Originally Posted By: Jimkobb
I like watches and have several, but they are all inexpensive. My pet peave is why are all these watches you see now as big as the clock on my wall? They are just plain ugly that big.I remember many years ago my dad telling me thinner watches were more expensive because it`s harder to make a thin watch than a fat watch. Not only are the watches too fat but they are too huge a diameter also. So what`s your thought on watches? Do you have good taste in watches like me
or do you like these huge fat wall clocks on your wrist ?
Your Dad was sort of right(all things being equal) but cost of production/market value is determined by a great, great many factors.
Watch sizes are determined by fashion and function.
The early Wrist watches were a bit on the big size because they were originally Pocket watches with a couple of lugs attached for a strap.
With the coming of WWI the first Wrist watches intended for service were also known as Trench watches and were smaller sizes. It was the popularity and convenience of these watches which sees us wearing them to this day.
By WWII they were main stream and they had also started to get a little bigger.
The German pilots used to have a massive watch made by IWC which was strapped around their thigh and used for navigation. There is currently a variation of Wrist watch which currently available by IWC which pays homage to the original and it's very large indeed.
There are long standing watch manufacturers which are renowned for larger watches. Panerai comes to mind and they have a long and distinguished history in this regard with their designs having been born out of necessity.
Other watch manufacturers endeavour to make their watches a small as practicable in general but fashion trends have made them move to larger variants of what were originally smaller watches. Rolex comes to mind with the Submariners, Sea-Dwellers and Explorers gaining in size. The notable exception is the Deep Sea Sea-Dweller which is large in some respects due to design parameters but still quite wearable in comparison to some of the most modern Wrist watches which are just simply made to ridiculous proportions for the sake of current fashion trends.
Rolex make movements which are regarded as tanks throughout the industry with a very long development cycle. They are currently the size they need to be in terms of thickness.
However there are a new generation of movements coming into the top of their range which are notably thinner with some great technological innovations, and they carry a price premium largely due to the price point of the models they are initially fitted to.
These thinner movements will eventually filter down to the cheaper models in time, but there's a price premium to be paid for entry into the Rolex club anyway.
These new Rolex movements are probably the very embodiment of your Dad's philosophy.
At the end of the day a modern era Wrist watch(post 80's), is somewhat of a fashion accessory.
Especially since the period when the mechanical movement has survived and thrived since the "Quartz revolution".
I recommend checking out some watch forums to familiarize yourself with the state of play in the watch world.
It's easier to make an informed decision one way or another after gaining more knowledge on the matter.
Enjoy.
