Smartwatch sales soar...

[Bizcut1]

From Hodinkee this morning:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/us...e-soaring-2019

Just a reality check,

Ben

[Mr Perfect]

Rolex not doing badly for a 100+ year old company.

[samson66]

This aligns with my thinking on the smartwatch vs swiss watch issue:

While smartwatches are causing trouble at the low end of the traditional watch market, NPD sees no evidence that they are hurting the luxury-watch market. NPD data, as HODINKEE reported last week, indicates that watches with suggested retail prices of $3,000 or more were very strong in the first six months of this year, as well as for the full-year last year.

Smartwatches are really hurting the lower end watch companies. I see virtually no negative effect on the high end segment. Rolex/Tudor seem to be doing just fine. As the article points out, smartwatches can be a "gateway drug" for many younger people, who then graduate to high end mechanical watches later.

[Noonan]

Of course they are. People who never wore a watch before are buying them up. That being said, it has had no affect on the luxury time piece market. People who buy/wear Rolex/AP/PP...etc are not going to drop those for an Apple Watch/Fitbit anytime soon.

[sambb]

I think there has been an affect on the luxury market, but time will tell.

[Gipsy Danger]

I will be interested to see if the fashion trend of smart watch on one wrist and watch on the other takes off. It solves the problem of electronic utility and leaves real estate for a true timepiece.

I DO think that as younger people get used to wearing a watch, that’s good for the future of well made automatic pieces.

[CashGap]

Originally Posted by Gipsy Danger

I will be interested to see if the fashion trend of smart watch on one wrist and watch on the other takes off. It solves the problem of electronic utility and leaves real estate for a true timepiece.

I do it. Rolex on my left wrist because I love them. Apple Watch Series 4 on my right in a black rubber/thin blue line band because it:

- Unlocks my Mac about 24 times per day when I touch it
- Pays for my Starbucks
- Tracks my pulse constantly
- Will call 911 if I fall and don't respond
- Will alert me if my heart rhythm becomes irregular
- Shows me temperature, range, sunset, next appointment at a glance
- Shows the gist of incoming messages at a glance without retrieving phone
- Can handle Siri commands, and is suitable for quick phone calls

It probably looks dumb, but I don't care. I'm not giving up an automatic watch, and the Apple watch improves my life tremendously and may save it some day.

[Gipsy Danger]

Originally Posted by CashGap

I do it. Rolex on my left wrist because I love them. Apple Watch Series 4 on my right in a black rubber/thin blue line band because it:

- Unlocks my Mac about 24 times per day when I touch it
- Pays for my Starbucks
- Tracks my pulse constantly
- Will call 911 if I fall and don't respond
- Will alert me if my heart rhythm becomes irregular
- Shows me temperature, range, sunset, next appointment at a glance
- Shows the gist of incoming messages at a glance without retrieving phone
- Can handle Siri commands, and is suitable for quick phone calls

It probably looks dumb, but I don't care. I'm not giving up an automatic watch, and the Apple watch improves my life tremendously and may save it some day.

Makes sense. But so do pocket protectors and fanny packs seriously though, you may be avant- garde I can easily see it becoming the norm.

[Bizcut1]

Originally Posted by CashGap

I do it. Rolex on my left wrist because I love them. Apple Watch Series 4 on my right in a black rubber/thin blue line band because it:

- Unlocks my Mac about 24 times per day when I touch it
- Pays for my Starbucks
- Tracks my pulse constantly
- Will call 911 if I fall and don't respond
- Will alert me if my heart rhythm becomes irregular
- Shows me temperature, range, sunset, next appointment at a glance
- Shows the gist of incoming messages at a glance without retrieving phone
- Can handle Siri commands, and is suitable for quick phone calls

It probably looks dumb, but I don't care. I'm not giving up an automatic watch, and the Apple watch improves my life tremendously and may save it some day.

Great post. +1.

[DLRIDES]

Originally Posted by Noonan

That being said, it has had no affect on the luxury time piece market.

Eventually, it will decimate the majority of the mechanical luxury market with only a few brands surviving. When 10 year olds do not see the adults around them wearing a mechanical, they mostly likely will not in their adulthood.

In approximately 30 years, most mechanical watches will not exist. Looking at current markets is “head in the sand”.

[Noonan]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

Eventually, it will decimate the majority of the mechanical luxury market with only a few brands surviving. When 10 year olds do not see the adults around them wearing a mechanical, they mostly likely will not in their adulthood.

In approximately 30 years, most mechanical watches will not exist. Looking at current markets is “head in the sand”.

Meh, same thing was being said about mechanical watches in the 80's when quartz was all the rage.

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by CashGap

I do it. Rolex on my left wrist because I love them. Apple Watch Series 4 on my right in a black rubber/thin blue line band because it:



- Unlocks my Mac about 24 times per day when I touch it

- Pays for my Starbucks

- Tracks my pulse constantly

- Will call 911 if I fall and don't respond

- Will alert me if my heart rhythm becomes irregular

- Shows me temperature, range, sunset, next appointment at a glance

- Shows the gist of incoming messages at a glance without retrieving phone

- Can handle Siri commands, and is suitable for quick phone calls



It probably looks dumb, but I don't care. I'm not giving up an automatic watch, and the Apple watch improves my life tremendously and may save it some day.

So Sinn came out with a strap where you replace the buckle with an Apple Watch. I am not sure which look is less appealing.

https://www.sinn.de/en/Dual_Strap_System.htm

I am not surprised that smart watches are surging in sales. In this modern Information Age, the Apple Watch is far more accurate and more of a tool watch than any mechanical watch.


AOW

[Cru Jones]

Better than everyone switching to checking their phone for the time. I reckon a number of these smartwatch buyers will make the switch to mechanical at some point.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Noonan

Of course they are. People who never wore a watch before are buying them up. That being said, it has had no affect on the luxury time piece market. People who buy/wear Rolex/AP/PP...etc are not going to drop those for an Apple Watch/Fitbit anytime soon.

the minute I find the right smart watch, I will do that exact thing.

if the Mont Blanc version were just a little thinner, I would be there already.

soon. very soon.

[dxbtousa]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

So Sinn came out with a strap where you replace the buckle with an Apple Watch. I am not sure which look is less appealing.

https://www.sinn.de/en/Dual_Strap_System.htm

I am not surprised that smart watches are surging in sales. In this modern Information Age, the Apple Watch is far more accurate and more of a tool watch than any mechanical watch.


AOW

Apple watch buckle... so many things to say right now

[othertbone]

Originally Posted by CashGap

I do it. Rolex on my left wrist because I love them. Apple Watch Series 4 on my right in a black rubber/thin blue line band because it:

- Unlocks my Mac about 24 times per day when I touch it
- Pays for my Starbucks
- Tracks my pulse constantly
- Will call 911 if I fall and don't respond
- Will alert me if my heart rhythm becomes irregular
- Shows me temperature, range, sunset, next appointment at a glance
- Shows the gist of incoming messages at a glance without retrieving phone
- Can handle Siri commands, and is suitable for quick phone calls

It probably looks dumb, but I don't care. I'm not giving up an automatic watch, and the Apple watch improves my life tremendously and may save it some day.

GMT on my left wrist because it:

- Is a piece of engineering artwork
- Makes me feel good
- Tells me the time in two other places of my choice anywhere in the world
- Lets me know when it is hot, as my wrist swells and I must let out the easy link
- Picks up the lady's at Starbucks
- Gets the Clasp scratched on my MacBook

Screw the Apple watch, Vive Rolex!!! Lol

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by othertbone

GMT on my left wrist because it:

- Picks up the lady's at Starbucks

This the Starbucks right across the spearmint rhino?



AOW

[pickettt]

Originally Posted by superdog

the minute I find the right smart watch, I will do that exact thing.

if the Mont Blanc version were just a little thinner, I would be there already.

soon. very soon.

What do you think about Garmin’s MARQ line?

[Old Geezer]

I don't foresee a smartwatch adorning my wrist in this lifetime. That's just me, I enjoy my mechanical watches.

[jasonj84]

Although an Apple fanboy, have resisted the watch. I did buy a Tag connected 45 for text alerts, etc. at work, but the novelty wore off and I am back to my daily wear mechanicals. Have been meaning to get the Tag listed for sale.

[timedate]

They will happily live side by side for many, many years. i quite like the smartwatch and i dislike too much technology, most of the time.

i remember when the red lcd digital watches came out in the '70s, they said that is how all watches will look and analogue is over.

[locutus49]

These end of the world predictions crack me up. There was a cover story in Time of Newsweek in 1980 that proclaimed that half of the world would have AIDS by the year 2000. And there have been many other such predictions that have fallen flat.

Originally Posted by timedate

They will happily live side by side for many, many years. i quite like the smartwatch and i dislike too much technology, most of the time.

i remember when the red lcd digital watches came out in the '70s, they said that is how all watches will look and analogue is over.

[JParm]

Originally Posted by superdog

the minute I find the right smart watch, I will do that exact thing.

if the Mont Blanc version were just a little thinner, I would be there already.

soon. very soon.

You're saying you'd drop Rolex, etc. for the perfect smart watch? You've got 19k posts, and you're willing to give it all up for technology?! Haha.

I could never do it. I can honestly say that you won't ever find anything smart on my wrist, and I'm a sprightly 35 year old.

[uscmatt99]

I don't see a smartwatch supplanting my mechanical watches any time soon. My one exception is that I just got a Garmin GPS golf watch. So much useful information, compact and light as a feather, and it tells the time. But it only gets worn on the course.

[Yoda_Eating_Pizza]

Mrs. Yoda has an Apple watch. I guess it's useful, but to me it looks like a toy from a cereal box.

Smartwatches are indeed interesting though. I'd like to see how they evolve over the next decade or two, then maybe I'll consider getting one. But for now I enjoy my archaic little wrist machine with gears and springs.

Originally Posted by superdog

the minute I find the right smart watch, I will do that exact thing.

if the Mont Blanc version were just a little thinner, I would be there already.

soon. very soon.

I had never seen this MB watch. I am intrigued. Maybe after a few more years of refinement, I could maybe see adding this to my collection, but not replacing it.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by pickettt

What do you think about Garmin’s MARQ line?

Super interested.

And I think one of them might very well be the one. I haven’t had an opportunity to see any of them yet. But I’m hoping to change that. Soon.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

You're saying you'd drop Rolex, etc. for the perfect smart watch? You've got 19k posts, and you're willing to give it all up for technology?! Haha.

I could never do it. I can honestly say that you won't ever find anything smart on my wrist, and I'm a sprightly 35 year old.

In a heartbeat.

I like my collection. I’ll keep it for sure. Most of it anyway. But only the whole, I’d love a watch with that much functionality.

I think it’s been my goal all along.

[Andy0331]

The only smartwatch I use is a Fitbit Versa & I generally only use it when I'm working out of the country where an expensive watch sends the wrong message to host country counterparts.

That said, because of that, I wear one often. While I love my modest collection of 5 watches (Rolex, AP, Panerai, Sinn), when the day comes that I no longer appreciate them "enough" & default to a smart watch, I'll sell most of them.

I actually had to give this serious thought a few months ago, as an eye injury in 2016 resulted in premature development of a cataract in my right eye (44 yrs old). Prior to surgery, I couldn't make out any of the fine details in my AP & I struggled with the "what if?".

[Justinmg]

With the Apple Watch 4 and cellular service, I find myself wearing my mechanical watches less and less. The AW just does to many things great, that I miss the convenience when I don’t have it on. I hate it because I love my mechanical watches. But I can leave the house with just my watch and take calls, check email and pay for goods with just my watch, I think it’s amazing.

[g_luck]

I kinda like the Sinn strap!

Buzz Aldrin.....An American hero has been sporting multiple watches for YEARS! Google it and see what I mean!