Nomos
Collecting, COSC, High End Watch, Luxury Sport Watch, FHH, Fondation Haute HorlogeriSpazzAudemars Piguet, Rolex, A. Lange and Sohne, Laurent Ferrier, Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling, Bulgari, MB&F, Hublot, Greubel Forsey, Cartier, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, G-Shock, Tudor, Grand Seiko, Zenith, Seiko, Heuer, Omega, Glashutte Original, Girard Perregaux, Nomos

The FHH White Paper Might As Well Be Toilet Paper

Yesterday, April 26, 2017, the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) released a white paper on “Fine Watchmaking”. In short, the white paper was created to promote what they’re calling “Fine Watchmaking”, and they defined 4 market segments and 7 areas of expertise by which 46 “independent international experts” used to judge brands against. These people make up what they’re calling the “Cultural Council”. For a watch to be qualified it must score at least 60% where 65% of the score is objective and 35% is subjective.

In total, 86 brands were judged, 68 made the cut, and only 28 were so good they became partners.

Collecting, COSC, High End Watch, Luxury Sport Watch, FHH, Fondation Haute HorlogeriSpazzAudemars Piguet, Rolex, A. Lange and Sohne, Laurent Ferrier, Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling, Bulgari, MB&F, Hublot, Greubel Forsey, Cartier, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, G-Shock, Tudor, Grand Seiko, Zenith, Seiko, Heuer, Omega, Glashutte Original, Girard Perregaux, Nomos
The FHH White Paper Might As Well Be Toilet Paper
American Watch Industry, Auction, Automatic, Bang-For-Your-Buck, Chronograph, Collecting, Grand Complication, High End Watch, Luxury Sport Watch, Most Overrated, Perpetual Calendar, Movements, Originality, Selling Watches, Sotheby's, Ultimate Watch Collection, VintageSpazzA. Lange and Sohne, Laurent Ferrier, Parmigiani, Patek Philippe, Waltham, Audemars Piguet, Hamilton, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Jean Richard, Tudor, Frederique Constant, Girard Perregaux, Philippe Dufour, Heuer, Seiko, Zenith, Gerald Genta, Omega, Rolex, Roger Smith, Glashutte Original, RGM, Nomos, Kari Voutilainen

Happy New Year! And Materialism As We Enter 2017

Every year we have our "new year's resolutions", but given the holiday season has just ended, which is always filled with the standard commercialism and retail therapy, I thought it might be worthwhile to give my perspective on the subject. Specifically when we refer to a certain type of spending as "materialism" - this ties in nicely with the watch world, since 2016 was officially the worst year on record since the early 80's!

First, what is materialism?

American Watch Industry, Auction, Automatic, Bang-For-Your-Buck, Chronograph, Collecting, Grand Complication, High End Watch, Luxury Sport Watch, Most Overrated, Perpetual Calendar, Movements, Originality, Selling Watches, Sotheby's, Ultimate Watch Collection, VintageSpazzA. Lange and Sohne, Laurent Ferrier, Parmigiani, Patek Philippe, Waltham, Audemars Piguet, Hamilton, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Jean Richard, Tudor, Frederique Constant, Girard Perregaux, Philippe Dufour, Heuer, Seiko, Zenith, Gerald Genta, Omega, Rolex, Roger Smith, Glashutte Original, RGM, Nomos, Kari Voutilainen
Happy New Year! And Materialism As We Enter 2017
Collecting, High End Watch, Luxury Sport Watch, Smart Watch, VintageSpazzA. Lange and Sohne, Apple, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling, IWC, Tudor, Girard Perregaux, Zenith, Heuer, Seiko, Omega, Hamilton, Jean Richard, Nomos, Parmigiani, Rolex, RGM, Glashutte Original

More Bad News For The Watch Industry (Which Isn't Necessarily Bad)

It has now become common knowledge that this past year has been one of the worst on record for the watch industry. Data released by Bloomberg and the FHS (Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH) show that sales have dropped over 45% between 2015 and 2016, and the level of Switzerland’s watch exports dropped 11 percent during the first 10 months of the year.

Collecting, High End Watch, Luxury Sport Watch, Smart Watch, VintageSpazzA. Lange and Sohne, Apple, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling, IWC, Tudor, Girard Perregaux, Zenith, Heuer, Seiko, Omega, Hamilton, Jean Richard, Nomos, Parmigiani, Rolex, RGM, Glashutte Original
More Bad News For The Watch Industry (Which Isn't Necessarily Bad)
Under $5000SpazzHamilton, Jean Richard, Frederique Constant, Nomos

What to buy under $5000

Let me try to explain the whole "going over $5k for anything good" position, and then offer some suggestions.

The thing about the watch industry today, is that if you broadly look over the watches in the up-to-$5000 range, the overwhelming majority are almost like cookie cutter watches. 

That is to say, they have the same sugar daddy (Swatch or Richemont), all use generic ETA or Sellita movements, not their own in-house movements as many of these brands used to, and are focusing more on trends than actual watchmaking, again like many of these brands used to.

As a result, people like me will always recommend go vintage.

Under $5000SpazzHamilton, Jean Richard, Frederique Constant, Nomos
What to buy under $5000
SpazzRolex, Jaeger LeCoultre, Zenith, Laurent Ferrier, Roger Smith, Philippe Dufour, Kari Voutilainen, Parmigiani, Nomos

Watch under $10,000

For those who haven't read or seen the article, back in March-ish 2014 Roger Smith, Kari Voutilainen, Laurent Ferrier, and Philippe Dufour were asked what watch they'd recommend buying if the budget was less than $10,000. 

This is an interesting question because these are four of the brightest minds in modern watchmaking, and because it was for a watch under $10,000 not any watch in general regardless of price.  

Let's go through each reply one at a time:

SpazzRolex, Jaeger LeCoultre, Zenith, Laurent Ferrier, Roger Smith, Philippe Dufour, Kari Voutilainen, Parmigiani, Nomos
Watch under $10,000
SpazzNomos, Glashutte Original

The German Invasion

Historically, the Swiss watch industry has been regarded as the standard bearer. All other watch industries (American, English, Japanese, German, etc.), were always trailing, or "beneath" that of the Swiss.

And this is true despite some historical anomalies, for example the American watch industry pre-1970's would have been (and was) something to worry about if you were Swiss.

But since that time, no one has been able to match the overall excellence of the Swiss. No one until the past decade or so: the Germans.

Germany, and German products have always had the respect of being considered high quality and/or very technical. Thats not to say they don't make garbage, they have and continue to do so from time to time, but overall we can expect a certain level of technical excellence from a typical German product. 

SpazzNomos, Glashutte Original
The German Invasion