Watches - another OCD problem
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@Graeme i would love to know what's your thoughts on the swiss companies going into the smart watch market. what i feel is that it doesn't really represent the haute horlogerie symbol that started these companies.
I don't think that anyone has really figured out what a smart watch is for. Apple's take seems to be getting a lot of press because it's another iThing, but the Android wearables have been out since the middle of last year and don't seem to have captured a lot of mindshare.
Someone probably has to figure out the use cases, but the useful functions for a connected watch would be:
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Activity and sleep tracker.
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Automatically setting time. (A smartphone is typically hooked up to a time server, and so it's as accurate as an atomic clock.)
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Receiving notifications from a smartphone or online service.
The MMT platform does the first two, but otherwise seems like a more expensive version of the Withings Activité. The Breitling B55 does the second. The Android and Apple smart watches do the above, and a whole lot more which probably isn't that useful.
What I think that the Swiss should be building is something like an Omega X33 that does all of the above. For example, if I set up an event in Google Calendar my phone will squawk up a notification shortly beforehand. Now imagine your watch beeps or triggers an alarm for the ten minute warning, and does it without prompting. That'd be useful, and fit with the notion of what a watch does.
If the movement was modular then it could be upgraded, though I've heard of the X33s getting improvements when serviced. You'd then get the lifespan of a Swiss watch, and the higher quality of case, but have something that keeps up with technology.
OK, that doesn't really answer the question, but it's more a roadmap of where the industry could go. Perhaps I need to raise a few million in VC funding and do it myself.
My take is that watches have two uses: They're tools for telling time, and they're jewellery. A compelling smart watch might overcome the snobbery of a quartz versus mechanical movement at the lower end, so I could see my idea (above) eating the bottom end of the mechanical market.
So Tudor, Tag, Omega and Breitling might suffer.
I think at the higher end, the likes of Patek would be OK. That's where image and craftsmanship are more important than functionality. I guess that the true haute horologie brands will be doing the same sort of thing a century from now.
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More from Basel. No smartwatches were harmed in the production of this post.
The IH forum likes diving watches, and the IH forum likes Tudors. So the new Pelagos will go down well. It's been updated with their in-house calibre and will be available with a blue dial as well as the black one. Looks rather nice.
Hodinkee are saying that it'll come in at $4400, a slight bump up from the existing model.
If you're into your chronometers then COSC regulate watches to -4 / +6 seconds a day. According to Monochrome, the Tudors are regulated to -3 / +3. Rolex apparently are -2 / +3, so the junior brand is virtually as good.
There's yet another Speedmaster, the Silver Snoopy Award. It's a celebration of Apollo 13, but the coolest thing is that Snoopy is painted in lume, so he'll glow in the dark. More at aBlogToWatch.
Hodinkee have a report on the new Zenith Elite. It's a simple watch with a hundred hour power reserve. I like it.
SalonQP have a preview of the new Hermes Slim range. Again, it's a simple, clean watch, and relatively slim due to a micro rotor, though there's also a perpetual calender. It's not a brand that the WIS get excited about, but I find they do a few quirky pieces that have a real sense of fun.
Lastly, I like pocket watches that convert to wrist watches; quirky, modern designs; titanium cases; and in-house movements. So Urwerk have designed a piece that's ideal for me. Unfortunately aBlogToWatch are reporting that it's about $400K, so firmly out of my price range.
Then again, looking at it I might have had a lucky escape!
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@Seul I think that it does look like something out of a bad sci-fi film too.
So does the Romain Jerome Subcraft. More over at Monochrome.
For those of us who're not living in the future, Omega have announced the Globemaster. It's a simple three-hander with a pie-pan dial, and meets their new in-house certification process. Nice looking piece, though I'm not sure about the fluted bezel. That said, it's in tungsten carbide on the steel model, so will take a bit of abuse. Prices start at around $7700 according to Hodinkee.
For those who like their diving watches a bit less subtle, or are trying out for the next Expendables flick, Omega have brought back the Ploprof. No real information yet, but it's now available in titanium for those who aren't built like Stallone.
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So the Globemaster…
I didn't get the name but apparently it is the name they used for some original Connies in some markets, including the US. Nice that it has some historical reference.
Also the bezel, I'm right there with you. Again, Omega says they used it on early Connies. Which makes me feel better about it but I'm not sure I actually like it lol.
Other than the bezel I love it. Especially the Connie badge on the back!
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The "Pie Pan" Constellations had a plain bezel, which looked a lot better.
I'm guessing that the Globemaster name was adopted because there's a current Constellation range. I've heard that they're big sellers in Asia, so Omega probably wouldn't want to redesign them.
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just got one of these
https://huckberry.com/store/huckberry/category/p/22992-seiko-dive-watch
until i can save up for a real nice one in about 123412 years
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Love it @bubbapest kudos
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@Graeme been drooling over the pelagos for a while. You seen any decent reviews of it?
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I am struggling with the new Pelagos. While I like the idea of the in house movement, I am definitely put off by the five lines of script that appear on the dial. This seems a bit overkill to me. On that basis alone I would hunt out the original less cluttered version.
I have noticed a trend for addition of extra ( IMHO ) surplus script to various watch dials of late. The latest IWC annual calendar being a perfect example.
The watch itself is very nice but having script on the dial to tell you that your watch has an "Annual Calendar" function is strange. Surely as the owner of the watch you know the piece has this function?
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I do indeed like that new Zenith, it should make a very nice, clean and simple dress watch for reasonable money.
Masses of script on dials seems a bit "shoutey" to me, "look what I have got" kind of deal. More about showing others what you have than enjoying for your own benefit.
Apologies if I am off track here but just don't understand why companies seem to be splashing more surplus script onto watch dials.
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Of course he/she does. But some of the oiks he/she associate with may not know, so it has to be pointed out to those plebs that said owner has dropped a very large wedge on his time piece…..
Giles, I think you summarised nicely what I was trying to say.
Having to advertise what your watch is to your mates is more about bragging rights than appreciation of a nice watch.
Subtlety is often better, a bit like IH gear, super high quality with a great aesthetic. You wear it, you know it is quality kit and you are happy in this knowledge. Most people don't know what brand you are wearing but they can see it is well made and a quality item.
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That ruins a lot of Grand Seikos for me. Triplicate branding (SEIKO, GRAND SEIKO, GS)? Get over yourselves. Stick with this:
While we're discussing design peeves, one of my irrational peeves is power reserve indicators. I don't consider the utility to justify the clutter. It's addressing a problem that I guess I just don't have. I wear my watch. It's automatic. Ergo, it doesn't run out of juice. And if it does, I can wind it and set it back on track.
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Agree with you on the power indicator function, no need for this on an automatic watch.
Power reserve function is very useful for a manual wind watch as I am finding out with the new Lange.
