Luxury Watches VS Smart Watches – Complete Guide
We have previously discussed if smartwatches will replace traditional watches in this article. In this post, we thought we would focus on the similarities and differences between luxury watches and smartwatches, what drives people to use either one of these, and whether or not they can co-exist.
Luxury watches have been around for a long time. Smartwatches, on the other hand, have only risen in popularity in the last decade or so. Luxury watches can be described as traditional watches, meaning timepieces that have mechanical movements. And the reason we focus specifically on luxury watches is that they show the biggest contrast to smartwatches. In many ways, they stand very far from each other, even though they both are, at their core, watches.
Without further ado, let’s dig in.
Luxury watches VS smartwatches – what’s the difference?
Luxury watches and smartwatches share some similarities but even more differences. As discussed above, and as discussed in the article mentioned earlier, there is a lot of debate about whether or not smartwatches will replace traditional watches.
Now, smartwatches have been around for almost a decade and have increased immensely in popularity. This means that we have access to data that has studied how smartwatches have affected the luxury watch market – and the traditional watch market in general.
The trends that studies have found are that firstly, smartwatches didn’t cause the traditional watch industry to collapse – like some people thought it would. Some people drew parallels between the quartz crisis in the 1970s and 1980s to the birth of smartwatches and expected the same outcome. This did not happen.
However, the trend was also that smartwatches have had some effect on entry-level traditional watches. In other words, smartwatches have negatively affected the sales of entry-level mechanical watches as some people have chosen smartwatches over entry-level mechanical watches.
At the same time, the luxury watch market has only grown stronger since the beginning of the smartwatch era. This is a very interesting trend that went in the opposite direction of what some people thought would happen.
There are many reasons for this which tie into the question of the difference between luxury watches and smartwatches.
Let’s look closer at these reasons:
People wear smartwatches and luxury watches for different reasons
The single most important reason why luxury watches have not been affected by smartwatches is that they are worn for different reasons.
If the primary reason to wear a luxury watch is to tell the time, then yes, the luxury watch industry would have been negatively affected by smartwatches- just the way entry-level watches have.
The main reason people wear smartwatches is that they are practical tools. Smartwatches are solely used and worn for their functionality. They allow you to access the internet, email, make calls, text, track your health, and much more. In essence, they are an extension of your phone.
Simply put, smartwatches are instruments that come with useful functions that help make your life more simple or practical.
Luxury watches, on the other hand, are not primarily used for that reason. Sure, they may have a chronograph function, a date function, or an annual calendar function, but the truth is that these are not crucial reasons for wearing them most of the time.
Over the decades, as society has become more and more digitalized, more accurate and useful instruments have come around. Back in the day, professional divers relied on their dive watches to keep track of how much oxygen was left in the tank. But today, divers have far more advanced tools for that.
As the functions of traditional watches have become less and less important, the role of the luxury watch has changed. If we go even further back in history, the wristwatch or pocket watch was essentially the only way people could keep track of the time. Today, we don’t rely on the wristwatch for knowing the time.
Today, the main reasons we wear luxury watches are the following:
- As status symbols
- As fashion accessories
- Because we appreciate fine craftsmanship and nice objects
Put in contrast, the reason we wear smartwatches are:
- To use them as practical instruments
- To make our lives easier
- To use all the functions and features they offer
When putting it like that, it’s evident that luxury watches and smartwatches do completely different things and therefore have two completely different purposes.
For that reason, luxury watches and smartwatches don’t really compete with each other. And therefore, smartwatches don’t pose a real threat to luxury watches. No one would throw away their Rolex to replace it with a smartwatch. Some people wear both, and others wear a smartwatch for specific occasions, for example when running. But both of these have their place and this is why it’s also getting more and more common for people to own both of them. Sometimes even wear them at the same time.
Luxury watches are fashion accessories and status symbols
The fact of the matter is that smartwatches are not really designed for style. They’re built and designed for a specific purpose. Luxury watches, on the other hand, put design and style at the forefront. Luxury watches are fashion symbols and status symbols meant to complement and enhance any outfit.
So from a fashion standpoint, they don’t really compete. You wouldn’t ever think about wearing a smartwatch with a suit. And if you would, it would greatly negatively affect your overall outfit and impression.
Smartwatches are used as instruments, not as fashion accessories.
Longevity
A part where luxury watches have a huge advantage over smartwatches is longevity.
The development of technology moves at a rapid speed. This is why there’s a new iPhone every year and the same goes for smartwatches. In just a few years, your smartwatch will get outdated and you’ll have to buy a new one.
That is certainly not the case for luxury watches.
When taken care of properly, luxury watches can last for generations. And most of them tend to remain just as relevant in design decades from now as they are today.
Luxury watches are truly timeless and are not the type of fast consumption that electronics are. For a lot of people, this is a refreshing contrast to the consumption-based society we live in today. Smartwatches will come and go, but your luxury watch will continue to be a trusted partner on your wrist year after year. Eventually, you’ll develop a special bond with your watch, as it follows you through ups and downs, and many special events. Your smartwatch, on the other hand, will be nothing more than an instrument to which you have no emotional connection. One that you’ll replace as soon as it gets outdated.
There’s a clear contrast and difference here in how these items are regarded but also in the mentality of consumption.
In addition, smartwatches need to be charged on a regular basis to operate. If you don’t charge your smartwatch, it stops working. Luxury watches, on the other hand, will continue to tick year after year without you ever having to charge them.
Smartwatches make our life easier, luxury watches make our life brighter
This is one way of looking at it. I just came up with that quote and I think it summarizes extremely well what both of these types of watches are about.
Smartwatches are instruments meant to make our life easier, just like most gadgets and different technological products. And indeed they do. It can be really convenient to see what someone texted you on your Apple Watch instead of having to pull up the phone from the pocket at all times. It can also be really convenient to speak on the phone or track your health. All of these functions and features are designed to make life easier, more effortless, and more seamless.
A luxury watch, on the other hand, is not really designed to do any of those things. They show the time and perhaps the date if you’re lucky. But that’s not what they are about. Luxury watches are worn because we appreciate them. Every time we look down on our wrists, it makes our life brighter. Humans have an appreciation for nice things and luxury watches are just that. They will brighten any day and make it feel much more special. Anyone who owns a Rolex can attest to the special feeling of putting on the watch on the wrist every day. It really makes you feel like a million bucks.
The bottom line here is that you can’t compete if you do two different things. Smartwatches make our life easier but luxury watches make our life brighter. It is the cherry on top.
Smartwatches VS luxury watches: craftsmanship
One of the most attractive traits of a luxury watch is the craftsmanship and attention to detail that go into making them. Luxury watches consist of hundreds of parts and require great watchmaking expertise. They are carefully made by hand (depending on the exact model) and may require hundreds of hours from a single watchmaker to manufacture. Watchmakers of luxury watches work under fair working conditions and have a great passion for their profession.
Craftsmanship and watchmaking expertise is the primary reason why there are so many watch enthusiasts who nerd themselves into the world of watches. In a world where things are getting cheaper and are meant to be used fewer times before they are disposed of, luxury watches are a contrast to this.
The interest in high-quality, hand-made products that have character and soul is increasing and luxury watches are an answer to that.
Smartwatches, on the other hand, are the opposite of luxury watches. They are mass-produced with very little attention to detail and they are manufactured by people who often have unfair working conditions. As such, it’s hard to get an appreciation for the craftsmanship behind a smartwatch.
It’s much more interesting to have a quality watch that has been made in fair working environments with expertise and passion than a mass-produced, cheap watch made by workers who work for minimum wage and under poor conditions.
Smartwatch VS luxury watch: Value
As discussed earlier, smartwatches are items that do not last forever. Like all tech, it will eventually get outdated as new tech is released on the market.
Chances are, you will find yourself updating your smartwatch as frequently as you are updating your smartphone. Sure, you can continue to wear your smartwatch as new versions and iterations are being released, but the older it gets, the less it will be worth.
Just like you don’t expect your smartphone to retain much of its value when you are done with it, the same goes for your smartwatch. Most people simply regard a smartwatch as a cost with no expectation of it retaining any of its value.
Luxury watches are a different story. Luxury watches can hold their value very well and even prove to be great long-term investments.
From this perspective, smartwatches and luxury watches are regarded completely differently. Smartwatches are more or less disposable in the long term, but luxury watches can last for generations.
Smartwatches will become outdated but luxury watches will remain in-style decades and even generations from now. There are few objects in the world that can do that.
Conclusion: smartwatches VS luxury watches
As you can see, luxury watches and smartwatches share some similarities. But most importantly, they have a lot of differences. As we have concluded, smartwatches don’t really pose a threat to luxury watches since they are worn for two different reasons. If anything, smartwatches complement what luxury watches are lacking.
People wear luxury watches as status symbols, fashion accessories, and because they enjoy craftsmanship, fine watchmaking, and nice things.
Smartwatches are worn as digital instruments to make life easier and more convenient. They will get outdated in just a few years whilst luxury watches can last for generations. In the long run, luxury watches can actually prove to be superb investments that increase in value over time, and that gain greater personal meaning and importance as they are passed on from generation to generation.
The bottom line is, smartwatches complement luxury watches and certainly have their place in our lives to track our health, access notifications, messages, etc. But there’s nothing quite like a fine luxury watch made with great passion and attention to detail, with beautiful craftsmanship that can last for generations.
