Horological Meandering

I received a report that one in six USA broadband households owns a smart watch now. Do you think this will have any effect on the mechanical watch industry? Let's hear your thoughts! Cheers, Anthony

My idea is that the entry level watches will be more affected by these new "smart" watches rather than the high end models, but maybe in the future this potential lack of new aficionados, or simply purchasers of mechanical watches, will short circuit the ... 

Yes is the short answer, but in brief several factors come into this. The Apple Factor: Apple see this product as a disruptive product and a growth market, add a sprinkling of cool design and bingo ! Younger Generation: Many younger people don't own a wat...  

It appears to me that the "Smart Watch" craze is leveling off. Most of the people who I know who have them are not wearing them any more. Maybe I have a very special market slice around me, but I consider them expensive quartz watches, a different market.... 

Apple is the largest watchmaker in the world by units. Apple is the largest watchmaker in the world by dollar value. Apple is the largest watchmaker in the world by such a large margin... Apple has sold more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry on... 

As smart watches conquer the health industry and health insurance industry; baby boomers will start wearing more of these and set a trend. Medical insurance companies, Google, Data collection companies, analytical companies, and retail survey companies wi... 

...of wristwear with time display. They have mechanical escapement or quartz oscillator or electronic vibration "movements". Some even have other functions than timekeeping like altimeter, compass, ocean tide, thermometer, barometer, heart rate, exercise,... 

Typically these “extra functions” (on watches, cameras, etc) are added for magazine reviewers, comparison with competitors and for super-users. You hit the nail on the head - people fool with them a bit then seldom go back. An average smartphone user has ... 

The argument that buying a smartwatch will lead to the purchase of a mechanical watch.

But the frequent charging is annoying. The you begin to realise you don’t want messages to appear on your watch. Then there are people who wear a luxury watch on one wrist and a smart watch on another.

They are here to stay. Of course they will have an effect. Normal people will only wear one device on their wrist. And the smart watches will monitor our health and sports activities so it’s inevitable that they will eat into the non smart watch market. ... 

They overlap in that both can be worn on the wrist and tell time. That's when the similarities end. The smartwatch is used as an extension of the mobile phone and computer. To take some of those tasks and features from the computer and make them a little ...