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Glashütte Original at high end

Nov 23, 2024,12:30 PM
 

I went to a Glashütte Original event yesterday in Berlin, and I must say I am flummoxed. The brand makes some remarkable watches, the horology is at the highest end at this point. But there is virtually no communication about it, no marketing, no interface with the influencers or the watch media. 


I don't get it. How does the brand expect to sell watches at this price point without making the market aware, or getting collectors excited? I understand a desire to move up in the market, that takes some grail pieces. I mean, bluntly put, pretty much every watch is a "flex watch", meaning most of hope to wear a cool watch and having another serious watch fan recognise it, share the joy, and geek out over the watch world for a moment. 

At these prices, I can get grail watches from pretty much any brand I can think of. How does Glashütte Original hope to be part of this market segment without communicating? Does anyone know much about this brand? Is there a serious built in collector base? I don't think so, I haven't heard anything. Their older watches are also not well represented...  I assume they're lost in the Swatch universe. 

I guess my snarky question is whether they're dumb, or they're dying? Badly run brands will try to cut cost by reducing or eliminating marketing, which is usually the beginning of the end. Or are they just so far up their own butt that they don't realise how the market works these days? I peppered the poor young regional sales guy that was supposed to pimp their product, and he tried to put a friendly spin on it by describing the marketing strategy as German self-deprecation. 

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This particular Pano Inverse is a beautiful watch, the dial is smart and sophisticated, and the watch is platinum, but it gets no coverage at all. It is remarkably expensive at circa €50,000.

PanoInverse 1-66-12-01-03-62 
Details at the GO Website: 
https://www.glashuette-original.com/en/watches/pano/panoinverse-1-66-12-01-03-62/

Watch by Glashütte Original, Swatch



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The Senator Chronometer Tourbillon is incredible. First of all it's a chronometer, certified multiple times.It has this remarkable hacking second fly-back tourbillon with an automatic alignment to the closest minute to set time perfectly. There's a little flywheel that disperses pent up power when stopping the tourbillon, like the opposite of a remontoire I guess... rather than giving power back it releases it in order to take tension out of the system. I am not describing this well... but that's what I mean, Glashütte should be explaining it, not me! The whole thing is in platinum, though the dial described as gillochet is laser cut, in the same design front and back, which feels like they're trying a little too hard. The day and night indicator with a sun and a moon is very cool. The version I help yesterday wasn't blue like this one, but a very elegant slightly brownish grey. 

This watch costs around €180,000

Senator Chronometer Tourbillon
Details at the GO Website:
https://www.glashuette-original.com/en/watches/senator/senator-chronometer-tourbillon-1-58-06-01-03-61/

Watch by Glashütte Original, Swatch


Thoughts? Insights?

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Those are some remarkable watches.

 
By: Bill : November 23rd, 2024-16:15
Glashütte Original's high-end pieces might be likened to Haute Couture creations designed to make a statement and showcase the brand's artistry and capabilities, rather than being produced in large quantities for retail. These exceptional pieces demonstra... 
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I’ve been wondering the same thing about the top Swatch brands

 
By: dte2 : November 24th, 2024-03:33
Especially Breguet and even Blancpain. But if those amazing GO movements showed up from a small independent instead, the collecting world would explode into a frenzy. The thing is, no one considers anything from these Swatch brands as collectible. Swatch ... 
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Agree

 
By: The Berlin Flatline : November 24th, 2024-09:57
None of these brands are well run, look at what Richemont does. All those brands are competing in high echelons.
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