Redressing The Dress Watch

A symbol of status, an indication of distinction, and the prestige of royalty, luxury dress watches have been coupled with the sophisticated, the wealthy, and the influential, and worn by those at the height of eminence for hundreds of years.

Wearing the right watch at the right occasion had onlookers regarding one as stylish and aware with a clear sense of pride, while wearing the wrong one at the wrong time could assign a tastelessness, or at best a stagnant sense of style. Of course, just being able to afford the right one, or even the wrong one, has been an unrequited dream for the vast majority of people throughout time.

Time however, does move on, and the transformative power of modern access, connectivity through the internet, social media, and ultra-regular updates and videos has revolutionised the perception of the luxury dress watch. A wider, newer, younger audience and customer base is rapidly growing through this new access, and they are being wholeheartedly met with a supply positively brimming with variety.

That new wave of variety has undoubtedly, required a shift in approach, both in the marketing and manufacturing of modern watches. Crafting the highest level of mechanical sophistication involves a considerable expense that this new wave is increasingly left uninspired to pay for. In the search for more affordable and accessible products, new passions in watchmaking have also arisen to match those desires.

The ages spent daydreaming about owning a respectable dress watch are simply fading for many, as the market fills up with more unique options, inspired designs, and innovative approaches to modern problems of cost.

The Fear of Quartz

A common boisterous grievance as a result of this modern shift is an arguably misplaced disdain for quartz powered watches, or indeed any watch that cannot boast a 200+ year heritage. While you can justify concerns for prioritising designs over the quality of movement, the truth is there are modern companies doing exciting things and innovating to improve the reliability of their mechanisms, paying just as much attention to the engineering as they are the appearance.

The undeniable fascination in the engineering of old mechanical watches is not unfounded, but technology exists today to match their integrity in accurate timekeeping. Yet without closer consideration, the overzealous are quick to denounce any timepiece seen with ‘quartz’ written on. Quartz however, is unarguably the most used technology in time-keeping devices ever, and the claim that ‘quartz is bad’ is short sighted. Like anything in life, there are degrees of quality, earned by time spent perfecting a system or product. There are quartz movements made to a high quality, and NOVE for example, use Ronda Swiss movements because they provide the freedom to craft extremely slim, yet reliable and durable watches. It also made the creation of the world’s slimmest diver possible.

As with any fan base that admires or collects specialised goods or products, there is a keen sense of membership, and a love of the 'old ways’ is understandable. The reality of today’s economy and market though, makes it an admirable effort to redress the old ideas of luxury and prestige, to share insight with new watch fans, to encourage them towards wiser decisions and better value purchases made possible, by modern designs and innovative ideas that make the luxury a little more unrestricted.

It only makes sense for watchmakers today to aim at a younger audience, keeping in touch with their lifestyles, passions and means. Dress watches have always been an extension of a personality, an image, and they represent something deep about how we hope to be seen. The modern dress watches of today still stand for the same symbols of distinction, of fashion, and of being proud in stature. Fortunately, to share in that passion today no longer requires obtaining the practically unattainable.

There are a myriad of affordable options out there to choose from right now. Why not start with our own collection of Swiss Made watches?