Industry Leaders’ Thoughts on the Apple Watch

After making headlines for the past year, the first round of Apple Watches has finally arrived. Already sold out in stores, Apple Watches will not be available again in stores until June. The price range for the Apple Watch is from $350 for the most basic version to $17,000 for an 18kt yellow gold Apple Watch. Everyone in the watch and tech world have been eager to learn more about the Apple Watch and thoughts on the Apple Watch are mixed. Some are impressed with the sleek design and the useful apps and functions. Others are not quite impressed and many have decided to wait to buy one until version 2 or 3 come out. Many are wondering how the Apple Watch will affect the Swiss watch market. We interviewed several of the leaders in the watch industry to get their opinions on the Apple Watch and how it might impact the sale of luxury watches.

What are your thoughts on the Apple Watch? Will it spell impending doom for the Swiss watch industry or is it a flash in the proverbial pan?

“I do not think that the Apple Watch – and all the other smartwatches and connected watches – will spell doom for the luxury watch industry. Not in the least. While they share the same real estate, they are worn for different reasons. What may suffer are watches in the same price range. I could see the Apple Watch competing with Tissot, for example. But only even certain models that that brand offers. If the quartz watch couldn’t kill off the mechanical watch, the smartwatch certainly won’t. But it will give our industry some food for thought, that’s for sure.” – Elizabeth Doerr, Editor-in-Chief of Quill and Pad @doerrelizabeth

 

“I have zero interest in the Apple Watch and am probably digging my own grave as a watch writer by ignoring it. It will compete for wrist space with casual watch wearers who tend to buy the $500 fashion watches but for those who appreciate the artistry and history of the mechanical watch, the Apple Watch won’t compete.” – Jason Heaton, freelance writer for Gear Patrol, Hodinkee and REVOLUTION @jasonheaton

 

“Neither. Apple is a force to be reckoned with, and no watchmaker should neglect the impact the Apple Watch will have on the watch industry. But I’m not sold on wearable technology and don’t think it will be the death knell of traditional watchmaking—at least not yet. I think the most interesting thing to keep an eye on is what third-party app makers will do to try and transform the Apple Watch into a must-wear device. What can a watch do that our phones can’t? Plenty of smart people are asking themselves that question right now, and I’m curious and excited to see how they answer it.” – Victoria Gomelsky, Editor-in-Chief of JCK gomeland freelance writer for the International New York Times @vike22

 

“It’s a big question, and the one I’m asked most often nowadays to be honest. And I think people expect me to show signs of concern. But the Apple Watch shouldn’t be seen as a threat. Sure, it’s worn on the wrist and it tells the time. But that doesn’t make it the same product. Watch collectors aren’t suddenly going to consider a luxury watch over an Apple Watch. Instead, they’ll buy the luxury and a smart watch, and Apple has to persuade them that theirs is the best. What the Apple Watch can do however is get an entire generation to wear watches again, because most twenty year olds have become dependent on their phones to know the time. And I’m convinced that if they start wearing smart watches, they’ll get the bug, and look to the Swiss watch industry next.” – Arthur Touchot, Editor-in-Chief of Haute Time @arthurtouchot

“It’s a question of apples and oranges (pun intended). I think they can co-exist. However my view on the ongoing “battle” is that the traditional watch making industry has too much momentum, too much history, too much savoir vivre, just too much emotional appeal to lose to a noisy gadget. Of course I could be wrong. But let’s see what the future brings. The die is cast. Let the best watch win.” – Kristian Haagen [https://instagram.com/kristianhaagen/], freelance watch writer and author of six books about horology @kristianhaagen

 

These are just a few opinions from experienced luxury watch journalists. What do you think? Do you think that the Apple Watch will have a negative impact on the Swiss watch market?