Take a look at the heavy discounts. Blancpain tourbillons, Breguet world timers, Jacquet Droz. Nobody wants those pieces. Honestly, you're not Patek, you're not even Vacheron, never mind Lange. Swatch's high end is a raging dumpster fire and finally we're getting a good sniff
When it comes to football and watches, I think the concept often falls flat because brands insist on putting the team’s logo right on the dial. Personally, (even as a die hard United fan) I don’t need that. I’d much prefer a subtle, low-key nod to the team or player instead.
As much as Richard Mille isn’t really my thing, I think they actually handle these partnerships quite well. The RM 67-02, for example, uses the athlete’s national colors—like the South African version for Wayde van Niekerk—which feels much more thoughtful. And to be fair, it’s not just football doing this. Panerai does the same with Luna Rossa, and Tudor with the Alinghi Red Bull team.
More broadly, I think we’re heading into a moment where retailers and brands need to seriously rethink their relationships. During the boom years, it was easy to coast—but now, with headwinds facing the market, the cracks are starting to show. Just look at the fire sales we saw at Pragnell’s last year. If things continue as they are, I wonder whether the traditional retail model has had its day. Maybe the future really is DTC for all brands—cutting out the middleman, trimming costs, and ideally making watches more affordable for collectors.
BTW, some weird guy wrote up omega soccer timers a while back https://thelostspringbar.com/2021/11/24/collector-guide-everything-you-need-to-know-about-omega-seamaster-soccer-timers/
Take a look at the heavy discounts. Blancpain tourbillons, Breguet world timers, Jacquet Droz. Nobody wants those pieces. Honestly, you're not Patek, you're not even Vacheron, never mind Lange. Swatch's high end is a raging dumpster fire and finally we're getting a good sniff
Really enjoyed this post—thanks for sharing it!
When it comes to football and watches, I think the concept often falls flat because brands insist on putting the team’s logo right on the dial. Personally, (even as a die hard United fan) I don’t need that. I’d much prefer a subtle, low-key nod to the team or player instead.
As much as Richard Mille isn’t really my thing, I think they actually handle these partnerships quite well. The RM 67-02, for example, uses the athlete’s national colors—like the South African version for Wayde van Niekerk—which feels much more thoughtful. And to be fair, it’s not just football doing this. Panerai does the same with Luna Rossa, and Tudor with the Alinghi Red Bull team.
More broadly, I think we’re heading into a moment where retailers and brands need to seriously rethink their relationships. During the boom years, it was easy to coast—but now, with headwinds facing the market, the cracks are starting to show. Just look at the fire sales we saw at Pragnell’s last year. If things continue as they are, I wonder whether the traditional retail model has had its day. Maybe the future really is DTC for all brands—cutting out the middleman, trimming costs, and ideally making watches more affordable for collectors.