It’s a conundrum many a new watch collector runs into – they like the looks of the watch (for example, the good ‘ol Submariner) but they simply cannot afford the prices that are attached to nice examples. But not to fear! There are plenty of makers out there creating watches that are visually similar to the model you’ve come to enjoy.
But then you read on some more, and you’ll find forums full of threads of people who are proudly showing off their acquisition, only to have the full weight of the forum crash down on their choice. Now, for the people who are buying outright fakes, this I can see.
For the honest collector who’s just going for the look and feel of a watch they enjoy, though, this makes no sense to me. When it comes to design, the cream rises to the top, and it’s only natural for other parts of the market to pick up on what’s working, and what the consumer wants, and create similar visual cues.
With watches, this is evident in many facets – the type of case involved, indices in use on the dial, or even the complications that are paired together to create the watch. If you’d like a more in-depth look at this (potentially) slipper slope, head on over to Worn and Wound and check out this article – James does a great job of summarizing what you may run across in your own quest.
My take on it? So long as the watch isn’t trying to masquerade as something it isn’t, and has a compelling mix of style and function in your eyes, go for it. In the end, you’re the one who has to be happy with what you’re wearing – not some anonymous person on a forum.
Images courtesy of W&W
