A call out to the (analog) watch industry: You want to know why you are alienating your customer base and risk losing market share to Apple and the digital watch world?

I’ll give it to you straight. I’m new here. And I don’t have a lot of time. I have expendable income, but limited patience. I spent a career in sales, so I have absolutely no tolerance for bullshit.

So, when I saw a recent piece on Wrist Enthusiast, titled, “The Celebrities with the ‘Lefty’ Rolex GMT-Master II 126720 VTNR,” I got suckered into reading it. I am left-handed, left-handed watches are of interest to me. But what I read, and more importantly, saw, was a display of unrestrained hedonism and narcissistic drivel that was a Grade A Certified masterful waste of time.

Look, I get it, these watches are made in limited quantities. I mean, it is reported that Rolex only makes about one million watches a year. That’s a bunch for hand-made items. But still, there is a world demand. And their retail pricing is still pretty reasonable. If you can get one. If not, like the article said, “the watch (which retails for $11,250 USD on jubilee bracelet $11,050 USD on oyster bracelet) is still commanding between $50,000 USD and $60,000 USD on the secondary market. Interestingly, like the Tiffany Blue Patek Philippe 5711, the 126720VTNR has found its way onto the wrist of many celebrities as opposed to everyday watch collectors.”

Everyday watch collectors? Who dat? Oh, the bloke who makes $250,000 a year and has $10,000 to blow on a watch? Yeah, well he or she, is still waiting in line for watches like these, while the Gods Here On Earth get them handed out, like Halloween candy.

Luxury watch industry – you’re making a huge mistake. A short term one that will have long term consequences. Is it so long ago that you forgot that the quartz watch movement almost put you all out of business? Do you not remember? Well, I do, because I can look at my quartz watches from back then and know what a great job the marketers did to sway me from mechanical watches back then, when I didn’t have the budget I now have for watches.

And what are you doing? The ropes are up, the bodyguard is checking ID’s, they’re turning folks, like me, away from the building. In other words, they ain’t letting the plebs in.

Oh, sure, I can slink over to the pawn shop or secondary retail shops and buy a “like new,” watch for 3X the SRP. All while, the multimillionaires are getting them handed like candy. Sure, it’s a hoot to see them influencers on Instagram, making us all salivate, as if a 5711 is the horological equivalent of a Kardashian. Or, it’s a huge turn-off. Some of us aren’t infatuated with the Kardashian lifestyle. Can you say "Overexposed?"

Speaking of marketing, the geniuses at Swatch pulled a coup when they mated with Omega and gave birth to the Moon Swatch. And then they proceeded to screw the pooch by making it inaccessible to mere mortals. For a $260 watch? Apple and Casio are laughing, all the way to the bank, folks. Hey, I own a Speedmaster. Why the hell do I need to fret over a plastic quartz facsimile?

So it’s, au revoir, you say? Nice knowing you? Have a nice life? Don’t let the door hit me on the way out?

Yeah, that’s the message – to cash paying customers who might be in it for the long-haul.

But that’s not the way of the world, right now, is it? It’s all about hits and likes and follows and desire, and showing someone something they might really, really like, but which they will never, ever be able to have. Oh, what a tease? And what a great marketing plan, too, by the way. Brilliant!

OK, no Rolex for me. Or Moon Swatch. That’s OK. I have a perfectly decent and wonderful Tudor. And a CasiOak. And that ‘Lefty’ Rolex GMT-Master II that is unobtainable to mere mortals? Well, let me tell you a little story. I have three Seiko watches in my ancient collection. They all still work. I like them. I’m reasonably certain that I can obtain a Seiko which can do anything that the Rolex Lefty can do.

And it is A-C-C-E-S-S-I-B-L-E!

Viola!

And to those writers and journalists who write about this – find something different to write about – find something else that pays the bills. Because if you cannot write about something we all can actually find and obtain, you’re going to lose readers. And another industry or wing of an industry will find room for our enthusiasm and our hard-earned money.

So, dear luxury watch industry, go on ahead, feeding your hype and your elite inaccessible spiel to someone who will bite. But as a good friend often says, “Just don’t bullshit a bullshitter!”

 written by Alfonso Cevola - limited rights reserved