aBlogtoRead.com » Watch Talk

Watch Industry Wishes For 2012

admin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:12:51 +0000

This is an interesting article I did for Departures that I felt would be of interest to my aBlogtoRead.com readers. It involves my wishes for 2012 (and slightly beyond) in terms of what I want the watch industry to focus on. Check it out here at the Departures International website.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Coolest Watches Of 2011 Round-Up

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:20:19 +0000

It is the end of the year and you people are entitled to your lists, round-ups, and best-ofs. I am not a man of superlatives - so please stop asking me what my favorite watch brand, model, or food is. We thankfully live in a world were it is not necessary to choose favorites, and sampling is encouraged (my horological polyamory will continue unscathed). Having said that, I've chosen ten of the most desirable, interesting, or just plain cool watches of 2011 covered here on aBlogtoRead.com. Check them out below is no particular order:

-MB&F LM1

-Sinn EZM 10

-Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph

-Breguet Type XXI 3810 Titanium

-Frederic Jouvenot Halios

-Harry Winston Opus Eleven

-Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback

-Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving GMT Chronograph

-Ressence Watch

-HD3 Slyde Watch

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

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A Brief History Of Watches

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:45:16 +0000

I thought that this simple timeline chronology that briefly discusses the history of watches was interesting and worth sharing. The file was too large to insert as one long image, so I had to cut it up. Click on the images to get larger ones in the photo gallery. Enjoy and thank you to SwissTimeMachine.co.uk for the graphic.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Top Reasons You Want A Nice (Expensive) Watch

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 07:07:10 +0000

The matter of wearing and enjoying fine timepieces is a passion that these days must be justified. It's true, we as practical men and women succeed in life not via waste, but via efficiency. To adorn an item (be it timepiece or otherwise) that quite possibly defies those reasons we came to afford such an item in the first place is something worth discussing. Bottom line, if you want to wear a nice watch, do so with good health, and be able to explain why to others why they should to.

During the last year I found myself being frequently interviewed by other journalists and writers on the topic of watches and my job overall. Questions common to all of these sessions included an inquiry on "why to wear a luxury watch... what makes a luxury watch.... how can a man benefit from wearing a high-end timepiece?, etc..." The answer to all of these related questions is extremely non-obvious and I really had to give it some thought. To start, I revisited an article I previously wrote here on what it is like to wear a luxury watch.

Luxury brands toil with this question themselves and equally want you to think about it as well as be ignorant of it. On the one hand they never want someone to purchase something with full cognizance that they are either buying an emotionally related purchase that they don't strictly need, or that it is priced much higher that it is worth as a commodity. At the same time, for you to buy such watches again and again, us consumers need to be in-touch with our inner "splurger" to savor the feelings we get from owning and wearing fine things.

So why do we want or need high-end watches? Thinking about this question made it clear to me that a response essay was due. I first want to comment on the culture of luxury - something you either live in or don't understand. The culture of luxury (as I call it) is a collective appreciation and desire of finely made things from brands commonly recognizable for various adjectives including "expensive, successful good taste, classy, high-society, important, etc..." Cultures that value luxury also socially value these personal descriptors in a very real way. Not only that, but to be comfortable socially in some of these cultures you actually need to display these messages on your body (in some form or another) as much as possible. When thinking about cultures of luxury I think about parts of Europe, much of Asia, and a lot of the Middle East. So some of the reasons to wear nice watches relates to these people.

Be Taken Seriously

As I began to discuss above, social etiquette often involves looking your best. People judge how smart, tasteful, attractive, and successful you are based on visual indicators. These visual indicators are extremely powerful, and more often than not, people come to conclusions about you before you even open your mouth. To be taken seriously, you must look serious.

I will spare you the 1950s style instructions on explaining how "Johnny" can look his very best before going over to "Jenny's" parent's house to pick her up to go to the dance. The end story is that if you want to impress Jenny and her parents, you need to dress up well, comb your hair, shine your shoes, stand up straight, and give her dad a firm handshake. While cheesy sounding, this is almost a total metaphor for how to be taken seriously in business and social situations.

Being serious is more than being acceptable. The finishing touch on any man are those individual items above and beyond tied shoelaces that help people come to conclusions about who you are. Most men dress rather generically, but if you are the type to have stand-out shoes and a clever scarf... and are still going to pick up "Jenny," then she is a lucky gal. As for the rest of us, we don't have many opportunities to signal success other than the watch on our wrist.

So wear a nice watch. Have something that shines in the light and glistens with the right mixture of metal and color. Make it seem like you saved up for it, or it is a cherished treasure you restored after your father gave it to you. Better if it is something unique and you spent some time finding just the right one versus stopping at the watch counter at your local department store and choosing a model you like from a European sounding brand whose name you can easily pronounce.

Having something like that on your wrist is a message to people dealing with you that you should be taken seriously. It can backfire of course if your watch exudes wasteful excess or bad taste, but in the end is better than showing up to a business meeting with a polyurethane sports watch with a green tinted LCD screen. I've been told more than once "in Europe a business man is not taken seriously if he is not wearing a mechanical watch."

In the end, being taken seriously is a simple formula: being noticed + valuation of worth = degree serious perceived. The watch will help get you noticed, and the watch you are wearing will indicate the value of your worth. How's that for a short response?

Be Unique

Above I mentioned that to be taken seriously you need to be noticed with a nice watch. The question can then become "what watch?" Us men have precious few accessories we can wear to separate ourselves from each other. I take that back, us men have precious few generally well-viewed upon socially acceptable accessories we can wear to separate ourselves from each other. If you want to be one of those guys who wears a lot of jewelry, unique hats, and face tattoos... go right ahead.

What we have to differentiate ourselves is wrist real estate. A place where manly men and business men equally can wear something without causing additional questions to be asked. It is this space where we as individuals can communicate our taste, values, etc... This means that the watch we wear communicates a lot about who we are (or what mood we want to give off that day).

If you are a generic person you can wear a generic watch. If you are a unique person you can find a unique watch that fits your personality. You may not want to stick out all the time (which is why the world gave us Rolex Submariners), but when you do it starts with either what is on your wrist or your loud mouth. The watch world is full of limitless design - you want to take advantage of all the options.

Hand Fetish

They say that eyes are a window to one's soul. That may be true, but so are your hands. You may not have noticed it, but hands are extremely communicative when people talk. Either hands are part of elaborate Italian-style gesticulation, or they offer more subtle signs as to how someone is feeling. When communicating with others we almost always notice their hands. Think about it the next few times you are talking to someone. Close to the hands are the wrists, and one one of those wrists could be a watch.

As human beings we have hand fetishes. We use them, notice them, and touch them. We also like nice things touching our hands. A fine watch is pleasing on the skin. Well-made metal and other materials that are soft and secure feeling - giving you something interesting to run your fingers over from time to time. Perhaps that is why I play with my watch when fidgeting.

People looking at your hands will likely notice what is on your wrist. Give them something to enjoy that is worth all the attention.

Eye Candy

Each time I visit an art museum I think to myself "how wonderful would it be to be surrounded by beautiful art in my home all the time" I also consider how expensive of a proposition that is. Like most people I love art, and little of it I can take with me where I go. A few years ago I started to realize that there was art sitting on my wrist.

The basic scheme of an analog watch is simple and consistent. The way of expressing it is where all the creativity comes in. Watch design is therefore inherently artistic. There is a lot of crap out there, but the best stuff is beautiful and how often do you call a tool beautiful?

Art on a watch can come in many forms. The dial can literally be a painting, or the design of the instrument itself is where the art comes in. For many people, the movement contains as much art as the case and dial. Art is the expressive elements placed over the necessary functional parts - so almost every watch has at least a bit.

For those like me who need a little art in their lives daily, you'll have no problem finding many watches that move you just like a masterpiece in paint.

Something to Remember You By

Not only is a timepiece the quintessential gift but it is the quintessential heirloom. While morbid in its tone, it is sometimes a good idea to consider life from beyond the grave. No matter what your philosophy is on the end of life, we can all agree that people can live on through the memories of those that knew them.

I own a few timepieces from people I knew that are now deceased. Having these watches makes me think of them. Not just in general way, but in a real and breathing way. They wore these watches for a long time. The watches show signs of use and love, and life. To be honest I wouldn't care if these watches were $50 or $50,000 in value as long as they made me think of these people. The benefit however of passing down a nicer watch is that it is more likely to survive the test of time. You could also argue that it helps maintain a better image of you after you go, but that is up to the person leaving the watch.

A watch collection is also a legacy. It doesn't necessarily have to be worth a mint, but leaving your watch(es) to someone you care about is an enduringly positive thought about passing on those values that were important to you, to someone else.

Enough Reason?

The funny thing about all this is that is on paper the justification for wearing and buying nice watches doesn't compare to the real life obsession so many people have with watches. For me, that is really the funny part of all this. It is about measuring one value over another. We like nice expensive watches even though cheap watches exist to do the same thing. Educated watch lovers vastly prefer mechanical watch over quartz ones even though quartz pieces are more accurate and arguably more convenient.

A love of nice watches is emotional; a love of watches in general is practical (we like to easily tell the time). I believe that for me, the above reasons are the top ones why I lust for the finer watches in life. The psychology behind it is fascinating because of the pleasure it brings me (and others). The best thing you can do if you are also addicted to timepieces is simple, get your friends hooked as well.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Funding A New Watch Brand With Kickstarter.com

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 07:04:57 +0000

So you wanna build a watch? It is a common dream of enterprising watch lovers to simply posit "I just want to start my own watch brand." It actually isn't as hard as you might think. There is a universe of services, companies, and resources to help you when starting from scratch. In fact, aBlogtoRead.com contributing writer Paul Hubbard wrote a post on this very topic here. There you'll find information on actually making the watch, but more importantly is funding your project.

Whether you are interested in starting a new brand or just building a one or two models, you'll need money upfront for the design and prototyping. Then you'll need more money for the industrialization and actual production. In between are costs for marketing, customer service, and a series of other little money-eaters.

The potential pay-off is real. If you build a nice looking watch you can made a handsome profit given a reasonable margin on your production and design costs. Though funding a large scale production of watches without an existing marketing is a very risky move. So how do you proceed?

One typical practice when money is tight is to build a prototype or just a computer mock-up design, and then solicit people for pre-order money. These people pay a fraction of the retail amount (usually at a discount because they are pro-ordering), and then the rest when the watches are actually delivered. Such small production runs are usually limited, which is a good thing as people place additional value on limited edition watches. So on the one hand you get the peace-of-mind knowing "model X" will only have 200 pieces, and the consumer feels that they are getting something exclusive as "model X" will only be available as 200 pieces.

After you have collected enough pre-order money you fund production of the watches. The safety here is that aside from initial design and possible prototyping, you aren't going to be out production money unless something awful happens and you need to pay back all the pre-order customers. Again, I am simplifying the process here to give you an overall picture of how a small watch production goes.

The big question goes back to "where do I find these pre-order customers?" The traditional answer has been on the dedicated watch forums where such customers tend to hang out. Sometimes these watches will be discussed on blogs such as mine, but for the most part these watch projects live within smaller communities. So how do you take the same business plan but get more people interested? A great resource is Kickstarter.com.

Kickstarter.com is a great tool for people with an idea looking for money. It is a type of "crowd-funding" service that allows people to pitch their products or ideas and have people become project "backers." Backers dedicate a certain sum of money that is only taken out of their bank accounts when an overall monetary goal as been reached.

Let me give you an example. Say I want to build the model X watch as a limited edition of 100 pieces to start. I know that I need $40,000 to produce the first 100 pieces and I want the retail price to be $1,000. I go to Kickstarter.com and post the project with a full description of the watch including video of me talking about how cool model X will be. I create a goal amount of "$50,000" and tell people that if they pledge $500, they will get the watch that will later retail for $1,000 when the second production starts. I tell them that the first run watches are special limited editions with unique casebacks, colors, etc... Project times vary but are usually about 45 days. This is a protection to backers to ensure that projects don't just sit around forever until they are fully funded.

If I get 100 backers at $500 each, then the project will produce $50,000. $40,000 of which will go to producing the first 100 watches, and $10,000 of which is profit. That is how you fund an initial watch production. The good news is that after initial production has started and you've made 100 pieces. The machining for the watches is still intact. This means you can produce the next 100 (or however many) pieces at a cheaper cost. You also know that because the first 100 pieces sold,Â perhaps you can sell more. Kickstarter.com not only can provide you with the necessary eyes to fund the project, but was also the monetary conduit (but they take a modest cut of course).

So how does all this translate into real world experiences? To find out I talked to a few people that are actually in (or just finished) the process of funding watch projects on Kickstarter.com. I spoke to Zach Raven whose project is here, and Thomas Young whose project is here. There are more added to Kickstarter all the time.

What they have in common is that they are new to the watch game or not serious industry insiders and are offering backers a range of things that they can pledge on. For each of them Kickstarter.com was a great place to fund their project for a few reasons - but the process is not without some limited drawbacks.

The best part of Kickstarter seems to be the instant access to a large audience of people - who are actually interested in dedicating money to back projects. Not only that, but using Kickstarter.com is a bit like free advertising given all the eyes. At the same time, you'll have a dedicated project page on Kickstarter that you can market yourself.

It is worth noting that Kickstarter must individually approve projects. You need to look at their terms and conditions and understand that your project will not be automatically approved. Kickstarter.com is interested in helping people start their dream projects, and wants to make sure there is equal value for the project starter and the backers. Kickstarter does not want you to use their service merely to sell existing products.

Kickstarter offers you a large one-page style area to offer text, images, and videos about your project. You are limited to their format, but of course have the option of having a separate external website. Kickstarter offers you the ability offer various items for backers to pledge for. Though it does make it a bit tough for people to back something multiple times (they want more than one) or for you to offer a few things at the same price (pledge amount).

How do you get your money? Kickstarter handles the transactions and money goes through Amazon Payments that you'll need to hook up to your bank account. It seems rather straight forward, though I don't know how it works with international accounts. Backers only have money taken from them if your goal amount is met, and it happens when the project timeline ends. The biggest drawback people experience is the amount Kickstarter and Amazon Payments take. I hear that in total it is about 8-9%Â (Kickstarter takes about 5% and Amazon Payments takes about 3.5%) of the total amount you raise (though you'll need to consult with Kickstarter for precise details on fees and payment). Though most agree the amount is fair and reasonable.

According to most of the project starters I spoke with, the limitations of Kickstarter pale in comparison to the benefits. This applies not only to the Kickstarter.com service but also the site's audience. I have to say that the potential money a project can raise to get started is really impressive. A famous example is a project for an iPod Nano watch strap that had backers pledge almost one millions dollars.

The general rule of thumb is that the more serious you want backers on Kickstarter to take you, the more serious need to appear. This can mean having actual prototypes of watches available to video and photograph. If you have mere renderings and no prototype, then don't expect too much from potential backers. Timing is also important. While their money is safe unless other backers pledge for the project, people don't want you to take another year to get your watch produced. Of course, the lower the price of each watch, the less this is an issue.

Kickstarter.com is also still relatively new. This means that there is a limited learning curve to using the service, and customer service for Kickstarter is reportedly very difficult to contact. Also, there are usually thousands of projects listed on Kickstarter.com at any given time. This means that while the potential for getting a lot of eyes on your project is there, you'll need to focus on your own marketing at least to some degree.

Again, and this is an important point - Kickstarter reportedly does not see themselves as an e-commerce site to help people sell large amounts of product. Kickstarter doesn't want people using their service to sell existing products or as a way of selling pre-made products en mass. Be prepared to have to pitch your project to their people for approval.

Overall it looks like using Kickstarter is an excellent option for people interested in making and selling a single watch or starting a brand - especially if selling directly to the consumer is in your business plan. People starting a larger brand will likely use other funding sources, but overall if you are looking to make a watch (or really anything) check out what Kickstarter.com can offer you.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

What Is The Best Size For A Watch?

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:06:13 +0000

This simple, and highly subjective question seems to have an answer. The question is particularly interesting to me because for the past decade, watch brands have been going back and forth with watch sizes. We saw watches really grow up to almost preposterous dimensions, and then suddenly awkwardly shrink again. Watch brands want to make watch sizes that people want to buy. At the same time, men and women not too familiar with what is in fashion or style might not know a good size to get for themselves or a loved one.

I recently asked a question to my readers during the May 2011 watch giveaway. The question was simply to answer what your ideal watch size is (and by this I mean diameter in millimeters). I figured that responses would be all over the board, but I was really amazed at how consistent the responses where (sample group of about 500 responses). There does not seem to be a clear majority winner, but I would say that if you are in the market to buy a watch or make one, you should keep the dimensions to within the 40 - 44mm wide range. Almost every response fit within this range, and many actually even gave this specific range. So there you have it, straight from watch loving consumers, the perfect range of sizes to make or buy a watch. Of course there is a market for smaller or larger watches, but to please the most people, stick with a size that is between 40mm - 44mm wide.

To read all the responses yourself go here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Size Matters: Nothing Special About the Limited Appeal Of The Apple MacBook Air ...

Six Boutique Dive Watches: The Very Best

phubbard — Fri, 27 May 2011 19:01:55 +0000

Right now, we're in a golden age for dive watches. Companies such as Giovino, Palladium and others have made it possible to start your own company with as few as 400 watches, and the Internet has enabled the global reach that lets a niche company flourish. There are many out there, but for this post I'd like to collect my current favorites, representing a range of styles and prices, and in no particular order.

Ocean7 LM-1 PVD with PVD sapphire bezel

Why I like it

This one is kind of like buying a car - tons of options, both pre and post sale.
Sapphire bezel. PVD case or cold-hardened steel. Optional chronometer-rated movement. Killer luminosity. Good bracelet. Great price ($1,322 maxed out). User-changeable bezels to mix up the look. Workhorse ETA 2824 movement. What's not to like?

Things I dislike

You can see some distortion from the curvature of the crystal, and I'd prefer just white hands instead of Plongeur style orange. Minor nits.

OWC 5517 Milsub

Why I like it

Lumed ceramic bezel. Antireflective sapphire crystal. High-end Soprod A-10 movement. Obsessive/compulsive founder Dan Fock. Versatile and restrained at just under 40mm by 12mm. Ultra legible sword hands. Amazingly well priced at $705.

The design is based on the vintage Rolex 5517, a 1950s design for the military, which currently sells for 80 to 120 thousand dollars. The OWC version has a better movement, crystal, bezel, depth rating and lume, and you can actually dive with it.

Things I dislike

Dang it, I know the milsub genre, but I like having a date window. Some of use lose track. A grey or black rehaut would be nice too, or even print the minute markers there to clear more space on the dial.

Bremont Supermarine Descent 500

Why I like it

Arguably not a boutique diver, but stunningly gorgeous, nice ETA 2836 movement, sapphire bezel, well-designed (and tough) Trip-Tick case and superb marketing. Unusual 9-layer, dual-sided anti-reflective sapphire crystal, sapphire bezel, ornate hands, day and date display. (see the Bremont Supermarine 500 watch review here.)

Things I dislike

At around $5,000 it's just too expensive. The design is so good I want it anyway. (Yes, that's a dislike.) A bit less detail on the dial too, it's just a hair busy.

Christopher Ward C60 GMT

Why I like it

ETA 2893 GMT movement, respectful hat-tip to the Rolex GMT master that's not a copy, lovely design and CW's usual attention to detail. Why oh why does Rolex refuse to use anti-reflective coatings, for example, on their crystals? So very foolish of them when brands like CW are there to innovate in their place. A steal at $725 non-EC.

I like the 'aged lume' version; it's also available with plain white, pepsi bezel, etc.

Love the trident on the end of the second hand.

Things I dislike

About the only thing I'd change offhand is the date - make the wheel black and lose the polished window.

UTS GMT 1000m

Why I like it

Handmade, one-of-a-kind cases, galvanic dial with sunburst finish, built like a tank and bold as brass. Superb legibility with Bauhaus-style design, nuclear-level luminosity, and build quality on par with the finest Swiss watches. At $2,550 on the bracelet, still a deal compared to the prestige brands. I've written about this watch here before, and it's still on my bucket list.

Things I dislike

A bit thick at 14.5mm, and it only has anti-reflective coatings on the inside of the crystal. No crown protection, like my IWC, weird looking lugs.

Linde Werdelin Hard Black II

Why I like it

At almost Rolex-level pricing at $7200, the Hard Black II is hardest to defend. From "The One" series, it's an unusual take on the dive watch in yellow and black. Only 88 made, and LW often does runs under 200 watches total. Special case for the snap-on hiking or diving computers, it's look is beyond bold and you'll know immediately if you want it. I almost chose the Spido-Lite but on a dive watch I want a moveable bezel; just super useful. The snap-on dive computer tipped this one over the edge; a great idea to transform your daily wearer into a hardcore diving instrument.

Things I dislike

Super expensive, non-standard lugs (the IWC curse too), pricy add-ons.

There are many others

I'm certain that this list will irritate readers out there whose favorites I omitted, and part of the golden age is the sheer quantity of watches out there - there are excellent blogs devoted to nothing else, for example! I hope this has given you some ideas and some brands to learn about, and do please leave us comments to vote for your favorites.

In Heure Suisse Magazine With Watchonista

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 17:16:18 +0000

I talk watch blogging for an article curated by Watchonista in a magazine on timepieces called Heure Suisse. Translated into FrenchÂ - but you can see it here. UPDATE: In English here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Vintage Watch Collecting

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:30:45 +0000

Please enjoy the following article by Jason Cormier of Matt Baily who sells watches in Canada. He is a vintage watch lover (lots of love to Rolex it seems) and natural born historian.

In today’s watch market, buyers are spoiled for choice. You can have any variation, any function, any material, and in any price category. And within each category you will find dozens of brands offering competing products. It’s overwhelming, but it means you will never be at a loss when looking for that special watch (or five).

Some of us prefer to reject all that choice altogether and go for the old junk.

Yes, I am a vintage watch lover. To a modern watch geek this obsession with the old can appear curious. To the average layperson it is absolute madness. I am the sort of lunatic who seeks out unpolished cases, perfectly faded tritium markers, and esoteric stuff like original crystals and stamped warranty papers. I am an unabashed and unapologetic vintage nut. And I would like to make a case for my obsession; not to justify it or convince anyone it is somehow superior, but merely to explain the passion that drives me to seek out vintage watches rather than purchasing new ones.

I’ve long followed Ariel Adams and John Biggs on the blogosphere. I am a fan of their candid and straightforward opinions, and their podcast together is a real treat for watch lovers who want something more than the typical industry press-release drivel. But I have taken exception to their attitudes towards vintage watches. Ariel and John are clear that they much prefer new watches to old ones, and have a hard time understanding why anyone would chose to buy vintage. That’s where I come in — I’m here to offer the counterpoint on behalf of vintage watch lovers and collectors.

Why would anyone want to collect old watches when the new stuff is far superior in terms of finishing and engineering? Everyone has his or her own reasons. Some older collectors purchase pieces that seduced them during their youth, but they couldn’t afford at the time. Others love to complete collections of a particular brand or model, obsessively seeking out different variations. Others still want to own rare pieces that are extremely exclusive and historically important. In my case, I have two main reasons — firstly I am a historian, secondly I always seek out things that are distinctive.

I have a degree in history and pieces with historical significance have always had a particular allure to me. Something about owning an object from another period that has witnessed decades of use, and perhaps been related to some important event, is a very romantic notion to me. I own a vintage Omega Speedmaster Professional because of its direct connection to the space program and the moon landings. I lust after an early Rolex GMT Master for its relation to aviation… and because my favourite author, the ever-gonzo Hunter S. Thompson, wore two GMT Masters at once. The other reason, distinctiveness, is the exclusivity of owning a vintage piece. Anyone can walk into a dealer and purchase a new watch. Vintage watches are much more exclusive and elusive, not for their prices, but for the small number of collectors who wear and trade them. Finding a good vintage piece requires hunting, research, and sifting through dozens of examples until you find “the one”. Some people seek out grail watches — for me every vintage watch is a grail piece that needs to be obsessively hunted down. The thrill is as much in the chase as it is in owning the damned thing.

Some vintage lovers will proclaim, loudly, that vintage was better than all this modern mass-produced junk. They pine for the good ol’ days where Swiss farmers finished wheels and cogs in their attics during the winter, using the finest tools wrapped in unicorn hair and only assembling components on the thighs of beautiful virgins, and say that modern mass production has nothing on good old-fashioned hand craftsmanship. I disagree. I work with watches on a daily basis and I have no delusions about vintage stuff. It is not better. Often times it is worse in terms of performance, reliability and finishing. For highly collectible pieces the price does not reflect the essential value of the piece, it only reflects the rarity. That isn’t to say that vintage is garbage, far from it. You can have a reliable, accurate daily watch that was made several decades ago. But in terms of finishing and an overall feel of quality, new stuff wins hands down. You need to realize this when collecting vintage — just because prices reach into the stratosphere doesn’t mean the item will be astonishingly well made. It usually isn’t the case.

Being a vintage collector means having a different set of criteria for what you expect from watches. Where many people would gravitate towards a perfectly restored and polished examples, a true collector will scoff at those pristine rebuilds in favour of one that is entirely original (and probably well worn). This means the case was never re-polished, the dial and hands are original and nicely patina’d, and the bracelet is original to the watch. Finding a watch that is more than 20 years old with the original box and papers is a damn near religious experience, if you find one that is unmolested and completely original to boot it is a miracle.

If you can’t understand why this is important, then vintage probably isn’t for you - If every hairline scratch on your watch enrages you, or you obsessively scan over the watch with a loupe looking for tiny flaws, you are better off sticking to new pieces. This is usually what alienates people the most from vintage, the fact that old and beaten up is valued over new and pristine. Think of a concours restoration on a car versus a good running example that has never been restored. Collectors will go ga-ga over the original car, while the everyday person will gravitate towards the flawless nut-n-bolt restoration. Perfect originality is rare, and is thus desirable.

Ariel and John made a point in one of their podcasts — when collecting vintage, there is a lot of crap out there. And I agree. The market has shifted considerably since the 1970s. After the Quartz Crisis decimated the Swiss watch industry in the early 70s, mechanical movements were considered obsolete. In the 1980s and 1990s, the mechanical watch industry rebounded by focusing on the craftsmanship of fine mechanical movements (and aiming mechanical watches at the high-end market). Before the Quartz Crisis, mechanical movements were the only watch movements out there and had no such mystique outside of haute-complications.

Many inexpensive watches of yore were disposable commodities, like a modern Timex. Most were poorly made and were not at all impressive in terms of function or finishing. But with the emergence of quartz and the subsequent elevation of mechanical movements people are now viewing any mechanical watch as a luxury piece, no matter how awful it really is. Blame eBay and Antiques Roadshow for making people think that any old piece of junk is a potential fortune. Most people who get burned by the vintage market fall into the trap of buying junk, or are seduced by franken-pieces / fakes due to lack of research. I’ll admit that collecting vintage is not for the faint of heart and requires a lot of background information — which I find is most of the fun.

Collecting vintage is not for the uninitiated. I don’t recommend it to people with a casual interest in watches. You need to inform yourself and be aware of junk, fakes, aftermarket parts, disreputable sellers, poorly serviced movements and basket-cases, franken-watches cobbled from parts, etc. Today’s buyers have the advantage of reams of information available online for just about any marque. If you have an interest in a particular brand or model, start researching. You’ll be amazed at how much information you can find on websites, blogs and forums. You’ll also be amazed by how many horror stories are out there, which is good fodder for learning from the mistakes of others. It helps to find a reputable brick and mortar store that deals in pre-owned and vintage watches; if you build a relationship with a knowledgeable retailer you will be much less likely to get burned. You will also want to find a good watchmaker with a lot of experience, as it is inevitable that you will need to get your pieces serviced. Having a good watchmaker at your disposal can make the process much less painful and far less expensive.

I’m not here to try and convince anyone that vintage is better. If you look at it logically it doesn’t make sense at all — you will have far fewer headaches if you stick to new stuff with the backup of a manufacturer’s warranty and the support of a modern sales and service network. What I hope to have done is given a small glimpse of the passion I have for watches in general and how this has turned into a love of vintage pieces. I find it irritating when people dismiss vintage watch collecting out of hand. It takes a particular personality to enjoy vintage collecting. If you have that spark, run with it - if you don’t, then find your own niche. It’s a lot more fun to hunt down rare vintage items than it is walking into an authorize dealer and walking out with a watch. Loving vintage watches is all about passion — it can’t be rationalized or made logical. If you think about it, owning any high-end watch isn’t rational anyway. You can tell the time with your cell phone with perfect accuracy - why spend thousands on a device that tells time with obsolete and archaic technology? Why indeed.

-Thanks to Jason for this good read.-

Selling Watches The “Wired” Way

admin — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 08:02:24 +0000

Wired magazine isn't the only good place for watch brands to advertise, but it definitely is a good placements - an no, they aren't paying me to say that. Filling up with more and more watch advertisements, the approach many brands have taken with their pages in this magazine for the socialized nerd, can provide important lessons on how to promote watches in this day and age.

I've been reading Wired magazine for about a decade now. Not everything single issue, but it is one of the few magazine subscriptions that I have kept. To those not familiar with the magazine, it is an interesting publication. In a pre-Internet world it was a news and trend guide for the tech culture. After the Internet itself became the spot for breaking news, gossip, and breakthroughs, Wired turned into a something more literate. Like a non-fiction New Yorker for computer programmers. Today the quality magazine covers culture, gadgets, entertainment, technology, and science with a lighthearted - often cynically humorous - clever manner.

While I can't be sure of the target demographic for the publication, the readers are likely to be mostly men, with an above average intelligence, interested in technology, raised by sci-fi, and in high-paying jobs. Pretty much a perfect segment when it comes to being potentially interested in spending more than $100 on a timepiece.

Wired magazine does not really ever write about watches - save for the occasional timepiece they include a gift guide or gadget review. I discuss one specific issue of the magazine for the purposes of this article, which did include two actual editorial mentions of a watch. It was Wired's December 2010 issue, and a Longines and Timex watch were mentioned in their holiday gift guide with less than 50 words of text each. Usually advertisers like to advertise in places where they might actually get some editorial, but that isn't the coverage point of Wired. Besides, the publication has a very strong "separation of church and state" between editorial and advertising (as most quality publications have it).

So despite Wired not being a magazine that discussed watches, how and why are brands flocking to it as a power-spot for their products? Wired's December 2010 issue had 12 pages of watch ads in it. That is pretty good for a magazine for literate computer nerds. That number is also growing - and Wired magazine isn't cheap to be in. I got to be in a presentation where Wired magazine sold a brand on the value proposition of advertising in its "book." They make a rather persuasive argument, but it is in their audience and editorial where the value lies (as opposed to merely their sales pitch).

The reason I think you'll want to read about this topic is because it involves how watch brands can make their promotional messages more interesting to consumers by following the lessons taught by not only Wired magazine, but the watch ads inside of it (as designed most of the time by internal ad departments in brands or external ad agencies). It also helps determine when a magazine/media location might not be such a good place for promotion.

1. Capturing a Captive Audience:

Watch brands are far too used to advertising in fashion magazines. I don't hide my disdain for these literature-deprived publications, but if they are your thing - well don't let me stop you from your "look book." Fashion magazines go under the assumption that their readers can stomach little to no reading. Just sort of inane flipping and skimming. So watch brands got used to designing ads with nothing on them but a picture of a watch, or maybe some model with a watch. Epic failure right there when it comes to selling anything aside from a bit of residual brand recognition after seeing the same ad over and over again. Unless you are in the business of buying watches for models.

Wired's audience reads what is in the magazine. I often lap up each word, even though I am a product of the "ADD generation" that falls alseep during live theater (or wishes I had a stealthy way to play Nintendo DS). It isn't that I am a crude ruffian who can't appreciate fine culture, but rather that I have a small attention span given how much media I grew up consuming. I just need more moving images in front of my face. As such, Wired has developed a way to engage readers with really interesting topics and playful segments. The point here is that because people are highly engaged, the advertisers benefits because people are looking at what is on each page closely. Now that people are paying more attention to your ads, what do you do?

As an example I have here a scanned Bulova Precisionist ad. It offers a clever and succinct explanation of the novel movement the watch contains. It mirrors the magazine's technical prose so as not to insult the reader's intelligence and allows them to hold the brand in high esteem ("Bulova knows their stuff and knows how to speak to me!"). This is like the fashion magazine ad, but with actual substance. (click on ad images for larger versions).

2. In the Mood to Read:

Related to the above concept of having an interested audience, is that those people looking at Wired magazine are in the mood to read. It is hard to go from flipping through endless pages of model photo-shoots to actually reading words longer than a brand name and a price. But if you are already in the reading mode, then you'll be more likely to actually read an ad with words - and words are the key to story telling and message dissemination. The concept of the "advertorial" isn't by any means new, and people can read these if presented properly. Well-written advertorial pieces are hard to find. Reading a short article in a magazine that stimulated your mind leaves you hungry for more. If you turn the page and see an ad that looks like an article (but not deceptively so), then you have a good chance of getting a reader to take a close look at it. Just make sure it isn't in translate French.

An example here is from Rolex - in what is likely the best copy text I have ever seen in an ad. This is masterfully written ad language on the Daytona collection.

3. Pictures Aren't Everything:

Save for one or two ads in the December issue of Wired, all of the watch ads have text and something interesting to say. Fantastic. Although I said this before, it is such an important point I will say it again. People who buy little machines with functions do no want an ad to merely show an image of a watch more Photoshopped than the one of a model on the cover of Glamour.

You have to provide an argument or emotional connect if you are want to convey a message or sell a concept. There are no exceptions, and this must be done with text. On the internet this can also be done with other media such as video or audio.

4. Good Company:

Men love gadgets, and will buy what they can afford. If timepieces are part gadget (or all gadget), it is a good thing. To make a watch more like a gadget, it should be surrounded by quality gadgets and its functional aspects should be emphasized. Gadget guides are a huge part of Wired's product coverage. WiredÂ even has an entire section on their website dedicated to gadget reviews. Items that get to be part of the "gadget community"enjoy the type of attention gadgets receive from highly engaged readers.Â Let me put it another way, framing a watch as a gadget is the opposite of framing it as a fashion accessory (though the two aren't mutually exclusive). Wired magazine's coverage of gadget in both editorial and advertising will benefit watches that accompany the group.

Wired even takes it a step further with something they called the Wired Store. My understanding is they the magazine rents out a space in New York City for a few months around Christmas. The Wired Store is a showcase for items the brand had features as well as participating advertisers. This is a mecca sport for lovers of the magazine and the items they feature in gift guides. In addition to its interesting stories, Wired does often feed on a man's desire to learn about (and potentially buy) cool new stuff.

Here, Victorinox Swiss Army opted to be included in the Wired Store. They got a mention in the magazine that was a simple bit of advertorial, as well as the ability to showcase their products in-person - to an audience that might never otherwise see them, and receive some nice gadget street-cred.

5. Feel The Audience:

One of the reasons I like to read Wired is because I feel as though the writers and I not only have similar interests, but also feel the same way on things, as I do. Over time I have come to find that Wired will present thoughtfully written articles on topics that interest me. Often times they are topics that I haven't read about elsewhere. As such, I have come to give the magazine a great deal of trust and respect. And these are serious topics. Often ones involving the success and tribulation of the largest Internet companies, to how technology is effecting society, as well as advice on how today's technocrat can live better. Wired might be funny at times, but it isn't really a "light" publication.

The best advertisers are able to pick up on the tone of the magazine as well as the who is reading it. It is cliche by this point to remind writer to "consider the reader," but people forget that. When advertising in a specific place, try to remember who you are "speaking to." The average Wired reader isn't really interested in how they can look "fabulous." Certainly they want cool things, but only when the value/price ratio seems satisfactory and there is solid basis for "need." Wired readers are decision makers, company starters, dedicated gadget junkies, and some of the most critical people on the planet. While it is sometimes wise to tell men how they "need a watch if they want to be considered a distinguished individual," in Wired the message a good advertiser delivers is often "do you want a tried and true tool that will improve your life and look pretty decent in the process?"

There are no blingy watches being advertised in Wired. Nothing with diamonds, or those many bright colors. The only gold watch is a Rolex Daytona. Instead, the watches being shown are mostly in silver, black, and white tones. Masculine, but not over the top. Relaxed, confident timepieces that allude to what the wearer should feel like wearing them. That doesn't mean the watches are cheap, but rather that those brands understand Wired readers want quality, lasting tools. Not this season's hot nightclub wrist candy.

The Omega Seamaster watch ad on the back page of the magazine illustrates that point well. It is an ad for Omega's new Seamaster that the brand is testing with a Liquid Metal bezel. The ad text goes in to relatively complex detail on what Liquid Metal is, and how it will keep the bezel looking new for years to come. An exact (and simple) message targeted to the reader.

I am not saying that Wired is the only magazine to have these ads, or that it is the only magazine good enough to advertise watches in. But as a fan myself, I was impressed at the value they can provide to brands (that can afford them) given their quality editorial and distinct (but wide) reader niche. These simple lessons are useful to most brands in at least some areas of their marketing and communication.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.