[Earthjade]

Always a good way to start a barfight.
Anyway...which Seiko line? Sport 5? Seiko? Prospex? Prospex LX? Sub-lines are going to complicate matters.
This would probably work better as a continuum with a zone between the categories..

Seiko obviously doesn't work the same way Swiss watch brands do - they are a mega corporation with lots of sub-labels and Prospex for example could go into Enthusiast and Entry Level luxury.. But I wasn't about to break them up into Presage, Spirit, Alba, Seiko 5 etc etc. I had to go with where the bulk of their sales are and how they are sold (in every shopping mall = consumer).

Grand Seiko and Credor are their own distinct entity, so they get their own entry. Honestly, Credor is all over the place, reflecting Seiko's lack of focus in general as to who they want to market to.

 

[njkobb]

This is really tough since so many Brands like Omega, Breitling and Rolex have such diverse histories. Some of their items are higher end horology and some are very simple mass produced movements. Overall great attempt as it’s so subjective.


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[bigclive2011]

You are hereby promoted to chief “watch category triangle tier thingy” member.

I’m happy because my Panerai have become Luxury!! Yeah mon.........

 

[RobMc]

I was ready to roll my eyes (and I know there's a punchline at the end) but it's a pretty good grouping. A few placements I'd disagree with, but all in all, a good estimation.

 

[Tsujigiri]

It's at least better than the other chart? But there are a lot of problems with this one, too. Biggest one is that there are too many meaningless categories in there. "Entry-level luxury" vs "quasi-luxury?" Come on...

Also, the Vincero thing is funny, but someone's going to copy this image and take it seriously

 

[Karlskrona Watch Co]

Casio and Seiko are gods.

 

[longtimelurker]

There's no reality in which Panerai and Rolex belong anywhere near JLC, GO, Chopard, Credor, and Girard-Perregaux.

 

[Greetings]

I respectfully disagree with Vincero not being in ultra high end luxury.

Kind Regards

 

[Ginseng108]

And here is where the limitations and assumptions of this model need to be made clear. Watch "company" is more to the point since you are choosing to lump together distinct sub-brands on aggregated sales volume (how important is this, and where do you get the data?) and (predominant) sales channel (I can get Seiko 5 in the same shop I get Grand Seiko). Is airport duty free the same as a mall? Or a boutique?

So, nice effort and a reasonable starting point for discussions. But if you want it to be useful, then the basis on which you form these categories really need to be spelled out. And yeah, Rolex isn't high end.

Seiko obviously doesn't work the same way Swiss watch brands do - they are a mega corporation with lots of sub-labels and Prospex for example could go into Enthusiast and Entry Level luxury.. But I wasn't about to break them up into Presage, Spirit, Alba, Seiko 5 etc etc. I had to go with where the bulk of their sales are and how they are sold (in every shopping mall = consumer).
Grand Seiko and Credor are their own distinct entity, so they get their own entry. Honestly, Credor is all over the place, reflecting Seiko's lack of focus in general as to who they want to market to.

 

[Nokie]

Very impressive. Nice job.

 

[Earthjade]

Biggest one is that there are too many meaningless categories in there. "Entry-level luxury" vs "quasi-luxury?" Come on...

Point taken, but these categories were the original ones and I think they work very well. So why is "quasi-luxury" a thing? It means "the appearance of luxury". It makes sense when you need to place other brands in relation to it.

For example - Frederique Constant and Raymond Weil. Very few would say that they are on the same level as Tudor but they are more than consumer watches and not enthusiast (e.g. hobby) watches. Also, it's fair to say that Omega is a slight step above Tudor (at least where they stand in 2021). So the "quasi-category" has a place. Everyone here should be able to "feel" those quasi-luxury brands that are aiming at appearing to be luxury watches but are still reasonably priced and have no ambitions to be more than that. It's not a bad thing at all.

 

[LudicrousSpeed]

You absolutely nailed it with Vincero.

I was reading the list to see what I haven't yet owned at some point in my life.
I still need to experience a high end, ultra high end, and a Vincero.

 

[Histrionics]

Not bad OP. Definitely a few things I'd move around, but this is better than most.

 

[scuttle]

And here is where the limitations and assumptions of this model need to be made clear. Watch "company" is more to the point since you are choosing to lump together distinct sub-brands on aggregated sales volume (how important is this, and where do you get the data?) and (predominant) sales channel (I can get Seiko 5 in the same shop I get Grand Seiko). Is airport duty free the same as a mall? Or a boutique?
So, nice effort and a reasonable starting point for discussions. But if you want it to be useful, then the basis on which you form these categories really need to be spelled out.
And yeah, Rolex isn't high end.

Most people classify watches based on price, marketing, and arbitrary bs. Even the use of luxury is meaningless. It has nothing to do with any objections to be quality.

 

[JJ312]

Oof, putting Gucci and Sinn next to each other is just wrong.

Also I think Seiko and Hamilton could be in both the consumer and enthusiast categories.

 

[desc82]

Always a good way to start a barfight.
Anyway...which Seiko line? Sport 5? Seiko? Prospex? Prospex LX? Sub-lines are going to complicate matters.
This would probably work better as a continuum with a zone between the categories..

I agree that Seiko can hardly be put into only one category, especially given the fact the brand is now targeting the affordable luxury watch market (like the LX line as you mentioned).

 

[Mediocre]

I am not going to nitpick it....because selfishly it serves my mishmash of watches well LOL

 

[Earthjade]

This is really tough since so many Brands like Omega, Breitling and Rolex have such diverse histories. Some of their items are higher end horology and some are very simple mass produced movements. Overall great attempt as it's so subjective.

Yes. I tried to hit the middle ground of where I think a brand sits. There are plenty of brands that have prestige models and high-horology models but if they are more exceptions than their main models, then that doesn't count (much).

Also, some brands have prestigious histories and that doesn't count for a whole lot here versus what they are making now, how they are sold and what they are pricing it as. Bulova is a good example of this.

 

[Seidinho]

I know this is a joke but I'm curious if most people actually see Breitling as being on the same "tier" as Omega. I don't know why but I've always had kind of a so-so opinion of them, they definitely don't seem nearly as prestigious or popular as Omega or Rolex.

Have you ever tried / handled a Breitling? Their higher end divers and Navitimer series are great watches in that segment.

 

[Sandy82579]

I'm comfortable with where they are on the list in terms of their watches.
The ones I felt were borderline were:

• Blancpain - could arguably be bumped up to ultra luxury
• Hublot - objectively, there is a case to bump them up to ultra luxury as well (as much as I don't want to admit it)

I must be missing something, but I think Blancpain belongs back with Omega.