I want a change of the narrative…

… but I don’t think I’m going to get it.

Comment time, read into this what you wish.

I’ve started to notice a recent uptick in focus on micro, and “budget” brands as the “luxury” end of the market is having a downturn, like – more than usual. Perhaps I’m just being a little more aware of certain changes in direction? That’s all very well and good, and perhaps I do like the fact that Citizen is a current darling of the trendsetters, but it’s a little late to bang that drum. Citizen have always been solid.

What I’m starting to worry about is the voracious consumption of watches, both on social media and other less-debonair platforms. Even when someone purchases their “grail” (ugh!) they will be on the hunt for the next one. It’s all very well having a few beaters, but there is a limit to what you can wear, and why would you need that many? At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, having over 100+ vintage watches is an absolute ball-ache both physically and mentally. The constant drive to “collect”, or the planning of the perfect three, five, or whatever integer of the month collection is materialistic folly. Lockdown seems to have warped many into possession rather than passion.

It’s all gone a bit sideways.

I understand if you want to use however much you might have put aside for a bigger watch on smaller trifles, you do you, but I do think smashing out top 10 lists of Casio or AliExpress sale watches is slightly irresponsible, with the possibility of large amounts of material ending up as landfill. The luxury market should pose a cursory warning that exponential growth is not a certainty, and thus with watches not being sold, there should also be a (albeit larger) limit to the budget market as well.

It’s also not really thinking about the long term either. What is the environmental impact of this rampant production of an endless sea of wrist wear? I don’t think it is a question many would ask. Would it surprise you to know how much energy it takes to make a sapphire crystal? It’s more than you expect. Would anybody consider their watch habit when looking at the carbon footprint it creates, be it through mining of metal, to crystal production, right the way through to the leather strap or precious stones that may be part of the package? Ethically, should we even still be buying gold, or diamonds? Would anybody like to kick off the discussion?

Oh fuck – Chris has gone all hippy-dippy on us!

Hear me out…

It all seems like an afterthought. Yes, we see some brands embrace some “greenery”, but it’s either married with a hefty price tag, or is dwarfed by other outputs. I appreciate if you want to make a watch out of ocean plastic, with recycled rubber straps, or whatever, but having it as a limited edition of 200 with a price tag double or triple the standard model is not exactly changing the world. I applaud those manufactures who are claiming their facilities are low, or zero, carbon, but it is almost like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. Then again, is the person spending a couple of thou on a watch the same person wondering what their carbon footprint actually is?

Everything has a price, but it is not just monetary. It used to be that our forefathers had one watch, and that was that. That one watch could last generations as it would be serviced, where necessary, and remain functional for as long as possible. You buy some factory assembled jobby with an NH movement and a 2 year warranty, it doesn’t fill one with confidence, quality control issues aside. Being able to switch out the movement with another NH is almost the modern-day equivalent of ripping out your Roskopf pin-pallet and smashing in another. Ho hum, never mind, let’s just burn through resources like the planet doesn’t need them, winter is too cold. Vero or Oris warranties look like unicorn shit.

In this period of market lull, perhaps we should all take some time to reflect on how we could improve our buying and collecting habits? Do we really need that other watch? (stupid question). Could vintage be a better option (provided you can service it)? How would one go about getting the best watch from an environmental perspective? These are some of the questions I would like to see, because these are ones that I do ask myself, but the response is always blank looks or laughs… I doubt I’m going to see Nico singing the praises of a watch made from ocean plastic, or a Timex with mushroom leather, but maybe someone like Teddy or Jody could steer clientele towards more ethically-sourced watches? Nah…

It’s a fucking pipe-dream if anything…

I’m tired of pretty pictures, or limited editions. I’m tired of insatiable “content”. I’m tired of top 10 Casios under $50 because most of them will end up in the bin. Nobody mentions the impact of 3 million F91Ws a year, just that it’s a given. I want quality, not quantity, and not just about value: I want to follow to money and the carbon.

Oh, and AI-written content can do one. Generative AI is garbage-in garbage-out. It’s an offence to all who see and read it. It’s propagated most written-word platforms, silently and quickly, and is choking them. If you can’t be bothered to use your own words to describe your grandfathers watch, don’t expect others to care. I find it ironic that defending a certain platform against it warrants a swift demise. You get the content you deserve at the end of the day.