Do you think 'the kids' will still be interested in watches?

[anonymous-user]

We had a discussion at work the other day about young people not being vaguely interested in classic cars, or even cars from the last 20 years or so.

They all seem far more interested in extremely modern hybrid/EV type supercars, or not interested in cars at all. Very soon they will all laugh about the 'old days' of putting petrol, water and oil into a car like some sort of old steam engine.

We then moved onto watches, and did a bit of a lunchtime survey of the staff aged under 30, asking them what sort of watches they would buy if they had unlimited funds, and they all said they would want the latest smartwatch, or not bother with a watch at all because their phones did everything they wanted.

The idea of buying a traditional watch with mechanical workings purely for the joy of wearing or ownership was a ridiculous concept. Apparently if it doesn't do smart techy things such as run apps, then it isn't worth buying.

They have almost no interest in owning objects that are jewellery rather than tech.

Thoughts?

[lostkiwi]

My stepson is clearly not representative. He wanted a TAG Grand Carrera (using the El Primero movement) for his 30th and a year later bought himself an AP.

[55palfers]

Most of our friends children are now well into their twenties.
Very few wear a traditional watch.

[anonymous-user]

55palfers said:

Most of our friends children are now well into their twenties.
Very few wear a traditional watch.

That is partially what started the discussion.

Very very few of them wear watches because they don't need to. if they don't need a watch, why would they want an 'expensive' one.

So, to take this a step further, will watches eventually devalue slightly if we end up with most people under 30 or 40 simply not wanting them?

I appreciate no one really cares much about that last point, but it's interesting.

[Justayellowbadge]

What’s the current market for new pocket watches like?

[RichTT]

Justayellowbadge said:

What’s the current market for new pocket watches like?

Mostly limited to Steampunk cosplayers...

[Snubs]

I'm sure if just asked this question around the time of the quartz crises you'd have got the same answer i.e. 'the hopeless kids of today clearly have no interest in traditional manufacture, all they're interested in is BBC Micro this and digital watch that etc etc'.

But those kids are now in their forties and are driving the current interest in mechanical watches.

[7mike]

I was recently involved in a training event for young drivers; I noticed quite a few were wearing Omega Seamasters / Speedmasters. I just hope they haven't become the 'North Face' of the watch world.

[Barchettaman]

Both my kids are into watches and prefer the cheap automatics that I own.

I have brainwashed them well.

[AJB88]

I had no interest in watches at all up until I was 29, they I inheritied my late fathers Rolex, I now have a Omega and Tudor (all bought last year).

Currently wearing a Luch one hand today though as I fancied something different than my daily Omega.

[dvs_dave]

I’ve only just turned 40 and have a couple of rolexes, an IWC, and the obligatory Seiko and a g-shock.

Younger friends and colleagues in their 20s and 30s also seem to be into their watches too, often admiring mine, and wanting to “upgrade”. I’ve already told them now is the best time to spunk a chunk of change on a proper luxury watch; before they have kids and become home owners. Never will they have so much of a % of their income as disposable.

[BBenzzz]

If it's of any insight, I am 24 and bought my TAG when I was 19. 3 months ago I bought a Tudor Black Bay (Blue) in London as a treat to finishing a stint of contracting however daily I wear my apple watch.

I enjoy changing out my straps for different looks and occasions on all of my watches. I would say I am interested, and intend to build my collection when I can justfy the purchases!

[anonymous-user]

I think as long as there will be wealty people - and people with disposable cash - the watch industry will survive.

Whether that is oversimplifying the reason why younger people will buy watches; that as they're expensive they're therefore a status symbol or if they really do appreciate the workmanship of horology.

[caelite]

lostkiwi said:

My stepson is clearly not representative. He wanted a TAG Grand Carrera (using the El Primero movement) for his 30th and a year later bought himself an AP.

Heh, well I'm 25 and my grail is a Tag Carrera calibre 18 (the 39mm homage). Current budget allows my SKX013, Timex Marlin and not much more though.

My cousin has a couple of years on me, he currently sports a few cheapys (Dan Wellington, and a Fossil if I remember right), but I know he is saving for a Breitling.

I'd say out of my friend group ~20-25% wear and enjoy a traditional watch, not sure how that compares to previous generations, and I know some of that % also wear a smart watch of sorts.

Edited by caelite on Saturday 6th July 23:02

[Cantaloupe]

I don't think it's changed that much, even in pre-computer times having a studious interest in collecting watches was a fairly
unusual pastime.

[HTP99]

Interesting conversation with a customer of mine today; she works for an examination board, she was telling me that many educational facilities have changed all of their clocks to digital clocks as students these days don't know how to tell the time using an analogue clock, this also includes A Level students!

[HM-2]

In my industry (IT), Smart watches seem to have had their moment in the sun and lots of my colleagues have now switched to traditional analogue watches.

My team is circa 20 people, we've got a couple of guys in their 40s and 50s and everyone else is between 25 and 35. A year or so ago Smart watches were super popular (especially the Kickstarter funded obscure and oddball ones) and before that it was fitness trackers, but a few Apple diehards aside I've seen a move to analogue watches (Citizens seem to be very popular) with those using fitness trackers moving to smaller and less complex ones.

I'm 30 and have 2 Tags (1 quartz, one automatic), an Omega automatic, and a couple of Seiko automatics. My brother in law, whose 25, is also very into his watches and wears a S/H Breitling Colt.

[BS62]

Lord Marylebone said:

We had a discussion at work the other day about young people not being vaguely interested in classic cars, or even cars from the last 20 years or so.

The first problem with this is the fact that “young people” are lumped all together as though they’re a singular, mac-tapping, hybrid driving, sandal wearing, hive-mind mass fuelled by smashed avocados on gluten free sourdough.

You’ve only to click around PH to see that the phenomenon of the young petrolhead moron just off his L-plates is alive and well.

SOME young people are hippies. Some are only into leccy cars. Some still like mechanical stuff - just as with every other generation.

Your sample group only want watches that do cool things...my 3 yr old loves to see a second hand ticking around.

Edited by BS62 on Sunday 7th July 12:55

[Tony1963]

^

Spot on. We have a few apprentices passing through our place, and they definitely have a fascination with almost everything mechanical and smoky. One has an RX8, another has a lowered and blacked out Passat, and one built his own Stirling engine. And their friends are interested. They’re polite, a laugh, and one is just starting a Japanese automatic watch collection.

So refreshing!

[r159]

Why don’t ‘kids’ wear watches... simple...

Mobile phones..as per the OPs original comment

why would you bother with a wrist watch if you spend your life checking your phone for the latest pouting selfie/plate of food/ invitation for being burgled on instacrap tw@ter or arseface EVERY 10 BLOOMING SECONDS

And relax.

I can remember wearing a watch from the age of 8 or 9, my son has started to wear one from a similar age and now talks about his collection...the force is strong in this one...

Edited by r159 on Sunday 7th July 14:41