Is the Watch Industry Dying? Can Rolex Increase Production? (Q&A)

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In this video, I answer questions asked by you through our various social media channels aimed at having a larger discussion about the watch world as a whole. We talk about the state of the industry, the Rolex production plan, and why companies don't use manually-wound calibers more often, just to name a few.

Timestamps
0:00 Intro and Organization
0:10 Watch Industry Health
5:55 Rolex Production
7:55 Manually Wound Movements
9:10 GMT Watches
10:25 Bracelet Preference
11:21 Rolex and Tudor Tour
12:18 Spreading Watch Enthusiasm
14:46 Overly Nice Reviews
17:17 NOMOS Swing System
19:16 Subscriber Collections
20:25 Is Lume Overhyped?

[steve]

Walked into a Rolex AD recently. The guy looked up and said “we don’t have anything.” Then he looked back down at his phone.
So why would I drop $10K+ there with that kind of greeting?

[Msgt_Slim]

I'm 58 years old and got into watches when my grandmother gave me a Timex Marlin for my 7th birthday. I've seen some crazy things in the industry over that time. Many hits, but many misses as well. I spent 27 years in the military and developed a love for aviation, field, and dive tool watches. Since retiring from active duty I've really been interested in mid century vintage watches and have added many of them to my collection in the last 10 years. And, by the way, I still have that original Timex Marlin from my 7th birthday. Still runs and I occasionally wear it to family functions.

[markdickerson]

Teddy - this video is a prime example as to why you are in many ways becoming the "voice of the enthusiast". Really love your takes personally and how you see the market, but, the thing that has made me an admirer of your journey more than anything is your take on the personal aspect of this hobby. The best line in this really good video was - "I don't care what anyone thinks of my watch collection." That is the bottom line for me - and you continue to hit the nail on the head week after week. Thanks Teddy!

[srox]

When I was 19, my gateway into watches was a seiko 5 for $100 while in college.
When I had my first promotion at work, I got myself a Tissot PRX P80.
Last year for my 25th birthday, I purchased the Speedmaster 3861 Hesalite as my first luxury watch.

I definitely wouldn’t have gotten the Speedy if it wasn’t for the Seiko.

[danielpowers]

Went to Goldsmiths in Dublin recently and asked about a stainless Patek Nautilus in the case. The Patek salesperson couldn’t tell me about the movement or waterproof rating, nothing. And I wasn’t allowed to hold the watch, of course. Really high quality experience :(

[chriscon]

I really like having a watch with good lume! With lume, it’s nice to be able to 1) easily locate where my watch is on my nightstand when it’s dark; 2) see what time it is without having to hit a button.

[PietroCozziTinin]

Buying and selling watches and then not wearing them because of depreciation is just plain stupid.

[Goxilla]

I got into watches during the pandemic. A video of someone repairing a broken Rolex Oyster Perpetual was the first time I was admiring the mechanics and design and also the skill of that guy repairing it. Since then lots of watch channels came up on my feed and Tissot launched the PRX which I loved right away. I bought it and couldn´t be happier. I also like the amount of micrbrands coming up lately

[nothere]

We’re just done with the stupid AD games

[dannysimenauer]

My answer to why buy a watch when you can get the time on your phone is watches are jewelry for men. Depending on the activity you are doing, they offer color (dial, strap, etc.), Differentiate you from the crowd, or can go into water. When is the last time someone noticed your cell phone?

[GCKteamKrispy]

What got me into watches is the watch repairing videos, as an engineer, I really love the cleverness of watchmakers who design movements.

But, my first ever watch was: Casio A158, as also a geek and enjoyer of retro games and culture, I really love this watch for its retro look

[BennyLlama]

"The lume sends its regards"
*smack*
😂

[cjlavesser]

I've always thought of Teddy as being "The Serious Watch You Tuber".
Then he drops the "That's for the lume!" joke. And now I want to see more Teddy stand-up comedy.

[DavidTurner-zy]

Love your comment about individual watch collections. It really is a personal thing. Comments like these make you who are and explain your success.

[heylo]

I’m 25. Grew up wearing a Casio since primary school because my parents wanted to teach me punctuality. Observed my dad going from a quartz Longines to a nice rose gold Rolex Day Date with Roman dial. That’s when I started to know about Rolex. During that time I’ve owned an Orient Ray in middle school and my parents gifted me a Tissot Powermatic that I’ve worn to this day. I feel naked without wearing a watch. I only started to really dig deep into watches during College. Got an Orient Polaris GMT with my first salary and a few years later a 1918 Howard pocket watch with a beautiful movement to marvel at.

[Podcastage]

Economic Baldassare is my favorite version of Teddy. Great analysis, thanks for sharing!

[minecraftsteve]

As someone between 18 and 25 years old the thing that got me into wristwatches was actually the Apple Watch. A few years ago I just got this urge to get myself a watch and I knew that I either wanted a fully mechanical classic watch or a well made modern smartwatch, and I actually went with the Apple Watch.

I wore it for almost a year and enjoyed a lot of its features. However, there were also just a lot of drawbacks I started to notice with it. I got tired of charging it every 48 hours, and while there was a plethora of watch faces to design and chose between, they all lacked character and started to blend together for me.

I was still drawn to mechanical watches with their more unique designs and movements that didn’t require them to be charged an hour every couple days. I got myself a nice Orient and haven’t put on my Apple Watch a single day since.

In my opinion modern watch brands should do a better job at communicating to consumers what the advantages are with mechanical and quartz watches over the modern day trends of chargeable and advanced pieces of technology. To make them aware of the fact that sometimes the classic alternatives with their own features and distinct designs actually do provide people with advantages that are all too often overlooked nowadays.

[johannesklauer]

I am 25. the pure perfection of the mechanical movements and the fascination for it, the class and style it brings (also in a traditional way without electricity), the innovations being made up to this day, the never ending discoveries and hidden gems you find the deeper you are into watches…. Just a few examples what got me into this beloved topic

[DrYeyo]

5:06 25 y/o here. Started with an orient bambino, then got a seiko 5 well under $100. I just bought a black bay 36 w/ the anthracite dial. Would’ve stayed with my quartz watches (which I love) if the mechanical watches were not attainable. I recommend starting with those old Seiko’s with the workhorse movement.

[scotts]

I’m a truck driver. Lume is the most important feature of a watch for me. I need to be able to read the time any time of night after many hours in the dark and it needs to be bright enough to read over background lights (dash, streetlights, headlights). In my world Tritium with large markers wins. Saving for a Ball but wear a Deep Blue. I have yet to find a traditional lume watch I can read in my environment past two hours from being charged with a black light.