cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
17087
You mention the NSX vs Italian sportscars - I did a comparable project
I was asked to speak on how to make a billion dollars in the automotive business.
Not profit, but gross sales. I chose as my example(s) the Honda Element and the AM H1 Hummer.
Both appealing to outdoorsy people, but with a different perspective. One storming through the underbrush or the desert, the other lightly touching the land at a beach or city park.
Note that my numbers are rounded and from memory since I can't find my speech notes from 15 years ago...
In the first model year Honda sold roughly 50,000 Elements at $20,000 each
I bought this Element the very first day they came on the market in 2002, literally off the transport truck. Element serial #000146. They are still very highly regarded in the Western US market.
GM sold roughly 10,000 H1 Hummers at $100,000 each to civilians
Both grossed a billion but did either make money? And can you resell them? Probably No to the first question and absolutely Yes to the second.
I rented this, thankfully, for although they have gone up in value, the cost to drive and maintain it is astronomical.
I guess the question of the watch falls in this same realm. Do you want your friends to think you have lost your mind completely (and wonder yourself)? Or do you want a no-fear, can't go wrong choice?
Cazalea
(I wish watch rentals were more easily available)
PS - the NSX made the Insight possible -- as long as they were squandering billions, they could make a few more cars in their all-aluminum fabrication facility.
Here's one of the first NSX in Europe. We drove from England to Barcelona and his tires were bald by the south of France.
The Importance of The Brand in Determining a Watch's Desirability
Many, many years ago the great Thomas Mao wrote a fascinating article on the original PuristS.com site whereby he postulated a formula for determining the desirability for a particular timepiece. He presented his argument in the form of a parenthetica...
Very interesting post, my friend. For some years now, I am fighting against the " common " idea that the name of a brand does make everything.
I wrote a lot on that matter, when I reviewed the Montblanc 1858 Tachymeter which I rated as one of the finest chronograph movement from the current production, ALL BRANDS included. Look at this: OR the Jaeger Lecoultre Duomètre à Chronographe, which is a...
It's simple. People buy things to show off. Louis Vuitton sells more accessories with lots of branding logos than accessories with small discreet logos...
In French there's a term, it's called "nouveau riche" and many of these individuals want others to recognize that they're special because they own special products. Furthermore, most people aren't experts about the manufacturing quality; they just go with...
That's it. 👏
Plus this increasingly has the effect of attracting people who only look to make a quick profit trading the hot models, the flippers in the watch world, which only acts to increase the demand and reinforce the circle. The 'bubble' keeps building.
Interesting points, but so well taken.. And your two examples by this lovely 1858 Montblanc Chrono and also my beloved JLC Duométre á Chronographe are spot on !
In addition, guess it goes to the category of „untangled“ reasons there may have been parts in the history of that very watch, such as an unexpected find, a heirloom or maybe one found also on the encouragement of a very good friend, such are qualities, w...
You mention the NSX vs Italian sportscars - I did a comparable project
I was asked to speak on how to make a billion dollars in the automotive business. Not profit, but gross sales. I chose as my example(s) the Honda Element and the AM H1 Hummer. Both appealing to outdoorsy people, but with a different perspective. One storm...
I am happy to buy a watch
based on its own merits rather than the brand itself and I just did it again two days ago when I bought a Glashutte Original Senator Excellence which I preferred over the Patek Philippe 5196G because the former fitted my wrist better and actually had a mo...
Just wanted to chime in as I relate to your post in terms of watches and also in mention of the NSX...
I have owned my fair share of Italian sports and hyper cars but I also purchased the original NSX a few years after it's initial release as I have a friend who worked for Team Honda Racing that modified the NSX for me. It outperformed ALL of my Italian sp...
Years ago, when yours truly was a budding collector, brand . . .
. . . was critical. Now, it's everything. 😉
I fell into that trap albeit briefly, not specifically with brands, but rather blindly favoring "Swiss Made"..
Never mind the brand, if it's Swiss Made, it had to be good
