Tradition versus Gimmicks

[Cambo]

Realized this is a stupid thread…forgive me
Mods please remove

[kieselguhr]

General trends and even individual tastes change over time.

The classic design i.e. Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, etc is timeless, appeals to the majority and has demonstrated the ability to weather rapidly evolving trends since the 1800s.

Unconventional designs i.e. MB&F, RM, etc are more akin to art. They are unique expressions of horology from their respective Maisons through engineering, craftsmanship, and artistry. They may not speak to everybody, but that was never the point.

There may come a day when watches as a whole may no longer be relevant and simply be relegated to a novelty. In the meantime, I am glad that I am able appreciate an Ulysse Nardin freak just as much as I do a Rolex Submariner

[AF_Rob]

Let's see where this goes, Cam.

[KatGirl]

Not stupid at all, Cam. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I know that, for me, my taste can’t be pigeonholed, based on my very diverse collection. Some of my watches are rather whimsical, others speak to my 70’s roots, but if forced to choose, I’d opt for something more traditional, especially in the luxury category. As for the more artistic offerings in the luxury category, they don’t speak to me the way a Day/ Date does, or even a beautiful Datejust. I find a lot of them very gaudy, and yes, sometimes even gimmicky. As for Rolex, isn’t the puzzle dial D/D gimmicky?

Kat


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[Krash]

This sounds better than most threads. I’d like to know what the underlying thesis is. Is it Rolex vs other brands. Rolex models vs other Rolex models? Rolex vs Tudor?


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[subtona]

Fair topic in the wake of so many independents.

Think about a Jacob & co purely gimmick, selling at absurd prices

[vinny84]

Originally Posted by subtona

Fair topic in the wake of so many independents.

Think about a Jacob & co purely gimmick, selling at absurd prices

I don’t. If you think about the craftsmanship that goes into them and materials used, I think the price is somewhat justified. I aspire to own one or two pieces in the future.

I know I’ll be the minority to say this but I think the Omega snoopy speedy is a gimmick. Yes, the color scheme is nice but Omega tends to make a lot of “Limited Editions” along with Panarai. I also think the Deepsea Challenge is a gimmick. Beautiful watch but not many are wearing that on a frequent basis.

[DC116710LN]

It's a shame you deleted the original post OP

[Joearch]

Design is an inherent form of self expression. The outcome will vary significantly depending on the frame of reference, context and strength of idea and execution. The results will be impacted by the perception of the viewer.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by DC116710LN

It's a shame you deleted the original post OP

Yes it is a shame.
Tbe issue has genuine merit for discussion so i shall happily participate.

To that end, just this morning i saw something on the interweb from the head honcho at Patek which was an interesting insight into how they perceive their approach to the market and the depth of their relationship with their customer base and buisiness model.
Their watches aren't to my taste, but it's easy to appreciate what they are all about and how they factor into this very equation

[csaltphoto]

Yeah, I'll play. Have to differentiate gimmicks from innovation. I see a lot of very good looking watches from independents these days and they are not gimmicks. Leveraging manufacturing efficiencies and proven designs. Most of them tend to miss the mark a teeny bit though. I like tradition in design, innovation in execution and engineering. I tend to dislike gimmicks but not all.

[RyanJ]

It is kind of funny how some will make fun of Jacob and Co when they are some of the most highly crafted "art pieces for your wrist" that money can buy.

From a craftsmanship perspective, Rolex should not even be mentioned in the same sentence. That is not a knock on Rolex. Rolex mass manufactures well built watches that will stand the test of time. Not everyone wants high art on their wrist and instead wants a nice looking, well built luxury watch.

Different tastes are good!

[WristWatchWonders]

Sometimes one era's gimmick becomes another's tradition.

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[Kevin of Larchmont]

I have sixteen wristwatches, all with black dials, most of them divers, a smaller number of field watches, all of which reference vintage in their aesthetic. I’m a traditionalist, I like my anachronisms to be anachronistic. Here’s how I look at it, Shakespeare wrote 154+ sonnets, all the same in line and syllable count and yet all different. I find joy in the repeated interpretation of established themes even to the point of having multiple examples of the same watch in different generations. My preference is neither good nor bad, it just references a time in my life when I became aware of watches when Jaques Cousteau and WWII movies were on the black and white TV. These are the roots of my personal watch aesthetic. There is no hierarchy of joy, the only joy that matters is yours.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by vinny84

I don’t. If you think about the craftsmanship that goes into them and materials used, I think the price is somewhat justified. I aspire to own one or two pieces in the future.

I know I’ll be the minority to say this but I think the Omega snoopy speedy is a gimmick. Yes, the color scheme is nice but Omega tends to make a lot of “Limited Editions” along with Panarai. I also think the Deepsea Challenge is a gimmick. Beautiful watch but not many are wearing that on a frequent basis.

Agree Snoopy flying on the back of the watch case is a good example of a gimmick,to my surprise more successful than I would have imagined.

I look forward to your Jacob incomings.

Originally Posted by RyanJ

It is kind of funny how some will make fun of Jacob and Co when they are some of the most highly crafted "art pieces for your wrist" that money can buy.

From a craftsmanship perspective, Rolex should not even be mentioned in the same sentence. That is not a knock on Rolex. Rolex mass manufactures well built watches that will stand the test of time. Not everyone wants high art on their wrist and instead wants a nice looking, well built luxury watch.

Different tastes are good!

Didn’t Jacob start out blinging watches (ruining) with aftermarket customizations?

They may be appealing to someone’s artistic side but when considering a watch my lens is function before art.

in the years on this forum of watch collectors I cannot recall a single owner of a Jacob piece

Ps I also cannot find the sub forum, I’m sure Steve is just about to put one up.

Would a text book example of a gimmick be naming your watch the The “Bugatti” or “godfather”?

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by vinny84

…
I know I’ll be the minority to say this but I think the Omega snoopy speedy is a gimmick. Yes, the color scheme is nice but Omega tends to make a lot of “Limited Editions” along with Panarai. I also think the Deepsea Challenge is a gimmick. Beautiful watch but not many are wearing that on a frequent basis.

Except that the Omega Silver Snoopy is not a limited edition reference.

I agree, to some it seems gimmicky but to others who appreciate the NASA Charles Shultz connection, it’s a must have.

[vinny84]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Except that the Omega Silver Snoopy is not a limited edition reference.

I agree, to some it seems gimmicky but to others who appreciate the NASA Charles Shultz connection, it’s a must have.

Ah, I stand corrected. I thought it was a limited piece. Thank you

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by vinny84

Ah, I stand corrected. I thought it was a limited piece. Thank you

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[rmwill]

Swatch/Omega are the kings of annoying gimmicks. Surprised they have not released the FBMIS Speedmaster and Moonswatch counterpart: First Bowel Movement in Space, poop brown dial.

[Hardtimes]

If its very well made and someone likes it I dont call it a gimmick. However, I am not a fan of comic book APs or crazy nearly unwearable Jacob and Cos, but I can still appreciate them. Now these plastic Omega Swatches and so forth might be good marketing (that remains to be seen) but I call that a gimmick and a cheap plastic watch.

[Hardtimes]

Originally Posted by subtona

Agree Snoopy flying on the back of the watch case is a good example of a gimmick,to my surprise more successful than I would have imagined.

I look forward to your Jacob incomings.



Didn’t Jacob start out blinging watches (ruining) with aftermarket customizations?

They may be appealing to someone’s artistic side but when considering a watch my lens is function before art.

in the years on this forum of watch collectors I cannot recall a single owner of a Jacob piece

Ps I also cannot find the sub forum, I’m sure Steve is just about to put one up.

Would a text book example of a gimmick be naming your watch the The “Bugatti” or “godfather”?

While I am not a Jacob and Co fan....the have come a long way from their original throw away watches. While for sure not for me, I can really appreciate the amount of craftsmanship that goes into them.

[Cambo]

Wow!
Cheers to the forum to keep a thread alive even asked to remove. For context, I was into a nice Cohiba and my third bourbon when I posted the thread. Hence I was in a “philosophical” mood. My original post, as much as I can remember went something like this…
I’m a traditional Rolex owner, and starting to see more watches gravitating towards the newer generations, cashing in on what we (older traditionalists) would consider “fads or gimmicks”.
The reason I requested the thread be removed was that I realized (only after posting) Rolex isn’t changing its models per se, but just adding variations of existing models, based on the tastes/thoughts/culture of newer generations.
Who am I to question progress?
But it does beg the question for an analog product company. How much change would one want to see?

I probably butchered my original thought. Again, cheers to the forum.

[Jack T]

Not necessarily a gimmick, but I don’t see much value in the extended power reserve that Rolex and other manufacturers are building in to their movements. While maybe not directly attributable the problems in the 3200 movement, I’ve read some technical evaluations of that and other newer movements, and such advances come at a price. I wear a watch all week, then maybe not for a month, and if it runs down, I don’t mind pulling the crown, working the movement.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Cambo

Wow!
Cheers to the forum to keep a thread alive even asked to remove. For context, I was into a nice Cohiba and my third bourbon when I posted the thread. Hence I was in a “philosophical” mood. My original post, as much as I can remember went something like this…
I’m a traditional Rolex owner, and starting to see more watches gravitating towards the newer generations, cashing in on what we (older traditionalists) would consider “fads or gimmicks”.
The reason I requested the thread be removed was that I realized (only after posting) Rolex isn’t changing its models per se, but just adding variations of existing models, based on the tastes/thoughts/culture of newer generations.
Who am I to question progress?
But it does beg the question for an analog product company. How much change would one want to see?

I probably butchered my original thought. Again, cheers to the forum.

Welcome back
Rolex did add the Deepsea Challenge watch as a regular production reference.
Well, as regular production as we could expect

[purelife]

In my humble view, the black panther travis scott collaboration from AP is truly gimmicks.