Limited edition watches come in many shapes and sizes. And the numbers. Almost every brand operating in the luxury watchmaking sector manufactures LES for countries, cities, retailers, automotive brands, sports teams, individual athletes, pilots, important events, bands, fictional characters, artists, and more. The purpose of the limited edition is to seduce buyers with unique design and exclusivity. And because everyone wants to be special, but not so different, the well-known brand LE is the winning formula. But is it that so many different LEs are constantly unleashed into so many things? Has the limited edition watch lost its meaning and purpose?
“Too good is bad,” Mark Twain (1835–1910) said, and although he had not spoken about limited edition watches, he had the points. It’s not only the constant number of LES, but also the “connection” they have with third parties that frequently roll us in our eyes at Fratello HQ. For example, there is a natural opportunity to release limited rides to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the existing models of several different colors. I don’t think many watch fans will discuss such a release. Perhaps if Brand X doesn’t celebrate one of LE’s most famous pieces, those fans will express their disappointment. Unfortunately, many Le Watches today are over-produced and over-promoted.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Mario Kart
Has the luxurious limited edition watch lost its meaning and purpose?
Why not use it when FOMO makes rules? I get it from a commercial standpoint, but sometimes I see the brand wanting a part of the action too enthusiastically. But Le Watches should not be like Le Air Jordans. Treating watches like sneakers makes them worthless. The same applies to mixing pop culture with clocks by creating a limited edition of the theme. Is Tourbillon watching Tourbillon, which portrays the portrayal of Mario, the man of the popular Nintendo video game Mario Kart? Would you like to add something positive to Tag Heuer’s story and the recognition of the mechanical whirlwind, the invention of major watches?
Tag Heuer Formula 1 x Mario Kart Chronograph Tour Bjorn Limited Edition
I don’t think that’s the case, but I believe that watches don’t aim to be people who have to think about how and what they will spend their money. For a wealthy client, buying complex luxury watches is the same as buying LE sneakers. It’s good for them, but I don’t know what’s good for watch brands. It transforms historic luxury products with pedigree and artisan qualities into fast consumer good. It will become part of the tool that will entertain the owner, perhaps for a very short time. That’s not what a high-end watch should look like.
Oris Propilot x Kermit Edition
The power to polarize
The clocks I have described up until now are aimed at audiences that are different from traditional tour billons. Perhaps it’s a new, larger audience, not deeply interested in watches with devices of historical watchmaking importance. Instead, this group is actively triggered by fun characters from the video game on the dial. But traditional viewers of the brand read and listen to watches inspired by light-hearted video games. It can seriously hurt how a brand is perceived and valued. Remember, trust is a valuable product in the world of luxury. Trust spends (too much) money on items people may not need, but it is hoped and worth it for a long time. That trust takes a long time to build, but it can break quickly. Certainly, polarized LES can seduce FOMO-driven viewers, but it can also alienate those that are potentially more valuable.
Limited Edition Watch Theory
In theory, a watch that is limited by either time or quantity should attract buyers through its exclusiveness and unique design. However, limited editions often irritate consumers due to inconsistent or opaque production strategies. Some are numbered, while others are not. Some are inherently limited, while others are artificially constrained. Some will remain exclusive, and some will eventually become part of the regular catalogue. If a brand releases too many LES (general missteps), its impact is diminished. Consumers could become confused or indifferent in a market filled with “special” releases. Remember the backlash from the late 2010s by Omega, which has overused LE labels? The production of current collections limits watches, but brands no longer perform numerical LES.
2018 Speed-Master Speedy Tuesday 2 “Ultraman” is the last of the limited edition Omega Creation
When a limited edition watch makes sense
Ultimately, the appeal of the limited edition should not exceed the rarity and the reasons behind its creation. The persuasive LE stands tests of the era that transcend FOMO and instead fascinates them through thoughtful and unique designs. However, in most cases, Les was created in collaboration with or directly linked with third parties. Take Formula 1 as an example. The watches and top-level car racing were always close. The first was for functional reasons that have turned into marketing reasons over the past few decades. Tag Heuer is apparently forever on Motorsports, so the title sponsorship brand makes perfect sense.
Brands releasing all sorts of F1-related watches make sense, but the numbers of them are on the high side. Tag Heuer, which sponsors highly successful and competitive teams like Red Bull, also makes sense. Rolex has sponsored F1 for many years without releasing the F1 le watch, which also makes sense, but I’m guessing only in the case of Rolex.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Red Bull Racing Special Edition
Transcends time and trends
But what about Watch Brands, which sponsors teams that are not and never in front of the grid? Who buys a team that links to a team that doesn’t have a championship? And we’re on this truck, so who would buy the 7k euro mechanical chronograph linked to a movie about F1? The person wears something from a winning but fictional team. How do such a gorgeous watch stand the test of time? It does so only if it transcends its creative opportunities with timeless designs or appears to be worthy of the place of the brand’s permanent collection.
Girard-Perregaux Aston-Martin Laureato Le
Regardless, a good watch is a good watch
I end this rant with more words of wisdom from Mark Twain about how to enjoy the good things in life. The American author of Tom Sawyer’s Adventures (1876) and Huckleberry Finn (1885)’s Adventures once said, “Too much is bad, but too good whiskey is barely enough.” For watch fans, the fix that says “too many things are bad, but too many good watches aren’t enough” works. Ultimately, whether it’s a collaboration or not, a good limited edition watch is certainly a good watch as long as it shows numbers and uncontrolled themes.
The Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” is the 2,025-piece LE of this year’s Miami F1 Grand Prix, and celebrates its collaboration with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) Formula 1 team.
A limited edition watch should be something like a great rock song that impresses when the band is electrified on stage, but it also moves you when played acoustically on a single guitar. A limited edition watch must look and feel good, even if you don’t know the story behind it. Links to third parties – If the big, big PAs in a huge stadium, laser shows, fireworks, lots of smoke define, explain and justify the existence of a watch, the brand is not doing enough work. The appeal must come first and foremost from the watch and watch brand. Mario and others like him should never be the main character. If you agree or disagree, please let me know in the comments section.
