‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ seems to be the mantra by which many of the large brands in the watch industry have been living by in recent years, dining out on heritage collections year after year. As a result, it’s been left to the independent watch brands to deliver innovation in an effort to drive the watch industry forward. It begs the question why are the larger watch brands slow to innovate and are independents the future of the watch industry?
This dichotomy has been once again showcased by the releases from the latest instalment of Watches & Wonders. In the weeks running up to the event the rumour mill was in full flow. There was speculation about what Rolex, Patek Philippe and others would be releasing – exciting dreams of revived Milgausses and cutting edge Calatravas.
Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde 40mm
Instead, we received minor adjustments to existing models. You only have to take a cursory look at social media to get the gist of how the watch community viewed these latest releases from these big brands. Underwhelming is perhaps the polite way to put it.
By contrast the independent brands delivered the show stopping releases. Prior to Watches & Wonders there was little chatter about what the likes of Czapek or Parmigiani Fleurier would release. Or what new watches we might see from DeBethune. Yet, all these brands and many others had exciting pieces to unveil.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch White Dial
Perhaps the best example of established names regurgitating the same concepts comes not from Watches & Wonders but the recent Omega Speedmaster 310.30.42.50.04.001. A great looking watch no doubt, however, the only real change is to the dial colour. Furthering the narrative that Omega’s Speedmaster gets tweaked and tinkered with too often without anything actually changing.
How does Omega get away with this? Well, that’s down to shrewd marketing. After Daniel Craig was spotted wearing a previously unknown white Speedy at an Omega event in November 2023, interest went through the roof. This is the perfect example of marketing and PR working seamlessly to create a buzz even before the official release. All with the purpose of continuing to drive volume sales of the Speedmaster line up. I suspect it will be successful. It’s a great looking watch and kudos to Omega for creating such hype over what amounts to a white dial. But it doesn’t get the blood pumping.
Rolex GMT-Master II 126710 GRNR, not the GMT colour combo many wanted to see
In part brands like Omega are a victim of their own success. The Speedmaster is one of the most iconic watches in the world and it’s a great seller for the brand. Omega knows the Speedy sells and at the end of the day it’s a business and they no doubt have Swatch group targets to meet. One small change to the existing product, some clever PR and Omega can continue to sell thousands of Speedmasters.
Being responsible for creating some of the world’s most iconic watches is one way to stifle innovation. It removes any true incentive to create something new or push the boundaries. Even Rolex aren’t immune to this. They are often criticised more than any other for simply updating colours or changing case sizes by 1mm. The Rolex releases for 2024 included a new colourway GMT-Master II in steel. This version contained the black and grey bezel we’d already seen in 2023’s Rolesor edition. Hardly pushing the envelope of creativity.
Rolex first guilloché dial comes in the platinum case Perpetual 1908
To give them their due, Rolex did release a platinum 1908 with a guilloché dial, the first ever guilloché dial from Rolex. However, even this didn’t set pulses racing among the watch community. Because it didn’t go far enough. The new 1908 is a platinum watch with an icy blue dial, which is combination we’ve seen dozens of times before. Even when Rolex try something new, they still stay close to the tried and tested.
Patek and Vacheron Constantin only provide yet more examples of this. Arguably two of their most successful models in the Nautilus and Overseas received only the slightest revamp. The Nautilus 5980 was given a new blue dial with a denim colour strap. You know it’s a slow year when a denim strap is the biggest surprise. Vacheron opted for green and pink gold with three new Overseas watches, all of which are spectacular, but gold and green has been done before. An entire year of development and this is what the world’s biggest and best watch brands came up with.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph in a familiar green and pink gold combo
In the interest of balance, the watch industry is thousands of years old. It is unfair to expect consistent yearly innovation when hundreds of years of R&D have gone before. Compare watches to smart phones, an industry that’s a complete baby at barely 20-years-old. In recent years the rate of innovation has slowed even from the likes of Apple. For a consumer the jumps between early versions of the iphone appeared substantially greater than some of the current models. Amplify this to an industry that’s thousands of years old and whose product is mechanical and it’s understandable why change takes time.
To give you an analogy, the big brands are like the lion in a zoo. They’re the main attraction, always on show and with nowhere to go. Independent watch brands are like the wild cheetah, free to go wherever they want, with little responsibility for setting their own boundaries. After all, if you don’t boast a world renowned model in your line-up, what sets you apart in the minds of collectors is your ability to do things differently and to innovate.
DeBethune DB28 XS Purple Rain with purple titanium case
Take DeBethune. A small independent watch brand whose latest release, the DB28 XS Purple Rain uses an innovative way of creating a colourful and stylish metal case. Normally coloured cases are achieved through the use of sapphire or ceramic. In this case DeBethune uses the chemical reaction caused by heating titanium to create a purple coloured titanium case.
The result is a striking case that’s also super lightweight and which feels new and exciting within the industry. When you consider that it was only last year that Rolex launched their first titanium watch with YachtMaster RLX, it’s apparent that they are so far behind in comparison to what brands like DeBethune are doing with the same material.
Czapek Promenade Goutte d’eau
One of the standouts from Watches & Wonders this year came from Czapek with their Promenade collection. The highlight can be seen in the Goutte d’Eau edition which uses Grand Feu enamel for the dial. The ability to be able to work the enamel in such a way that creates the ripple of water effect is spectacular and results in a dial that you won’t find anywhere else. Brands like Czapek rely on their ability to do the unconventional in order to grab headlines.
Had they simply updated their Antarctique model with a new coloured dial I wouldn’t be writing about it. Instead by doing something different it drives awareness. More of the watch loving public get to know them and appreciate the capabilities of brands like this.
H Moser & Cie Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Alpine
Another big change driving the growth of independent watch brands in recent years is the fact that established brands no longer have a monopoly on quality and accurate time keeping. Historically brands like Omega, Cartier and Rolex relied on their high quality to set them apart from the rest.However, these days independents can deliver accurate movements and finishing quality to rival and even exceed the biggest names. H Moser & Cie’s Streamliner Alpine showcases this better than most. An in-house tourbillon movement with impeccable precision and a skeletonised domed blue dial with the highest level of finishing. It’s a piece of haute horology which rivals any household brand.
This drive towards the new and the different from independents is what will drive the watch industry forward in years to come. Independents are growing quickly and it’s all because they offer something exciting and they constantly innovate. Will the big brands eventually take note and become more daring or are they too focused on brand and marketing over product innovation? They have the budgets and resources to shape the future of the watch industry, but for now the lions remain in their cages.
