Every other week we are struck by a new clock onslaught. And while we’re not too upset about it in principle, the constant pace of most watch brands pumping out new products has recently asked, “Is watch brands going too far?” Today, at Fratello Talks, Nacho, Thomas, and Gerard join forces to discuss topics. Of the three, Thomas has a unique perspective on owning and managing the watch brand. Gerald can provide some perspective as a former retailer and from his years of involvement in watch media. We are usually excited to see a new watch, but we can’t help but feel that things seem to be in a rapid crescendo. Today we dive into this topic and see what we think the underlying factors may be leading to this trend and then what we think will happen. But before you do that, it’s time to check your wrists.
Wrist check
We kick things off with Thomas. oh! This appears to be a prototype for the upcoming VPC type 39VM diver. It is scheduled to debut later this year. This is an exciting next step after Thomas’ Type 37HW. If you want to stay up to date with everything you need to know about your VPC, we recommend you sign up for this newsletter.
On Gerald’s wrist is his Rolex sea resident 16600. Before I had time to take a photo, he used images from the archives as he hit the road due to the warm weather. Anyway, nothing is comparable to the nonsense charm of Rolex sea resident.
Finally, Nacho wears his Omega Speedmaster 3570.50.00. This classic speedy was his first gorgeous watch and still has a special place in his collection. He doesn’t wear that much as much as his Seamaster 2254 or Tudor Pelagos FXD, but he’s recently seen his return to favor.
Fratello Talks: Are watch brands too much?
Wait, did Tudor not release a new carbon-sase chronograph for the Formula 1 partnership? What does it mean to have something else? Isn’t it even a week later? And this time, is it because of the cycling partnership and its relationship with Giro D’Italia? Well, it’s okay. The more hilarious I guess. But at what point is it too much? That’s the question we ask ourselves today. And this isn’t about choosing a Tudor. Because a few brands are taking part in this desperate pace of releasing new watches. Still, Shield released eight new watches in just five months. Of course, they are the number of newcomers compared to brands like Seiko and Citizens, but Apples are not apples at all. Is this a constant quest to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive market? Or is the brand accepting a 3-second tiktok brain attention span?
It may be a mix of many factors, but for us, especially as we talk about products designed to last a lifetime, keeping all the voices and progressions of the watch on the ground with everything is a bit more pronounced. These are not disposable products or fast fashion. Today we work on topics, share our thoughts and theorize why things have come to this way. We want to hear what you think. Are you enjoying the flood of this novelty? Or do you agree with our views? Leave your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below. Next week, please talk about more fratello!
