s list of must haves
- and so on…
In the end of the day, buy what you like and you’ll enjoy it more often than not. Take all opinions, mine included, with a grain of salt.
PS: I own Rolex, Omega, Tudor, and Seiko watches. I don’t connect with GS, and I don’t have enough wealth to buy a RM.
The social media I engage in are IG, Twitter/Threads, Reddit, and WC. I don’t consider YouTube very social, but I also enjoy using that platform if it matters. I am too old for everything else at this point, haha. In general, I enjoy these platforms but for different reasons:
IG allows me to share my watch photography and feeds me inspiration (photo & video) from others
Twitter/Threads allows me to engage in real-time events (sports/movies)
Reddit and WC fill a similar role of allowing me to really dive into community discussion. Essentially better versions of forums. You can try to share photos and video here too, but I don’t think it’s personally the strength of either of these platforms (though Reddit is a bit better at this).
I’ve found that so long as I don’t take everything too seriously and try to put a healthy limit on doom scrolling - each of these platforms is great at serving its purpose. Definitely can and has influenced me. And I find the megaphone effect it can have being problematic. Reinforces the need to find balance… and when it doubt get outside, touch grass, and hug someone you love. 👍
I think socia media has helped spread awareness of major brands, new releases, and news. I had never heard of watches and wonders or watch conventions until I got into the hobby in 2020. Things like watch thefts, the issue with fakes, etc. were all brought to my attention through social media. In this regard, I believe social platforms are pivotal in watch marketing and campaigning.
There’s negatives to social media though. Lots of hate, hidden ulterior motives, and forming echo chamber groups. I’d like to think it’s an overall net positive though!
The only impact social media has had on my watch collecting is to show me watches I might not otherwise have seen.
And by social media I mean WC and other websites. I don’t do Instagram, Facebook groups are generally terrible, and the vast majority of YouTuber’s are too annoying to watch.
I think socia media has helped spread awareness of major brands, new releases, and news. I had never heard of watches and wonders or watch conventions until I got into the hobby in 2020. Things like watch thefts, the issue with fakes, etc. were all brought to my attention through social media. In this regard, I believe social platforms are pivotal in watch marketing and campaigning.
There’s negatives to social media though. Lots of hate, hidden ulterior motives, and forming echo chamber groups. I’d like to think it’s an overall net positive though!
I had not thought about the learnings about fakes. Excellent point
WatchCrunch is the only social media forum I belong to. I joined Instagram to connect with watch enthusiasts and quickly grew tired of ads trolling me thanks to the Meta-bot. This forum is truly a joy to be a part of.
To the point of your discussion, I'm not influenced by social media. It is no different than television, you can change the channel or ignore what you are being shown. If I see something I like, I look in to it and then decide if it is a purchase I want to make. The beauty of this forum is being with like-minded individuals who can introduce me to watches and their real life experiences with them, not some vast marketing ploy. And don't get me started on brand ambassadors, either 🙄. I also watch plenty of YouTube channels for watch reviews and it too can be a great resource. But ultimately, I'm my own influencer.