Opinions wanted

[Goodwatch]

I want to place before you two issues of which I require your opinions or thoughts. The issues are: fashion watches and spin-off/re-issue watches.

Nowadays, every self respecting fashion house, sporting goods maker and what more wants to market a watch. Calvin Klein, Emporio Armani, Diesel, Nike and Adidas are but a few of the names. The watches range from semi disposable (Nike) to semi classic (Armani). The prices range from ‘pennies’ to thousands of dollars. What is inside the cases and who makes them is unsure, I guess large factories capable of fast retooling and turnover. This practice has reduced the watch to a mere fashion item, a one season gadget akin to sunglasses and shoes. Is this a good thing?

The other issue is the spin-off/re-issue watch. It was in fact Cartier that started this trend with the Santos Dumont. It seemed to be a re-issue of one of the very first wrist watches made by Cartier for his aviator friend who found it difficult to get his pocket watch out of his coat whilst flying. I fell for the story and bought the watch (the automatic). The fact that it was an automatic should have rung a bell because automatics were not invented yet back then. The second ‘re-issue’ was the Pasha, named after the Pasha of Marakesh who wanted to wear a watch whilst taking a bath. It was supposed to be one of the first wearable water resistant watches. Both bare but a slight resemblance to the original but spawned a whole stream of spin-off and re-issue watches by Officine Panerai, (TAG) Heuer, Omega, etc. I have seen an original Panerai dive watch as issued to the Italian Navy and with the strap you can tie down a horse! The case doesn’t appear to have been made from stainless steel but from a different material and the whole thing is extremely bulky, like an old fashioned depth gauge. With the recent renewed popularity of the mechanical watch, more and more manufacturers hop on the bandwagon or even invent ‘classic’ models of the fly. Is this a good thing?

Frans.

[JJ Irani]

Hi Frans,

Interesting post.

A great deal of this I guess, in the end, depends on the buyer. Sure, plenty of manufacturers out there are turning toward mechanical watches; but how good (or bad) they actually are, all depends on the quality and finish.

In-house movements would certainly NOT be the order of the day....which means these fellas would be turning mostly to ETA for their supply. Reputed companies do modify the ETA movment before slapping it into their casebacks. Designer watches, I can take a pretty accurate guess, won't bother to modify anything.....just slap it in....as is!!!

So it actually boils down the dial design....that's what 95% of the folks out there would be looking at.....just LOOKS!!! And of course, the NAME on the dial. I suppose a guy with lots of money and hardly any knowledge about watches would buy an Armani watch just 'cause he wears the suit from the same reputed house. A lady wearing a Dior gown might just decide on a matching watch by the same name.....and so on.

A classic example we have is of that ugly POS watch made by Jacob & Co......so pricey and yet there are buyers out there for that crap!!

So if you're asking me whether I'm in favour of it.....my answer would be: NO!! And I think most of the fellas here would be in total agreement with me; but that's not going to change any of that out there....people will think exactly the same way they have been taught to think...they go by the publicity, ads, glamour and trend.

We DON'T see Rollies, Pateks, APs, VCs or IWCs on the wrists of many millionaires out there!! Makes you wonder why? That's exactly because of the reasons I've stated above. Most people don't know jack sh!t about watches.....they go merely for the LOOKS, TREND and DESIGN.

Cheers - JJ

[dman]

JJ is spot on Frans!! To 99% of high end watch wearers, it is all about the look, the brand name and the percieved perception from those surrounding them. There is by no means anything wrong at all with that, in fact, I bet they don't spend hours banging on a keyboard on these forums every week.

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by dman

I bet they don't spend hours banging on a keyboard on these forums every week.

Make that ALL week! Oh gawd, I don't have a real life!


Take care,

Frans.

[dman]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

Make that ALL week! Oh gawd, I don't have a real life!


Take care,

Frans.

LMAO!! I do, but it is amazing what a big part of it this forum is.

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by dman

LMAO!! I do, but it is amazing what a big part of it this forum is.

You're telling me, Daren? It's getting scary how much time I am putting into this place.

As to your issues, Frans, I agree with JJ that most people want fashion and are not interested in what's under the hood. If the watch doesn't keep good time or last for 25 years, so what. That's not why they are wearing an Armani or a Louis Vitton or a Mont Blanc timepiece. To them, it's making a fashion statement.

As for reissues, well that may be another story. Does the reissued Ford Thunderbird look anything like the original; or the new Mustangs, or even the Dodge Charger (I'm only familiar with U.S. automaker reissues). Not a chance. You would never confuse the new versions with the originals. Why the reissue - because the model name has cachet. So people are willing to pay for the name even though the product bears no relation to the original.

Is it good or bad? I don't think that's a relevant question. It's just marketing. If people want to buy a name and don't care about what's behind the product, why should I care? It's not my style, but then I'm not impressed by fashion names. I'm much more interested in the quality behind a brand name.