Horological Meandering

along with some other brands as well

Or at least let it be the way  A. Lange or Montblanc do it...

I think this is still a very profitable exercise for these companies. I know I don't mind. But I do appreciate twists. 

100% in-house manufacture caliber everywhere! It has already started but it this will get stronger in 2013-2014.

The downside for all of us if that those caliber will not benefits for the years of testing an ETA and we will have a lot more watches returning to after sales services...

and the use of exotic movement material is a further worry. but I am confident, esp if its a Richemont or LVMH group firm, that it will be well researched and developed, if not tested. 

but don't you think that some entry level brands deserve some love too?

I really think that the watch industry is going to change a lot in a few years. No more ETA means less new  entry-level priced brands (<10K USD/CHF/whatever) which can be a good thing but it also means that it will cost a lot more money to enter the market (from an investment point of view) and that means for me that creative and independent minds will be stopped.

and also with time, movements development associated costs would have been amortized over a period of time, and costs should come off somewhat, applicable for the relatively "mass produced" brands/movements, e.g. Hublot Unico

this subject is very interesting as we are close to live a new era of the watch industry.

Thanks,

Mark

Hi Horo,

This is what I was beguinning to think about some days ago while I was looking at the "Basel/SiHH 12" tab and wondered when it was going to be modified into "13", which will be the first palpable sign of pleasures to come.

I join Mark just above about the in-house new movement trend ... and I'll add the rise in pricing that will come with it.

I also think that the gap between big size watches (dedicated to specific markets/customers) will continue to distance itself from the launch of more reasonnable sizes (what some brands are already been starting to bring again).

But what I regret (I'll create a dedicated post on that subject) is the lack of real innovations. this sadly won't change.

So what I'm finally waiting to see is new shapes, new interpretations of actual collections, maybe (rarely) a new model, to fall in love with from my favorite brands.

Cheers,

Mark

1) material science - new materials and applications for alloys, both in movements and cases.

1. material science: yes but I think they'll keep it light because it would take the place of traditional materials as gold, maillechort etc ... These older materials are a part of what makes the history of the brands and thus they should add a little more silicon etc but not that much in the end.

Would be good to see innovation across the board.  Price rise would follow in that case.

Would like to see Panerai do something new maybe a different design not based on historical watches.

and I m betting on a in house rattrapante....perhaps a mutation of the P2004 -

The only thing I know is that JLC will have an ambitious 2013 collection, as it is their 180th Anniversary, next year.

My guess is that they will cover all the budgets, from the " affordable " to the high end.

In these uncertain times, Prudence is a major virtue, which will lead the brands to work on their fundamentals.

But Prudence is boring, and I would not be surprised to see some small touches of madness, too.

Aaah, I would also keep an eye on GP... I don't know why, but I would.

Best,

Nicolas

 

another Duometre variant, and Reverso complication is what i think, or more like hope.

And I never loose a gamble.

Best,

Nicolas

Those 3 companies will show something meaningful, I'm betting.

Other brands? Longines?

My crystal ball is melting with our balmy "spring" (36C/96F).

Cheers,

Nilo

its beginning to feel like a Zenith revival, and from the few hints given...seems very try exciting times for them.

not that I could likely afford it but that is a strange gap in my favorite brand at the show.

Best
Andreas

the ZW Striking Time is a "learning" curve for them?

if they want to skip the repeater and go to a sonnerie directly fine with me!

Best
Andreas

best,