@@garyboyle695 Well, it's not just Rolex any more. More and more manufacturers are jumping on this particular business model band wagon. This practice is spreading outside the watch industry too. Deliberately undersupplying to keep prices high.
I sometimes don’t get the annoyance with certain colors or issues like that. A Tiffany blue dial isn’t my taste but it’s not like Rolex or Patek or IWC only make that color. A multitude of other color options still exist so it doesn’t effect me. The crap websites, weird lug width, lack of detailed info, etc. I 100% agree with.
Another pet peeve: quartz watches without battery end-of-life indicator, especially the more expensive ones. Also: put the battery type on the case back, so you can buy the battery before the old one dies.
in the high-end/rather expensive quartz, when the battery is about to die, the second hand usually run/sweep for 3 second straight, and then stop and then run for another 3second, rather than a regular ticking.
A lack of good quality quartz watches in general honestly, there used to be so many quartz movements that were built like mechanical movements but nowadays even the eta movements have barely any jewels and plastic gears.
Never understood why so few watches come with multiple micro adjustment bracelets or even quick release pins. Literally ESSENTIAL for a better experience owning a watch!
MIDO is one of the less expensive Swiss companies, and a lot of their bracelets have multiple links' worth of micro-adjustment. It's very doable for the more expensive companies, and I can't figure out why they don't bother.
@Z10N Not even that, a Seiko 5 SNXS series has 5 or 6 micro adjustment slots on its claps, sure the bracelet is like on a Casio Illuminator but it has the option to adjust it perfectly to your wrist, on a $100 watch!
I like the Tiffany Blue dials. They add a needed pop of color to offset the black/silver/white dials that dominate the watch world. I personally don't own any watch that features this color, but if I found one that I liked in my price range I would seriously consider it.
I'd also like to add "The over obsession with Rolex." There are other fabulous watch brands out there, even though I must admit they've made a massive contribution to the watch world lets appreciate other brands just as much
cant agree more on that one. Even when i would tolerate obsession, the overpriced hype which comes with it. It makes collectors like me feel if i dont add this overpriced watch , i am not a real collector. I know so many people who would not buy a Rolex it if not back to list price.
@@Watchloveandphotography The prices plummeted. You can find a 114270 Explorer with box/papers for $5k right now. For reference, a 114270 was selling for $8,000 at its peak in 2021.
I love light blue dials. Ice blue, Tiffany, etc. why should this colors not be part of the options we can get, just as black or white? But trends are trends and possibly this Tiffany blue trend will start disappearing soon. Just wish at least Tiffany keeps it…
2 more: ghost positions on no date watches and exhibition case backs with movements that don’t justify same. Display backs increases case height (albeit slightly) but since I like thinner watches it is a bad trade off. I’m talking in particularly to my Tudor 925 and Tudor ceramic….
No thanks. I agree about quick resizing clasp, but I strongly disagree about the quick change thing. Apart few examples (basically only Oris with the quick release spring bars), all the others (IWC, Cartier etc) turn the strap into proprietary and therefore you are forced to use they only straps which normally are sold for crazy prices and have very limited choices. Get a strap change tool (they are cheap!) and use those ones.
@@hirobosch38 I change quite regularly, really depending on the season/weather. For example, a Breton NATO is ideal for summer, while a Bond-esque NATO is good for colder months.
Agree on the adjustable bracelet. The President bracelet on my Day-Date has no adjustment whatsoever. After I first acquired it, I went back and forth adding or removing a link. One way was too tight, and removing a link made it just a bit too loose. I finally ended up with the too-loose length as it's better than too tight.
Great list, I agree with almost everything.... although a good number of them aren't really what I would consider current trends. Okay, now how about one for trends we like! Here's two of my favorites to kick off the list: Thinner case heights. And longer power reserves.
Agree with this list! 😄👍🏼 However, for me, #1 would be "no quick change straps/bracelets" ... I love changing straps on my watch b/c it give my watches new life and sometimes a completely new look-n-feel. Thanks for sharing!
I also agree that watch sizes shouldn’t matter as long as they look good on your wrist. The watch industry is missing out on a lot of sales not producing a nice Chrono 38 with no bling. If they did my wouldn’t be so far behind me in her collection. Just saying. Thanks Britt
I have really small wrist and really wanted a smaller sized chronograph (from reputable brand). It was a pipe dream until Longines released the Heritage Record Chronograph!! Although it''s not quite 38mm (it's 40mm), it sits very nicely on my wrist and very comfortable to wear! I'm still waiting for the day to wear it! (Bought it for a special event)
I noticed Omega hit your list a few times. I don’t think the Danial Craig Bond watch is limited addition. I watched an interview with the CEO where he said they would produce as many as needed. However, it does have the fake aging and anti reflective coating on both sides (which I don’t mind). What is annoying to me is how easily stainless steal scratches. I think watch makers should use techniques to harden the steal to reduce scratches like Traska Watches.
I really like the way Sinn does the 4 o'clock date on the 556A. Otherwise I prefer a 3 o'clock or not date. I agree with everything else on the list except the Tiffany dial. I like the color.
I totally agree with you Jenni in that in every watch store there will always be ladies watches that are small, have diamonds and have a quartz movement. That is a big reason why my mom prefers to look a men's watches rather than ladies watches. They are far more appealing to the eye. 😍😍😍
Thanks for the informative video. This is the first site that agrees with me that quick change bracelets "need to die". They weaken the strap and add to the cost for something that is rarely needed. Just because a tiny minority of vocal owners wants to change straps more often than their underwear that is no reason to force the rest of us to pay for it.
For me... the vast majority of watches at this point should have a minimum water resistance of 100m. It doesn't add much size or cost, charge me more if you have to... I want the piece of mind of not having to worry about it if it gets wet or I forget to take it off
@@bdegrdsMarking a watch as 100m wr does not mean it is going to be used to dive 100m but it is tested to take such pressure which makes a user more confortable when using it doing some water sports. 3ATM, or 30m wr watches can only stand a hand wash, being splashed, while 50m wr says ok, you can take me to the pool but do not move your arms too much as my poor gasket can't stand it. So, yes, 100m wr is a must. Screw-down crown if possible.
Great content on this video. I personally think having the AR on the outside is a deal breaker for me. It really does defeat the purpose of having a sapphire crystal once the outside AR gets all mucked up.
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I have no problem with the date at 4:30. The problem is that at 3 and 6, the date disc has to be a different colour and pretend to be a marker, except it's never lumed like a marker (understandable), rarely matches the dimensions of the other markers and rarely looks right as a result. You still end up with an inbalance. At 4:30, if they've matched the date disc to the dial colour, the date almost disappears and you can ignore it until it's needed. Of course, in a lot of cases, watch dials would look much better if they were to ditch the date altogether. But that is a whole other thing.
Agreed! It can allow for the preservation of the symmetry of the 3, 6, 9, 12 markets/numbers. I think this has a much bigger overall impact than the 4:30 date. I have a number of 4:30 date watches (B&R, GS, future BP Fifty) and it is just part of the design choices.
Another trend that needs to end: Ghost 👻 pull on the crown 👑 because watch makers are either too cheap or too lazy to acquire the proper movements when using a NO Day/Date dial.
How about offering watch bands in larger sizes. I have a 9 1/2" wrist. It is difficult to get quality watch bands. I had a leather "Bund" style custom made for a larger wrist. I'm sure I'm not the only guy on the planet with gorilla arms. They are missing out on a piece of the band aftermarket. Also all crowns should be screw down. They advertise watches with 100 meter water resistance, but they caution you to occasionally swim or shower wearing it. Especially field watches. You would think they would be totally water resistant. That's the purpose of a field watch, to take any treatment in the field with no issues. I have four field watches. I like the military styling. I'd have more but, it gets expensive having longer straps made.
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I agree with your list ...lots of annoying or completely bad trends. My personal most-hated watch feature though has to be the cyclops. It ruins pretty much every watch I've ever seen it on. If I never see a watch with another, it's too soon! Thanks for a great vid!
1) continuous unjustified price increases 2) No discounts 3) artificial supply constraints / unavailability 4) fake high demand that would justify the previous 3 practices.
I want to love Grand seiko but i can't. And if you go through this list, you'd realize that GS violates so many of these. and that's the reason why i'd never own one. I think the community needs to be more critical of them, otherwise they'd never fix all these negative aspects.
I’m so in agreement with loosing rainbow bezels particularly if they are on a chronograph, diver or GMT. Those are tool watches and the bezel is numbered for a reason. I get the fact that no one who wears a rainbow Daytona is going to be timing a race with the chronograph but that function is destroyed non the less. That’s just my pet peeve.
I love the rainbow Daytona, not because it's practical (who times stuff even on a normal chronograph)? But because it takes everything that Rolex represents and multiplies it by 1,000. The base model is a £12k watch which if you work backwards and assume that Rolex and the AD are both doubling their money means that it costs Rolex less than £3k (probably a lot less than that) to make the Daytona, best guess says that the movement costs less than £1,000. Imagine buying a £100,000 watch with a £1,000 movement....it is the horological equivalent of polishing a turd. Once you embrace that though and accept that it's brash, completely over the top and verging on vulgar it makes complete sense. I want one!
100% agree that my biggest annoyance is no quick adjust. I like my watch to sit above my wrist bone which is easy if it's well fitted, but on a hot day that means it's too tight. With quick adjust I don't need to worry about that.
0:55 I have that watch! Yes it's an homage, but it is incredibly finished considering the price. And I have both the male and female endlinks for that bracelet.
Great video and good points. However I don't fully agree with the odd lugwidth. I get that it's annoying since it's less likely that you can share straps between watches and they availability isn't great. However, the lugwidth does play a significant role for the case design. Usually a strap half the case diameter looks proportional. So 20mm on 40mm dials and 18 on 36mm dial works great. But the quite common and trending 38 mm watches looks a bit odd with 18 or 20 mm lugs. For example the hamilton khaki field would look better imo if it had 19 instead of 20 mm lugs.
How can you say the Zenith defy classic is a Genta inspired watch as the defy was originally released 3 years before the Royal Oak. If anything Genta was inspired by the Zenith.
One thing I really dislike is 'sliced numerals' where the main indices on the dial are partly cut off by subdials. Either have a full number or replace it by a short marker. I'd love a Lange 1815 chronograph, but I can't accept the mutilated 9 and 3. I notice that Patek have pretty much stopped doing this on recent models.
A great list of unfavourable trends Jenni. While I agree with almost all of them, some do not bother me. People can vote with there wallets, if you don't like something for example odd lug widths, no one is forcing you to spend your money but some people they might not be that bothered. Certainly if the watch is on a bracelet (with female end links, tool less micro adjust etc) then the need for changing may not be an issue. This is also the case with integrated bracelets anyway. One moan that I would add would be the removal of dial mounted power reserve indicators, if you need one put it on the back and give us a display case black. Of course some models with the reserve on the dial do it better than others but for me I'm not a fan.
The internet “watch community” is mostly young, so their wallets are minimal (particularly with crypto down), but their opinions are loud (and mostly ignorant).
I think these are more on the side of "common annoyances" versus "trends", but that's a good list. Someone mentioned below, and I agree, that the biggest annoyance is "artificial supply constraints."
I agree with the no quick adjustments because I wish every Watch with a band links had it because it would make it easier to adjust the Watch to fit your wrist without having to remove links to get the Watch to fit your wrist
I hate watch web sites that do not show the movement number and origin. Nothing worse than looking at a Swiss sounding watch and finding a cheap Chinese quartz in it.
Great video. Complete agree with you on bracelet tapering and quality clasp. Needs to be the default for all luxury watch brands, and it’s the one area that lets GS down.
- "Limited Editions" cough, Seiko, cough... I've recently got Red Special II (Brian May Edition). I've got it, because I genuinely loved the looks of the watch - the dial, the bezel, even the strap. It also helped a bit, that I've always been a Queen fan (even if not a "hardcore" one). Still have Brian May's first solo album on a cassette back home... Funny thing is, I normally despise gold, since I find it too "loud", especially when worn with with casual clothes, so normally I aim at more traditional designs, mostly with stainless steel cases. Yet, I really like how colorful Red Special II is, and it's fun for me to wear it. Most importantly though, it's a Seiko 5 with solid automatic 4r36 movement, second hacking and manual winding, the bezel action and lume are OK (for this price range), so I'm quite satisfied. For whatever reason, the first version of Red Special didn't include manual winding... Still though, when you visit any good watch shop online and go to Seiko page, it seems like their every other watch is a "limited edition", even though there's nothing really "special" about them... - Screw down crowns. It seems like every watchmaker and their mother are having some divers or diver-style watches in their collections these days. A lot of these still don't have screw down crowns. What the hell. It should be a standard in a diver's watch. I would understand it, if it was some super-cheap watch, just "pretending" to be a diver's watch. Yet it's entirely possible to find a watch from well-known brand, with quite high price tag, and it still doesn't have it. But... it defies the whole purpose, doesn't it? - Clasps. Yeah, that micro adjustment should be a standard nowadays. But the thing that bugs me even more, is when I buy a watch that's quite expensive, yet it turns out the bracelet has a lame, cheap stamped clasp, instead of properly milled one. Why even cut corners like that? You want to make a good watch, make it good from beginning to the end. - Diamonds and sh...t. Yeah, nope. I know, it's a matter of a personal taste, but there's this saying "if something works, don't try to fix it". There are many examples of iconic watch designs, which are perfect with their "underengineered" and "understated" looks, yet at some point someone decided it's a "good idea" to completely ruin them by slapping on them tons of jewels and precious metals. Me? Just somebody give me a regular, plain, "boring" AP, PPh, or JL "Reverso", thank you very much 😄 - Thick and big. Well... Again, it's a matter of a personal taste, I would say. Sure Invictas get a lot of flak due to their designs and ridiculous thickness of most of their watches. I wonder, what would you say to some of the Vostok Europe designs? Not to be confused with Vostok, that's entirely different company. I love some of VE watches, especially from the "Energia Rocket" series. I'm thinking about getting one, like for example Energia Rocket Bronze Automatic (YN84-575O540). The case is 48 mm, and the case thickness is 17 mm! Also the case is solid bronze, the watch weighs 150 g, according to website. This watch is a hilariously massive thing ( as well, as some other VE models, too), you could probably drive nails with it...🤣 Also, i find ladies watches from VE "Undine" series absolutely gorgeous, even though you won't find any diamonds in them. Just check out something like their VK64-515E627 , VK64-515E628 or VK64-515B527 models, for example. Dials, hands and indices are designed in such way, that they make the watch look like a flower. Beautiful, yet not overly flashy.
First: 4 o’clock date windows are great. They can often “hide” well on the dial and in some models like the SeaQ that’s a defining feature and it looks amazing. 2. Faux patina is perfectly fine. I’ve been a car guy long before I was a watch guy and the colors of cars or watches is perfectly fine. Sometimes the milky patina works better than pure white would (Hamilton Murph) it’s a design color choice people make a far too big a deal about. 3. Tiffany blue dials are great and again I don’t understand people’s issue with any color. If they want more options I completely get that but stop trying to reduce our options. The others I agree with but these three are silly to complain about.
I freaking agree with the Lug to Lug. It is very very important, same important as the diameter size & thickness. The clasp also kinda ruins my Longines Hydroconquest, the original stainless steel bracelet clasp is ridiculous hard to use & so old for new upgraded design. Agreed so much with the quick release bracelet/strap.
Back in the mid 20thC and earlier... there were a slew of ULTRA exclusive jewelry houses, associated with the highest levels of luxury, Geubelin in Switzerland, Tiffany & Co in the US etc.... .... and these companies were viewed, generally speaking, as being far more esteemed, far more aspirational, than ANY watch maker, even Breguet, or the Trinity, in fact the ONLY watch maker which could come CLOSE, was Cartier... because everyone forgets Cartier was founded by a WATCHMAKER FIRST, and thinks they are jewelers who make watches (no more true of they than Piaget).... ....this meant that if you were a high quality watchmaker making watches in noble metals, or bejeweled ones, with all this elements of fine craftsmanship, the right beveling, the right chamfering, fit and finish perfect, tolerances masterful... you might be able to sell your watches in such stores.... ......BUT.... it would NOT be your name, Rolex, or Patek Phillipe, or Breget on the dials.... it would be the JEWELERS, or they would NOT sell your watches. Back in the day, that was where you went. Almost NO watchmakers had stores... at least not AD chains... they MIGHT have ONE store outside the one they operated in the same town as the factory, but if you wanted their watches, and you did not live in the town they were made in, or could get to Paris or New York or London or Geneva.... you HAD to go to a Jeweler. And THESE Jewelers were the ones which the people who could AFFORD that kind of watch you made, would shop at. So, thus, we have many watches from even well before the 70s, that sport a Tiffany dial, some blue, some the watchmakers other colours, but branded Tiffany, rather than say, Rolex, or JLC, or such. THAT is where the Tiffany dial comes from, not a modern collaboration with PP on the Nautilus.
It's refreshing to see a woman commenting on watches, especially one that seems well researched. Thank you. On another note, it's also refreshing to see a tasteful tattoo. I'm nobody , my opinion matters to nobody , yet, I can't stand tattoos, maybe because they are so rarely done well. Kind of like date windows. But Jenni's tattooed arm looks feminine and not trashy. it actually works to enhance an already attractive woman . clearly a case for "wasted space" and the "less is more" phenom . Now if she was the same person with an over done sleeve , I would say it evokes a bit of a campy flavor. Bravo for the restraint and the beauty !
I have no comprehension for why people hate on tiffany dials. It's my favourite colour, and I don't think that writing off an entire part of the colour spectrum makes sense just because it's popular or because one thinks that it's copying something else. Might as well get upset that there are red dials or yellow dials, if we're in the business of canceling colours.
I don't understand that either, and it is not my favourite colour. Yes, if suddently lots of watches were only available in that colour then that would be a problem, but that is rarely the case. I suppose some people are annoyed if they bought a luxury watch at a great expense, in a colour they cherish, and on social media the Tiffany blue version gets all the attention, and on the grey market the higher retail value. That's a fashion trend though, not the industry.
Great video! Only one thing: I woluld like to see videos, where not the wrist circumference are the reference! The wrist are an oval shape thing - if you are chubby, it can be nearly circle, if boney, much more wide oval and the circumference says nothing - so the WIDTH are the important thing. If the L2L of the watch not exceeding the 75-80% of the width of the wrist, the watch will sit on your wrist completely fine, even with male endlinks! I can wear my Seiko Samurai totally fine with male endlink Strapcode Hexad bracelet on my 58-59mm wide wrist. But the Samurai are really my upper limit. If you have below 50mm wrist width, please do not wear a Moonwatch or a 40mm PRX, even a Seiko Alpinist can be too big for you. My daughter has so tiny wrist, the SNK803 are a little bit too big for she. She also do not like quartz "women's" watches, so the choose was not easy, but she can grow a little bit. She has triyng wear my Samurai once, never again. :-) Maybe she's knuckle are wide enough for a big diver. :-D
I missed your query as to what are the most annoying watch trends. The one I'm about to state is not, it's been around for a long time but it is totally misleading and I would say fraudulent. That is, seeing watches are water resistant to 50 m and then have people explained to you that that means you can get a few drops on it while you're washing your hands but I wouldn't do more than that. Just get a standard that's, that's a trend I would like to see (something along the lines of IP ratings that are now used for everything else in the world when it comes to water tightness). Put a little more research into how to seal a case.
It's crazy, isn't it? When a watch is advertised and sold as water resistant to 30m, I think it should be, y'know, water resistant to 30m... And I wonder how many people who aren't really into watches have taken this information at face value and ruined their watch?
For me the most awkward and annoying change is the 24-hour indicator dial slaved to the main hour and minute in quartz/solar quartz chronograph watches. 10-15 years ago I remembered there used to be a massive range of quartz/solar quartz chronograph watches with three subdials offering up to 12 hours of cumulative chronograph counting. But when I started seriously collecting watches last year, I realize that many brands now just offer 60 minutes of cumulative counting and switch out the 12-hour counting dial with a 24-hour indicator dial slaved to the main time. For me this is quite useless. It is neither an independent GMT/second time zone indicator, nor a 12-hour dial that I could use to count more cumulative time. Why, just why?
Non-hacking doesn't really bother me. What's the point of setting your watch to the second if by the next day is going to be +/- 3-20 seconds off? My first automatic watch was non-hacking and it used to bother me because I thought I was missing out. Then I got one with hacking. I realized that it was even more bothersome to set it precisely only to see it slowly lose or gain seconds in one day. Now I just set my watches to the minute and leave it at that. What's more annoying to me are automatics without hand-widing.
I once had this watch when i was younger. with a metal bracelet. but the bracelet was a bit loose, sliding down my wrist. which i first didn't really notice at the time. but later on it was annoying that it was sliding down on my hand. so after more than a year i finally decided to get it looser. but the shop i bought it from didn't exist anymore because they wen't out of business. so i wen't to another watchmaker shop to adjust the bracelet. and the people there where very impolite and said they didn't want to help me because its not a watch from their store. then i wen't to another watchmaker shop and it was the same story. later i gave it another try in another shop. and she said on a very pissed tone "you know thats gonna cost you €10? with a tone as if i didn't want to pay or don't have the money to pay?' idk i always dress proffesional and i'm really polite. and i really wonder why its necessary that they treat me so bad as a customer that is actually willing to pay to have a bracelet changed? they are so impolite for wanting to change a metal bracelet? which takes a couple of minutes and i pay for it? am i the asshole? or am i missing something? because none of the people where actualy busy and i always was the only customer. all of them felt like snobs looking down on me as if i am filth.
Well, you should get a prize for the funniest post so far, to the extent I half suspect it's a well executed hoax. If not, with three strikes and three misses, the chances are your approach may lack charm. Of course, don't forget, you could be 'missing something' and be an asshole at the same time.
@@michaelbedford8017 no, I am very good at communicating with people. The third one actually helped me but she was not polite. I guess these watchmakerd where very pissed that it's not a watch I bought from them..
Yes to the missing Lug to Lug measurements 👍👍. As for the Non-Tapered bracelet.....I think its actually its quiet nice if you wear your watch military style. Quick Change strap/bracelet.... hate them. I want to know that there is little to no chance of this coming undone. Same with Quick Adjustment ( and who the hell share's their watch???!). Websites - Yes they all need an overhaul. Especially their ability to filter (e.g. case size, strap or bracelet, automatic or mechanical,....)
I've been saying for over a year how annoying it is that so many female oriented watches are always quartz. Partially because I have small wrists and lean towards 38mm and under aside from chronographs (although even my Seagull 1963 is the 38mm version) but also my wife has gotten into watches after seeing my enthusiasm and loves wearing my Orient Mako and Seamaster midszie but wants a daily mechanical watch of her own that's around 35mm-38mm and that seems increasingly hard to find. I've shown her alot of the Seiko 5's but she wants more of a dive style watch with a rotating bezel that she can wear every day and when I told her about getting her her own SMP she said she would be scared to wear something that expensive to work. Let women enjoy mechanical pieces too without having to compromise either getting an automatic but its the most expensive version which usually means diamonds and/or gold (looking at you Tissot) or settling for a larger than desired case size.
Wow! What a great list! While I don't agree with some of these trends, I do hope watch manufacturers take notice. I have a couple more to add as personal annoyances: 1. fingerprint magnets, and 2. scratch magnets.
I personally really dislike date window on dress watch and dive watch. Date watch destroys the symmetry of watch and if I am diving underwater, the date is least of my concern. Also I believe a display caseback on mechanical watch is necessary. What purposes mechanical watches serve in modern time other than aesthetic?
YES! The "ladie's" watch sections drive me crazy! Why can't an automatic GMT diver be 36mm? It's not that it's not technically possible, it's just that watchmakers seem to think that all women want is quartz /diamonds / mother of pearl (my wrist is 13cm/ 5.1 inches, anything above 36mm looks and feels ridiculous).
On the end links debate, designers need to perfect the design of the watch case and lugs to ensure the watch wears well on the inteded customers' wrists. Oyster style bracelet with female end links looks like an after market thing as it wasn't desined to complete the full watch design. It looks as if the end links are a part of the case and you had to use a small connector to connect the bracelet to the watch. For me, this is a design faux pas! I think the design/size of a watch case and lugs are more crutial than the end links for the ideal watch fitment.
Tiffany blue is the best color after salmon. I've been trying to convince myself for couple of months that i don't need to spend $280 on citizen tsuyosa with that color
Yeah, that's what I say too, with certain exceptions over little issuers about clasps that everyone seems to overly grouse about. Doxa had the sort of Miami Blue dial before the worst offenders of it, and I do love it. And there should be regulations requiring standard size intervals for all lug widths too!
Watch designers choose lug widths based on the proportions of the case and dial design, not out of consideration for what aftermarket straps you might use.
agreed on the "Limited editions". Companies seem to only create watches with ALL their desirable features in one watch in a small series that sell out in minutes. Why not sell what people want in a main line? An example would be the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. They only do the smaller case sizes in small batches, that are unobtainable, while the huge 43mm sit unsold in watch display cases at all the Boutiques. And don't even get me started on Omega Moonwatches......"I have the half-sapphire sandwich, pre-Gen2 with the half-smile snoopy...."
I love re-edition watches especially the Longines ones! They come with considerable upgrades (in movements or materials used to make the watch) but retain the classic look that I like!
I don't understand what's wrong with a rainbow dial. It's not my thing, but at least it's colourful. The same goes for male end-links, on the right watch they are very comfortable. Hacking seconds make no sense on a watch that loses or gains time. To cut a long story short, hacking seconds really only make sense on a high accuracy quartz. Non tapered bracelets are a style and design choice to beef things up. Terrible clasps may look more flimsy than you'd like, but I've never seen 'm break at that part. Then I love me some vintage looking watches. Odd lug widths: Get a custom strap. When it comes to quick adjustment, it tends to make the entire clasp more beefy and thus less ergonomic. So I prefer a smaller clasp with half links, thank you. And there's nothing wrong with a limited. Finally, there has only been one Tiffany dial. You can't lump in every tone of light blue or minty green with Tiffany's. That's a very particular pantone shade noone used. So the only things we seem to agree on is needlessly thick watches, Genta designs and finally the big boxes, I'm afraid. Genta never did anything decent after the Polerouter.
warranties gotta go. If companies want to give them, then no matter what type of issue, you should be able to send your watch to have buffed and clean.
I'm new to watches and when you said vintage dive homages need to die I almost died. Being original is good idea but if the consumer demands a certain look then you can't blame watch makers for delivering again.
Not a trend but I wish it was - NO DAY DATE. I guarantee that 100% of the time it's me telling the watch the day and date. Time this useless function went away. Coupled with that the excruciatingly annoying, distorting cyclops, which messes up the view of the dial from anywhere but directly down. I only made this mistake once on a Seiko gen 4 monster I bought last year. Hated the cyclops so much I was trying to remove it on day 2. Damaged the crystal and replaced it. Never again. I like to have a collection with a variety of colours, so I don't hate the Tiffany blue
I disagree a bit about the fauxtina. I think it looks nice when done well. I see no wrong with cream lume on modern watches. New lume doesn't age like old lume used to, so if you like the vintage look of cream lume you'll never get it with a modern watch, no matter how many centuries you wait for it to finally look vintage. I do agree that 'distressed' markers and dials are unnecessary and of questionable taste. I also disagree about the limited editions. I think sometimes there's a proper place for them, as you yourself admitted. As for re-editions, yeah, I think they're mostly unnecessary. I agree that Tudor appears to be simply and unimaginatively milking their back catalogue for profits at this point.
A rainbow bezel on a Daytona removes a big part of the functionality of the watch. The hate isn’t just about the aesthetic but the loss of function too.
#1 watch design that needs to die, putting the date at 3 o’clock, and using white, or any other color for the date background that doesn’t match the dial color. Also, putting stupid warts on the watch crystal to magnify the date-if needed just use bigger numbers. But if you have to have a date, hide it at 4:30 using dial color background. After all, you shouldn’t need to see the date except very rarely.
Here's my Watch Heresy. I don't like any of the Genta models and can't wait till they all vanish. I love all the interesting colours. That should never die out. I'm also over the giant, clunky case sizes. Can we please get some 34mm.
Relating to swapping straps in and out.. Drilled lug are so useful! They neeeeeeed to be standard! For some reason Seiko stock spring bars have next to no grippage. They're incredibly frustrating to get out.
As a Grand Seiko and Zenith fan (high beat are the best!), I totally feel targeted with 2, 3, 10, 11, and 12. But I have to agree: Their Bracelets suck big time! Both Brand would greatly benefit from raising their clasp game.
I agree about the 4oclock date. Not only does it throw off the dial symmetry but it is difficult to get used to if all of your other watches have the day at 30clock (I dont care for the date at 6oclock either even though it does actually look the best for the same reason). The only time I get it is for a 3 subdial chronograph. Not sure where else you would put it.
I have to agree with 100% about the Zenith clasp. I have put my one away and now have it on Hershey leather/rubber watch strap. It was a nail breaker 😆
Overall I have no major problems with re-issues. Aside from the limited edition runs of them. If you're taking the time/expense to do it, then make it available. Pros: You get the vintage watch look and feel without the cost or frailty of the original. Cons: Limited edition runs of them, mechanical watches re-issued in quartz, or insane prices on them, sometimes more then an original piece. cough Hamilton cough. And finally. If you want to get technical. Rolex has been doing "re-issues" for 40+ years seeing how their main lines have not really changed at all over that time.
08:32 - The date window on that GS was at 4:00 and replaces the index. On those other examples, the date windows were at 4:30 and squeezed in between the indices. I prefer the GS method.
Hacking seconds is a new fad with little purpose for most people. Back when mechanical watches were relevant as timekeepers people weren't all connected to an atomic clock like they are now. The point of a seconds hand is mainly to show you that the watch is running properly.
Great vid, Elle. What about utterly HIDEOUS blobs of crystal (cyclops) which absolutely RUIN the look of the watch (YES, I'm talking Rolex)? Butterfly/deployant clasp bracelets with no half links are also terribly annoying, as getting the correct fit can be very hit-or-miss. I personally think that 'Tiffany' blue dials look really cool (I don't actually own a watch with this colour dial), why the hate?
But I love non-taped bracelets & bands! I have a 7.25" (18.4cm) wrist, but I'm still a pretty big boot-wearing, beer-drinking, motorcycle-riding guy (230#/104kg, 5' 10.5"/1.79m) so I can easily pull off a 20mm untapered bracelet. What really irks me are 18mm bands that taper down to 16mm; come-on man, it makes me feel like I snag'd my wife's band. 😄
Oddly enough I don't mind male end links and cyclops. If the end link follows the natural curve of a wrist rather than a horizontal slab then it usually works fine. But Limited Editions, grrrrrr, Seiko. So many times Seiko brings out a nice watch without mass appeal and they figure they will sell maybe 5 or 6 thousand. So we get a L.E. of 5500 pieces. No, that's not a Limited Edition. That's a small production run.
I respectfully disagree with the non hacking movement.. the non hacking movement makes it more robust & will last longer.. because according to an expert in watchmaking, hacking the movement is like trying to stop an electric fan that is still on & spinning.. It holds & stops the balance wheel while it is in motion which makes it more easier for wear & tear.. that is why seiko 5 & skx007 is built lika a tank.. In my opinion, I don't have to set the time exactly or accurately... When I set my mechanical watch it is always less than a minute up to 3 minutes advance depending if it is running minus or plus a day.. so stopping the seconds hand is no use for me.. I first set the time then the day & date before shaking or winding my watch because I am avoiding to hack the seconds hand while it is already running.. there is nothing wrong on reissues & genta homage.. the reason it is being reissued because it is so beautifully made much better than the designs today.. just like music.. I also disagree on the dial color.. everyone has their own taste & style.. I love my light green dial tissot prx & my tiffany blue pagani design watch.. It looks cool to the eye & it looks fresh.. I also love the orange, yellow, pink & magenta.. trying different disal color is so refreshing & its about time to experiment on all colors of dials.. Because people sometimes get tired of gray, black & white dial on their watches.. I want to wear something unique & different..
The odd lug widths are a remain of earlier times , when these sizes were common , and it was easy to get the right straps. The best re-edition for me which make fun are the Nivada Dephtmaster and the Sherpa Supercompressor, so i cannot agree complete . It would depend which model was chosen and the quality of the product.
Quick release straps are great in theory but not all lug holes are drilled the same so if you want to change up straps, more often than not you will experience a bit of play. I don’t trust them. Always traditional OEM spring bars. Tape the lugs, use high quality tools. You’ll be fine.
Hi Jenni. Could you please review the German brand Circula SuperSport super Compressor dive watch with the black and petrol color dial? I am thinking of making it my first German watch to add to my diver watch collection along my Rolex Submarine, Longines Skin Diver, Longines HydroConquest, Ball Skin Diver III, Hamilton Frogman. Danke
Day and Date ( or just Date ) on a dive watch is just asinine! Another pet peeve is an unbalanced dial; the Longines Hydroconquest with a missing number 3 just curdles my milk! Watch Co. logos: some classic logos need to come back ( Mido ) and some current logos need to be redesigned ( Orient ). Did I mention horrendous wrist clocks?
I find it more annoying that production strap makers don't acknowledge the existence of odd lug widths more than the existence of watches with them, but then somehow most of the watches I want have 21mm lug widths.
With all of these issues, or trends, we all have different tastes. I agree, there are many trends that turn me off, but I don’t have the same tastes as everyone else. So chill, if something annoys you or that you just don’t like it, somebody else will love it. You know what they say about an ugly child, they have a face only a mother can love.
#1 worst trend: artificial supply constraints.
That won't be mentioned as it's Rolex.
Are you actually still hung up on that delusion? For fux sake man….
@@garyboyle695 Well, it's not just Rolex any more. More and more manufacturers are jumping on this particular business model band wagon. This practice is spreading outside the watch industry too. Deliberately undersupplying to keep prices high.
Get used to it…
@@meson183That may be true but none of them make around a million watches a year.
I sometimes don’t get the annoyance with certain colors or issues like that. A Tiffany blue dial isn’t my taste but it’s not like Rolex or Patek or IWC only make that color. A multitude of other color options still exist so it doesn’t effect me. The crap websites, weird lug width, lack of detailed info, etc. I 100% agree with.
Another pet peeve: quartz watches without battery end-of-life indicator, especially the more expensive ones.
Also: put the battery type on the case back, so you can buy the battery before the old one dies.
The battery type needed is usually in the owners manual.
@@tomnewham1269 there are plenty of models whose manual does not have that information. I have a few.
in the high-end/rather expensive quartz, when the battery is about to die, the second hand usually run/sweep for 3 second straight, and then stop and then run for another 3second, rather than a regular ticking.
My $300 marathon does this. I assumed it was standard for all quartz watches. 🤷♂️
A lack of good quality quartz watches in general honestly, there used to be so many quartz movements that were built like mechanical movements but nowadays even the eta movements have barely any jewels and plastic gears.
Never understood why so few watches come with multiple micro adjustment bracelets or even quick release pins. Literally ESSENTIAL for a better experience owning a watch!
MIDO is one of the less expensive Swiss companies, and a lot of their bracelets have multiple links' worth of micro-adjustment. It's very doable for the more expensive companies, and I can't figure out why they don't bother.
@Z10N Not even that, a Seiko 5 SNXS series has 5 or 6 micro adjustment slots on its claps, sure the bracelet is like on a Casio Illuminator but it has the option to adjust it perfectly to your wrist, on a $100 watch!
@@danonthestrings No kidding? Absolutely crazy at that price point.
Agreeeeeeeee
Midos clasp has ruined all other watches for me.
I like the Tiffany Blue dials. They add a needed pop of color to offset the black/silver/white dials that dominate the watch world. I personally don't own any watch that features this color, but if I found one that I liked in my price range I would seriously consider it.
Tissot PRX are out in this color now 👍
I'd also like to add "The over obsession with Rolex." There are other fabulous watch brands out there, even though I must admit they've made a massive contribution to the watch world lets appreciate other brands just as much
Naaaaa…
cant agree more on that one. Even when i would tolerate obsession, the overpriced hype which comes with it. It makes collectors like me feel if i dont add this overpriced watch , i am not a real collector. I know so many people who would not buy a Rolex it if not back to list price.
Quite right, and Rolex are not even thought of as high horology. Far too much hype surrounding them.
I honestly have no desire to own a Rolex. Lots of other watches to choose from
@@Watchloveandphotography The prices plummeted. You can find a 114270 Explorer with box/papers for $5k right now. For reference, a 114270 was selling for $8,000 at its peak in 2021.
I love light blue dials. Ice blue, Tiffany, etc. why should this colors not be part of the options we can get, just as black or white? But trends are trends and possibly this Tiffany blue trend will start disappearing soon. Just wish at least Tiffany keeps it…
2 more: ghost positions on no date watches and exhibition case backs with movements that don’t justify same. Display backs increases case height (albeit slightly) but since I like thinner watches it is a bad trade off. I’m talking in particularly to my Tudor 925 and Tudor ceramic….
The quick changes for straps/bracelets and resizing are both absolute must haves in today's watch world!
No thanks. I agree about quick resizing clasp, but I strongly disagree about the quick change thing. Apart few examples (basically only Oris with the quick release spring bars), all the others (IWC, Cartier etc) turn the strap into proprietary and therefore you are forced to use they only straps which normally are sold for crazy prices and have very limited choices.
Get a strap change tool (they are cheap!) and use those ones.
I change the strap at the end of its live, say three years. I don't see a need to change it every week.
@@hirobosch38 I change quite regularly, really depending on the season/weather. For example, a Breton NATO is ideal for summer, while a Bond-esque NATO is good for colder months.
Agree on the adjustable bracelet. The President bracelet on my Day-Date has no adjustment whatsoever. After I first acquired it, I went back and forth adding or removing a link. One way was too tight, and removing a link made it just a bit too loose. I finally ended up with the too-loose length as it's better than too tight.
Rolex sells 1.25 links for the president bracelet
Great list, I agree with almost everything.... although a good number of them aren't really what I would consider current trends. Okay, now how about one for trends we like! Here's two of my favorites to kick off the list: Thinner case heights. And longer power reserves.
I would take a higher beat rate over longer power reserves, personally.
@@markc.5750 what is the use of a higher beat rate..
@@yusufbest4475 smoother second hand. I’m a sucker for those spring drives and electrostatic movements.
@@markc.5750exact reason why I just love grand seiko and zenith with their beautifully smooth and beautifully designed movements
Agree with this list! 😄👍🏼
However, for me, #1 would be "no quick change straps/bracelets" ... I love changing straps on my watch b/c it give my watches new life and sometimes a completely new look-n-feel.
Thanks for sharing!
I also agree that watch sizes shouldn’t matter as long as they look good on your wrist. The watch industry is missing out on a lot of sales not producing a nice Chrono 38 with no bling. If they did my wouldn’t be so far behind me in her collection. Just saying. Thanks Britt
I have really small wrist and really wanted a smaller sized chronograph (from reputable brand). It was a pipe dream until Longines released the Heritage Record Chronograph!! Although it''s not quite 38mm (it's 40mm), it sits very nicely on my wrist and very comfortable to wear! I'm still waiting for the day to wear it! (Bought it for a special event)
I noticed Omega hit your list a few times. I don’t think the Danial Craig Bond watch is limited addition. I watched an interview with the CEO where he said they would produce as many as needed. However, it does have the fake aging and anti reflective coating on both sides (which I don’t mind). What is annoying to me is how easily stainless steal scratches. I think watch makers should use techniques to harden the steal to reduce scratches like Traska Watches.
I really like the way Sinn does the 4 o'clock date on the 556A. Otherwise I prefer a 3 o'clock or not date. I agree with everything else on the list except the Tiffany dial. I like the color.
No date is the real true answer
I love the Sinn 556, but I'm just a no complication guy as well, no date for me
ain't no way Tiffany is more infuriating than faux-tina this is rigged
I totally agree with you Jenni in that in every watch store there will always be ladies watches that are small, have diamonds and have a quartz movement. That is a big reason why my mom prefers to look a men's watches rather than ladies watches. They are far more appealing to the eye. 😍😍😍
Thanks for the informative video. This is the first site that agrees with me that quick change bracelets "need to die". They weaken the strap and add to the cost for something that is rarely needed. Just because a tiny minority of vocal owners wants to change straps more often than their underwear that is no reason to force the rest of us to pay for it.
For me... the vast majority of watches at this point should have a minimum water resistance of 100m. It doesn't add much size or cost, charge me more if you have to... I want the piece of mind of not having to worry about it if it gets wet or I forget to take it off
100m is the equivalent of a 30 story building. You don't need that.
yea agree with the other comment, your concern is mostly covered already. 100m is not needed.
@@bdegrdsMarking a watch as 100m wr does not mean it is going to be used to dive 100m but it is tested to take such pressure which makes a user more confortable when using it doing some water sports. 3ATM, or 30m wr watches can only stand a hand wash, being splashed, while 50m wr says ok, you can take me to the pool but do not move your arms too much as my poor gasket can't stand it. So, yes, 100m wr is a must. Screw-down crown if possible.
Great content on this video. I personally think having the AR on the outside is a deal breaker for me. It really does defeat the purpose of having a sapphire crystal once the outside AR gets all mucked up.
A competent watch shop can remove it with some polish, or you could do it yourself if you know what you are doing, but I agree, why even apply it?
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I really like the date at the 4. It's absolutely personal preference and design language
I like the idea of looking at the date at the 4 when driving with my hand at the 10. (when not in Seattle gridlock)
I like it too.
I have no problem with the date at 4:30. The problem is that at 3 and 6, the date disc has to be a different colour and pretend to be a marker, except it's never lumed like a marker (understandable), rarely matches the dimensions of the other markers and rarely looks right as a result. You still end up with an inbalance.
At 4:30, if they've matched the date disc to the dial colour, the date almost disappears and you can ignore it until it's needed.
Of course, in a lot of cases, watch dials would look much better if they were to ditch the date altogether. But that is a whole other thing.
Agreed! It can allow for the preservation of the symmetry of the 3, 6, 9, 12 markets/numbers. I think this has a much bigger overall impact than the 4:30 date. I have a number of 4:30 date watches (B&R, GS, future BP Fifty) and it is just part of the design choices.
@@m2pozad That must be really slow traffic if you need to check the date during your commute!😆
Another trend that needs to end:
Ghost 👻 pull on the crown 👑 because watch makers are either too cheap or too lazy to acquire the proper movements when using a NO Day/Date dial.
I get it but as a brokie I don't mind the cost savings
How about offering watch bands in larger sizes. I have a 9 1/2" wrist. It is difficult to get quality watch bands. I had a leather "Bund" style custom made for a larger wrist. I'm sure I'm not the only guy on the planet with gorilla arms. They are missing out on a piece of the band aftermarket.
Also all crowns should be screw down. They advertise watches with 100 meter water resistance, but they caution you to occasionally swim or shower wearing it. Especially field watches. You would think they would be totally water resistant. That's the purpose of a field watch, to take any treatment in the field with no issues.
I have four field watches. I like the military styling. I'd have more but, it gets expensive having longer straps made.
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I agree with your list ...lots of annoying or completely bad trends. My personal most-hated watch feature though has to be the cyclops. It ruins pretty much every watch I've ever seen it on. If I never see a watch with another, it's too soon! Thanks for a great vid!
1) continuous unjustified price increases
2) No discounts
3) artificial supply constraints / unavailability
4) fake high demand that would justify the previous 3 practices.
I want to love Grand seiko but i can't. And if you go through this list, you'd realize that GS violates so many of these. and that's the reason why i'd never own one. I think the community needs to be more critical of them, otherwise they'd never fix all these negative aspects.
I’m so in agreement with loosing rainbow bezels particularly if they are on a chronograph, diver or GMT. Those are tool watches and the bezel is numbered for a reason. I get the fact that no one who wears a rainbow Daytona is going to be timing a race with the chronograph but that function is destroyed non the less. That’s just my pet peeve.
I love the rainbow Daytona, not because it's practical (who times stuff even on a normal chronograph)? But because it takes everything that Rolex represents and multiplies it by 1,000. The base model is a £12k watch which if you work backwards and assume that Rolex and the AD are both doubling their money means that it costs Rolex less than £3k (probably a lot less than that) to make the Daytona, best guess says that the movement costs less than £1,000. Imagine buying a £100,000 watch with a £1,000 movement....it is the horological equivalent of polishing a turd. Once you embrace that though and accept that it's brash, completely over the top and verging on vulgar it makes complete sense. I want one!
100% agree that my biggest annoyance is no quick adjust. I like my watch to sit above my wrist bone which is easy if it's well fitted, but on a hot day that means it's too tight. With quick adjust I don't need to worry about that.
Totally agree. I size mine midway between my left and right wrist size, and then the weather determines if I wear it on the left or right wrist.
0:55 I have that watch! Yes it's an homage, but it is incredibly finished considering the price. And I have both the male and female endlinks for that bracelet.
Great video and good points. However I don't fully agree with the odd lugwidth. I get that it's annoying since it's less likely that you can share straps between watches and they availability isn't great. However, the lugwidth does play a significant role for the case design. Usually a strap half the case diameter looks proportional. So 20mm on 40mm dials and 18 on 36mm dial works great. But the quite common and trending 38 mm watches looks a bit odd with 18 or 20 mm lugs. For example the hamilton khaki field would look better imo if it had 19 instead of 20 mm lugs.
How can you say the Zenith defy classic is a Genta inspired watch as the defy was originally released 3 years before the Royal Oak. If anything Genta was inspired by the Zenith.
One thing I really dislike is 'sliced numerals' where the main indices on the dial are partly cut off by subdials. Either have a full number or replace it by a short marker. I'd love a Lange 1815 chronograph, but I can't accept the mutilated 9 and 3. I notice that Patek have pretty much stopped doing this on recent models.
A great list of unfavourable trends Jenni. While I agree with almost all of them, some do not bother me. People can vote with there wallets, if you don't like something for example odd lug widths, no one is forcing you to spend your money but some people they might not be that bothered. Certainly if the watch is on a bracelet (with female end links, tool less micro adjust etc) then the need for changing may not be an issue. This is also the case with integrated bracelets anyway. One moan that I would add would be the removal of dial mounted power reserve indicators, if you need one put it on the back and give us a display case black. Of course some models with the reserve on the dial do it better than others but for me I'm not a fan.
i learned about odd lug width when my old strap needed change , seller said choose too little or too small.
The internet “watch community” is mostly young, so their wallets are minimal (particularly with crypto down), but their opinions are loud (and mostly ignorant).
I think these are more on the side of "common annoyances" versus "trends", but that's a good list. Someone mentioned below, and I agree, that the biggest annoyance is "artificial supply constraints."
I agree with the no quick adjustments because I wish every Watch with a band links had it because it would make it easier to adjust the Watch to fit your wrist without having to remove links to get the Watch to fit your wrist
I hate watch web sites that do not show the movement number and origin. Nothing worse than looking at a Swiss sounding watch and finding a cheap Chinese quartz in it.
Great video. Complete agree with you on bracelet tapering and quality clasp. Needs to be the default for all luxury watch brands, and it’s the one area that lets GS down.
- "Limited Editions" cough, Seiko, cough... I've recently got Red Special II (Brian May Edition). I've got it, because I genuinely loved the looks of the watch - the dial, the bezel, even the strap. It also helped a bit, that I've always been a Queen fan (even if not a "hardcore" one). Still have Brian May's first solo album on a cassette back home...
Funny thing is, I normally despise gold, since I find it too "loud", especially when worn with with casual clothes, so normally I aim at more traditional designs, mostly with stainless steel cases. Yet, I really like how colorful Red Special II is, and it's fun for me to wear it. Most importantly though, it's a Seiko 5 with solid automatic 4r36 movement, second hacking and manual winding, the bezel action and lume are OK (for this price range), so I'm quite satisfied. For whatever reason, the first version of Red Special didn't include manual winding...
Still though, when you visit any good watch shop online and go to Seiko page, it seems like their every other watch is a "limited edition", even though there's nothing really "special" about them...
- Screw down crowns. It seems like every watchmaker and their mother are having some divers or diver-style watches in their collections these days. A lot of these still don't have screw down crowns. What the hell. It should be a standard in a diver's watch. I would understand it, if it was some super-cheap watch, just "pretending" to be a diver's watch. Yet it's entirely possible to find a watch from well-known brand, with quite high price tag, and it still doesn't have it. But... it defies the whole purpose, doesn't it?
- Clasps. Yeah, that micro adjustment should be a standard nowadays. But the thing that bugs me even more, is when I buy a watch that's quite expensive, yet it turns out the bracelet has a lame, cheap stamped clasp, instead of properly milled one. Why even cut corners like that? You want to make a good watch, make it good from beginning to the end.
- Diamonds and sh...t. Yeah, nope. I know, it's a matter of a personal taste, but there's this saying "if something works, don't try to fix it". There are many examples of iconic watch designs, which are perfect with their "underengineered" and "understated" looks, yet at some point someone decided it's a "good idea" to completely ruin them by slapping on them tons of jewels and precious metals. Me? Just somebody give me a regular, plain, "boring" AP, PPh, or JL "Reverso", thank you very much 😄
- Thick and big. Well... Again, it's a matter of a personal taste, I would say. Sure Invictas get a lot of flak due to their designs and ridiculous thickness of most of their watches.
I wonder, what would you say to some of the Vostok Europe designs? Not to be confused with Vostok, that's entirely different company.
I love some of VE watches, especially from the "Energia Rocket" series. I'm thinking about getting one, like for example Energia Rocket Bronze Automatic (YN84-575O540).
The case is 48 mm, and the case thickness is 17 mm! Also the case is solid bronze, the watch weighs 150 g, according to website. This watch is a hilariously massive thing ( as well, as some other VE models, too), you could probably drive nails with it...🤣
Also, i find ladies watches from VE "Undine" series absolutely gorgeous, even though you won't find any diamonds in them. Just check out something like their VK64-515E627 , VK64-515E628 or VK64-515B527 models, for example. Dials, hands and indices are designed in such way, that they make the watch look like a flower. Beautiful, yet not overly flashy.
First: 4 o’clock date windows are great. They can often “hide” well on the dial and in some models like the SeaQ that’s a defining feature and it looks amazing. 2. Faux patina is perfectly fine. I’ve been a car guy long before I was a watch guy and the colors of cars or watches is perfectly fine. Sometimes the milky patina works better than pure white would (Hamilton Murph) it’s a design color choice people make a far too big a deal about. 3. Tiffany blue dials are great and again I don’t understand people’s issue with any color. If they want more options I completely get that but stop trying to reduce our options. The others I agree with but these three are silly to complain about.
I freaking agree with the Lug to Lug. It is very very important, same important as the diameter size & thickness.
The clasp also kinda ruins my Longines Hydroconquest, the original stainless steel bracelet clasp is ridiculous hard to use & so old for new upgraded design.
Agreed so much with the quick release bracelet/strap.
Back in the mid 20thC and earlier... there were a slew of ULTRA exclusive jewelry houses, associated with the highest levels of luxury, Geubelin in Switzerland, Tiffany & Co in the US etc....
.... and these companies were viewed, generally speaking, as being far more esteemed, far more aspirational, than ANY watch maker, even Breguet, or the Trinity, in fact the ONLY watch maker which could come CLOSE, was Cartier... because everyone forgets Cartier was founded by a WATCHMAKER FIRST, and thinks they are jewelers who make watches (no more true of they than Piaget)....
....this meant that if you were a high quality watchmaker making watches in noble metals, or bejeweled ones, with all this elements of fine craftsmanship, the right beveling, the right chamfering, fit and finish perfect, tolerances masterful... you might be able to sell your watches in such stores....
......BUT.... it would NOT be your name, Rolex, or Patek Phillipe, or Breget on the dials.... it would be the JEWELERS, or they would NOT sell your watches. Back in the day, that was where you went. Almost NO watchmakers had stores... at least not AD chains... they MIGHT have ONE store outside the one they operated in the same town as the factory, but if you wanted their watches, and you did not live in the town they were made in, or could get to Paris or New York or London or Geneva.... you HAD to go to a Jeweler. And THESE Jewelers were the ones which the people who could AFFORD that kind of watch you made, would shop at.
So, thus, we have many watches from even well before the 70s, that sport a Tiffany dial, some blue, some the watchmakers other colours, but branded Tiffany, rather than say, Rolex, or JLC, or such.
THAT is where the Tiffany dial comes from, not a modern collaboration with PP on the Nautilus.
3:53 what’s the name of that watch ?
jenni has to be the most wholesome person in the world !
It's refreshing to see a woman commenting on watches, especially one that seems well researched. Thank you. On another note, it's also refreshing to see a tasteful tattoo. I'm nobody , my opinion matters to nobody , yet, I can't stand tattoos, maybe because they are so rarely done well. Kind of like date windows. But Jenni's tattooed arm looks feminine and not trashy. it actually works to enhance an already attractive woman . clearly a case for "wasted space" and the "less is more" phenom . Now if she was the same person with an over done sleeve , I would say it evokes a bit of a campy flavor. Bravo for the restraint and the beauty !
I have no comprehension for why people hate on tiffany dials. It's my favourite colour, and I don't think that writing off an entire part of the colour spectrum makes sense just because it's popular or because one thinks that it's copying something else. Might as well get upset that there are red dials or yellow dials, if we're in the business of canceling colours.
I don't understand that either, and it is not my favourite colour. Yes, if suddently lots of watches were only available in that colour then that would be a problem, but that is rarely the case. I suppose some people are annoyed if they bought a luxury watch at a great expense, in a colour they cherish, and on social media the Tiffany blue version gets all the attention, and on the grey market the higher retail value. That's a fashion trend though, not the industry.
Great video! Only one thing: I woluld like to see videos, where not the wrist circumference are the reference! The wrist are an oval shape thing - if you are chubby, it can be nearly circle, if boney, much more wide oval and the circumference says nothing - so the WIDTH are the important thing. If the L2L of the watch not exceeding the 75-80% of the width of the wrist, the watch will sit on your wrist completely fine, even with male endlinks! I can wear my Seiko Samurai totally fine with male endlink Strapcode Hexad bracelet on my 58-59mm wide wrist. But the Samurai are really my upper limit. If you have below 50mm wrist width, please do not wear a Moonwatch or a 40mm PRX, even a Seiko Alpinist can be too big for you. My daughter has so tiny wrist, the SNK803 are a little bit too big for she. She also do not like quartz "women's" watches, so the choose was not easy, but she can grow a little bit. She has triyng wear my Samurai once, never again. :-) Maybe she's knuckle are wide enough for a big diver. :-D
I missed your query as to what are the most annoying watch trends. The one I'm about to state is not, it's been around for a long time but it is totally misleading and I would say fraudulent. That is, seeing watches are water resistant to 50 m and then have people explained to you that that means you can get a few drops on it while you're washing your hands but I wouldn't do more than that. Just get a standard that's, that's a trend I would like to see (something along the lines of IP ratings that are now used for everything else in the world when it comes to water tightness). Put a little more research into how to seal a case.
It's crazy, isn't it? When a watch is advertised and sold as water resistant to 30m, I think it should be, y'know, water resistant to 30m... And I wonder how many people who aren't really into watches have taken this information at face value and ruined their watch?
For me the most awkward and annoying change is the 24-hour indicator dial slaved to the main hour and minute in quartz/solar quartz chronograph watches. 10-15 years ago I remembered there used to be a massive range of quartz/solar quartz chronograph watches with three subdials offering up to 12 hours of cumulative chronograph counting. But when I started seriously collecting watches last year, I realize that many brands now just offer 60 minutes of cumulative counting and switch out the 12-hour counting dial with a 24-hour indicator dial slaved to the main time. For me this is quite useless. It is neither an independent GMT/second time zone indicator, nor a 12-hour dial that I could use to count more cumulative time. Why, just why?
Non-hacking doesn't really bother me. What's the point of setting your watch to the second if by the next day is going to be +/- 3-20 seconds off?
My first automatic watch was non-hacking and it used to bother me because I thought I was missing out. Then I got one with hacking. I realized that it was even more bothersome to set it precisely only to see it slowly lose or gain seconds in one day. Now I just set my watches to the minute and leave it at that. What's more annoying to me are automatics without hand-widing.
I once had this watch when i was younger. with a metal bracelet. but the bracelet was a bit loose, sliding down my wrist. which i first didn't really notice at the time. but later on it was annoying that it was sliding down on my hand. so after more than a year i finally decided to get it looser. but the shop i bought it from didn't exist anymore because they wen't out of business. so i wen't to another watchmaker shop to adjust the bracelet. and the people there where very impolite and said they didn't want to help me because its not a watch from their store. then i wen't to another watchmaker shop and it was the same story. later i gave it another try in another shop. and she said on a very pissed tone "you know thats gonna cost you €10? with a tone as if i didn't want to pay or don't have the money to pay?' idk i always dress proffesional and i'm really polite. and i really wonder why its necessary that they treat me so bad as a customer that is actually willing to pay to have a bracelet changed? they are so impolite for wanting to change a metal bracelet? which takes a couple of minutes and i pay for it?
am i the asshole? or am i missing something? because none of the people where actualy busy and i always was the only customer. all of them felt like snobs looking down on me as if i am filth.
Well, you should get a prize for the funniest post so far, to the extent I half suspect it's a well executed hoax. If not, with three strikes and three misses, the chances are your approach may lack charm.
Of course, don't forget, you could be 'missing something' and be an asshole at the same time.
@@michaelbedford8017 no, I am very good at communicating with people. The third one actually helped me but she was not polite. I guess these watchmakerd where very pissed that it's not a watch I bought from them..
Yes to the missing Lug to Lug measurements 👍👍.
As for the Non-Tapered bracelet.....I think its actually its quiet nice if you wear your watch military style.
Quick Change strap/bracelet.... hate them. I want to know that there is little to no chance of this coming undone. Same with Quick Adjustment ( and who the hell share's their watch???!).
Websites - Yes they all need an overhaul. Especially their ability to filter (e.g. case size, strap or bracelet, automatic or mechanical,....)
Quick adjustment is great, my wrist swells quite a bit in summer and quick adjustment helps a lot!
I've been saying for over a year how annoying it is that so many female oriented watches are always quartz.
Partially because I have small wrists and lean towards 38mm and under aside from chronographs (although even my Seagull 1963 is the 38mm version) but also my wife has gotten into watches after seeing my enthusiasm and loves wearing my Orient Mako and Seamaster midszie but wants a daily mechanical watch of her own that's around 35mm-38mm and that seems increasingly hard to find. I've shown her alot of the Seiko 5's but she wants more of a dive style watch with a rotating bezel that she can wear every day and when I told her about getting her her own SMP she said she would be scared to wear something that expensive to work. Let women enjoy mechanical pieces too without having to compromise either getting an automatic but its the most expensive version which usually means diamonds and/or gold (looking at you Tissot) or settling for a larger than desired case size.
Wow! What a great list! While I don't agree with some of these trends, I do hope watch manufacturers take notice. I have a couple more to add as personal annoyances: 1. fingerprint magnets, and 2. scratch magnets.
I personally really dislike date window on dress watch and dive watch. Date watch destroys the symmetry of watch and if I am diving underwater, the date is least of my concern.
Also I believe a display caseback on mechanical watch is necessary. What purposes mechanical watches serve in modern time other than aesthetic?
YES! The "ladie's" watch sections drive me crazy! Why can't an automatic GMT diver be 36mm? It's not that it's not technically possible, it's just that watchmakers seem to think that all women want is quartz /diamonds / mother of pearl (my wrist is 13cm/ 5.1 inches, anything above 36mm looks and feels ridiculous).
On the end links debate, designers need to perfect the design of the watch case and lugs to ensure the watch wears well on the inteded customers' wrists. Oyster style bracelet with female end links looks like an after market thing as it wasn't desined to complete the full watch design. It looks as if the end links are a part of the case and you had to use a small connector to connect the bracelet to the watch. For me, this is a design faux pas! I think the design/size of a watch case and lugs are more crutial than the end links for the ideal watch fitment.
Fantastic list Jenni! Would love to see more videos showcasing opinions of watch folk.
Tiffany blue is the best color after salmon. I've been trying to convince myself for couple of months that i don't need to spend $280 on citizen tsuyosa with that color
Yeah, that's what I say too, with certain exceptions over little issuers about clasps that everyone seems to overly grouse about. Doxa had the sort of Miami Blue dial before the worst offenders of it, and I do love it. And there should be regulations requiring standard size intervals for all lug widths too!
Watch designers choose lug widths based on the proportions of the case and dial design, not out of consideration for what aftermarket straps you might use.
agreed on the "Limited editions". Companies seem to only create watches with ALL their desirable features in one watch in a small series that sell out in minutes. Why not sell what people want in a main line? An example would be the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. They only do the smaller case sizes in small batches, that are unobtainable, while the huge 43mm sit unsold in watch display cases at all the Boutiques. And don't even get me started on Omega Moonwatches......"I have the half-sapphire sandwich, pre-Gen2 with the half-smile snoopy...."
I love re-edition watches especially the Longines ones! They come with considerable upgrades (in movements or materials used to make the watch) but retain the classic look that I like!
I don't understand what's wrong with a rainbow dial. It's not my thing, but at least it's colourful. The same goes for male end-links, on the right watch they are very comfortable. Hacking seconds make no sense on a watch that loses or gains time. To cut a long story short, hacking seconds really only make sense on a high accuracy quartz. Non tapered bracelets are a style and design choice to beef things up. Terrible clasps may look more flimsy than you'd like, but I've never seen 'm break at that part. Then I love me some vintage looking watches. Odd lug widths: Get a custom strap. When it comes to quick adjustment, it tends to make the entire clasp more beefy and thus less ergonomic. So I prefer a smaller clasp with half links, thank you. And there's nothing wrong with a limited. Finally, there has only been one Tiffany dial. You can't lump in every tone of light blue or minty green with Tiffany's. That's a very particular pantone shade noone used.
So the only things we seem to agree on is needlessly thick watches, Genta designs and finally the big boxes, I'm afraid. Genta never did anything decent after the Polerouter.
warranties gotta go. If companies want to give them, then no matter what type of issue, you should be able to send your watch to have buffed and clean.
I don't mind the 4 o'clock date. Shown on the el primero it makes even sense, not cluttering/obscuring one of the chrono subdials.
7:58 "That's not always the case" 😂
I'm new to watches and when you said vintage dive homages need to die I almost died. Being original is good idea but if the consumer demands a certain look then you can't blame watch makers for delivering again.
Not a trend but I wish it was - NO DAY DATE. I guarantee that 100% of the time it's me telling the watch the day and date. Time this useless function went away. Coupled with that the excruciatingly annoying, distorting cyclops, which messes up the view of the dial from anywhere but directly down. I only made this mistake once on a Seiko gen 4 monster I bought last year. Hated the cyclops so much I was trying to remove it on day 2. Damaged the crystal and replaced it. Never again. I like to have a collection with a variety of colours, so I don't hate the Tiffany blue
I disagree a bit about the fauxtina. I think it looks nice when done well. I see no wrong with cream lume on modern watches. New lume doesn't age like old lume used to, so if you like the vintage look of cream lume you'll never get it with a modern watch, no matter how many centuries you wait for it to finally look vintage. I do agree that 'distressed' markers and dials are unnecessary and of questionable taste. I also disagree about the limited editions. I think sometimes there's a proper place for them, as you yourself admitted. As for re-editions, yeah, I think they're mostly unnecessary. I agree that Tudor appears to be simply and unimaginatively milking their back catalogue for profits at this point.
A rainbow bezel on a Daytona removes a big part of the functionality of the watch. The hate isn’t just about the aesthetic but the loss of function too.
#1 watch design that needs to die, putting the date at 3 o’clock, and using white, or any other color for the date background that doesn’t match the dial color. Also, putting stupid warts on the watch crystal to magnify the date-if needed just use bigger numbers. But if you have to have a date, hide it at 4:30 using dial color background. After all, you shouldn’t need to see the date except very rarely.
Here's my Watch Heresy. I don't like any of the Genta models and can't wait till they all vanish. I love all the interesting colours. That should never die out. I'm also over the giant, clunky case sizes. Can we please get some 34mm.
Relating to swapping straps in and out.. Drilled lug are so useful! They neeeeeeed to be standard!
For some reason Seiko stock spring bars have next to no grippage. They're incredibly frustrating to get out.
Thanks for another episode, Jenni 👏
As a Grand Seiko and Zenith fan (high beat are the best!), I totally feel targeted with 2, 3, 10, 11, and 12. But I have to agree: Their Bracelets suck big time! Both Brand would greatly benefit from raising their clasp game.
I agree about the 4oclock date. Not only does it throw off the dial symmetry but it is difficult to get used to if all of your other watches have the day at 30clock (I dont care for the date at 6oclock either even though it does actually look the best for the same reason). The only time I get it is for a 3 subdial chronograph. Not sure where else you would put it.
I have to agree with 100% about the Zenith clasp. I have put my one away and now have it on Hershey leather/rubber watch strap. It was a nail breaker 😆
Overall I have no major problems with re-issues. Aside from the limited edition runs of them. If you're taking the time/expense to do it, then make it available.
Pros: You get the vintage watch look and feel without the cost or frailty of the original.
Cons: Limited edition runs of them, mechanical watches re-issued in quartz, or insane prices on them, sometimes more then an original piece. cough Hamilton cough.
And finally. If you want to get technical. Rolex has been doing "re-issues" for 40+ years seeing how their main lines have not really changed at all over that time.
08:32 - The date window on that GS was at 4:00 and replaces the index. On those other examples, the date windows were at 4:30 and squeezed in between the indices. I prefer the GS method.
Hacking seconds is a new fad with little purpose for most people. Back when mechanical watches were relevant as timekeepers people weren't all connected to an atomic clock like they are now. The point of a seconds hand is mainly to show you that the watch is running properly.
Great vid, Elle. What about utterly HIDEOUS blobs of crystal (cyclops) which absolutely RUIN the look of the watch (YES, I'm talking Rolex)? Butterfly/deployant clasp bracelets with no half links are also terribly annoying, as getting the correct fit can be very hit-or-miss. I personally think that 'Tiffany' blue dials look really cool (I don't actually own a watch with this colour dial), why the hate?
Gran Seiko(00:44) is simply amazing !!!!🔝💯💯
8:00 People complaining about this haven't heard of "timeless designs" have they?
But I love non-taped bracelets & bands! I have a 7.25" (18.4cm) wrist, but I'm still a pretty big boot-wearing, beer-drinking, motorcycle-riding guy (230#/104kg, 5' 10.5"/1.79m) so I can easily pull off a 20mm untapered bracelet. What really irks me are 18mm bands that taper down to 16mm; come-on man, it makes me feel like I snag'd my wife's band. 😄
Dreadful: No lug to lug measurements. Amen to that. So vital.
As a later end of middle age guy I like the cyclops if there is a date complication. But the entire date complication can go
I honestly had no idea the Royal Oak, Nautilus and PRX were inspired by the same design movement. Now I know why I hate all of them :D
Oddly enough I don't mind male end links and cyclops. If the end link follows the natural curve of a wrist rather than a horizontal slab then it usually works fine. But Limited Editions, grrrrrr, Seiko. So many times Seiko brings out a nice watch without mass appeal and they figure they will sell maybe 5 or 6 thousand. So we get a L.E. of 5500 pieces.
No, that's not a Limited Edition. That's a small production run.
I respectfully disagree with the non hacking movement.. the non hacking movement makes it more robust & will last longer.. because according to an expert in watchmaking, hacking the movement is like trying to stop an electric fan that is still on & spinning.. It holds & stops the balance wheel while it is in motion which makes it more easier for wear & tear.. that is why seiko 5 & skx007 is built lika a tank.. In my opinion, I don't have to set the time exactly or accurately... When I set my mechanical watch it is always less than a minute up to 3 minutes advance depending if it is running minus or plus a day.. so stopping the seconds hand is no use for me.. I first set the time then the day & date before shaking or winding my watch because I am avoiding to hack the seconds hand while it is already running.. there is nothing wrong on reissues & genta homage.. the reason it is being reissued because it is so beautifully made much better than the designs today.. just like music.. I also disagree on the dial color.. everyone has their own taste & style.. I love my light green dial tissot prx & my tiffany blue pagani design watch.. It looks cool to the eye & it looks fresh.. I also love the orange, yellow, pink & magenta.. trying different disal color is so refreshing & its about time to experiment on all colors of dials.. Because people sometimes get tired of gray, black & white dial on their watches.. I want to wear something unique & different..
Watches and Jenni Elle Happy days !
Fashion brands describing themselves as 'affordable luxury'
But they disrupt the market! :)
But they cut out the middle man!
The odd lug widths are a remain of earlier times , when these sizes were common , and it was easy to get the right straps. The best re-edition for me which make fun are the Nivada Dephtmaster and the Sherpa Supercompressor, so i cannot agree complete . It would depend which model was chosen and the quality of the product.
Quick release straps are great in theory but not all lug holes are drilled the same so if you want to change up straps, more often than not you will experience a bit of play. I don’t trust them. Always traditional OEM spring bars. Tape the lugs, use high quality tools. You’ll be fine.
Hi Jenni. Could you please review the German brand Circula SuperSport super Compressor dive watch with the black and petrol color dial? I am thinking of making it my first German watch to add to my diver watch collection along my Rolex Submarine, Longines Skin Diver, Longines HydroConquest, Ball Skin Diver III, Hamilton Frogman. Danke
Day and Date ( or just Date ) on a dive watch is just asinine! Another pet peeve is an unbalanced dial; the Longines Hydroconquest with a missing number 3 just curdles my milk! Watch Co. logos: some classic logos need to come back ( Mido ) and some current logos need to be redesigned ( Orient ). Did I mention horrendous wrist clocks?
I’d argue that 20mm is the most common followed by 22 and then 18, personally.
Good to see you back, Jenni. You were missed.
I find it more annoying that production strap makers don't acknowledge the existence of odd lug widths more than the existence of watches with them, but then somehow most of the watches I want have 21mm lug widths.
Rolex professional models have male end links but I don't hear/see people complaining about them 😅
They just don’t admit it. 😉
With all of these issues, or trends, we all have different tastes. I agree, there are many trends that turn me off, but I don’t have the same tastes as everyone else. So chill, if something annoys you or that you just don’t like it, somebody else will love it. You know what they say about an ugly child, they have a face only a mother can love.