Swiss Manufacturer Creates High-End Mechanical Apple Watch Clone

[Piggie]

I'm all for Swiss watch companies ignoring the smartwatch fad, and standing by their commitment to make mechanical watches at a premium price. But UNIQUE watches.

So why on Earth make a physical clone of the most well-known smartwatch out there??? Who would be dumb enough to pay THAT much for something that will constantly be mistaken for a watch that's considerably cheaper and assumes tons of functionality that's not actually there??

This is seriously one of the dumbest ideas I've seen....

Because it's not a mass produced piece of cheap electronics stamped out in the millions perhaps?

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

"Today, H. Moser & Cie. launches the Swiss Alp Watch as a statement of this new challenge and to prove that traditional mechanical watchmaking has a future, and it is, in fact, the future. It is much more than a watch for us. The Swiss Alp Watch is symbolic. It represents our resilience, our ferocious desire to fight for our values and traditions. It embodies everything we believe in."

Buggy whip makers were unavailable for comment.

All joking aside (OK, most joking aside), mechanical watches are fine timepieces, but I only see their popularity waning as a percentage of watches sold. Remember the discussion a year ago?
"I haven't worn a watch on my arm for 15 years!" (that was my wife saying that about me, but I've worn my watch, every day without fail since 6/1/15)
"I'll just use my iPhone for the time and these things" (this watch doesn't solve that problem for the "these things", only the time

I'm just trying to see if this is an acknowledgement that the watch is a success. The sincerest form of flattery is imitation.

 

[jcmeyer5]

Its not April 1st yet... WTH?!

 

[Rigby]

They are actually having some fun with the Apple watch and Apple's marketing. Check out this video:

Screenshot:

 

[manu chao]

I'm all for Swiss watch companies ignoring the smartwatch fad, and standing by their commitment to make mechanical watches at a premium price. But UNIQUE watches.

So why on Earth make a physical clone of the most well-known smartwatch out there??? Who would be dumb enough to pay THAT much for something that will constantly be mistaken for a watch that's considerably cheaper and assumes tons of functionality that's not actually there??

Your argument applies to any solid gold watch, maybe even more so for white gold. Why pay for solid gold when you get the same look with gold-plating or with white gold also with other much cheaper metals?
[doublepost=1452111802][/doublepost]

Wow....it's like rectangular watch designs did not exist before apple launched the Apple Watch.

What they did ripoff is the pricing ....

You mean Apple was the first one to sell five-figure watches?

 

[DynaFXD]

OK Apple, turn about is fair play. Let me download that watch face to replace these completely pedestrian ones that I am saddled with! While you are at it, just release an SDK for watch faces so that we can see some real artistry in Apple watch face design.

 

[manu chao]

The style is the dumbest aspect of them all. It doesn't need to contain a UI, and it has that silly circle within a square.

Yeah, because there were no square analogue watches before the Apple Watch.

 

[rdlink]

First person on street: "Excuse me. Is that an Apple Watch?"

Second person on street: "No, it's a H. Moser & Cie.'s Swiss Alp Watch. I paid $25K for it."

First person on street, thinking to themselves: "Hmm, I think I'll buy an Apple Watch and save $24,500."

 

[appledefenceforce]

Wow. For probably the first time, Apple has made ugly cool.

Me and millions of other people don't think it's ugly.

 

[nebo1ss]

Guys get a Grip Apple did not invent the Rectangular watch. They been around probably since the 40's.

 

[techwhiz]

@ 26:30 he's wearing a watch that looks idenical to Apples watch design but it's in the 1980's. Lets tone down the blatant calls of "ripoff"

Exactly.
Apple created the first rectangular watch with rounded edges and built in lugs??
Not even.

They just made an analog watch.

 

[redman042]

If nothing else, this proves that the Apple Watch is making an impact on the watch industry. Much like cell phone manufacturers bagged on the first iPhone when it came out, but behind the scenes were quickly redesigning their devices to be all-display with a software keyboard.

 

[1Zach1]

If nothing else, this proves that the Apple Watch is making an impact on the watch industry. Much like cell phone manufacturers bagged on the first iPhone when it came out, but behind the scenes were quickly redesigning their devices to be all-display with a software keyboard.

All it really shows is that H. Moser & Cie has a sense of humor.

 

[AppleNewton]

lol! the only thing I wouldn't have minded on the apple watch was the digital crown centered.

 

[sully54]

Swiss alp watch. If you say it fast enough to it even sounds like you're saying Apple Watch

 

[Goatllama]

No, Apple's watch is not ugly. Many high end watches are ugly, and some are even incomprehensible when trying to read them.

What in tarnation....... that looks like a piece of aircraft carrier.

 

[scott911]

well, the mechanical one will stay relevant for decades,
apple's will stay technically relevant for maybe a year or two...

kind of interesting when you think about it...

 

[Solomani]

I want that band.

You will have it soon. I'm positive that a dozen aftermarket Taiwanese and Chinese Apple-accessories manufacturers are actively reading MacRumors, and the minute they read this article, and the second they saw posts like yours ("I want that band"), they get started on their production….

You'll be lucky that their band will probably cost way less than $100 and still manage to look nearly identical to the above.

 

[Analog Kid]

First person on street: "Excuse me. Is that an Apple Watch?"

Second person on street: "No, it's a H. Moser & Cie.'s Swiss Alp Watch. I paid $25K for it."

First person on street, thinking to themselves: "Hmm, I think I'll buy an Apple Watch and save $24,500."

First person on street, thinking to themselves as they open switchblade: "Jackpot!"

 

[69Mustang]

Guys get a Grip Apple did not invent the Rectangular watch. They been around probably since the 40's.

True. Apple didn't invent the rectangular watch (or phone for that matter). But Moser is intentionally doing some next level trolling. Not only does the watch mimic the AW, but the marketing pointedly pokes at Apple. Most likely it's being done for recognition. They're a boutique watch company. They're only making 50 of these watches. The exposure they've gotten is probably worth it to them.

As for the actual watch? The band is sex. As is the exposed movement. The AW shape? meh. There are some spectacular rectangular watches out there. The AW is too unisex for my taste. I prefer more masculine styled watches. To each his... or her own.
[doublepost=1452113312][/doublepost]

First person on street, thinking to themselves as they open switchblade: "Jackpot!"

I don't always LOL, but when I do it's Dos Equis.
Seriously. That made me laugh. +1

 

[dan110]

TAG Heuer CEO, Jean-Claude Biver, was right about the watch's design. I wished he didn't later back peddle on his impressions. For me, this new swiss mechanical watch is less of a compliment and more of a mockery of Apple's smart watch.

 

[bdkennedy1]

It's not even 10% a clone.

 

[Popeye206]

The world has officially gone nuts.

 

[ChrisCW11]

Yes, Apple is the ONLY company that ever thought of a rectangular faced watch:

https://www.google.com/search?q=rec...KEwiwtqP1iZbKAhUH8z4KHalBD0gQ_AUIBygC&dpr=0.9

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

First person on street: "Excuse me. Is that an Apple Watch?"

Second person on street: "No, it's a H. Moser & Cie.'s Swiss Alp Watch. I paid $25K for it."

First person on street, thinking to themselves: "Hmm, I think I'll buy an Apple Watch and save $24,500."

I think that the first person will only save $15,000, because the Edition Watch is the only way to go...