In this new year I certainly hope that the watch industry offers some refreshing and interesting pieces. I’m bored with faux vintage pieces, huge watches, waiting lists, unjustifiably ridiculous price increases, and homage watches. I thought I would start a thread where members can voice their opinions about what they would like to see from the watch industry. Maybe someone will read this and actually react to what we want, rather than what they think we want. I’ll start.

Wake me when someone makes a NEW true jumping hour GMT watch in 40mm or less that sells for under $2500 USD. Come on guys! After all, we are not building rocket ships here!

 

This sounds a lot like what you want. I personally would have no interest in that.

I like faux patina when done right and if the watch is great, I’m more than happy to wait for it.

 

gotta go vintage Saul.

 

I’ll chime in - why not, but my wishes are in regards to reissues-
If you’re gonna reissue a watch, don’t upsize it, Jazz it up or try to reinvent the wheel- the vintage pieces are coveted for a reason- just do a 1:1 with a modern movement (hello Certina, Bulova and Heuer).
And Tudor- we want the snowflake, not a He-Man sized version or a vintage-esque version of a watch that never existed- the snowflake sub... as it was, I’m sure you can dig one up to copy it.

 

+1 Tudor! How about a sub? My preference would be 39mm mercedes hands but snowflakes would be cool.

 

Heuer should do a 1:1 re-issue of James Garner's Rockford Carrera

 

Someone's going to be sleeping for a very long time...

 

Don’t get me wrong, I like vintage watches, real vintage watches. What I am becoming bored with is all of these watch companies racing to put out the next “vintage inspired“ time piece. Let’s move on! How about something new! It is beginning to remind me of the motion picture business in Hollywood where creativity has been replaced by “franchises”, which is another word for endless and mindless sequels that require little or no thought. Enough!

I started this thread so that members can post what they would like to see next in hopes that the watch companies that actually pay attention to the consumer will see what the public demands. Take the opportunity to make yourself heard.

 

is your response based on the fact that it cannot be done, or that we are conditioned to believe that it cannot be done?

 

Based on your original list below, that contains most of what the company makes its money from. I am obviously in no position to say it CANT be done, nor am I conditioned to believing that it can't be done. I just think it's unlikely to be done.

 

Yes, but we are all in a position to express what we would like to see. Join in, maybe they will hear us. What would you like to see? What have you got to lose?

 

I'd like to see them drop the diameter of the Tresor from 40 to 37mm.

 

I agree. 37/38 mm is definitely the sweet spot for a nice dress watch like that.

Remember, this is not just about omega. This is about the watch industry as a whole. When I said that I would like to see a true GMT new design that sells for under $2500 that is a challenge to the industry. I’m sure there are a few micro brands out there that would build such a watch if they could source the right movement.

 

Bring back tritium; screw the environmental regulators... Superlume has no soul. Give us watches with soul, not cold, sterile super-shiny trinkets.

 

That's why they give us faux patina on the re-issued watches.
It gives them soul while conforming to new government regulations.

 

they are going us fake soul with fautina. And sapphire! There is no excuse or environmental concern there

 

Disagree. They give us faux patina because they know that vintage is currently hot. Since most big companies are not part of the resale market they want in on the dollars going in that direction. This has led to re-issue and vintage homage madness which in my opinion has stunted creativity. It’s easy to reach back and re-issue what was once popular. It is an altogether different matter to come up with the next big thing.

 

This is why I don't want 1:1 reissues of vintage pieces. I worry that it muddies the waters for the actual vintage pieces. Homage is tricky, but I'd would prefer that they either stick to making them the way they've always done or let them evolve into new models.

 

The faux patina on the 60th anniv watches are far too consistent to looks like aged tritium.Not the same nice cream color of the lume on my '67 Speedmaster, either. You would not confuse the new faux factory lume with vintage. If they did it like some of the lume restorers of late that would be a different story.