Swiss watch exports suffer largest decline in 6 years following Apple Watch launch

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Comments

  • Reply 61 of 84

    Reread your post it's hardly objective and it is offensive. The tone was of an entitled, privileged little man who think any criticism of something "he" likes is wrong. I really don't care if I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't want an Apple Watch and I certainly don't give a hoot if you wear two of them. To each his own. I'm not being paid to shill my own product and I'm not being paid to trash an Apple product and I certainly didn't seek your attention. These are "public" forums Sonny where opinions can be freely expressed, that's exactly why most people come here. I happen to like Apple products and I don't need permission from trolls to say how I feel.

     

    Now go away little boy you bother me.

  • Reply 62 of 84
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    tmay wrote: »
    Fashion can change overnight, and this might be one of those cases. It's too early to tell whether it is exchange rates, slowing economy, or lack of interest in mechanical watches. Either way, Apple Watch and fitness bands are growing rapidly into the under $1500 mechanical watch category.

    Mechanical watches are an anachronism best served to the wealthy, as pedestrian brands are going to get decimated by smartwatches. Because jobs to be done outweigh fashion for the working class.

    Like most things, it's not that simple. First of all, we're not talking about $100 watches. The average price of a Swiss watch, according to the Swiss watch industry published figures for 2014, was, I believe, as I might be off by 3 or 4 bucks, $732.some of these sales are electro mechanical quartz models. The rest are purely mechanical.

    Sure, I agree that the ?Watch will take some sales. There's no doubt of that. I know a NJ bet of people who have already bought one. Most would never have bought an expensive mechanical watch, three, not including myself, already have expensive mechanical watches, or at least Quartz models. It's hard to say where that leaves things. I do believe that if the ?Watch becomes more popular, and accepted by high end watch buyers, it will have an increasing affect on the Swiss watch industry.cwhether they will be able to successfully counteract it or not isn't known yet, as it's too early. We see the new AndroidWear watch from Tag, and it looks nice, but will people really want an AndroidWear watch from Tag that costs $1,500, and has a rubber band? I'm not so sure. I'm also not so sure that, what I think of as silly, the mechanical models that are adding steps and a couple of other simplistic functions that are read out on a small rotating hand, are such a good idea either.
  • Reply 63 of 84
    tenlytenly Posts: 710member
    Reread your post it's hardly objective and it is offensive. The tone was of an entitled, privileged little man who think any criticism of something "he" likes is wrong. I really don't care if I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't want an Apple Watch and I certainly don't give a hoot if you wear two of them. To each his own. I'm not being paid to shill my own product and I'm not being paid to trash an Apple product and I certainly didn't seek your attention. These are "public" forums Sonny where opinions can be freely expressed, that's exactly why most people come here. I happen to like Apple products and I don't need permission from trolls to say how I feel.

    Now go away little boy you bother me.
    Your message is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle! You are obviously guilty of everything you've just attributed to me. You don't care if I wear two? LOL! You've proven my point. Nobody here wants to know why you're not going to buy one, nor that you think it's thick and clunky. There's a reason that there is a 97% satisfaction rate amongst owners of the watch. If you can't handle somebody disagreeing with your opinion, perhaps you shouldn't post it in a public forum. You're obviously easily offended, but it's good to see that you can create an appropriate insult when none was included nor intended. Low-self esteem much? I took a quick look at your past posts. As I suspected, there was nothing of any substance. It seems you're just a Negative Nancy in general. Almost every one of your 19 posts during the 2 years that you've been here has been negative. Classic troll behaviour.

    Perhaps you'd be happier hanging out somewhere else. I'll bet the folks over on the Galaxy Gear forums will give you the praise you yearn for! Don't let the door hit you on the way out - and please don't go away mad - just go away!
  • Reply 64 of 84

    LOL! It's obvious you have nothing better to do except check up what other people post. Evidently your thick and clunky Apple Watch saves you enough time from your extremely busy life so you can spend it defending your decision to be an Apple groupie. Meanwhile I'll enjoy my Patek Philippe, someday you may earn enough money to own a real watch. Until then you can go here and look at the pictures. http://www.watches-of-switzerland.co.uk/brands/patek-philippe-watches


       
  • Reply 65 of 84
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,679member
    You guys are so cute.
  • Reply 66 of 84
    tenlytenly Posts: 710member
    spheric wrote: »
    You guys are so cute.

    :D
    My apologies to you and everyone else who got sucked into reading the previous few messages containing nothing but bickering. I'll be the bigger man and walk away from it now.

    One of my biggest pet peeves is when people post their opinions, suppositions or outright lies as if they were facts. Most often (but not always) it is intentional and originates with trolls. I think it's important that these things get called out so that casual readers don't walk away with, and perpetuate, negativity and misinformation.
  • Reply 67 of 84
    I could believe people now using their smartphones (Apple and Android) to tell the time rather than a mechanical device on their wrist. I could also believe cheaper watches being produced out of Asia and/or knock-offs picking up a larger market share.

    But to assume that Swiss watchmakers seeing a decline in sales is directly linked to Apple releasing the iWatch is a major example of the error of assuming that correlation implying causality.

    Having seen the iWatch, and spoken with friends who have purchased them (and promptly onsold them before the market became aware of their extremely limited usage cases and the associated market adjustment) they are toys at best. Personally, I hope Apple realises that their foray into the watch market was a foolish one, and maybe opens up their iOS to allow deeper integration of other smartwatches made by manufacturers with a better foundation in the market
  • Reply 68 of 84
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    LOL! It's obvious you have nothing better to do except check up what other people post. Evidently your thick and clunky Apple Watch saves you enough time from your extremely busy life so you can spend it defending your decision to be an Apple groupie. Meanwhile I'll enjoy my Patek Philippe, someday you may earn enough money to own a real watch. Until then you can go here and look at the pictures. http://www.watches-of-switzerland.co.uk/brands/patek-philippe-watches

    I doubt very much that you have a Patek-Philippe.
  • Reply 69 of 84
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,679member
    He obviously wears it on his penis.
  • Reply 70 of 84
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Haggar View Post

     

     

    ? Ring. Coming soon. Add AppleCare and you will be covered all 2 years of your marriage. When it is no longer supported, you can recycle or trade up to a new spouse. ;) 




    iSpouse. Note: kinky behavioural patterns banned from the iSpouseStore, but unlockable through jailbreaking.

  • Reply 71 of 84
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tenly View Post





    image

    My apologies to you and everyone else who got sucked into reading the previous few messages containing nothing but bickering. I'll be the bigger man and walk away from it now.



    One of my biggest pet peeves is when people post their opinions, suppositions or outright lies as if they were facts. Most often (but not always) it is intentional and originates with trolls. I think it's important that these things get called out so that casual readers don't walk away with, and perpetuate, negativity and misinformation.



    Facts and opinions are often very finely separated, and often external information can change the reading of previous information.

    Two infamous US-related cases (nowadays that information has been released...), old enough I hope that they won't cause any kind of outrage an American forum:

    - 1917 Germany sinking the Lusitania as an act of evil justifying the USA declaring war, except... actually, Germany was right all along when it claimed the USA knew that the Lusitania was an armed vessel carrying supplies, troops and weapons. (Gorgeous piece of naval engineering, by the way)

    - WW2 Axis ships leaving shipwrecked troops sink to their death in violation of naval codes, except... US policy, in violation of the same codes, had multiple times targeted German subs and ships carrying out retrieval operation, on purpose.

     

    In both cases, the *fact* taught for decades, and perfectly true, is a violation of international codes or laws. The interpretation is "Germany is evil", and it is wrong, in light of information released once only scholars and fools like forum-dwellers care about the *facts* anymore. Whether this turns the same facts into "USA is evil" is yet another interpretation that, in light of the extreme complexity and hardship of those dark years, I would definitely not want to make... My point is only what I was making earlier: facts and opinions are very difficult to differentiate, and often depend on separate information, with increased complexity.

     

    Not taking into account that we all have our set of moral imperatives and beliefs. TS for example has recently clearly stated that "communist bullshit" definitely is not relevant to his sense of responsibility. I think he's taking a very easy way out, but we can both be right, both wrong, or both partially right. What is certain though is that only in a few decades or even centuries, once all people with an involvement or interest in these matters will be long dead, will the truth about these discussions have a chance to emerge, and even then is it only chance, as current politics will taint the vil of people and scholars. Not that I ever think scholars would peruse old AppleInsider discussions ;)

  • Reply 72 of 84
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,679member
    (This post was obsoleted by judicious moderation.)
  • Reply 73 of 84
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by spheric View Post



    (This post was obsoleted by judicious moderation.)



    Judicious is quite debatable... I thought (and clearly still think) my post was pretty clean, well argumented and fact based, and anyway related to the whole discussion... Why is its, afaik, the only one deleted?

     

    It does ask questions about the value of spending time basing arguments on verifiable facts, compared some moderators just spouting "I very much doubt you own a Patek Philippe" and the message he was responding to. And if I sound hurt, it is most likely because I am. I strongly believe in the voice of reason, and deleting facts and discussions is removing that "voice". Why are (rather agressive) posts 67 or 72 more OK than my philosophical remark about the relative value of facts and opinions when considering the effects of time passing? 

  • Reply 74 of 84
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,679member
    If I may be frank: The only real merit I could see in your post was that it got me reading extensively on the history of the Lusitania — and I thank you sincerely for that.

    There is a lot of completely puerile posturing in this thread. I couldn't care less whether somebody here owns a Patek Phillippe or not, if s/he doesn't use that fact to make a reasoned argument.

    Using it purely as an unverifiable source of authority is just ridiculous. Seeing a supposed PP-owner condescendingly tell somebody that they may someday be able to afford one and that they should run along now and play is just ... sad. And it really doesn't say anything about the Swiss Watch industry, nor the Apple Watch, nor their potential and actual customers.

    My sense of self-worth affects the things I wear, not the other way around.
  • Reply 75 of 84
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by spheric View Post



    If I may be frank: The only real merit I could see in your post was that it got me reading extensively on the history of the Lusitania — and I thank you sincerely for that.

    Well, it is at least a tiny consolation! I believe there was much more depth to it, but since it was deleted in a half-second click, no one will ever get to think deeper about it. It does remain that the other facts were also true, and that both of them pointed out to the importance the point of view of people over facts.

    For the record, in the thread, the "fact" is the slump in sales, the "point of view" is the opinion that that slump might be related to Apple's entrance in the Watch business. Being, among my friends, the only one with an Apple Watch, and one of the few with a timepiece at all, I'd be tempted to accuse behavioural patterns rather than Apple, but only time and the data it will bring may make us more savvy ;)

  • Reply 76 of 84
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member

    Judicious is quite debatable... I thought (and clearly still think) my post was pretty clean, well argumented and fact based, and anyway related to the whole discussion... Why is its, afaik, the only one deleted?

    It does ask questions about the value of spending time basing arguments on verifiable facts, compared some moderators just spouting "I very much doubt you own a Patek Philippe" and the message he was responding to. And if I sound hurt, it is most likely because I am. I strongly believe in the voice of reason, and deleting facts and discussions is removing that "voice". Why are (rather agressive) posts 67 or 72 more OK than my philosophical remark about the relative value of facts and opinions when considering the effects of time passing? 

    When I read a whining, and childish, post from someone, I question the veracity of their statement. Next time, should I just delete the post instead?
  • Reply 77 of 84
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member
    Reread your post it's hardly objective and it is offensive. The tone was of an entitled, privileged little man who think any criticism of something "he" likes is wrong. I really don't care if I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't want an Apple Watch and I certainly don't give a hoot if you wear two of them. To each his own. I'm not being paid to shill my own product and I'm not being paid to trash an Apple product and I certainly didn't seek your attention. These are "public" forums Sonny where opinions can be freely expressed, that's exactly why most people come here. I happen to like Apple products and I don't need permission from trolls to say how I feel.

    Now go away little boy you bother me.

    His reply to you was by no means snarky or offensive. Your replies back to him are. They are getting worse.
  • Reply 78 of 84
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by melgross View Post





    When I read a whining, and childish, post from someone, I question the veracity of their statement. Next time, should I just delete the post instead?



    1- I am not really sure what you mean here, nor which post you refer to. You are, obviously, The Moderator. Take whatever measure you believe is best for the forum: that is your role.

    2- Statement veracity can usually be checked through means such as "fact checking". If it is not worth your time to do, and you'd rather just delete arguments painstakingly built with fact checking, that is your own decision to make. Remember: you are The Moderator.

    3- In any case, it doesn't matter that much. It is just a forum on the Internet, isn't? We're not going to save the world here.

     

    I wish you guys all a great evening, and I'm off to test out WatchKit, now that I've watched the WWDC2015 videos (finally...)

  • Reply 79 of 84
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,625member

    1- I am not really sure what you mean here, nor which post you refer to. You are, obviously, The Moderator. Take whatever measure you believe is best for the forum: that is your role.
    2- Statement veracity can usually be checked through means such as "fact checking". If it is not worth your time to do, and you'd rather just delete arguments painstakingly built with fact checking, that is your own decision to make. Remember: you are The Moderator.
    3- In any case, it doesn't matter that much. It is just a forum on the Internet, isn't? We're not going to save the world here.

    I wish you guys all a great evening, and I'm off to test out WatchKit, now that I've watched the WWDC2015 videos (finally...)

    That kind of post is the kind that gets you, and others in trouble.
  • Reply 80 of 84
    melgross wrote: »
    That kind of post is the kind that gets you, and others in trouble.

    I don't understand. If I hurt you somehow I apologize, it wasn't my intention.
    Have a great evening.
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