Likes Likes:  36
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 24

Thread: Imaginary Watch Company

  1. #1

    Imaginary Watch Company

    If you could start your own micro-brand - say Deep Blue / MKII all the way to ALS, what would be your focus? I've got two:

    1) 36mm - 38mm field watches built in the traditional style:
    • Screw-down case backs w/no display
    • Height 12mm and under
    • 200m WR
    • Fixed or drilled lugs
    • Acrylic crystals
    • Unadorned movements
    • No date!
    • Uncluttered & classic dials with a dash of elan. This is a pretty good reference point:

    Name:  Main_BG.jpg
Views: 204
Size:  63.2 KB

    2) Thin, lightweight, analog, titanium quartz watches - A great watch that your forget your wearing:
    • Emphasis would be on exceptionally high quality, classic yet interesting dials
    • Well finished movements with display cases - just to break the mold. This is better than a generic ETA 2824 any day
    • Relatively few complications. I love my Oceanus but need a manual to do anything more than tell time:

    Name:  Habring.jpg
Views: 145
Size:  40.6 KB


    Gimmick: I've thought about having a glass "sandwich" dial that you could take to the AD and have them drain and refill it with a variety of colored inks - from rich darks, to semi-translucent, to clear...maybe use Chemiluminescence (glow stick) for short term & crazy events.
    Last edited by ljb187; Dec 22, 2014 at 05:50 PM.

  2. Likes GlennO liked this post
  3. #2
    Savagely Average
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Cloud 9
    Posts
    2,821
    Quartz, gimmicks, made up history, marketing.......make big $$$$

  4. Likes geoffbot, drickster, oak1971, popoki nui liked this post
  5. #3
    My watches would bring back concealed crowns with push-actuated quickset dates/ day-dates like back-in-the-day Seiko 6119s. I think it's a really cool look that no-one does anymore and the quicksets are so easy to use.

  6. #4
    Member CamB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Down Under
    Posts
    2,015
    I would go Divers or Pilot watches. Nothing bigger than 43mm .
    Regards Cam

    Watches
    Tudor Pelagos, Omega Speedmaster 3510.50, Oris 1965 Diver, Tissot Visodate, Junghans Max Bill Auto, Helson Blackbeard, Seiko PADI Turtle, Tag Heuer F1

  7. #5
    I'd make dive watches, if I wanted to make money that is.
    ALS Blancpain Breguet Hamilton IWC JLC Omega Panerai Patek Rolex Tag Tudor Seiko Sinn UN Vacheron
    It's wack if it don't say Patek!
    Stealin' lunch money on school playgrounds for Rolex since 1978


  8. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by ilitig8 View Post
    I'd make dive watches, if I wanted to make money that is.
    Yeah, with my choices I'm pretty sure I'd run out of imaginary money pretty quick then have to file imaginary bankruptcy.

  9. #7
    I'd do thin watches. Case diameter would range from 38mm to 44mm depending on the style but nothing over 10mm thick. Like, the 500m dive watch would be 10mm thick with pilots, field watches, and sporty models around 8mm. Dress watches around 5mm. For chronos, no more than 12mm thick. It'll take millions to develop the movements to realize that vision. However, I promise returns of pennies (maybe even fractions of pennies) on each dollar invested. Any takers?

  10. Likes ilitig8, boatme99 liked this post
  11. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by ljb187 View Post
    Yeah, with my choices I'm pretty sure I'd run out of imaginary money pretty quick then have to file imaginary bankruptcy.
    I imagine starting a watch company (especially if not Chinese catalog case watches) more often than not follows the old adage, I paraphrase, "making a small fortune in watches is easy, all you need is to start with a large fortune".

    If you look at a lot of the micros these days I see two distinct trends, those that just want to bring out something that fits some basic formula and make a few bucks and those that have a vision to build something different. The former has a decent shot at making a little cash and the latter has the one shot out of a thousand at making good money but more likely losing the farm.
    ALS Blancpain Breguet Hamilton IWC JLC Omega Panerai Patek Rolex Tag Tudor Seiko Sinn UN Vacheron
    It's wack if it don't say Patek!
    Stealin' lunch money on school playgrounds for Rolex since 1978


  12. Likes ljb187 liked this post
  13. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Domo View Post
    My watches would bring back concealed crowns with push-actuated quickset dates/ day-dates like back-in-the-day Seiko 6119s. I think it's a really cool look that no-one does anymore and the quicksets are so easy to use.
    I had to look those up and while I knew what they were after the fact it's nice to be more aware of such details going forward. That type of crown suits cushioned cases very well...Doxa builds some crown protection into the case but not to the same extent. I also learned a little extra caution is needed when looking into the quickset function; I choose what was bolded and wound up with Google results only little big feather could love:

    Name:  Google.jpg
Views: 184
Size:  79.2 KB

    My old Orient Mako featured a screw-down, quickset day pusher and it was one of the cooler features I've had on any watch at any price. Really terrific macros by the way; it's one of the things that got me started on the other post.
    Last edited by ljb187; Dec 22, 2014 at 08:48 AM.

  14. Likes Domo liked this post
  15. #10
    Timewaster jsw41's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Almonte, ON, CA
    Posts
    389
    Eterna made some Eterna-matics with hidden crowns in the early 60's, to emphasize that their automatics didn't need to be wound.



    Not my pic.

    John
    If you come to a fork in the road; take it, and then put it down so someone else can use it.

  16. Likes Domo, Der Amf, ljb187, oak1971, popoki nui liked this post

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
About Us
We are an independent and wide-ranging forum for watch enthusiasts. From mainspring to microchip, from Europe to Asia, from micro-brand to boutique - we cover it all. Novice or expert, we want you to feel at home. Whether it's asking a simple question or contributing to the fund of horological knowledge, it's all the same hobby. Or, if you like, you can just show us a picture of your new watch. We'll provide the welcoming and courteous environment, the rest is up to you!
Join us