zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: I think you are missing the real point. Most
: luxury products are much more impractical,
: frivilous and inconvenient than their
: pedestrian counterparts.

Is the Breitling multifunction pedestrian? By what logic?

The secret is that
: efficiency and convenience are NOT the
: advantages or appeal of luxury items. In
: fact it is intentionally the opposite.
: Luxury is showing that you can afford to
: expend time and money on these item in a way
: that an average Joe can't or won't.

One of the reasons I was drawn into the periodic quartz vs. auto debate is that I was hoping for some reason which I would find persuasive that I hadn't heard yet. Unfortunatly, I'm still having problems finding anything compelling. For example, "showing ...you can afford... money."" I suppose I can't speak for anyone but myself. However, trying to impress others( total strangers!!) by spending isn't on my personal list.

: Routine service on a BMW is about 3-4 times
: than for a Jeep. Waterford crystal is much
: more fragile than regular glassware and not
: something you just throw in the dishwasher.
: Most finer clothing can't be thown in the
: washing machine -- they have to be dry
: cleaned.

The problem with analogies is the goodness of fit. In this case, the BMW has better acceleration and handling than most cars. For many people this is more than reason enough to put up with the need for increased care. The clothing analogy may be better. Something being really attractive is as legitimate a quality as performance. This is where I have my problem with the watch industry. They have arbitrarily chosen to couple high performance (state of the art electronic, accurate, multi function)watches with plastic cases. To really take advantage of what electronics can do, the watch has to be multi-function. Just having a quartz version of an old fashioned watch is leaving capabilities unused.

: That's why these things aren't for everybody.
: Common sense, efficiency and cost savings
: are why people buy a quartz Timex.

Why do I have to choose between common sense and asthetics?

: Wanting something different from the masses,
: nostalgia, fascination, indulgence and
: making a personal statement are some of the
: reasons people choose expensive mechanical
: watches.

Again, I think that in some fundamental way, the watch industry has no idea what it is doing. They offer a product which doesn't make sense and appeal to irrational purported advantages to make their point. Does anyone really care what watch some athlete or movie actor uses ( or was paid to say they use)?

My own conclusion is that the reason for buying a mechanical watch is that it is often coupled with a superior looking movement, case and bracelet. It doesn't have to be that way but right now, it is. If I were advising Citizen or Seiko, I'd suggest going upscale on cases and bracelets. They have the potential to do real damage to their Swiss competitors if the execut well. I see Seiko has made some hints in that direction.