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So many “old men yelling at the cloud” here. It’s funny just to read through the thread. Believe it or not, Apple Watch has changed the watch industry.

I think the quartz watch changed the watch industry..i.e. really changed the industry. The Apple watch is a the worlds favourite smartwatch, of which it sells around 15% of what could be called "smart type" devices that folks put on their wrists [other smartwatches, health tracking devices etc...], but in the grand scheme of people buying around 1.3 Billion devices per year that get put on a wrist to tell the time, still very small beer
 
Heart rate monitor and health/sport feature are the primary selling point for me. I wear my 1st Gen as my home and sports watch, then put on something nicer when I'm going out.
 
Great news! As much as I like mechanical watches, I couldn't wear one anymore. It shows the date and time. That's it. I am used to all the other features that Apple Watch brings. Apart from battery life, everything else is better.

Hopefully, Swiss watches are shown to be expensive, overprices pieces of metal. Sure, they keep their value (sometimes), but will this change, now the Apple Watch is impacting them?

Smart Watches are the future. I knew this in the 80s but no one believed me (Seiko data watch). I was only 9 though. haha
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haha.

Mobile phones? they will never take off, stick to a corded phone
Flat TVs? pointless! Just go to the Cinema!

I was reading a book about the 80s and nearly everything in the book was now on the phone. Radio, TV, computer, camcorder, camera, etc. The watch is the new mobile phone. Mobiles have plateaued.


Even the biggest critics of smart watches are coming around. My dad laughed at my generation 0 Apple Watch. Said it was a waste of time and money and what did you need a smart watch for when you have a mobile phone. About a year and a half ago he bought a cheap Chinese smart watch, wore it for a day and declared all smart watches as rubbish and a waste of time. A few months ago he bought a Samsung Galaxy Watch and he couldn’t be any happier. He can suddenly see the value in smart watch.

He’s always been like this. I got the original galaxy note and he laughed at me and said the phone was too big and anyone using a phone that big looked silly. Fast forward to 2015 he got the galaxy note 4 and now has the galaxy note 8. He now talks about ‘real estate’ on a phone lol

He also laughed at my AirPods when I got them in 2016. Didn’t see the point in them and they cost too much for a pair of headphones. This month he got himself A pair of galaxy buds.
 
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That is a one in a billion combination of factors that made that particular watch so valuable.

A more reasonable comparison would be an unopened Apple 1 computer kit signed by the two Steves.
Not even close. This guy just bought a rolex and left it in a drawer. It wasn't signed or anything like that.

there is a 0% chance an Apple Watch Series 5 is going to be worth anything close to that.
 
90% of the time I see someone walking around with their face buried in their phone I wonder if they just cant afford an Apple Watch and cut that cord.

Or maybe its just because I come from people that actually do work, pagers never were a fashion accessory for them but a vital communication tool. Likewise the watch has a role for those that can appreciate it.
"I come from people that actually do work" That is the quote of the week. It sounds like something straight out of the occupant of the white house.
 
You really didn't justify a watch with this post at all.

For one thing, most people get buy doing phone-type work without an Apple Watch.

Secondly, you cite pagers, a technology which was killed by the cell phone. A watch doesn't do a better job replacing a pager than a phone. If anything, it's more of a distraction than it is worth.

An Apple Watch is not a "vital communication tool", it's actually a redundant tool for 99% of users.
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Right, I use a phone. That's a great excuse not to buy an Apple Watch, not an excuse to generate more trash.

Also, even if every Apple Watch went back to Apple, the production waste is still a net negative.

So... quoting me out of context is one thing, replying as if my comments were in a vacuum doesn't reflect well on you. The fact that you totally missed the point is not surprising but ironic. The point was not a lengthy discussion on the Apple Watch, but rather a parody of people who seem to think only their opinions matter and they the rest of the world has to justify themselves to them.

Speaking of which, I don't have to justify my purchase of an Apple Watch to you or anyone else. Not since I started working for a living. So take that word 'justify' right out of your forum vocabulary.

Yep I mentioned 'pager', actually used that word, but nope, I didnt even begin to suggest cellphones are to pagers as Apple Watch is to cell phones. Read more carefully. I disputed the original posters claim pagers had no useful purpose other than as a fashion symbol. Still dispute that. Feel free to disagree. But all the lives saved because doctors had access to that technology at the time might take exception.

Congrats. you use a phone. again why do I need an excuse to use both a phone and a watch? So what if there is some overlap? frankly there are times its more appropriate and/or safe to glance at my watch then pull out my phone. but if thats not true for you, great.

You seem to be basing your argument against apple watches on some sort of eco crusade. really? who are you to judge what is useful enough to society to justify its existence? Its mind boggling to me you think this is even a valid point.

And finally even if it were redundant for 99% (where is your data? based on what criteria? because you obviously have no clue on what they can do or function differently / independently from a phone), that leaves 1% that its not redundant for. That's over a million people (do the math on sales). You now say their choices are irrelevant and should not be allowed?

Anyway, I am not going to try to educate you on the use of the apple watch, there are plenty of good posts already here that do that. But you might want to get off that high eco horse and let people live their lives judgement free. There are a lot of examples of waste in the world, you cheapen your crusade by using this as an example.
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"I come from people that actually do work" That is the quote of the week. It sounds like something straight out of the occupant of the white house.

not sure what you point is or why you feel the need to drag politics in as a slur. love this out of context stuff.
 
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An Apple Watch is not a "vital communication tool", it's actually a redundant tool for 99% of users.

Citation needed here with 99%.....Apple Watch has some overlap with the phone, doesn't mean redundancy. It is especially helpful for people who do sports.
 
Citation needed here with 99%.....Apple Watch has some overlap with the phone, doesn't mean redundancy. It is especially helpful for people who do sports.
Hard to cite, but what percentage of Apple Watch users also have an iPhone in their pocket?

It has to be a huge percentage.
 
Hard to cite, but what percentage of Apple Watch users also have an iPhone in their pocket?

It has to be a huge percentage.

So? Maybe at any given moment that might be true, but 1) I'm trying to figure out the problem with a phone in the pocket and watch on the wrist, and 2) the percentage of people who at some point (exercise, walking out of their office) just use their watch is higher.

The watch gives you use choices the phone does not. It is complimentary. It doesn't have to replace the phone to still be useful to some people. So why say there is no reason for anyone to own one?

Choice is always good.
 
Until/unless Apple allows the core to be swapped out, AW will always be disposable. It can thus never have the collector value of high end Swiss watches regardless of materials used or redesigns. So of course by its nature nature the AW sell far more units because people want the latest tech.

I’ve swapped my AW pretty much every generation. I’ve had my Rolex Daytona for 25 years and I’ll pass it to my son some day. It’s already worth a multiple of what I paid for it, and it’ll do nothing but continue to appreciate. AW can never do that so long as the cores can’t be swapped. And even then...

Great point.

Apple already allows us to swap the bands. I'm fairly certain that they will eventually allow us to retain the body/shell and just replace the core, similar to my old FitBit Blaze.

I love my titanium core and the sapphire glass. If I could replace the core for $200 cost, I'd do it every year.
 
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I love apple products, and i really like my brothers apple watch, but i will never change my Omega watch over any smart watch!! I guess for watches i am more and old school person!! But just for watches 🤪🤪
 
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People that buy expensive Swiss watches do so because they want to. They appreciate perceived exclusivity (Rolex, Tudor, zenith etc) and quantifiable quality. They make you feel good. I’m almost positive everyone in this thread with a Watch also has a smart phone or just regular cellphone. They still purchased that Swiss watch to flex. It’s a fashion accessory. This isn’t 1900 where it wasn’t all that easy to find out what time it is. Your phone tells you and does a better job of it than that $5000 Omega sea master that’s off a few seconds every month. Of course “it will last forever”, but with expensive servicing every few years!

These companies are good at marketing their watches to certain groups. Look at all the rappers talking about patty’s, Ap’s or milled. They USED to talk about rollies. Do you think this is because these people’s grandparents were wearing and handing them down these kind of watches? No it’s marketing. They are told these are the most expensive exclusive watches to get blinged out that you can brag about.

Someone mentioned this is a boomer thing, but I don’t agree with that. Millenians are just as exposed to these watches and it’s still a sign of wealth in today’s society. “I bought my first Rolex” I hear all the time. It’s just a thing to do for some people in some circles. I agree they have the nicest bands in the game right now! Man. Does anyone know if Tudor’s bands are as nice?
 
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Someone mentioned this is a boomer thing, but I don’t agree with that. Millenians are just as exposed to these watches and it’s still a sign of wealth in today’s society. “I bought my first Rolex” I hear all the time. It’s just a thing to do for some people in some circles

It's not a boomer thing, it's a status thing, and it happens at all levels of society. The husband of my cousin started what essentially is a "rich guys with expensive watches" club in his city, so they could all ogle each other's expensive toys.

More power to them.

But trying to generalize your sort of hobby/fetish into some kind of virtue is ridiculous. It would be better to pass down 1000 amazon shares than a Patek. A Patek can't change your life, it can only show that your life has changed (hopefully for the better). 1000 amazon shares can change your grandkids' life.
 
Great point.

Apple already allows us to swap the bands. I'm fairly certain that they will eventually allow us to retain the body/shell and just replace the core, similar to my old FitBit Blaze.

I love my titanium core and the sapphire glass. If I could replace the core for $200 cost, I'd do it every year.

I had this hope they would swap the core when the watch first came out in a gold version. But after a few years have given up on that dream. Apple does move in mysterious ways sometimes. Profit driven of course, but I might get that titanium case if I thought it would be upgraded internally.

Anyway, I would like to be wrong on this.
 
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None. All Apple Watches are recycled. Even Apple Watch series 1 is worth $30 if you return it to Apple store. Who is going to throw away $30?

Even if they are 100% recyclable some would still end up in a landfill, no? I smashed my S4 screen beyond repair and still have it (but not using it) because I don't know what to do with it. Likely if I sent it to apple some but not all of the parts could be used, but the glass surely would be trashed.
 
I love my AW5 and Daytona for very different reasons. For people that say the AW is just more distraction with all the notifications you might want to learn how to tune it to your needs. I have mine set to give me only the notifications I want. I find it less intrusive to see if i got a text message etc on my worst then having to pull my phone out all the time to check.. Also I tend to miss important phone calls when walking with my phone in my pocket. I don't miss them when wearing the AW. The activity stuff is also useful to me. The Daytona is just a nice exp piece of jewelry that I have to worry about all the time wearing in so many places with theft of Swiss watches skyrocketing.
 
Even if they are 100% recyclable some would still end up in a landfill, no? I smashed my S4 screen beyond repair and still have it (but not using it) because I don't know what to do with it. Likely if I sent it to apple some but not all of the parts could be used, but the glass surely would be trashed.

In fairness, people throw away literally tons of non-biological trash every year that ends up in landfill. An Apple Watch screen is not likely to make much difference. I think people are reaching with this argument.
 
I think they are different products. Whether people no longer want the traditional watch or not is another matter.
My personal view that a Tag or similar as a fashion accessory or dress watch. If I had a function to go to, ( funeral or ball perhaps), I'd never wear my Apple watch. as those functions are more traditional affairs and well you need to 'dress' accordingly.
Next funeral I go to I am definitely wearing the Apple Watch.

To me, it’s a watch and more. It’s replaced my watch. Why would I not wear it?

I think smart watch will (if they haven’t already) replace the lower end watch market. The higher end watches will still sell to the ‘look at me crowd.’ It’s a symbol of wealth.

Apple Watch is the high end smart watch, but medium range watch.
 
The mechanical watch industry has done a brilliant job with their marketing campaign. People believe that their watches are "forever" and that they are "investments" that will appreciate.

There are mechanical watches that increase in value but those are the exceptions and most will depreciate in value. You also need to do maintenance on them and that can cost hundreds of dollars every few years. The luminance on the dial will fade, the watch hands and inner parts will wear out, and don't let them polish your watch because that will depreciate the value as polishing is basically sanding away the casing.

Mechanical watches can be beautiful as many veblen goods can be but they are hardly an investment. They will retain value better than a piece of electronic but most will depreciate and will require maintenance to keep all the moving pieces working well.

The loss in value and maintenance of that $10,000 Rolex would buy you several Apple Watches.

Very true. The vast majority of Swiss autos and mechanicals depreciate the minute you walk out of the store. Currently, Rolex and Patek are the exceptions, but a watch is generally not an investment. Many end up in drawers gathering dust.

The Swiss are excellent marketers, positioning their watches as heirlooms that will be passed down to future generations. The question is, will future generations continue to be interested in outdated and inaccurate technology? Some mechanical watches are works of art and craftsmanship, they are gorgeous. IMO, we are in a time of nostalgia and we look back with fondness at items of the past. I feel that if this type of tech available in the Apple Watch was available back in the 60's or 70's it would have done even more damage to the Swiss than the quartz crisis. During that time, it was about looking forward and not looking backward.

I have a mechanical watch collection, I really like it but I don't consider it an investment. I'm also an Apple Watch fan.
 
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