Modernahab
569
Arguably true, and points up some real idiocy I've indulged in above. 😳
Jun 07, 2020,10:49 AM
The Duometres, Extreme Labs, and Gyros all offered novel or sophisticated horological content, and were very appropriately offered at a higher price point than JLC's more "plebeian" Master, Reverso, and Rondez-Vous lines. On the other hand, what the brand's extinct Amvox, Squadra, Master Compressor, and Gran' Sport releases of the early 2000s offered was not, by-and-large, advanced or innovative horological content, but more adventurous design. (Cases, chronograph actuation, compressor locks, titanium, etc.) I'll posit that while JLC continues to distinguish its more horologically sophisticated product lines, it is in the design of its meat-and-potatoes ranges that the company has become intensely conservative - if not outright timid - of late.
I don't by any means believe that this phenomenon is limited to JLC. Many have noted that the Richemont, LVMH, and Swatch-owned brands have fallen into revival design, or at least highly retrospective design language, over the past few years. I wonder to what degree this is a response to the market's obsession with brands like Rolex and AP, whose design language has been either locked in place or very slowly, inrcementally tweaked over decades. Surely the major brands have not failed to notice the neglect, or outright rancor, that's been expressed when these brands step away from their established design vocabulary. (Think of the 11:59, or before that, the Cellini Prince.) I note how, as the 11:59 line was greeted mostly with expressions of revulsion, the watch media has virtually kow-towed before the [Re]master. We can complain about the lack of innovative design in JLC's recent main line offerings, but it seems as if the current market does not tolerate innovative design, and it may only be sensible that brand management relies for the time being upon minor tweaks or enhacements to tried-and-true designs.
Oh well, I've gone from foolishness to rambling...apologies!