Terms and classifications that we encounter a lot in the watch hobby affect our view of both watches and the choices made by watch enthusiasts. But, how? Let's look for the answer together...
Classification is one of the indispensable elements of almost any hobby and/or collection related to objects. Entry-level, mid-range, luxury, premium, high-end, etc. If we look at this through objects only, it is easy to minimize the gray areas between these classifications. Well, since our topic is watches, let's continue through watches.
As I said, when we make this classification in terms of the prices or technical features of watches, the boundaries appear more clearly. The model that offers the most features in a given price range, the most affordable Swiss automatic chronograph, the best 5 solid gold sports watches, etc. Well, what if we look at it from a social perspective?
Today, wristwatches are no longer a necessity. There is a very easy (and a free) way to find out the time clearly and quickly: by looking at your cell phone. Moreover, many objects, elements, or environments that appear in front of us during the day also tell us the time. Well, if an object is taken and used even when it is not needed, what do you call it? Yes, I thought the same. Luxury… Let's leave the price part aside and focus on the need or necessity part of the deal. If a wristwatch isn't a luxury item, then what it is?
Now, let's add some general but up-to-date data to this definition. Watch prices from almost every segment have increased significantly, especially in the last few years. If we add the negative effects of the pandemic on working power and raw material supply, the situation gets worse. I don't even get into the second-hand market. The list of “watches that cannot be bought from the dealer” continues to grow everyday. While this unpleasant situation drives many watch enthusiasts further away from the watches they dream of, it continues to be an invaluable marketing asset for the brands and a customer-guaranteed income for gray market dealers.
Another negative situation caused by this unpleasant picture for watch enthusiasts who are devoted to the watch industry and this hobby is the classification issue, which I mentioned at the beginning of my article. Now, as editors in the Horobox team, we classify watch models using our editor identity. What does this mean? As a watch editor today, I can define the Tissot PRX Powermatic80 as an excellent entry-level model. I'm sure almost everyone in a similar situation to me would make the same description. However, I don't know how many people will feel like they are looking at an entry-level product when they go shopping today and encounter the price tag of approximately 10,000 TL for the same watch.
It is possible to add many examples to this confusion of terms. Would a watch enthusiast like us when we tell him "it's a nice beginner’s watch" for his Oris that he bought for 3000 CHF after long struggles and sacrifices? If we ask him/her how long you have been interested in watches, I wonder if he/she really just started this hobby. Is it a reasonable reaction to say "poor man's Daytona..." to a user who today got the Zenith Chronomaster Sport model that he wanted so much for 10000 CHF? Well, what about seeing/presenting gold, which mankind has associated with money and power for thousands of years, equated with luxury and even called "the money of the gods", less valuable than the stainless steel used in a pressure cooker, just for the sake of being a Purist?
I am sure it is possible to add dozens of other examples to these. The only way to avoid being affected by these cheesy classifications and the negative perception they create is to shop completely and only for yourself. Believe me, you will be a much happier watch enthusiast once you accept this situation and start practicing it. Well, no object of desire can be a substitute for another. If you want a Daytona, try to buy a Daytona. If you can’t get it, accept this situation. The Zenith Chronomaster Sport is an excellent model. If you like this model, don't let the descriptions like "poor man's Daytona" or "Daytona killer" affect you. Read the story of Zenith El Primero. Research for its impact on the watchmaking industry. Also, don't characterize other people's choices in these or similar ways. When assessing the similarities between watches, consider the changes that different industry products have undergone over time. All American cars in the 1950s had large fins and chrome accents. Were they all Cadillac copies? What we're talking about here is an object. Of course, it will be influenced by fashion and trends and will include the common features of the time it was produced. Does this not even exist in art? Don't the music groups that left their mark on a certain period also represent the common sound of that period? So, how logical is it to call every relatively affordable steel watch with an integrated bracelet that you see “Audemars Piguet Royal Oak wannabe”? Of course, some brands try to exist by ruthlessly copying trending models in the industry, but they are not our subject. I'm talking about brands and models that have a history and a story behind them. So, there's a big difference between being the first and being the only one. I would say not to confuse the two.
These concepts, which have a place in the watch hobby, appear in many places from articles to friendly conversations. If we draw the boundaries correctly and make an objective evaluation while making the classifications, there is no problem. In any case, such approaches usually come from professionals like me, who are also in the editorial part of the industry. However, if you use these concepts only from the perspective of the user, or even completely from the perspective of your own views and ideas, it does not help much other than being unpleasant.
