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Swiss Watchmakers Rebuff Apple's Partnership and Hiring Advances
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Please post pics of serval watches that aren't under 100$ and don't look pretty similar, other wise you're all talk.
I've seen the original v china fakes of Omega, IWC , Rolex etc, don't fool yourself mate, ur replica looks like a cheap knockoff. The originals are far far better ! Sorry but if you cannot tell, ur blind! It's like comparing an iPhone with an iPhone knockoff, huge difference
Actually, many of the replicas coming out of China are ridiculously good, barring some inaccuracies that you'd need (1) working knowledge of the original model and (2) a loupe to spot. Not saying that owning a genuine isn't worth it, but they aren't "far far better" in any sense other than resale value.
I have to say that concept makes the most sense to me, and while I'm no fan of Samsung, if i were using android, the Gear Fit would be my smart watch of choice.
Could someone explain to me why Apple would try to poach staff from "manufacturers who make precision parts" for a device with no moving parts? This just comes across as a bunch of frightened execs.
Apple builds some of the best industrial design on the planet. I call BS on this story, Apple doesn't need intricate metallurgists. Give me a break!
I think a lot of you don't know much about watches. Omega, for example, is a member of the Swatch Group. Neither Apple nor another company will boost or change its image. The people who go out to buy an Omega are not the ones that go out to buy an iWatch.
To many people who buy mechanical watches, that watch is a piece of art. It's craftsmanship and painstaking work with a ton of tradition. Yes, that is a bit snobby, I admit. And I am part of that watch crowd. But I've worn a watch my entire life - even in elementary school. "One does not simply switch to a quartz." Let alone a digital watch.
Call me insane but it is what it is. I don't really own any expensive watches either. But they are all mechanical and I wouldn't trade them in for anything.
Now, if the iWatch was more like an "iBand" and would look like the UP by Jawbone but function as well as we know Apple can make it, then I'd be all over it!
Any of this make sense?
To many people who buy mechanical watches, that watch is a piece of art. It's craftsmanship and painstaking work with a ton of tradition. Yes, that is a bit snobby, I admit. And I am part of that watch crowd. But I've worn a watch my entire life - even in elementary school. "One does not simply switch to a quartz." Let alone a digital watch.
Call me insane but it is what it is. I don't really own any expensive watches either. But they are all mechanical and I wouldn't trade them in for anything.
Now, if the iWatch was more like an "iBand" and would look like the UP by Jawbone but function as well as we know Apple can make it, then I'd be all over it!
Any of this make sense?
Isn't that what they already are? It's not really "technology" anymore -- a watch is a piece of jewelry. Some people like wearing them (myself included), and some people don't. I am far from a collector and have been wearing the same watch every day for two years, but I still get compliments on it, as recently as three days ago.
A market still exists for watches, though, so they probably won't be going bankrupt anytime soon, at least not all of them.
The high end Swiss watch market have nothing to fear from Apple or any of the other companies currently offering or planning on launching Iwatch type devices. A Swiss watch is not something you buy that you expect to replace in 12 months. When you are spending $2,000 and well north of that you are buying a piece of Jewellery that you expect to last for a number of years.
Swatch is in a different position. However, they have previously partnered with Microsoft and it ended in the courts and they no looking to go that way again.
An Iwatch is more likely to compete with and eventually replace their market share. Worth nothing also that a high end Swiss watch frequently increases in value over time.
Swatch is in a different position. However, they have previously partnered with Microsoft and it ended in the courts and they no looking to go that way again.
An Iwatch is more likely to compete with and eventually replace their market share. Worth nothing also that a high end Swiss watch frequently increases in value over time.
Don't be too rough on Jimmy. Like many others on this forum, their knowledge of Swatch is limited. There are a lot of companies who are larger than their reputation, Swatch being one of them. Along with Omega and Rado, they own Harry Winston, Blancpain, and Longines. Volkswagen is another. Their brands include: Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche (don't read this as "porsh" or I will kill you
Point being we can only comment on what we know. After reading your quote and mine, Jimmy will know just a little more.
Oh let me not forget to give a hat tip to wikipedia for info on Swatch Group.
I have been educated. Thanks for the polite post.
Well that completely sucks.
Here's what I don't understand. People spent the last three years complaining about skeuomorphism, now, as soon as the topic changes to something new, the only vision anyone can produce is more skeuomorphic crap. WTF?
Let me say it loud and clear. Devices that pretend to be watches this faithfully have ZERO chance of success in the marketplace. There is no way Apple will sell one. I want me an Apple SmartWatch as much as anyone else, but if Apple ever ships this POS it's time for me to buy a Pebble.
If you want jewelry, buy jewelry. But the value of a SmartWatch is in FUNCTIONALITY. If you're crippling the functionality to produce a product that insists on looking like something from 1913, you're producing something that no-one ACTUALLY wants.
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Once you're in this realm of luxury brands and jewelry, you're in a realm of complete irrationality. Don't try to argue with someone on these issues, you're wasting your time. A "genuine Rolex" apparently possesses some magical Rolex essence that an EXACT copy doesn't. Pointing out that that essence is essentially that in the one case Rolex gets the profit, in the other case it does not, will get you nowhere.
This is not arguing about Android vs Apple --- that's an argument that CAN (though usually isn't) be based on actual, objective facts. This is an argument rooted ultimately in snobbery and human social dominance.
This, among other reasons, is why Apple is NOT going to be making a SmartWatch that's a piece of jewelry. Apple isn't in the business of selling stuff whose ONLY value is snobbery (regardless of what the dimwitted might say --- Apple is not Vertu); and Apple isn't in the business of selling stuff to ONLY the 1%. Which is what you have to be if you want your luxury brand to stay a luxury brand --- selling downmarket and "expanding the brand" is the kiss of death for snob-based sales.
The same applies to cars that go 240+ Mph, single malt in a crystal bottle with a diamond in the stopper, 1,000 Watt per channel Class A amps, etc., etc. I don't know if you own an iPhone but would you buy an EXACT copy? Or stick with the real deal?
Maybe you should check your prices in some real stores instead of looking them up on Chinese replica pages where certain people buy their Rolex.
For me it's pretty clear that they wanted a Swatch collaboration for brand name only. As for styling, that's why they tried to poach Hublot engineers/designers. Hublot is known for elitist watches, highly priced, made of cheap materials and technically uninspired. However, they have an excellent sense of design and aesthetics with a think-different ring to it.
The only people buying most of the Swatch group high end watches are doing it for conspicuous consumption reasons anyway. That may or may not change with the upcoming batch of smartwatches...
But the watchmakers have already seen their market collapse once with quartz, you would think they would want to hedge their bets further.
And Hublot is just tasteless junk... surprised Apple would bother with them.
But the watchmakers have already seen their market collapse once with quartz, you would think they would want to hedge their bets further.
And Hublot is just tasteless junk... surprised Apple would bother with them.
Not surprised one bit by this really, just like the cable companies, they don't need or want Apple so tell them where to go.
The swiss makers are certainly not about to sell out to Apple and give them 30% when they sell watches from the tens of pounds to the hundreds of thousands of pounds quite happily. And the majority of the luxury brands like Omega have already announced they have zero interest in the smart watch market.
I looked at the smart watches, the only one I really liked was the Qualcomm Toq because of it's cool screen but that's not available in the UK.
So for my 40th I got something even better:
And Tissot do, or did, solely own the 'Smart Watch' name, they put it on the first T-Touch models they made I do believe, not sure if it's still on the Expert models?
The swiss makers are certainly not about to sell out to Apple and give them 30% when they sell watches from the tens of pounds to the hundreds of thousands of pounds quite happily. And the majority of the luxury brands like Omega have already announced they have zero interest in the smart watch market.
I looked at the smart watches, the only one I really liked was the Qualcomm Toq because of it's cool screen but that's not available in the UK.
So for my 40th I got something even better:
And Tissot do, or did, solely own the 'Smart Watch' name, they put it on the first T-Touch models they made I do believe, not sure if it's still on the Expert models?
However, we see no reason why we should enter into any partnership agreement
.I dunno, maybe to make profits for your shareholders and not go the way of prior arrogant dodo birds like blackberry, nokia, erricson, etc?
Funny thing is the only ones that got screwed were other smartphone companies, Sony, Palm and Blackberry for example. LG, Samsung and Kyocera were large on dumbbphones and still swinging in the smartphone market (at least LG and Samsung are doing REALLY well)
Almost all of the companies that made early smartphones have gone bust or no longer make phones!
Hey, I still use a watch just for functionality instead of jewelry.
I do have some really nice pilot's watches, but for the past few years I've worn a simple Timex with calendar and backlight that my kids gave me.
Works great for my purposes, which is mostly to glance at the time at night when I wake up. (I'd need my glasses to see any other clock!)
Not surprised one bit by this really, just like the cable companies, they don't need or want Apple so tell them where to go.
The swiss makers are certainly not about to sell out to Apple and give them 30% when they sell watches from the tens of pounds to the hundreds of thousands of pounds quite happily. And the majority of the luxury brands like Omega have already announced they have zero interest in the smart watch market.
I looked at the smart watches, the only one I really liked was the Qualcomm Toq because of it's cool screen but that's not available in the UK.
So for my 40th I got something even better:
Image
And Tissot do, or did, solely own the 'Smart Watch' name, they put it on the first T-Touch models they made I do believe, not sure if it's still on the Expert models?
Hopefully you have better luck than I did with mine. It broke after 5 years. Battery went low, then that was the end. The mechanism went because the battery was low. WFT?!? Seems to be a common problem, google it. $400 to repair... no thanks.
I suspect I'm the only person alive who coveted, heck, even still remembers, Swatch 'The Beep'.
Google it...
Google it...
I would say that real high end watchmakers don't have much to fear from this but then Swatch and Hublot are nothing more that a lot of hype and marketing and have no serious watch making credentials. Probably why they sound so scared.
I hope you are joking; right?
Swatch Group Brands :
Prestige and Luxury Range: Breguet, Harry Winston, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot, Omega.
High Range: Longines, Rado, Union Glashütte.
Middle Range: Tissot, Balmain, Certina, Mido, Hamilton; Calvin Klein watches + jewelry.
Basic Range: Swatch, Flik Flak.
Hublot currently makes the most expensive watch in the world at $5 million.
Real watch buyers are different that the iWatch crowd.
I own *LOTS* of watches, a significant number of them manual wind or automatic. I'm not interested in giving up my real watches for some iWatch or Galaxy Gear junk.
I don't want to sit my watch on a charger to have it last for 2-7 days.
Either I wind it or it better last a year or more.
Those are gadgets and not watches.
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