Things that make you go hmmm...Seven Friday and MBandF - Why is it that... | Horological Meandering

Things that make you go hmmm...Seven Friday and MBandF - Why is it that...

Seven Friday, with its "lowly" Miyota (Citizen) mechanical movement is generally dismissed by "serious watch enthusiasts" while "cult" watches like MBandF's "flights of fantasy" are so coveted, even revered?

Photo by Foversta

To what extent does price - that Seven Friday's are "relatively" affordable and thus "boring" or "common" while MB&F's are expensive, and thus "a dream" - play into this perception, consciously or sub-consciously?

Is it the finishing?

The genius of design?

Or that Max Busser is so much more charming and good looking than Daniel Niederer? (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

As a corollary, what do you think of the idea that "one of Richard Mille's greatest achievements is to "legitimately" wear the crown of "most expensive watch in the world?"

$650,000 suggested retail price.

hmmmm...

Wondering PuristS want to know...

This message has been edited by ThomasM on 2015-06-29 10:51:25

💰228 Marketplace Listings for Richard Mille›

I DO think high prices intrigue us.

By: TheMadDruid : June 29th, 2015-16:05

Conversely, inexpensive watches might not grab our immediate attention. But sites like this and Hodinkee et al. can educate about the virtues of the less expensive. As for Richard Mille: I don't get it and I've never gotten it. If, in fact, that company e...

Thanks for your thoughts. There is no question price, besides its quantitative value, has powerful qualitative connotations, both explicit and implicit.

By: ThomasM : June 30th, 2015-06:58

How often do we hear the old adage, 'you get what you pay for" (not always) How often do we hear the sincere but naive question, "How much is that" before the questioner even begins to fathom the other aspects of what makes tthis field so interesting to l...

Very good question

By: docsnov : June 29th, 2015-21:15

I think MB&F are given praise by serious watch enthusiasts because the watches have movements designed by the best of the best watchmakers in the world and they use the best materials and finish their watches on the level of the highest end brands. As to ...

Excellent points, thanks for sharing them! [nt]

By: ThomasM : June 30th, 2015-07:03

RM

By: tom2517 : June 29th, 2015-22:21

is a master of marketing. They don't make their own movements, frankly you can basically say they are just a watch case maker. RM makes around 4000 watches a year and yet they have over 20 boutiques world wide, not to mention all that marketing efforts. S...

RM

By: chu.loh : June 29th, 2015-23:50

RM is for the minority who drives Lambo to show off another expensive thing they can afford in life

LOL I understand the stereotype and it is a real one. But of course I hope you were mostly joking and realize not all RM owners fall into that stereotype.

By: ThomasM : June 30th, 2015-07:29

I know lots of Lambo drivers who wear MBandF... :-) But seriously, yes, there are lots of "show offs" who own Lambos and RM ("The Billionaires Bracelet") but that doesn't, shouldn't take away from the legitimacy of RM as a cool cutting edge horological wo...

China is not Switzerland's biggest customer ...

By: Marcus Hanke : June 30th, 2015-05:38

Sorry to correct you, but your statement is wrong. According to the official Swiss statistics, only Asia as a whole, including the strong Middle East, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, etc.) accounts for 52% of the export value. (Jan.-May 2015) C...

For the most part I agree, but be careful before accepting the "obvious" conclusions from the "facts"

By: ThomasM : June 30th, 2015-06:32

Dear Marcus, The DOMESTIC Chinese market is a highly complex one - not the endless land of milk and honey panacea so many thought over the past 10 years, but also not the moribund one that now is so (wrongly) seen by the lemmings, either. But too often th...

data doesnt capture visiting Chinese tourists who visit ther Wempes of Europe....

By: Hororgasm : July 1st, 2015-03:38

....and buy by the dozens. domestic sales in China attract huge punitive luxury trade, so there is a thriving grey market from Berkins to RMs. other markets like Australia, from anecdotal evidence from Richemont and Singapore ADs with Aussie presence, the...

Interesting points, a few thoughts in return.

By: ThomasM : June 30th, 2015-07:23

It couuld be argued that ALL commercially available luxury goods are "overpriced" - how else would the owners afford their new cars, castles, or even new factories? But of course I don't think any of us would begrudge them their "rewards" of hard work and...

part of coveting psychology

By: Arie - Mr Orange : June 30th, 2015-02:48

Price is absolutely part of the 'coveting psychology' when it comes to watches. At least I think the (sub-conscience) thought is: Higher price, higher exclusivity. Of course if you get more into watches and understand more about the quality of finishing a...

I happened to see a higher list price watch today

By: cazalea : June 30th, 2015-16:20

I can't fathom it, but here it is -- perhaps the dealer is trying to get a "highest price" ranking or something? Both watchmaker and dealer are fiends (oops) I mean friends of the PuristS Cazalea ...