Digital Disruption as we know started a few years back.
I was trying to identify industries that would be impacted the most and I couldn’t think of anything more impacted then the watch industry.
Simply because smart watches did everything and more, I was even buying groceries with my Apple Watch, no wallet and mobile phone required.

Earlier this year I somehow ( don’t know how and why) got into watches but cannot stop wondering why digital disruption hasn’t plummeted the prices of luxury watches.
In fact it’s opposite where we have to take nonsense from companies such as Rolex about Subs unavailability.

Everything (Prices, Availability, Etc) seemed fine before the digital disruption, what happened?

 

Because your not the only one that got a smart watch, and got sick of the limitations and style... and constant notifications, yet liked the individuality of a watch on your wrist.

Many people have taken your same path.

 

It's the Revenge of the Quartz Crisis

 

Because this thing is just plain hideous. Information overload! No thanks!

 

IDK these are selling pretty well... And they go even higher then this one... with minute repeaters and a toubillion with or without hands.. .Or just a simple 2 hander...

And of course if you have to ask the price....

 

Maybe Apple used this design.

 

The disruption has been limited to mid-range [traditional] watch market in the U.S. Smart watches and luxury watches cater to two very distinct types of consumers, notably in age and income power. Income power is one of the many factors that matches the sales of all products to the right type of consumer --those with the purchasing power for high-end products will continue to buy luxury watches regardless of price, or real value. I read sometime ago that the SS Rolex Sub --when its MSRP was around $6K USD-- that is was a great $800 watch, and today those in the market for a Sub will even pay over MSRP (Yes, yes - many of us are aware of inventory controls and its own effect on pricing)

Regardless of how anyone feels, Smart watches are here to stay and current estimates for the future sales of these gadgets, point to further growth and larger market share. Will Smart watches ever compete or threat the luxury watch market? No.

 

I don’t know about it’s effect in the luxury market but I was at a store yesterday and all the tellers were trying to complete or compare the “circles” which I guess monitor physical activity. They were really into it. Obviously they are a big thing and Apple is working on those things that people like to interact person to person with. Brilliant marketing, I think the ability to change dials on them are cool and I’ve never seen six people trying to line anything up on a regular watch. I do not own a smart watch, have no plans on getting one soon but maybe someday, or maybe not.

 

I'll take a swag on its effect on the luxury market. Manufacturers design products to compete with other products of similar features, price point, etc -- Apple did not design their watch line to compete against the luxury watch market, it's being designed/marketed to compete against other Smart watches -- and based on the chart below, it appears it has been a successful strategy/product.

Allow me to add: "....and a product that consumers have received as one of solid quality and reliability" to your statement. A company can have the most brilliant marketing strategy, but if their product sucks, their bottom line will suck accordingly.

.

 

Actually, it was the other way around

SWISS ALP WATCH S
"In January 2016, H. Moser & Cie. joined the smartwatch debate, causing a stir with its Swiss Alp Watch, a fully mechanical Swiss Made model with a contemporary design. The message from the Schaffhausen-based Manufacture was clear: "We're not straying; we're remaining true to the tradition of mechanical watchmaking; that's what we do, and we do it well". The message was widely appreciated, and the Swiss Alp Watch was immediately popular with collectors.."

 

The digital disruption happened in the 70's.
Smart watches are competing with today's quartz watches.

 

I don't think they are even trying to compete with these quartz watches (or any equivalent high end quartz watch). Again, it goes toe to toe with similar features and price point.

 

Well certainly I never equate poor products with apple. There are over a billion apple products in the world and many people are still using that fist generation Apple smart watch but marketing is a big part of Apple even though they don’t need to advertise. I agree Apple is not out to compete with luxury watches it’s a silly comparison actually but the younger generation I guess a top of the line Apple smart watch is a luxury watch. Movado got into smart watches a while ago, I liked the look of a few of them. Apple really needs to nail down that privacy aspect, they had a slip up recently. Androids google open source os I wouldn’t use. Google didn’t release it for the betterment of man kind they use it to harvest data. Anyway I’m way off topic, Apple is amongst the greatest companies ever created but tech changes so much and we never know what may come along to disrupt things.

 

Did you see the new 2 hander, and the all black no hands tourbillion minute repeater??? That last one is a huge statement.

 

Yep, let's call it the Dark Side of H. Moser & Cie