What does luxury really mean? At first, it sounds straightforward: premium materials, sophisticated design, and branding - but it’s more than that. It’s emotional and personal. It is not just about owning a gold-crafted wristwatch with 10,000 individual pieces coming together to produce a simple tick tock movement that keeps time.
In my case, luxury as a concept changed from something bright and flashy to something quieter and more profound, something that speaks to my inner child, and to who I am.
Having come from a family without much money, luxury wasn’t an option. The ability to buy something I wanted without worrying about the price tag was a rare luxury. With age, and thankfully success, my view of luxury has changed. It’s no longer about the price tag, but rather exclusivity, and the experience. It is about finding something unique and handcrafted rather than something mass-produced, and about supporting independent craftsmen who pour their heart, and soul into every piece they make.
In my opinion independent watchmakers are redefining luxury within the watch industry. These artisans have no corporate pressure to pump out thousands of watches. Instead, they create, on their own terms, crafting pieces that reflect their vision and dreams of what a watch can be. Each piece is more than a simple watch, but rather a story. A story created out of passion and dedication. Something that you won’t see on everyone else’s wrist, giving the owner the opportunity to carry a unique piece of that story.
Before social media, private watchmakers had to travel displaying their creations, with the goal to find a collector who would appreciate their work enough to either fund their creations or acquire their creations. Now with social media, they can build their watches in real time: sharing their sketches, their prototypes, and their progress and getting feedback. There’s a community of collectors following along and connecting with these watchmakers in a way that wasn’t possible before.
This contrasts sharply to what the mass-produced luxury watch shopping experience is like, which lately has felt rushed, condescending, and pushy. Instead, luxury shopping should be luscious, enjoyable, and exciting, as it is a moment to celebrate the acquisition of something special. Luxury is buying something because it speaks to me, not because of its name or price tag. It’s about the quiet joy of owning something I love.
I can’t help but feel that the rise of independent watchmakers was inevitable. Collectors are looking for something with a story, and not just a well-built movement or a fancy design anymore. Something that comes from passion. Independent watches represent more than exclusivity, they represent artistry, dedication, and a love for the craft.
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