Why? How will being round make it work better?
(secretly hoping to be able to justify a JLC Reverso or Cartier Tank as my top dress-up mechanical watch)
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Apple Watch vs the watch industry
- Thread starter xtshabi
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Why? How will being round make it work better?
(secretly hoping to be able to justify a JLC Reverso or Cartier Tank as my top dress-up mechanical watch)
Because I want a round face Apple watch. LOL
But seriously, I think it's the expectation of design. Sure, there are rectangle watches out there. However, as a fashion item, the Apple watch should not be inhibited by a single form. A circular faced watch is still the standard for most people. From the discussions I had with people when they saw my Moto 360, it seems that people do think a traditional looking watch to be "better" as an accessory/fashion item.
Because I want a round face Apple watch. LOL
But seriously, I think it's the expectation of design. Sure, there are rectangle watches out there. However, as a fashion item, the Apple watch should not be inhibited by a single form. A circular faced watch is still the standard for most people. From the discussions I had with people when they saw my Moto 360, it seems that people do think a traditional looking watch to be "better" as an accessory/fashion item.
I'd also like to see what Apple could do with a round watch as I'm not a fan of the current design.
There is a difference between holding a charge and usable in my opinion. I have lots of apple devices that still "WorK" but the battery is significantly reduced. The iPhone's being the worst. I admit the older generation devices were made or last along longer
Agreed. This is the downside of having devices based on non-replaceable lithium ion batteries. It is turning into the limiting factor in terms of the device's age. It might be okay for a phone, but for a watch? We'll see what happens in 2017, where many Apple watches reach their second year.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Apple+Watch+Battery+Replacement/41080
http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/10/apple-watch-battery-is-replaceable/
https://support.apple.com/kb/index?...States&product=watch&select=WARRANTY__PRICING
$79 for a new battery (out-of-warranty pricing) for all three models.
Can we put this "non-replaceable battery" nonsense behind us yet?
[edit] Being fair here: replacing a battery on a regular watch can be as cheap as a couple bucks and a screwdriver (the last time I did my Timex it was probably $5) or quite a bit more for a careful service/
http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=4877198
Swatch has also started a free lifetime battery replacement deal. I'm a little surprised, too, because their watches have the easiest battery change on the market today.
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That's not unlike the gold pocket watch that was handed down to me from a grandparent. It's a well made, once ubiquitous item that's a nice thought, but I'm not carrying the thing around.
Wristwatches killed the sales of pocket watches, and I don't think we should expect mechanical wrist watches to remain popular for eternity.
If I'd had a gold pocket watch handed down from my grandfather I'd wear it just as a reminder of him, and that's also pure class! As I get older I appreciate items made to last, my grand parents fridge is still going strong, mine did not even make the warranty period . I doubt my Apple Watch will last 3 years...
My great-grandfather also left me a beautiful gold and ebony cane, and I'm sure there's a monocle around here somewhere, too. If I used all of that, you'd probably start calling me a hipster, or Mr. Peanut.
As interesting as it sounds to leave my son my Rolex and Omega watches, he'd probably be better off if I sold them and threw the money in an investment account for him, especially if the mechanical watch market doesn't survive.
My great-grandfather also left me a beautiful gold and ebony cane, and I'm sure there's a monocle around here somewhere, too. If I used all of that, you'd probably start calling me a hipster, or Mr. Peanut.
As interesting as it sounds to leave my son my Rolex and Omega watches, he'd probably be better off if I sold them and threw the money in an investment account for him, especially if the mechanical watch market doesn't survive.
Ha ha. Only the pocket watch appeals.
He will not loose money on a Rolex.
Lets see how the mechanical watch market goes. I believe it will be just as strong and smart watches are a fad. Time will tell.
Personally I don't see many people switch from mechanical to smart watch , I see people who don't have watches get an iPhone accessory. Let's see how it plays out. I use both .
Who does it appeal to? I'm not sure I've seen more than a few people wear one in my lifetime. I've probably seen more people wear a monocle in my lifetime.
Oddly enough, pocket watches were worn for over four hundred years, and the wrist watch has only been around for around a hundred years.
The bottom line for me is, I have a Rolex, an Omega, etc., and I haven't touched them since I started wearing the Apple Watch on a link bracelet a few months ago.
Yes it's exactly why I happily spent $80,000 and waited over a year for one expert craftsman to build a one of a kind all mechanical luxury timepiece for me.
I have _ nothing against the Apple Watch I bought and returned, it just didn't suit me.
My lifelong training/fitness/athletic competition lifestyle benefits greatly from a purpose built watch. My Suunto Ambit 3 is far more precise and accurate than my Apple Watch was. It's dedicated tracking web site, competition site and huge user base makes it invaluable.
Plus I only wear it while being highly active. When at the office and relaxing, I enjoy one of my analog hand made timepieces.
Variety is what I enjoy, it's the reason I have several Apple laptops tablets and iPhones.
My great-grandfather also left me a beautiful gold and ebony cane, and I'm sure there's a monocle around here somewhere, too. If I used all of that, you'd probably start calling me a hipster, or Mr. Peanut.
As interesting as it sounds to leave my son my Rolex and Omega watches, he'd probably be better off if I sold them and threw the money in an investment account for him, especially if the mechanical watch market doesn't survive.
On the other hand, it'd be kind of cool to leave one nice watch for your kids. If mechanicals are all but obsolete by then, it'd be a cool, hard to find item that also has sentimental value (which I presume smart devices to not be able to provide, though things may change of course).
I've got quite a few mechanicals, so I could always keep one around in the drawer, if need be. Granted, I'm not sure he'll feel all that emotional about it, considering he's only 3 and won't remember me wearing it. He'd probably appreciate my guitars more.
The pocket watch appeals to me.
I have a rolex, IWC, Panerai and a few others. I like the to use the Apple Watch at times for certain tasks, but it's a toy compared to my Rolex deepsea. The deepsea will out live and retain its value 10-20 years down the track, 10 years down the track I would have lost more on replacing apple watches with newer generations...than the deepsea costs. That is the problem with smart watches, they do not keep their value, how much does a iPhone 3G go for? Already you can pickup apple watches that are in awesome condition 2nd hand for over 1/3 what they sell for retail, Apple Watch 2 will make the 1st generation drop is price very fast.
It's a nice , expansive accessory that has no $$$ retention down the line unlike your Rolex or omega.
You're basing the long term value of your Deep Sea on relatively short term trends, which is my point. The Rolex bubble is a relatively new phenomenon, and around a million Rolex watches are sold per year, making them relatively common, so, if mechanical wrist watches fall out of favor in the next decade or two, there's no telling what a Rolex will be worth when we pass them on to the next generation.
Porsches have been in a bubble, too, but there are only around 150,000 911s made from 1964-1989 on the road today, so they are much, much rarer than a Rolex. Even rare car and watch collector Jay Leno has been wearing an Apple Watch on Milanese. I think the likes of Patek are probably the only watch companies who will keep going, as they're much more exclusive than Rolex.
As far as long term usage, of coarse a mechanical watch will last longer than a smartwatch (with servicing.) A mechanical typewriter will last longer than a MacBook, too. Mechanical watch companies barely survived quartz, and I'm not sure if they'll pull it off again.
It sounds like you are really looking forward to the demise of the traditional watch industry.
It sounds like you are really looking forward to the demise of the traditional watch industry.
Nope. It's just separating interest from reality. I actually spend a lot of my time on mechanical watch blogs and in watch forums, but I think the writing may be on the wall.
Don't you think it's a little soon to come to that conclusion?
The Apple Watch has only been on sale for six months and it's nowhere near to being a must have purchase to most people, even among the Apple faithful. The smartwatches on offer from Apple's rivals haven't really set the world on fire either so I think it needs a couple of years before we can guess at the true impact of the smartwatch on the whole watch industry.
I'm kinda hoping for a quartz crisis so I can get a nice discount on a few pieces.
Anybody sitting in the top offices in the watch industry need to be thinking long-long term. They already spend a decade or more just to develop a new mechanical movement. You can bet they're trying to guess what can happen to their market if smartwatches take off.
Rolex is not exclusive, its like Apple, smart marketing. You might as well argue, Apple is a short term trend also... the Rolex bubble has gone alot longer than the Apple bubble. using your point Apple = new phenomenon, and the Apple watch is the worst performer.....
If you read MR forums and that was your knowledge of Apple's current and future success , you would assume Apple was doomed, just saying
I get people love their Apple watch, and they want it to succeed, and believe the mechanical market is doomed...... but...
The Reality is, go outside, this week and next week pay attention to how many people wear smart watches. I have read the MR forums and also paid attention to the real world, the Apple smart swatch is one of the rarest apple devices I have ever seen, given its price. The general public do not care, for about every Apple watch I see, I see about 40-50 mechanical watches.....
I for one will only use an Apple watch while the iphone is the best phone on the market, if Apple drops the ball on the iphone, Apple watch sales will plummet, the dependency of the smart watch on a phone, makes it an accessory, not a replacement for a mechanical watch.
this can be debated till the cows come home, the reality and point I want to leave it on, I cannot see the Apple watch on peoples wrists, the mechanical watch dominates outside of forum chat.
Enjoy your Apple Watch.
Rolex is not exclusive, its like Apple, smart marketing. You might as well argue, Apple is a short term trend also... the Rolex bubble has gone alot longer than the Apple bubble. using your point Apple = new phenomenon, and the Apple watch is the worst performer.....
If you read MR forums and that was your knowledge of Apple's current and future success , you would assume Apple was doomed, just saying
I get people love their Apple watch, and they want it to succeed, and believe the mechanical market is doomed...... but...
The Reality is, go outside, this week and next week pay attention to how many people wear smart watches. I have read the MR forums and also paid attention to the real world, the Apple smart swatch is one of the rarest apple devices I have ever seen, given its price. The general public do not care, for about every Apple watch I see, I see about 40-50 mechanical watches.....
I for one will only use an Apple watch while the iphone is the best phone on the market, if Apple drops the ball on the iphone, Apple watch sales will plummet, the dependency of the smart watch on a phone, makes it an accessory, not a replacement for a mechanical watch.
this can be debated till the cows come home, the reality and point I want to leave it on, I cannot see the Apple watch on peoples wrists, the mechanical watch dominates outside of forum chat.
Enjoy your Apple Watch.
I live in Portland, so I see the Watch on a lot of wrists. Of course, I do see more mechanicals, because they have a hundred year head start, but smartwatches aren't unusual here. Apparently, last quarter was already the worst quarter for the Swiss watch industry in six years, and the decline was 2x-3x faster than expected. It'll be interesting to see how the Watch does over Christmas for the rest of the US.