What time is it? Watches and horology

It’s only very recently that Apple overtook Rolex’s global watch sales revenue. Patek’s revenue is unbelievable too (around $1.5 billion annually). Obviously we’re talking about high value items, but it’s clearly not as niche as I thought. I wonder if they are simply seen as a good value store/investment for a lot of high net worth individuals.

I wonder if they are simply seen as a good value store/investment for a lot of high net worth individuals.

This is probably the case, I don't know about the UK but here in NL watches and art are not subject to tax on wealth

Mine lives on an orange zulu, had their blue one for a bit but prefer the bit of colour.

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I imagine that it's a marketing company that use their own "algorithm" to come up with something that will get them in the press each year.

That’s where all those steel sports models are going I suppose. Stuck in a safe somewhere and mugs pay over the odds for the scraps.

Well if you’re in the big spender club you get the access, whether you stick them in the safe or wear them. When I collected my OP the guy next to me was picking up three or four new Rolexes in one go including at least one Daytona. Seemed like a regular thing for him.

No offense to the seller but I find these watches extremely ugly, what do other people here think about these Breitlings? Maybe because I'm no expert I'm missing something, but for me there is way too much going on.

Harsh. I think they are of an era. 90s?

I would take a Navitimer but not sure I'm man enough.

They’re relics of the late 90s/early 00s trend for chunky macho watches. Breitling were struggling, they wanted to be where IWC were, so they hired the former IWC CEO. His first range was the Navitimer 8 line (now renamed Aviator 8, since they aren't Navitimers and it pissed people off), which is so obviously more refined and classy and a big step away from the tough guy look and back towards classic aviation styling. They’re getting there. The new Chronomat is a huge improvement over those old ones.

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/breitling-chronomat-b01-42-watch-collection-hands-on/

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No offense to the seller

The seller is the guy posting them

😂

Cant be on sales. Mercedes sold £80m worth of just the A-class in the UK in the October alone. There are so many brands that sell many multiples of what Rolex do. Think how many people you know with a Rolex and how many with an Apple product.

@aggi I'd love to know the makeup of the algorithm. I bet brands can pay to be considered...

They’re relics of the late 90s/early 00s trend for chunky macho watches.

Did I recall you also explaining that at the time period being able to use digital process on dials allow the manufacturers to do what they weren’t able to in the past?

Always liked the top time, beautiful watch.

Oh yeah, totally. Hence the use of Times New Roman (on the tachy scale and elsewhere), i.e. the default serif system font, the serif counterpart to Arial (default sans serif font). That’s an example of what I mean by “pre-George Kern font use”. 😂

The new zorro one is really very nice. Such a good dial. They did a great job on that. Its only problem is that it’s too thick, being automatic.

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I agree that's a good looking watch!

That's a big improvement for sure! Good to see they got rid of those wings on the logo too.

Yeah, that's a banger. Still have some total whoppers in the line up but they're getting there. As long as you don't pay retail there's some deals to be had. Sizing still slightly too large across many references though. The Premier line's case and dial finishing is really quite something up close and personal.

My issue with Breitling is that they are a real classic in the genre "first commission payment".

It's an Archer strap: https://www.archerwatchstraps.com/products/quick-release-canvas-sand

Got it through Amazon.

Archer are pretty nice.

Best not to buy from Amazon tho.

I find this dial somewhat confusing.

It’s a decimetre/decimal scale, which was one of a number of options that the Top Time came with. I’m fully expecting Breitling to do a non-limited edition line of more conventional Top Times next year.

Markings like the ones on the minute counter were usually to show when payphone charge rates would tick over to the next increment. Though I thought usually that was 3/6/9 minutes, not fives. Need to check.

Edit: I guess it’s a regatta timer, 5/10/15 minutes counting down to the start of a yacht race, seems out of place on this one, though the original design had it.

Samsung had about £3bn of sales in the UK last year.

I suspect there's nothing so crass as payment, maybe a purchase of advertising space.

Apple were £2Bish in U.K. revenue