New watch alert! The Swiss watch industry is in deep denial about the state of the world economy and the rise of the smartwatch. Given the number of new watches hitting the market, you’d be forgiven for adopting the same What Me Worry? attitude. Don’t. The wristwatch’s second golden age is coming to an end. Enjoy the variety while you can . . .
Double-breasted suits, phones with cords and mechanical watches – those were the days! These are the days, too. At least for mechanical watches. Despite Coronageddon and the smart watch crisis, there’s little danger of a New Watch Alert drought. Our carefully curated collection of traditional timepieces continues . . .
Unless the Swiss watch industry can create a compelling alternative to the smart watch, it will have reached its zenith. Cheerleaders can point out that the industry has survived two World Wars, the Great Depression and the quartz crisis. But this is different – a sea change as momentous as the shift from pocket to wrist watch. Still there will always be new watch alert buyers contemplating the latest traditional timepieces. Like these . . .
There’s an enormous selection of watches available for your dining and dancing pleasure. Thousands. New watch alert! As the Coronageddon lockdown and recession continues, as smartwatch sales gather steam (14m sold during the first quarter, up 20 percent), there’s no question that some traditional watch brands are going to bite the dust. You wouldn’t know it from the number of trad watches flooding market, but there it is. And here they are . . .
“As serviceable as they are beautiful.” When was that a selling point? For watches I mean. New watch alert! SWATCH’s Sistem51 automatics are sealed – they can’t be serviced. I wonder if anyone could service a Bulova American Clipper. At $425 list, I’m thinking there’s no point. None of this week’s new watches are as disposable, but all require disposable income. Hide your plastic and let’s get stuck in . . .