Comments:
Conversations with people in the inner circle
Look, as PuristSPro (this site a few years ago) there were moderators who were offered "test drives" of expensive watches. Most of those were returned; some were not. Hence we had to come up with a policy that nothing could be accepted without disclosure to the Mgmt and approval. Such things happen in many industry and it's those "influencers" that the IRS and other US agencies have gone after for making money hand over fist for favorable reviews OR "approval copies" of the products.
Heck, even I have been offered good prices, special models, one-off deals, etc. and I'm far from being a social media influencer. And no, I didn't take any of the deals.
I know car reviewers who have not owned a car in decades because they drive the OEM's cars for free, rotating them week to week. They don't get to keep the cars but they get to use them, which is even better.
It's a tangled web of deceit out there ... make no mistake about that.
Cazalea
Heck, even I have been offered good prices, special models, one-off deals, etc. and I'm far from being a social media influencer. And no, I didn't take any of the deals.
I know car reviewers who have not owned a car in decades because they drive the OEM's cars for free, rotating them week to week. They don't get to keep the cars but they get to use them, which is even better.
It's a tangled web of deceit out there ... make no mistake about that.
Cazalea
Thanks, Cazalea!
That broadly confirms my suspicions and thoughts on this issue.
It is a muddy world, and the separation of Editorial and Advertising is disappearing.
Not a good direction.
It is a muddy world, and the separation of Editorial and Advertising is disappearing.
Not a good direction.
I know for a fact that this is true [nt]
Happy to let you know details at the next meetup (-:
VC
Exactly. I wanted to buy from them the VC and I put it in bascket in the first 30 sec but I didn't receive the confirmation of the order. I wrote them about it and no answer. From that point I dont like them.
Lenrock
Lenrock
The vast majority of the flippers are not insiders. Same thing happened when Omega did there online Speedy releases. Hodinkee gets a bad rep but they're very good for the hobby. Cheers [nt]
No message body
Speedy Tuesdays are a good example...
They are sold out within minutes and Omega do not flip them...
Flippers exist, Rolex Pepsi is a good example... a lot of people buy them just to sell them the next day..
Some people buy watches for enjoyment, others try to make a profit...
Cheer
Flippers exist, Rolex Pepsi is a good example... a lot of people buy them just to sell them the next day..
Some people buy watches for enjoyment, others try to make a profit...
Cheer
ps. And at times they get stuck with them...
There is somethin to be said about flippers who buy Rolex Pepsis and Batmans just to flip them the next day; although, I doubt it is as much of a problem as some people say.
A wait list for a Steel Rolex model is a couple of years, and most individuals can only buy 1 - so not much of a business.
My own opinion is this happens on an industrial scale with big groups, that get allocations of 100s directly from Rolex, and 50% of those go to a "grey market" dealer network for onsale.
no evidence for this theory, but my $0.02
My own opinion is this happens on an industrial scale with big groups, that get allocations of 100s directly from Rolex, and 50% of those go to a "grey market" dealer network for onsale.
no evidence for this theory, but my $0.02
The main problem I have is that brands are creating homage/replicas of Vintage Rolexes....
Tudor, Oris and many others are obviously involved which reduces my interest in them as it shows a lack of creativity and individuality.
Only the real deal can be the real deal. No replica or homage can ever give you the same satisfaction ever.
S
To me it is more a situation of speculators riding on Hodinkee´s audience and appeal,
and trying to cash in on it asap, much like the people buying Rolex professional models, Patek Phillipe Nautilus, and AP Jumbo´s who flip them as soon as they leave the store.
In the particular case of the special editions, kudos to H for doing them and taking a risk, while at the same time, shame on the manufacturer´s for not being willing to put up with said risk and come out with these cool iterations by their own. Some of these editions would make great core collection products for their respective manufacturer.
I guess it is a mind game in the end, only make X in order to keep your clients coming back for the next one, and the next one......
Cheers,
Alex
We all have advantages that come with our jobs, who we know, our families etc.
I really don’t have any issue with the fact that “friends and family” get first dibs on these watches. The team / management at Hodinkee are more than entitled to give preference to certain people. Every watch manufacturer we know does that every day of the week, why would we demand a different standard here?
I guess, the lack of "transparency" is a problem for me.
Obviously, they do what they want, but at some point, customers will wise up to this (hopefully).
No one likes being a sucker!
No one likes being a sucker!
Who is a sucker? You get the watch at retail and you’re happy, you don’t get it and you decide to pay a premium. I don’t see the sucker here to be honest.
Their marketing or hype, which may allow for watches to sell out or and for those same watches to command a premium in the secondary market, is credit to them. Every watch manufacturer/ brand / retailer does this and if they seem to be doing a better job (albeit with much smaller runs / inventory to sell) then good job Hodinkee.
I have no skin in this game, I don’t know anyone there, I have been / am a reader and a customer (I didn’t buy or try to buy the Oris).
I have no skin in this game, I don’t know anyone there, I have been / am a reader and a customer (I didn’t buy or try to buy the Oris).
Interesting Post
Like to read such stuff. Difficult to leave here because of straightforward members like you. Thanks Bounce781
Thank you, Teacher Yang; but you give me too much credit.
I was merely musing aloud and the rest were frank responses from members.
But you are correct. we have great members here who express opinions freely - which is why THIS is the only forum I come to.
HAGWE!
But you are correct. we have great members here who express opinions freely - which is why THIS is the only forum I come to.
HAGWE!
I disagree....all watch companies are in for the money
I did buy some Hodinkee LE in the past (also the second on the Zenith that was truly limited and lately the IWC) and the whole argument that they would be not passionate because they make money on it is a bit absurd. Isn't Rolex in for the money with the crazy allocations and fake scarcity ? How about Patek or Audemars (yes another boutique only LE anyone ) ?
Hodinkee understood and understands watches very well so they release some models that are highly sought after. Not all are a hit (the IWC was not..may be because of the movement but the watch is really great!) but the business model is a good one. Why nobody writes a post about watch brands doing the same (and perhaps really some insider activity too?)
Running a business doesn't mean that someone isn't passionated about the product. Often to be successful in business you need exactly that -- care and passion about the product -- that the customer feels and buys.
I think there are 2 separate issues which are getting conflated in this conversation.
1) I don't claim Hodinkee is not passionate about watches, and are only driven by $$$. I believe they do good work, and are an undeniably important part of the horological media landscape. I personally believe a conflict of interest exists when a media company does both news/reviews and selling of the same product, because it creates a bias (even if subconscious) to portray the brands you sell better. But that wasn't my original point of discussion.
2) All I was wondering about was a possibility that when a watch blog collaborates with a company to do a limited edition, and can drum out significant publicity for the item THEY THEMSELVES will be selling, surely a temptation exists for people connected with that company to siphon off stock and "flip" it for an inflated price.
Given that the LE sold out in minutes, and the high number of those pieces found on eBay at 50% mark up, I posed the question, what are the odds there is some insider trading going on?
I am sure this is not limited to Hodinkee, but given their prominence in the horological landscape, one could argue, what they do is a bellwether for the rest of the digital space.
Again, I am not prosecuting a case here, all I am doing is asking a hypothetical.
HAGWE
2) All I was wondering about was a possibility that when a watch blog collaborates with a company to do a limited edition, and can drum out significant publicity for the item THEY THEMSELVES will be selling, surely a temptation exists for people connected with that company to siphon off stock and "flip" it for an inflated price.
Given that the LE sold out in minutes, and the high number of those pieces found on eBay at 50% mark up, I posed the question, what are the odds there is some insider trading going on?
I am sure this is not limited to Hodinkee, but given their prominence in the horological landscape, one could argue, what they do is a bellwether for the rest of the digital space.
Again, I am not prosecuting a case here, all I am doing is asking a hypothetical.
HAGWE
Why do you say that...
great IWC was not a hit? It was sold out almost immediately and there is still a demand for it...
Cheers
Cheers
I got super lucky as when I finally made up my mind the IWC x Hodinkee was sold out
So I said "What the heck?" and put my name on the "waiting list". Lo and behold, a day later I got an email that someone cancelled their order and one was available if I wanted it.
I'm glad I took the chance and clicked on that waiting list button 
It's one of the best pilot's watches IWC has made since the original Mark 11.