Bruno.M1
4869
same feelings
I don’t know if I’m allowed to make the comparison, but I’ll do it anyway. I see some similarities with Panerai somewhere between 2005 and 2010. The brand was incredibly popular at the time and had a wide range of collectors coming from all backgrounds. Some had been into watches for years, while others were fairly new. Some collected only Panerai, while others owned many different brands. Some had serious complications in their collections, while others focused on simpler pieces.
What stood out was that Panerai would occasionally release a special model in a limited edition. Think of pieces like the 232, 249, 127, and a few others. Most Panerai collectors, along with many other enthusiasts, went crazy for these models, and demand far exceeded supply. These watches were seen as truly special.
Years ago, we saw something similar with independent watchmakers across all segments, from affordable to very expensive, from simple to highly complicated. There was a real market for them, and the community of supporters kept growing. That feels comparable to what’s happening now.
But going back to Panerai, at a certain point they started coming up with too many reasons to create limited editions. They even reissued earlier limited models with only minor changes. Collectors didn’t accept that and eventually turned away from the brand.
I hope we’re not heading in the same direction with the current wave of independent brands, many of which are asking absurd prices for watches that often look very similar. Prices are too high, and it feels like there’s a new independent or new brand appearing almost every day, all trying to position themselves in that same space. It could easily become oversaturated, and that might make the magic disappear entirely.
Market saturation ?
So, so many new brands exploiting the current trend of traditional design and finishing (the wildcard for hefty prices) I miss the creativity of 00s. Even Wei Koh is part of this with his brand LEGARE (by the way, Wei Koh is also the President of the jury...
100%
Made a thread about this a while ago but it feels extremely formulaic for the most part. Rip from the Signature 1 by Greubel / Breguet Tradition aesthetic Extensive finishing Time only $75k - $125k launch price You can put a lot of these watches next to e...
I am thinking the same like you 😬
Since last year looking at some nice Pateks and Lange that you can pick up at a decent price or even some great complications from AP or GP from the early 2000 🤷🏻♂️
same feelings
I don’t know if I’m allowed to make the comparison, but I’ll do it anyway. I see some similarities with Panerai somewhere between 2005 and 2010. The brand was incredibly popular at the time and had a wide range of collectors coming from all backgrounds. S...
Barely enough of such releases
I'm hungry for more but can't find enough of these round, hand-finished, smallish watch to acquire. They are always sold out before the official release and the subsequent releases typically take a few years to come in. Can't wait to see new Simon Brette,...
I feel the same way as you, however...
Many of these small independent brands need only sell through 10 - 50 watches for a successful launch. If they are all relying on the same client to buy everything, it can be a problem. If the client base is coming from a larger pool though, a new brand j...
Definitely way too much and everyone seem to be using the same ingredients and aiming for the same ballpark …
Imagine it was food….First we take some foie gras, add some truffles and then some wagyu. Stir it up and cook it in a green egg. Yes, we all know that those tick the list of being great ingredients but does it come together in a great dish? No. It’s all p...
I think it brings innovation and creativity
and it is a good time for watch industry because it is attracting so much attention now. People from many walks of life get interested not only in watches but everything analog, tired of digitalization. We starting to appreciate more and more the human to...
The Cleguer watch is really just a vehicle for his clever escapement
He packaged in all the tropes the market demands but its not just a sum of those tropes like some watches are.
I agree. I, however, like...
the new Lederer Inverto release. His design seems more avant-garde. His technical ability with his independent double wheel escapement seems innovative too. Just look at that movement! ...
