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Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

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Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#11

Post by DocTomoe »

kanwisher wrote: post #5
misja111 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And that's because: "Much of the pain has to do with factors the watch companies couldn't hope to control—including the strength of the Swiss franc and climbing gold prices" Smartwatches are a niche product, they have little to do with the problems that the Swiss companies are currently facing.

The Apple Watch is out selling every luxury brand except Rolex. Definitely a generation shift here

I still wear my grandfather's old Speedmaster from time to time, on family holidays mostly.

I would be very surprised if my grandchildren could still wear a functioning Apple Watch I buy today fifty years from now.

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#12

Post by marincounty »

"The most resilient part of the industry is that you buy a Swiss watch because you want to say, 'I have a Swiss watch,'" said Paul Swinand"

I love mechanical watches. I repair watches. I love all things related to horology.

That said, if I bought a new Rolex, I really wouldn't own the watch the minute it went out of warranty.

What? Yea, Rolex, and 99% of the other Swiss Watch Companies will not sell parts to their customers. They want you to send it back to the factory, at factory prices, when it needs a service, or breaks down.

If anyone from The Swiss Watch Industry is listening, enough with the "quality assurance" bs. Your industry is in a very delicate point in history. If you don't clean up you act, the quartz crisis of the 70's will look like minor stumbling block.

I never though I would say this, but lately, that Apple Watch is looking better. I just don't want to carry around an IPhone.

So, stop abusing the anti-trust act, and be very friendly to anyone whom buys your overpriced hunks of metal. You're in no position to call any shots, or get cute. If I owned your stock; I would short it yesterday.

(Sorry if I sound bitter. In the last 7 years, the Swiss watch companies pissed off a lot of Independant Watch Repairers, by not selling parts. The average dude with the $25,000 watch has no clue that he/she really doesn't own that watch. They are essentially leasing it. Having the right to repair(let the customer decide whom is going to repair) is so essential to the future of mechanical watches.)

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#13

Post by grp »

For someone working in the watchmaking industry, there is nothing new here. Another post on this managerial crisis, it's not due to financial crisis or smartwatches entering the market.

It's pretty sad that CEOs doesn't want to speak clearly about the real problems (except one [1], in french).

>> The [Swatch group] recently warned that first-half profit would plummet more than 50 percent. Really?!?

They can repeat THAT again without being bashed?

Maybe they could just shut up and be happy they still have profit...

[1] https://www.letemps.ch/economie/2016/09/28/crise-horlogere-n...

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#14

Post by gambiting »

hocuspocus wrote: post #7
kanwisher wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Apple Watch is out selling every luxury brand except Rolex. Definitely a generation shift here

I don't see how that's relevant. A luxury watch is typically ten times the price, serves a different purpose and should last 50 years.

In fact, regular luxury watch will last a lot longer. Omega will happily fully service/restore any of their watches, no matter how old:

https://www.omegawatches.com/customer-service/service-prices...

In my mind, a nice rolex/omega/patek is something that is passed on to children, while even the top end Apple Watch is a product that one would expect to replace after few years.

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#15

Post by ungzd »

Why saving it? Mechanical watches fall into the same category of crappy swank for poor people as golden jewelry and chains. Swag for salesmans from office ghettos.

Even design of these watches is complete postmodernist nonsense. Lots of clock hands, bells and whistles, glittery things.

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#16

Post by laurent123456 »

ungzd wrote: post #15

Why saving it? Mechanical watches fall into the same category of crappy swank for poor people as golden jewelry and chains. Swag for salesmans from office ghettos. Even design of these watches is complete postmodernist nonsense. Lots of clock hands, bells and whistles, glittery things.

I use an automatic watch because I don't want to have to charge it every 2 days (or even change the batteries), and all I need is the time and date. I also don't want to have to debug my watch every time an update or app breaks it, it's just one less thing to worry about.

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#17

Post by ghostDancer »

gambiting wrote: post #14
hocuspocus wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see how that's relevant. A luxury watch is typically ten times the price, serves a different purpose and should last 50 years.

In fact, regular luxury watch will last a lot longer. Omega will happily fully service/restore any of their watches, no matter how old: https://www.omegawatches.com/customer-service/service-prices... In my mind, a nice rolex/omega/patek is something that is passed on to children, while even the top end Apple Watch is a product that one would expect to replace after few years.

That's the motto/line of Patek Philippe . "You merely look after it for the next generation"

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#18

Post by userbinator »

DocTomoe wrote: post #11
kanwisher wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Apple Watch is out selling every luxury brand except Rolex. Definitely a generation shift here

I still wear my grandfather's old Speedmaster from time to time, on family holidays mostly. I would be very surprised if my grandchildren could still wear a functioning Apple Watch I buy today fifty years from now.

For that matter, I would be very surprised if a non-functioning Apple Watch could be repaired easily 50 years from now.

Mechanical watches are easily "debuggable" and repairable since they are very... physical in nature. A set of small hand tools and a good magnifier usually suffice; and even parts no longer available can be relatively easily fabricated --- maybe even more easily with future technologies.

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#19

Post by lmns »

laurent123456 wrote: post #16
ungzd wrote: post #15

Why saving it? Mechanical watches fall into the same category of crappy swank for poor people as golden jewelry and chains. Swag for salesmans from office ghettos. Even design of these watches is complete postmodernist nonsense. Lots of clock hands, bells and whistles, glittery things.

I use an automatic watch because I don't want to have to charge it every 2 days (or even change the batteries), and all I need is the time and date. I also don't want to have to debug my watch every time an update or app breaks it, it's just one less thing to worry about.

This. You could buy an automatic Seiko 5 for the price of a Swatch and go decades without servicing. At least 10 years should be possible without any problems for every model.

Re: Saving the Swiss Watch Industry Again

#20

Post by user5994461 »

nl wrote: post #6

I used to be a watch fan. Not hardcore - I didn't collect or anything, but I liked good quality quartz watches. Then I got given a Huawei smartwatch as a gift. It's good . Firstly, it looks nice. Maybe not as good as a high-end Swiss watch, but it's much nicer than a Pebble (I think it's nicer than a iWatch, but YMMV). Also, changing faces is fun. Secondly, it's amazingly useful. I can be in a meeting or talking to s…

> Also, the battery life is really good. I went away and forgot my charger and got 2 1/2 days out of it.

I'm surprised that they can sell 2 days battery as a feature and have people swallow it.

What's written behind my watch: "10 year battery life".

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