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What if Speedmasters are no more than ‘57 Chevys; within one generation they’ll be worthless?

M
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Nobody has mentioned Theo & Harris et al yet... there’s a strong and growing market of post millennials able and willing to drop thousands of dollars on pre-owned watches. They’re also buying fountain pens (!?!). This non-drinking, non-smoking vice free generation of young adults have disposable income to indulge in collectibles. All the self respecting hipster, beardy mung bean lumberjack types are wearing mechanical watches...
 
airansun
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And what happens when there are so few competent watchmakers that chronographs are almost impossible to get properly serviced?
 
wkimmd
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I think this vintage watch deal...is a rather niche hobby. So it doesn't matter GenX or Millennial or whatever else - there will always be folks seeking out watches (or any other niche objects) for whatever the reason - seeking nostalgia/connection to the past, true horologic interest, don't know what to do with money, etc etc.

My two cents:
I do think that most millenials tend to value experience over material goods (there are studies on this). Additionally, millennials are going to be the first generation in US history to see a decline in income/living standards compared to the prior generation (much commentary on this). Will there always be those who have disposable income to spend on niche objects (cars, watches, otherwise)? Of course. That's why it's niche. After all, if you don't have the money to blow, you probably wouldn't choose collecting expensive, poor-investment items as your hobby.

Of course - no one know what will happen - which is why, I think most of us don't think about the future value of our wrist companions when we collect. We buy what we like. That way, there will never be any regrets.

W
 
redpcar
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I'm watching the NFL draft. Every kid is wearing bling. Pretty sure I even saw a speedie.
 
Rasputin
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Regardless of whether an individual is from Gen X, Y, or Z, it seems they're collecting vintage memorabilia (a watch, vinyl, '57 chevy, etc) for a SENSE of nostalgia rather than for their utilitarian purpose. How many of us collect a vintage Speedy solely to tell time? These collectibles mean something to somebody either directly through them or someone in which they're endeared. It seems difficult to predict what each generation will consider collectible. However, a true purist wouldn't care what the current trends are as they're only collecting objects for personal non-monetary enjoyment.
 
oddboy
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How many cheap quartz watches would it take to reach the cost of a mid range mechanical watch?

What's the environmental cost of them all?

Reminds me of a situation I had recently with my three little girls. They had all received some cash money for Christmas and wanted to go shopping. Their first inclination was to go to the dollar store and get a lot of toys and Junk, but we talked about whether they'd rather have a bunch of dolls that break or whose heads pop off, or have a nice, well made toy, but only one. (I used watches as an illustration saying I'd rather have one nice watch than 10 crappy ones).

They all decided to go for the one good toy. So we ended up at a local flea market. One bought a really nice little fold up chess / checkers / back gammon game, one bought a set of hand made, hand paint food stuffs (carton of milk, some soup cans, some bowls and utensils, etc) and the third bought a circuit board kit (some Lego like boards, a bunch of capacitors and resistors, lights, motors, magnets, etc that you snap together to make things). Those toys got way more use than any of the Barbie knock offs they get from the dollar store, and they will last way longer too - maybe long enough to see my grand children!

Anyway, wore this today. Ah, three handers.. So simple yet effective.

20180423_180454.jpg
 
77deluxe
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oddboy oddboy
How many cheap quartz watches would it take to reach the cost of a mid range mechanical watch?

What the environmental cost of them all?

Reminds me of a situation I had recently with my three little girls. They had all received some cash money for Christmas and wanted to go shopping. Their first inclination was to go to the dollar store and get a lot of toys and Junk, but we talked about whether they'd rather have a bunch of dolls that break or whose heads pop off, or have a nice, well made toy, but only one. (I used watches as an illustration saying I'd rather have one nice watch that 10 crappy ones).

They all decided to go for the one good toy. So we ended up at a local flea market. One bought a really nice little fold up chess / checkers / back gammon game, one bought a set of hand made, hand paint food stuffs (carton of milk, some soup cans, some bowls and utensils, etc, and the third bought a circuit board kit (some Lego like boards, a bunch of capacitors and resistors, lights, motors, magnets, etc that you snap together to make things). Those toys got way more use than any of the dollar store Barbie's they get from the dollar store, and they will last way longer too - maybe long enough to see my grand children!

Anyway, wore this today. Ah, three handers.. So simple yet effective.

20180423_180454.jpg

One dad, fighting planned obsolescence. Good work.
 
Taddyangle
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Don't know what the future holds and frankly don't care. I am enjoying my collection of watches.

My only complaint is I can't get enough wrist time with these fine time pieces. I started double mad-dogging so I can double my enjoyment ( I work at home). I took my wife to lunch, and accidentally left the house with two Speedmasters in my wrist. I admit to placing one of them (Straight Writing) in my pocket as I did not want to look too odd.
 
Archer
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oddboy oddboy
How many cheap quartz watches would it take to reach the cost of a mid range mechanical watch?

What's the environmental cost of them all?

I've often wondered if anyone thinks of this, since it's rarely discussed on watch forums. Since I service watches for a living, I've put some though into the environmental impacts of what I do compared to disposable watches. There are most certainly environmental costs to mechanical watches too, so things like shipping/travel for maintenance, often harsh chemicals required for cleaning and some treatments to movement parts, plus the oils used, and shipping of repair parts all over the world. I cringe when I read how some watchmakers dispose of old cleaning solutions for example - pouring it on weeds in their yard...::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::

But quartz watches can last a very long time if they are of good quality, rather than the cheap versions you refer to. Batteries are becoming more environmentally friendly since the removal of mercury from them. I make a point of proper disposal though - they don't go to landfill and my cleaning solutions are disposed of through the municipalities hazardous waste programme.

But it's not just quartz watches that can be disposable and "unfriendly" in an environmental sense. With the cost of service not really relying on the value of the watch (takes the same time if the watch is worth $200 or $20,000) cheap mechanical watches that have no hope of future service are not a good option either. Micro-brands on kickstarter who can't support their product are just as bad for the environment as a cheap quartz watch is, so making an informed purchase is the key. Same for watches where swapping the movement out is the preferred method of service, so many low end Seikos for example are often kept running in a manner that is very wasteful.

But my guess is that the average good quality mechanical watch that is serviced over it's life has a smaller footprint than buying several disposable watches (mechanical or quartz).

Cheers, Al
 
sjg22
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My father isn’t into watches; neither were his friends - they’re in their 60’s. He’s always owned a watch out of necessity but wasn’t a collector.

I’m an early millennial in my 30’s and like watches - as others have said, it’s a niche hobby. I don’t believe there are less millenials into watches than previous generations.

I think watches are less of a necessity due to the fact that cell phones have the time, meaning that instead of everyone needing to buy a watch, only those interested in mechanical watches buy them now. I think the market for nice collector watches is as robust as ever, but with each generation you never know.

Also, pocket watches are a poor analogy per some of the other comments - they’re not practical to carry and use, unlike wristwatches.
 
mayankyadav
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wsfarrell wsfarrell
Coming at this from a slightly different angle--and this is not (yet) statistical--it appears that high school kids today are increasingly unable to read analog clocks.
i wonder what kind of schools were surveyed for this study! They need to first stop those schools imo 😀
 
propervinyl
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Archer Archer
But quartz watches can last a very long time if they are of good quality, rather than the cheap versions you refer to.

I really dont want to derail this thread, but are there particular quartz movements that you hold in high regard?
 
propervinyl
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sjg22 sjg22
I’m an early millennial in my 30’s and like watches - as others have said, it’s a niche hobby. I don’t believe there are less millenials into watches than previous generations.

Can we all agree that Hodinkee - a blog that with a large millenial readership - has had a measurable impact on the vintage market? IMO there are, in relative terms, so few vintage watches out there in the condition we are interested in that the market could survive the passing of the generation that grew up with these watches.

And if I'm wrong, and prices drop - along with the value of my collection - I would be pretty pumped, because I dont view my collection as an investment, and (yay!) more watches for me.
 
drhombus24
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I’m 19 and attending university so I may be able to add some perspective. I had been eyeing mechanical watches for a while before I finally managed to convince my parents to get me this tissot instead of a class ring in high school.
BF358BD4-3087-41E5-8589-4DDA497E585B.jpeg

Two years later, I was still enjoying my tissot, but I wanted to move up a bit so I was searching local listings for a quartz bond seamaster since my budget was under 1k and I was attracted to omega early (I don’t know why). Well, I ended up finding a Planet Ocean within my budget, did my research, and then bought it. That’s when I joined OF.
12473D90-966D-4353-9606-FB5B8D28F396.jpeg

Long story short, I was greedy and sold it to take the profit. I really regretted that decision so I bought a similar one a month later:
0034CA06-F0B5-44B5-8C67-F59B3FBD85D9.jpeg

During my time at school, I’ve only ever seen a few APs worn by some international students and an IWC big pilot on someone who got it as a gift and doesn’t really realize what it is. When people find out I like watches, they end up asking me if I like MVMT and start singing praises to the brand. I just nod and say great... some also tell me I’m an idiot because a phone is “better.” This one girl tried to read my watch and asked where the screen was.... *face palm*. I was recently talking to a lab partner the other day about an old Oldsmobile his grandfather left him and I casually asked him if his grandfather left him any watches. He said he was given some sort of “timemaster” that went to the moon. He said he threw it in a drawer somewhere cause it was really old and he didn’t want to use it. I started to freak out a bit and I made him promise to send pics when he gets back home.

I’ve rambled a bit, but I think you can see that very few people my age care about mechanical watches in general. However, I care and once I make a little more money consistently, I’m definitely going to blow some of it on a few nice vintage watches.
 
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