I really puzzled by UGs decision to launch so many new releases all at once rather than trickle them out over months. And they also did this in the W&W window with hundreds of other new releases. A missed opportunity to gain better focused collector attention in my opinion.
Perhaps financial realities can get in the way of brand strategy. That said, releasing an entire collection is a way to make a splash. If they had released, say, just the Polerouter, maybe people would be saying, 'We waited 2 years just for this??'
It also sounds like they have eyes on opening UG boutiques, and relatively soon. They need to merchandise those boutiques with an entire collection to make them viable.
I think your watches are fine, but it definitely feels overdone. Too many references too many sizes trying to appease everybody and not actually bring in real collectors which frankly is really where they should’ve started. The goal should’ve been dead get true vintage collectors to buy one of these. I haven’t seen many people who fall in that category who want one. It’s fascinating because every collector chat I’m on everyone has talked about the prices and they think they stink. I think there is delta building between what real collectors are thinking and the voices of watch influencers (YouTubers) whether you own a store or started out as just a fan. And watch press has basically just become watch trade magazines so they’re never critical. Maybe they’ll mention price lightly. I exclude you as I believe the subscription business is the only one that creates a path for real opinion. And they do give some credit to Andrew that time plus tide for asking the Blancpain about the price of the 50 fathoms
Nice article. Let's remember that most products are mid, because that's where the median lies.
In a world where all consumer products and experiences are packaged as being superlative, I keep coming back to that Garrison Keillor line from decades ago, "Lake Wogebon...Where all the children are above average."
I'm wearing my curmudgeon hat this morning and applauding you for offering something other than flowery praise for a watch brand output. On the one hand, Watches and Wonders is a trade show and, as a B2B event, isn't really meant for the end consumer. On the other hand, watch enthusiasts and consumers are, of course, the end target.
You're correct. "We're the ones who decide what sticks." But so long as we all continue to follow hundreds of watch-themed Instagram accounts which offer us nothing more than banal wrist shots, and interact with watch brands' social media accounts with fire emojis for every single release, then we're getting what we deserve. Mid watches at S-tier prices, or even worse, a long-tail distribution, where "all the watches are below average."
yes, I totally agree on your last point, that we get what we deserve and I often lose faith in our ability as a species to be good filters. (eg I saw that AI photo of the saved airman shared one too many times this week.) I'm typically reticent to go down the media-talking-about-media rabbit hole, it can come off as self serving!
"in October, Hermès did release an H08 Monopusher, but it wasn’t quite like that first one: It’s yellow and has a larger 45mm case (not 41mm)." You are right it is larger, and I had been wondering what happened to it as well as I watched that W&W video from a few years ago on its introduction. But, right on cue I found one on the secondary market in November and scooped it up. Now it's my favorite watch and it sits next to 2 other HO8's along with other Hermes in my collection. It's beautiful. It's different and way underrated. Thanks for clearing up the Monopusher mystery!
I must add, calling it 'birkin bait' is no comment on the watch itself, I think the H08 is a really good sports watch, and the smaller 39mm, especially, is quite nice on my wrist!
If it was used as 'birkin bait' for the original owner I'm happy. When I got it it was just three weeks old, so probably birkin bait. Yes, the regular H08 at 39mm wears a bit smaller. But the Naples yellow band on the mono really stands out - in a good way. I literally dreamed of owning this watch one day and then presto there it was.It's never leaving the collection.
As an admitted “newbie” to being a collector — I’ve had just five or six watches most of my adult life until somehow this number exploded over the past five years — I have fallen ever more out of love with the latest, newly released, shiny new objects. Yes, they are “better made,” more accurate (yet always less so than the cell phone on which I type this), but more often than not, they have no soul. A 1960’s Sub had a purposefulness about it that gave it gravitas. A 2026 Sub? It’s a facsimile. Most will never see seawater, they are heavy / bulky and the ceramic inserts on the bezels are perfect. Perfectly sterile.
All of this is to say that with each passing year, I find myself looking more and more to the past for my horological thrills. With rare exception — Kollokium being one personal recent example — much of what’s released today is just more stuff that will sit in a drawer or one day end up in a landfill.
With so many stunning vintage watches available for reasonable prices — watches with history, soul and passion to burn, doesn’t W&W seem like nothing more than marketing hype and crass commercialism?
I think the miss for UG is price point. Yes, Biver announced from the onset that prices would be on the high end…however…from a marketing and re-entry perspective, they have zero plan for anyone apart from the fanatical collectors and wealthy. It’s almost like rolling out a new currency for the arms dealers. They’ve have also upended the secondary UG market…if you can find a nice Polerouter.
I really puzzled by UGs decision to launch so many new releases all at once rather than trickle them out over months. And they also did this in the W&W window with hundreds of other new releases. A missed opportunity to gain better focused collector attention in my opinion.
It's an interesting point, though no doubt UG is on a timetable (see also: Private equity owners slash value of Breitling, https://www.ft.com/content/94468bf8-c671-40f8-ae56-386207b89a58?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
Perhaps financial realities can get in the way of brand strategy. That said, releasing an entire collection is a way to make a splash. If they had released, say, just the Polerouter, maybe people would be saying, 'We waited 2 years just for this??'
It also sounds like they have eyes on opening UG boutiques, and relatively soon. They need to merchandise those boutiques with an entire collection to make them viable.
We'll see how it goes...
Stoniest stone
I think your watches are fine, but it definitely feels overdone. Too many references too many sizes trying to appease everybody and not actually bring in real collectors which frankly is really where they should’ve started. The goal should’ve been dead get true vintage collectors to buy one of these. I haven’t seen many people who fall in that category who want one. It’s fascinating because every collector chat I’m on everyone has talked about the prices and they think they stink. I think there is delta building between what real collectors are thinking and the voices of watch influencers (YouTubers) whether you own a store or started out as just a fan. And watch press has basically just become watch trade magazines so they’re never critical. Maybe they’ll mention price lightly. I exclude you as I believe the subscription business is the only one that creates a path for real opinion. And they do give some credit to Andrew that time plus tide for asking the Blancpain about the price of the 50 fathoms
Nice article. Let's remember that most products are mid, because that's where the median lies.
In a world where all consumer products and experiences are packaged as being superlative, I keep coming back to that Garrison Keillor line from decades ago, "Lake Wogebon...Where all the children are above average."
I'm wearing my curmudgeon hat this morning and applauding you for offering something other than flowery praise for a watch brand output. On the one hand, Watches and Wonders is a trade show and, as a B2B event, isn't really meant for the end consumer. On the other hand, watch enthusiasts and consumers are, of course, the end target.
You're correct. "We're the ones who decide what sticks." But so long as we all continue to follow hundreds of watch-themed Instagram accounts which offer us nothing more than banal wrist shots, and interact with watch brands' social media accounts with fire emojis for every single release, then we're getting what we deserve. Mid watches at S-tier prices, or even worse, a long-tail distribution, where "all the watches are below average."
yes, I totally agree on your last point, that we get what we deserve and I often lose faith in our ability as a species to be good filters. (eg I saw that AI photo of the saved airman shared one too many times this week.) I'm typically reticent to go down the media-talking-about-media rabbit hole, it can come off as self serving!
"in October, Hermès did release an H08 Monopusher, but it wasn’t quite like that first one: It’s yellow and has a larger 45mm case (not 41mm)." You are right it is larger, and I had been wondering what happened to it as well as I watched that W&W video from a few years ago on its introduction. But, right on cue I found one on the secondary market in November and scooped it up. Now it's my favorite watch and it sits next to 2 other HO8's along with other Hermes in my collection. It's beautiful. It's different and way underrated. Thanks for clearing up the Monopusher mystery!
I must add, calling it 'birkin bait' is no comment on the watch itself, I think the H08 is a really good sports watch, and the smaller 39mm, especially, is quite nice on my wrist!
If it was used as 'birkin bait' for the original owner I'm happy. When I got it it was just three weeks old, so probably birkin bait. Yes, the regular H08 at 39mm wears a bit smaller. But the Naples yellow band on the mono really stands out - in a good way. I literally dreamed of owning this watch one day and then presto there it was.It's never leaving the collection.
As an admitted “newbie” to being a collector — I’ve had just five or six watches most of my adult life until somehow this number exploded over the past five years — I have fallen ever more out of love with the latest, newly released, shiny new objects. Yes, they are “better made,” more accurate (yet always less so than the cell phone on which I type this), but more often than not, they have no soul. A 1960’s Sub had a purposefulness about it that gave it gravitas. A 2026 Sub? It’s a facsimile. Most will never see seawater, they are heavy / bulky and the ceramic inserts on the bezels are perfect. Perfectly sterile.
All of this is to say that with each passing year, I find myself looking more and more to the past for my horological thrills. With rare exception — Kollokium being one personal recent example — much of what’s released today is just more stuff that will sit in a drawer or one day end up in a landfill.
With so many stunning vintage watches available for reasonable prices — watches with history, soul and passion to burn, doesn’t W&W seem like nothing more than marketing hype and crass commercialism?
I think the miss for UG is price point. Yes, Biver announced from the onset that prices would be on the high end…however…from a marketing and re-entry perspective, they have zero plan for anyone apart from the fanatical collectors and wealthy. It’s almost like rolling out a new currency for the arms dealers. They’ve have also upended the secondary UG market…if you can find a nice Polerouter.
Couldn’t agree more. Why would I ever buy a new UG, when the original, genuine articles are still widely available AND less expensive?!?
Tony, am I crazy for thinking the new UG movements are beautiful on paper but far too small for both flagship cases? I’m interested to see the backs.