Destined For Greatness???

[Eric L.]

Perhaps the only micro that has ever achieved reputation high enough to demand a high resale price is the PRS Dreadnought. I have always attributed its status more because it was the first one, rather than not being equaled material-wise as many subsequent Fricker divers have used a similar design and are probably just as well made. If anything I've always thought the Korsbek OE/Oceaneer may one day hit the same status since the case is unlikely to be reused. But none of these will be as well known as a Rolex Sub or Omega Seamaster.

[sidecross]

Perhaps the only micro that has ever achieved reputation high enough to demand a high resale price is the PRS Dreadnought. I have always attributed its status more because it was the first one, rather than not being equaled material-wise as many subsequent Fricker divers have used a similar design and are probably just as well made. If anything I've always thought the Korsbek OE/Oceaneer may one day hit the same status since the case is unlikely to be reused. But none of these will be as well known as a Rolex Sub or Omega Seamaster.

You have expressed the main reason I will never own a Rolex, Omega, or other ‘big name’ watch.

This is a personal issue and not one that can be argued on a ‘right or wrong’ paradigm.

[mikeynd]

I voted no,since all of them use mass produced mechanical movements which are nothing special in anyway,and most are all homeage watches,so there goes the greatness.

[HomeMadeLookingBoutiqueSh]

They're already great. All of them, in their own special way!

[crisco3]

One of the really interesting threads on this enjoyable forum. I agree with the general consensus that very few will be great watches. While we can all agree on some of the great divers, EG Jenny Caribbean, they have very little currency outside these forums (WUS MWR TZ etc). So it will be for watches like the Bluering. From the outside it looks good, not fantastic (all subjective of course) solid and dependable, but wears brilliantly. I would not get rid of mine. A classic amongst enthusiasts but I don’t think it will ever become a household name or Halios a household brand, and I don’t think that is what the guys are after. Could be wrong.

I just sit back and enjoy the ride and support the indi watch makers who I like.

[tirod]

All watches were microbrands in their day.

Right now we're enjoying a renaissance in watches just like many other mens tools. Look at pocket knives - none of the leading brands were even known in the days of their actual necessity, up thru the sixties. And yet, all the microbrands dominate the market, where the market leaders of those days are now in decline.

Is there a display card of Remingtons at the hardware store, seen a Keen Kutter at the local gun shop? Nope, these days Spyderco, Benchmade, Boker (not your Granddads Boker, either,) and others have already had classic models that are already revered on the market, and all since 1986. In materials that didn't exist in 1969, or were completely high end unaffordable to the working man.

I got my first automatic graduating from high school, a simple Bulova with engineer bracelet, $62. Today I can buy a Seiko Dive for $130 - more rugged, accurate, and waterproof than the Bulova could ever be. Who was Seiko in 1971? They sure weren't a major player in American watch business. Hamilton, Elgin, Bulova, Timex, the list goes on. Very few are on the market now.

Take a long look at what happened to the Swiss companies. Did digital and quartz destroy them, driving them out of the market? Sure looked like that in 1980, but maybe it freed them, too. Now they exist because of the excellence of their product lines, quality, and innovation - instead of the mundane production of price conscious movements for the mass market.

The Japanese are in exactly the same situation now, sure, they dominate the market, but have the responsibility to keep churning out the production models to feed the world distribution to established customers. Are they really free to risk new designs, turn out models that will only serve a niche customer, or try something outrageous? In the face of the cell phone and this new generation having the time on their phone in their pocket, it's going to take something "out there" to keep being a choice to wear.

Complacently accepting the current heirarchy of watch making is really a lot like the day before Seiko announced it's quartz was on the market in 1969.

Ever hear of Gerber Knives? Just a micro brand of the 60's.

[jason_recliner]

I believe Benarus will be around for a while. Steve and Ralph know their market intimately and give them what they want. Many of their watches sell out, and sometimes it can be hard to find a new Benarus for sale, but they keep the new models / reissues coming, and this year their looks to be better supply than in 2011. They recently purchased Suppa, and I think they have one or two other horological brands under their company now, too. This sort of investment convinces me that they intend to stick around for the long haul. Whether that translates to classic status for any of their models in the future, who knows.

It is interesting that they were the first to announce a watch with the 9015 inside (the Remora) and have since released or announced several models with this movement inside. They saw the writing on the wall for ETA movements, and devised / modified a business model such that it doesn't rely on continued access to ETA movements for success. They don't rely on 'EWTA inside' for product appeal and desirability, but rather quality, reputation, and design.

Talk of ETA reducing supply has been around for as long as I have been collecting watches, so such a business model might seem obvious, but it seems that many other micros put the blinkers on and hoped that they would be able to continue on with 'business as usual'. This sensible business development leads me to believe that not only will Benarus be around for a long time, but will likely grow into a bigger player, maybe eventually filling a Damasko or even Sinn sized niche.

[bedlam]

Perhaps the only micro that has ever achieved reputation high enough to demand a high resale price is the PRS Dreadnought.

I'm not equating them in any way at all, but in recent times Bluerings have sold second hand for more than their new price. Just saying.

[Bree]

I think that as long as there are WIS around, these micro-brands have a chance of attaining classic greatness in terms of desirability, etc. Take the Bluering for example, there's just a certain quality to it that makes it so desirable and not to mention you can't buy a new one now

[vintageguy]

IMHO, to become a classic, a design must be original. an example is the Tudor Blue Snowflake. the vintage Caribbeans & Squales are classics because they were the first of the true 1000m dive watches. just copying a proven design won't make a watch a future classic.