The Revival of the Swiss Watch Industry

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[@christopherneufelt8971]

This is another comment, since I am Swiss citizen: this is one of the most comprehensive report of the Swiss watch industry. I personally thank you for the great content. P.S. Another part of this industry was during the period 1900 to 1945, the production of relay mechanisms for the manufacturing industries, under contracts; these relay mechanisms were highly customized and consisted of stepwise mechanisms for stepwise process activation.

[@artdonovandesign]

GREAT comment!!!

[@nostaligia4021]

legacy German luxury car makers should study the revival of the Swiss mechanical watches, Let's rethink and ditch the "20-inch" and all (but the entertainment module) dashboard display panels and put the mechanical gauges back where they belong

[@artdonovandesign]

I Fully Agree!!!

[@ericanderson2987]

...and all that fancy display Electronics could Fail, leaving you stranded with a HUGE Repair Bill.

[@gabrieldefreitasfernandes9444]

Asianometry talking about watches? This channel only gets better

[@brodriguez11000]

Makes one want to watch.

[@Soyepita-Pay-lh5eq]

i'm glad he sounds better. Last time he sounded really in the dumps like a draft dodger. Maybe this topic is more cheerful for him. He gets depressed when he has to cover Taiwan's uneasy future.

[@goldnutter412]

Highly recommend "Wristwatch Revival" really awesome channel Probably already subbed though right ?😂

[@donnierussellii4659]

The discovery of a crystal that vibrates at a fixed frequency vs a complex train of mechanical components that needs regular cleaning and servicing, is like suddenly inventing the hammer after centuries of using a rock to drive a nail.

[@SineWaveMood]

It's not a fixed frequency. It has to be cut to shape to vibrate at that frequency. Other shapes vibrate at other frequencies

[@anthonyxuereb792]

@@SineWaveMood That makes it all the better.

[@frequentlycynical642]

@@SineWaveMood It IS a fixed frequency, No idea what you are talking about. Crystal controlled radios were the norm for half a century for matters like the military and avionics.

[@SineWaveMood]

@@frequentlycynical642 the frequency is determined entirely by the shape of the crystal

[@frequentlycynical642]

@@SineWaveMood Shape includes thickness, which is what's altered to obtain different frequencies. Frequency is most certainly not determined if the crystal is round vs. hexagonal vs. triangular.

[@ToniT800]

I would like to see a Part 2 of this video, where you talk about different movements and their approaches to precision and ingenuity:Citizen's Eco Drive,Citizen satellite wave, Seiko's TwinQuartz, Bluva Accutron (tuning fork instad of a quartz crystal, Temperature compensated Breitling/Citizen One and of course Grand Seiko Spring Drive!

[@christopherneufelt8971]

By the way the NOT Gate that you have on your account logo was initially created as a clock oscillator. Then the logic properties got on the way and we have stacked on 1984.

[@TheBigdutchster]

And the rise of counterfeits.

[@vbrotherita]

Greetings from Switzerland, so nice to hear such a well-informed and balanced review of one of this country's most renowned industries. Anytime you're here either for the first time or on a return trip, let me know, I'd love to meet to discuss technology and business topics. Keep up the impressive work and all the best! Valerio, Lugano area.

[@vincentguttmann2231]

I think one watch is also worth mentioning: Casio's F-91W. It is the quintessential quartz watch. Cheap, reliable, and somewhat timeless, at least today. I myself wear a more expensive Casio solar watch that can set itself based on radio time beacons like DCF77, because this watch will work until the end of time. It can't run out of battery like my phone, and it's on time. Always.

[@catsspat]

I own A178WA-1A, A168W-1, and A158WA-1DF, because I've always hated the plastic/rubber straps that eventually break. I know, I had them when I was a kid. I bought the A158WA-1DF only about a year ago in 2023, purely out of nostalgia. I rarely use any of them. Battery life is insanely good (7 to 10+ years on single coin battery) with these modern reproductions.

[@vincentguttmann2231]

@@catsspat I've got a plastic band one, but its a G-Shock, and I'm not even sure they *come* with metal bands... Also, I like how the plastic bands slowly wear off over time, showing that you actually use your watch.

[@ericanderson2987]

​@@vincentguttmann2231I have a similar Watch as you own. I used to Wear mine when I Worked, and yes, the Plastic Band shows Wear.

[@Anirossa]

I have watched a lot of videos on the watch industry, but this is the best summorized and most comprehensive one yet, thank you for making this!

[@pac1fic055]

As a big fan of Omega, Seiko and Casio, I enjoyed this video immensely. Thank you.

[@kingeternal_ap]

Average wristwatch enjoyer

[@honor9lite1337]

I'm using Casio as calculator.

[@brodriguez11000]

Horology is an interesting field in itself.

[@Frostbytedigital]

I see asianometry, i watch asianometry

[@amirhasanbasic2193]

LoL same

[@hypotheticalaxolotl]

But do you Swiss Watch him?

[@HouseOfFunQM]

I love Asian Deer Tech Man

[@skylerbowerbank5847]

A man of simple desire and good culture

[@N_g_er]

@@amirhasanbasic2193easy money

[@fredfred2363]

You must put a huge amount of effort into making videos like this. A lot of research, related history and finance connections all tied in. Very impressive! How you put videos like this together would make a good video!

[@erikziak1249]

I use a pocket watch daily. I have 3D printed a stand for it, where I place it. Both at home and at work on my desk. One huge advantage over a mobile phone is that I can simply look at the watch and read the time in an instant. No need to physically pick it up nor press anything on it. It needs to be wound up every day, but that is no problem for me. As for the watch, it is an old Soviet Molnija "Frankenwatch" with a 3603 movement that I picket up at a local flea market in good condition and super cheap and implanted it into an old "railroad style" case which had the older 3602 movement (not shock proof). Got it serviced professionally a couple of years ago. Runs without problems. As for accuracy, the watch tends to run a bit fast, about 5 seconds per day overall, sometimes more, sometimes less. I hate the feeling of anything on my hand, no watch, no jewelry, no bracelet or similar. I need my hands free of anything. And rings are absolutely out of the question. That is why I never liked wearing wrist watches, even when I got them as a gift. I rather take out the pocket watch and check the time on it than to have anything on my hands.

[@artdonovandesign]

What a *WONERFUL* channel you have. Most Excellent in it's research, scripts, editing, narration and with fantastic images to accompany every segment of your subjects. Your Channel is as Entertaining as it is Informative! 10/10

[@pafeso1659]

Some Swiss companies also focused on design during the quarts crisis to differentiate themselves with the Japanese. Though not huge hits at the time models like the Patek Philippe nautilus, Audemars Piguet royal oak are now flagship models for the modern brands.

[@eljay9253]

I was pleasantly surprised hearing you a few weeks ago at 'my local radio station' BNR Keep up the Greatness

[@nzoomed]

Swatch watches were hugely popular throughout the 1990s, I believe that the kids Flik Flak watches were also made by the same company, all the kids on our school seemed to have one!

[@sergpie]

My first watch was a swatch that I won at a fair, in like 1997/1998 that was square, but 12, 3, 6, and 9 read “Don’t. Be. Too. Square.” Loved that thing.

[@nomiguda]

Missed this in my recommended feed but I'll definitely watch an Asianometry video on this topic! Got you second in search for "swiss watch making" btw. Love your channel mate, keep up the hard work

[@augustenioupin1752]

Thank you Asianometry! Not too long ago I was reminiscing about an all-black swatch I had back in the late 80's, and how the "all-black" Pixel watch reminds me so much of it! That got me thinking of the evolution of the watch over the years, and how as a patented Watch Destroyer I enjoyed the swatches for their durability. I suspected Swatches were invented to counter the Seiko's and Casio's of my time, but I did know the full story, nor did I know the context. Thank you for this video. And yes: let's see how the Swiss watch industry handles the onslaught of smart watches!

[@LatitudeSky]

Onslaught is a little much. Most people don't wear any kind of watch, and the smart watches have coalesced around just a handful of makes that are barely more than a specialized display for information already carried on a mobile device, a host device without which most "smart" watches cannot function at all. This trend doesn't seem to be going back to the watch having significant growth ahead as a standalone device. A shrinking market is probably all there is for traditional watches. The rest will just be remote wrist displays of one sort or another.

[@ricki-bobby]

Back in the early 2000's I sat next to John Glenn on a flight. Surprisingly he was sporting an old school Rolex and not an Omega

[@kiwiPatchAz]

Citizen makes fantastic machines I fix cnc machines and I will say the art of watch making built my industry. Now we have sub micron machines milling perfect circles.

[@trendnwin6545]

I love that you let your curiosity lead you. Keep it up!

[@dannyzero692]

I love the amounts of Star Wars reference in the first 30 second

[@ebpondel]

The legacy of the precision manufacturing of Swiss watches can still be seen on semiconductor manufacturing. The best innovations in precision manufacturing are often Swiss. Chips are made on tools with components built by Swiss machines.

[@JC.Denton.]

That's something that always interested me, swiss suppliers for larger chip manufacturers. So far I could only find semiconductor manufacturers, but I would like to know about suppliers. Can you elaborate on some of them.

[@ebpondel]

@@JC.Denton. there aren't well known toolset manufacturers in Switzerland, at least to casuals. For components, VAT is big in vacuum valving. It's a better than 50/50 that you have a VAT valve between your process chamber and transfer chamber. There's also Inficon which is big in baritrons, gas detectors, and thin film growth monitoring. When it comes to innovative machining, I think of Georg Fischer, but there's a bunch of very good companies in the space.

[@HungoverHistorian-zf6gi]

Can’t find the exact quote, but I heard that Swatch standed for “second watch” and not “Swiss watch”, since it became a selling point to own more than one timepiece, as a fashion accessory more than a tool

[@davidlericain]

Your videos post with a regularity that is like... Well, you know.

[@theronwolf3296]

A similar explosion occurred years earlier in clocks. For years, clocks were among a home's most expensive items, made with high precesion, and required skilled service occasionally. Then in the very early 20th century, Henry Warren invented the synchronous electric clock (named Telechron) which turned everything upside down. Electrics were inexpensive to build and buy, extremely accurate (except for power outages) and lasted literally decades with no need for service. Quality mechanical clocks needed to reposition themselves as luxury furniture items because there really was no longer a pragmatic justification. This is the split that occurred similarly driven by the quartz revolution. Change is occurring again.. 'traditional' quartz watches are facing increased competition. , the multi instrument smart watch is moving in. While I do have some skeleton mechanicals which I wear for fun, my Garmin has pretty much replaced my quartz watches for daily use. Having geolocation, altitude (I do a bit of hiking) as well biological information in single instrument--why have only the time?

[@rogertilden7843]

Absolutely love this,! I would like to see the rise of manufacturing in this industry .IE citizen. I work in the Swiss type lathe industry and I am fascinated how this very accurate machining process increased the market for these beautiful tiny machines . I would love a video on the machines that make these machines.keep up the good work. Thank you

[@MichaelWillems]

My 40 watches bear witness to all this. A few vintage 1960s Omegas, a lot of Swiss watches from brands like Tissot, Longines and Hamilton; but also several Seiko and other Japanese brands; also Russian and Chinese watches and a few Bulova… and three Swatches. A lot of history.

[@MakerInMotion]

I love Hamilton. I have 4 different variations of the Hamilton Khaki field watch.

[@MichaelWillems]

@@MakerInMotion I have a field watch, a Jazzmaster GMT, and an intra-matic. All great watches.

[@stevebabiak6997]

I am a bit curious. I own one wristwatch that I wear on a daily basis. What inspires you to acquire so many watches? (I see the need for one, maybe a few, but 40!) How many of your watches see their way onto your wrist regularly?

[@MichaelWillems]

@@stevebabiak6997 Probably half of them get worn regularly. The rest, occasionally. Why so many? Variety is the slicer of life. How many shorts do you have? Why? Two or three is enough; you can just rotate them. But watches are, just like shirts, a fashion item.

[@MichaelWillems]

@@stevebabiak6997Also: dark face for night, light for day, waterproof for beach, ocean and river, chronograph for timing needs.

[@elitearbor]

19:30 "References and sources go here" Ah, yes. I recognize that referencing. Just like my college papers.

[@Napoleonic_S]

I think one of the other OMEGA advertising success is that they implanted themselves into motorsports, with the F1 (sponsorship?) in particular...

[@megabrout]

Same with Rodania in (Belgian) cycling, by all means an obscure dead brand before it's revival in the early 2000s.

[@Supperrman]

Delirium Tremens is also an amazing Belgian beer :)

[@SasquatchsCousin33]

As a typical middleclass consumer, i'm turned off by the exclusivity and speculation around luxury watches. I'm willing to pay for quality but those qualities are muddied by the industry.

[@andersjjensen]

The entire point of mechanical watches is exclusivity. It is, strictly speaking, like owning a steam powered vehicle. It makes no technological sense but some will think it's pretty cool. Especially if it's very well made for what it is. So to answer your question: The quality of a (good) mechanical watch is that it is actually very hard to make them keep time to within a second a week, and to make them durable they use (artificial) rubies as bearings, as that's the only solution to not constantly having to relubricate the watch. So you buy something that something that is hard to make for the sake of being hard to make. This is all by design. There is nothing being muddied here. You just happen to find it pointless. If you like the look of a nice watch, go get quartz mechanism that looks nice to you. If doesn't have to be particularly "up market" to last for decades with only a battery every 3-4 years, and a new watch glass once in a while because scratches are a thing.

[@MakerInMotion]

I discovered when I started collecting watches that quality peaks in the $2,000-$3,000 range. Above that the cost is going towards arbitrary characteristics. Precious metals and coveted brand logos don't make it a better watch, just a more expensive one.

[@SFVYachtClub]

Just get whatever costs a week's pay. Simple.

[@CD3WD-Project]

​@@MakerInMotionLongine ? Anyone. I do agree with what you said. There is a lot of good stuff from 1 to 3k Anything else is just for the name name.

[@Praisethesunson]

As a landed gentry. I love being able to use luxury Rolex™ watches to do international tax dodges.

[@MithunOnTheNet]

Could you do a video on the mid-tier of Japanese electronics brands? Like Pioneer, Sanyo, JVC, Kenwood, AKAI and the like? Sharp were pioneers in calculators and LCD, Toshiba invented everything from the electric rice cooker to flash memory, Sony and Matsushita (National/Panasonic) had their inventions, etc. But what caused the decline of the other Japanese electronics brands? Merely too much competition and lack of innovation? Or was there much more to their stories?

[@saturn1616]

pleasant watch

[@neeljavia2965]

I see what you did there😂

[@Low760]

This explains why flogs who like to sound rich love watches.

[@riffzifnab9254]

Video Idea: go talk to the Hacker Fab folks at Carnegie Mellon University "We design, build, document, and share DIY machines and processes to fabricate semiconductor devices in any room, for anyone with access to the Internet." Found via the Breaking Taps KZbin channel

[@YuuChoobHandle]

I love my Rotary skeleton automatic watch. There's something just so soothing about looking at everything moving and spinning. And I consult it for the time about as much as I consult my phone.

[@NoGufff]

This was a good watch.

[@anthonybird546]

Man, Swatches were the thing back in the 80s. I was bummed to find them hard to find when I got older.

[@klauszinser]

From South Germany its not that far. In Geneva there is the yearly invention fair. I did not expect but that was a very interesting video. I remember the mechanical Kienzle watch (the first watch as child) which unfortunately corroded after i had been fallen into water. Then the first digital display watches (was it a red display only activated when needed) at a similar time than the pocket calculators. The swatch - i think i had two - were loud. The plastic glass was very bad when it comes to scratches. Its good to know that there was not just Nikolaus Hayek. The town Grenchen i got to know as a region in Switzerland which had a very good knowledge of manufacturing micro mechanics. I still wonder that they never - now his son Nick Hayek - never tried a computer based watch. Garmin - which was a surprise - is doing very well.

[@punditgi]

A most timely video! 🎉😊

[@reihalilaj3935]

Hehehe

[@gleefulslug]

The part of my family that my last name came from were Huguenots who went to Germany to avoid persecution. Just randomly found that out one day and ever since I've heard more and more about them

[@kingeternal_ap]

Watchonometry

[@csours]

"Somehow Swiss Watches Returned" almost sounds like "Somehow Sith Watches Returned"

[@menib7574]

I am all the quarts

[@waziammm]

PLEASE look into doing a video on the Japanese adoption of FM synthesis technology. The parallels between this and other technologies like the quartz crystal and the semiconductor, which were adopted from Western technology only to be lead by developing Asian companies with the vision of domestic application, is eerily resonant. The tale of how brands like Roland and Korg became dominant using neglected Western technological advances is very interesting and well worth a telling on this channel.

[@danielkemp4860]

A good bunch of Huguenots (pronounced: Hugh-ge-no) came to South Africa, set up a lot of the wine farms… There’s a Huguenot monument in Franschoek, close to where I live.

[@tdb7992]

Whilst I have no real interest in watches nor their supposed monetary value, I am tremendously interested in how watches work. Such little marvels of engineering and European manufacturing prowess.

[@TheOtherSteel]

Swiss watches were not on the list of topics I expected from this channel. Interesting.

[@Slithermotion]

People who are into electronics also have a kink for fine mechanics or mechanic in general.

[@jiggsborah7041]

I am subscribed to a number of watch repair channels. I'm a mechanic and mechanical devices fascinate me.

[@OldFArt-gx9fh]

Yes but the introduction of sports luxury segment which resulted in Nautilus, Laureato, Royal Oak and Overseas models among others requires a whole chapter when talking about the revival of Swiss watch industry. These models are most sought after globally.

[@Elijah-2000]

Thoroughly love and appreciate your detailed wide range of interesting topics. 😊

[@bhuuthesecond]

"Once upon a time, in a land far far away from Taiwan" 😂

[@albertgerard4639]

I love it. It’s like a technological leap-frog but over hundreds of years

[@fensoxx]

That last watch pic on the closing slide is beautiful.

[@brodriguez11000]

Watch catalogs can be beautiful.

[@JinKee]

How did the microchip guy manage to destroy all of watchtube with this one video?

[@ronaryel6445]

Swiss mechanical watches, especially gold watches, hold their value over time. Some watches rise in value. The worst investment you can make is buying a luxury gold Quartz driven watch or connected watch, because it will become obsolete in a couple of years. If you buy a hybrid watch (like Breitling's Emergency pilot's watch, buy it because you need its functions.

If you need a functioning watch, buy a quartz watch. Why bother with the mechanical white elephant? They are only for show.

[@PaoYong]

Ehh. If the market for that specific quartz watch is good it can absolutely “hold” value. Look up some of the Grand Seiko 9F watches for example Also very few watches actually hold their value

@@PaoYong Just buy the cheapest quartz watch you can find, and invest the rest in an index fund. That'll most likely appreciate in value over time.

[@PaoYong]

Goes for just about any watch tbh

[@ronaryel6445]

I agree that buying a luxury watch is not as good as buying stocks.

[@anush_agrawal]

A video on Hong Kong's watch industry is also needed.

[@DavidHolliday]

Fantastic video, thank you. It will be interesting to see how the brands handle the next few years which look to be a time of reducing demand.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Swatch was fun. I had one when I was younger. Not the worst money I spend on a watch.

[@BollocksThreeofThem]

One of my favorite hobby industry's from one of my favorite KZbinr's... perfection. ❤

[@ek7735]

new video caught me while eating pizza. Forever my fav eating while watching youtube channel

[@ac1455]

It’s always interesting to see the process of how a lot of modern high end producers almost always started out as off brand copycats

[@federicoae7671]

Rolex is the most famous watch brand, but it's far from being the most prestigious.

[@Dave_Sisson]

But Rolex was the most 'aspirational' brand, the sort of thing that ordinary people want to own. So in that sense it is prestigious. But people used to wealth bought something like Patek Phillipe or one of the smaller brands, or at least they used to. In these times of everyone carrying a phone with them all the time, watches have ceased to be practical tools and are really just optional jewelry.

[@WalterBurton]

By what metric?

[@rdubb77]

Babe, uh…wait I don’t have a babe.

[@renatocorluka]

Nice coverage. Wearing a Swatch myself. Greetings from Switzerland.

[@Gunni1972]

Thank you very much for this one, from a swiss guy.

[@JoshuaC923]

SMH🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 i laughed out loud. Another great video👏🏻👏🏻

[@SFVYachtClub]

"Delirium vulgare?" Could have called it "mass hysteria" instead. Missed the chance.

[@KokkiePiet]

I think that Apple Watch and Swiss luxury watches are 2 completely different markets.

[@mtnbikeman85]

Ooh now do a deep dive into the machines that the Swiss invented to make these watches...the automatic screw machine and the Swiss lathe.

[@LiamDennehy]

This is deeply fascinating, thank you!

[@wdavem]

Thank you. I remember the 1993 Swach advertising campaign. For some strange reason I though Golden Eye came out in 1997 (WRONG) so that explains why I saw it for the second time in a theater with monaural analog optical sound. (the first time was digital sound, that I remembered correctly). Cheesy but epic. ANYWAY

[@Anti-CornLawLeague]

All I knew was that the Huguenots brought watchmaking knowledge to Switzerland from France. And the only reason I even knew what Huguenots were is because Alexander Hamilton was descended from them.

Btw, the name Huguenots themselves is likely a pun on the Swiss: > A term used originally in derision, Huguenot has unclear origins. Various hypotheses have been promoted. The term may have been a combined reference to the Swiss politician Besançon Hugues (died 1532) and the religiously conflicted nature of Swiss republicanism in his time. It used a derogatory pun on the name Hugues by way of the Dutch word Huisgenoten (literally 'housemates'), referring to the connotations of a somewhat related word in German Eidgenosse ('Confederate' in the sense of 'a citizen of one of the states of the Swiss Confederacy').[6] See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenots#Etymology

[@junzhang2087]

Clock is just clock. My $9.99 Casio digital watch is good enough for me.

[@therealmalik]

Unable to appreciate high horology?

[@triedzidono]

duuuude drop the "thusly" thus - is thus thus !

[@Duraltia]

Heh... Funny how most of the Brands in this Video at some point found themselves into my family... Be it the Swatch when they were first released and bought by my grandfather and distributed to his family members ( Wife, 2x Kids, 3x Grand Kids, etc... ). Me getting a Rage Boner for my first Casio G-Shock, then a Tissot T-Touch followed by my now Oris Propilot Altimeter Rega Edition ( and a Porsche Design 6020 Globetimer ) with my mother sporting the obligatory Omega & Rolex ( and an Apple Watch to ensure I get notified if she trips and hits the floor again ).

[@wynard]

I remember the swatch watches, good times.

[@spazma_]

I'm a proud owner of a Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 have always loved Swiss watches because it means quality.

[@dasvanalo3504]

"somehow swiss watches returned..." 😂😂😂

[@Gunni1972]

...Time?

[@dasvanalo3504]

@@Gunni1972 like 00:29 - 00:32

[@NathanaelNewton]

As of recovering escapee from what is basically Calvinistic Christian Young Earth creationist cult, ' The calvinists and their austerity' was not on my bingo list for today

[@morganmorse2086]

Which “creation science” speakers were pushed on to you?

[@christopherneufelt8971]

Funnily these cults and their secretive equivalents are the reason for the technological push the last 400 years. We might assume to live in a world of information and pluralism, but the conditions are fully controlled.

[@NathanaelNewton]

@@morganmorse2086 Kent and Ken, although a lot more of Kent.. what an absolutely dreadful person he is

[@morganmorse2086]

@@NathanaelNewton at least Ken Ham is a scientist who chose stupid beliefs. Kent Hovind isn’t even literate in science. Hovind got his degree from a diploma mill. He also spent time in prison for tax fraud. My local “creation science” expert was a guy named Russ Hanson. He just had a Bachelor’s degree in geology.

[@NathanaelNewton]

@@morganmorse2086 I was also homeschooled so I remember in high 'school' I had books from a guy named Jay L. Wile who was convinced that radiometric dating didn't work and that there was no magnetic Dynamo in the earth, that it was rapidly decaying since the creation and eventually would gone in a few thousand years. Luckily for me, my parents thought that I was going to be The next big creation scientist and let me read all the science books from the public library.. that didn't go well for them hahaha

[@Kyzyl_Tuva]

Loved this one. Why no mention of the best Swiss watch ever made: Jaeeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar.

[@Spockddc]

Yeah and it's called luxury consumption. It's not a very healthy sign when this happens. It usually means that the wealth ends up in the possession of those who prefer to squander it just for kicks or for self flattering. There goes inflation, everyone gets poorer, social unrest, etc etc

[@MadAtreides1]

2:26 is the Chioggia one in Italy no longer working? It is dated around 1386 it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orologio_della_Torre_di_Sant%27Andrea

[@jsalsman]

I feel extremely uncomfortable wearing anything on my wrists or fingers. I used to work around milling machinery, briefly in my teens. Too many horror stories, and not all of them from work, some from amusement parks and motorcycle riding. I can't even make it through my kitchen without my shorts pockets catching on cabinet and oven handles. One of my coworkers wore his wedding ring on a gold chain around his neck under his shirt during work hours, and everyone left their watches in their lockers.

[@erikziak1249]

I operated lathes and mills during my study. Nice years. I doubt they let the kids do it today. Learned many things. And we worked on large, industry grade machinery, not toys. I am also extremely uncomfortable wearing anything on my wrists or fingers, that is why I have a mechanical pocket watch.

[@tomholroyd7519]

There is still a market for mechanical watches people wear like jewelry. Some people like to see the gears turn.

[@Shantara11]

“The Quartz Onslaught” sounds like a mecha anime title 😁

[@-r-495]

at least one Swiss watch/ed

[@sim-sam]

As a Swiss, that has Omega HQ in eyesight and Rolex right in the neighborhood: Very well done! hits it a 100% - and, did you know? Today, they are as conservative and their unflexability is still there! Unbelievable... but well, there we go :D

[@ericanderson2987]

As usual, a fantastic Video, that's a bit of a shock after Viewing so many Semiconductor Videos! I will ALWAYS admire and lust for Swiss Complicated Mechanical Watches. Unfortunately, i will NEVER Afford them...

[@WalterBurton]

I don't understand why Rolex was not included in the essay. Trying to stay focused on that "accessible luxury" price point? Would that have made the thesis unwieldy?

[@williamboisdenghien2849]

Calvin is Jean Calvin and Hobbes is Thomas Hobbes

[@Landrew0]

The term "quartz crisis" is a laughable one. It's as if the buggy whip manufacturers got together and formed a cartel, to prevent try to prevent technological advance.

[@ChuckSwiger]

I've often wondered about that transition and just asked the AI - By 1917, New York, which had been a hub for horse-related commerce, saw shops selling wagons, carriages, harnesses, and saddlery replaced by stores selling automobile parts like tires, batteries, and carburetors.

[@DarthChrisB]

That's like saying we have no use for paintings anymore because of the advance of color photography. "Quartz crisis" doesn't imply that quartz must be stopped, it implies that a new business model must be found that doesn't compete with it.

[@andrewallen9993]

Or the electrical car manufacturers getting together in 1900 to nail the internal combustion manufacturers?

[@Landrew0]

@@manitoba-op4jx It was only a "crisis" in the context of financial self-interest.

[@JanVP1]

15:30 Are the photos meant to illustrate the similarities with the recent acquisition of Credit Suisse by UBS?

[@lapaleves]

oh the irony. my first quartz swatch got corroded with large holes in the - aluminium (?) alloy - body, works quite precise after decades now. the leather band degraded sadly, but the springy metal band is ok. my second swatch, again an irony, but automatic "body & soul" was late several minutes a day despite normal wearing regardless of supplemental winding. got replaced, glad i had to fly to Zürich (or Basel) once more. this second one is accurate, but i only wear it when feeling cute. never feeling cute nowadays tho. i still remember an old "cheap" lcd watch of mine, which could be converted from stopwatch to calculator band watch. having press-sensitive surface buttons and large green corner buttons for stopwatch i had a one of a kind device in the era where 16 or 20 buttoned calc watches and 16 melodies made you king or peasant.

[@12345fowler]

Solid reseach and well done expose.

[@ntabile]

Because elegant watches are considered to be jewelries. Considered to be an investment, too.

[@michaelotoole1807]

surprised Rolex was never mentioned.

[@clintcowan9424]

Smart watch - swatch . History repeats lol I love chronographs!

[@ahtheh]

Oi, Shikonoko, did you bring it here

[@bob_mosavo]

Thanks 👍