Fratello Talks: The Quest For Relevance In A Hype-Hungry Watch Industry
Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello Talks. This week, Nacho is joined by RJ and Lex to discuss their thoughts on a hype-hungry watch industry. Lately, more than ever before, it seems that big brands within the watch industry are doing their best to remain relevant by chasing hype. We saw the natural hype behind the Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch take over the world a couple of years ago, but have brands been successful in manufacturing similar excitement? Before we answer that question and look at several examples of how brands have attempted to do so, let’s see what’s on the guys’ wrists.
Wrist check
Today, we start with Lex, who is our resident cyclist. Legend has it that he once beat Chris Froome in a footrace up Mont Ventoux and that he was the one who first taught Tadej Pogačar how to ride a bike. So it’s no wonder he feels right at home with the new cycling-themed Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV on his wrist.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, RJ is wearing his vintage Omega Constellation. This model is a reference CK2648-1 from 1952. If you want to read all about this lovely vintage piece, you can check out his article on it here.
Finally, Nacho has opted for a vintage watch as well. This late-’50s Tissot dress watch has a 34mm solid 14K gold case and is in near-NOS condition. He purchased it from the original owner, who received it as a communion gift from his grandfather. You can read the whole story here.
The quest for relevance in a hype-hungry watch industry
These days, it seems that many watch brands think the only way to be successful is to have customers clamoring. Indeed, some brands seek relevance by creating waves of hype and surfing them to audiences keen on chasing that same high. We saw it happen naturally (or as naturally as it comes these days) with the MoonSwatch, with lines of people outside Swatch boutiques wanting to exchange their hard-earned cash for a brand-new, exciting product. This is not the reaction that a brand like A. Lange & Söhne is after when launching a new watch. Its watches are slowly handmade and delivered to an exclusive few. However, brands anywhere between Swatch and Omega wouldn’t mind a slice of the hype. We have seen said brands making moves (bold and otherwise) to try to bottle this covetable lightning.
In today’s episode, we take a look at some recent examples and discuss how effective we found them to be. Tune in to hear our opinions, and join in by commenting with yours below!
And, as always, tune in next week for a new episode of Fratello Talks!
