With the launch of the Apple Watch imminent, is the luxury Swiss watch industry trembling in its boots? Hardly. In fact, the reverse is true, with some industry leaders actually welcoming the intrusion of Apple into the high-end watch market. The belief is that Apple will ultimately help the luxury watch market, introducing a whole new generation of watch enthusiasts to the pleasure of owning a timepiece of genuine craftsmanship.
Patent Problems Hold Up Swiss Launch
Apple may well suffer a delay to the launch in Switzerland due to a patent problem. An existing Swiss patent owned by Leonard, a Swiss watch brand, bans the use of both the Apple symbol and the word ‘Apple’ within Switzerland. The delay would, however, be temporary as the patent expires at the beginning of September.
Meanwhile, the Swiss watch industry awaits with anticipation as the Apple smart watch prepares to enter the arena that has previously been dominated by names such as Rolex and Omega. It’s not the first time the industry has seen off pretenders to the crown and they don’t anticipate this time will be any different.
The last time goes back to the seventies and eighties, when quartz movements took the world by storm. No one, it seemed back then, wanted old-fashioned mechanical movements anymore. Quartz movements were more accurate and far cheaper. Just ten years after the introduction of the quartz movement into the world of watches, more than half of Swiss watchmakers had gone out of business. The remaining giants fought back with a renewed emphasis on quality, timelessness and the appeal of artistry - all qualities the quartz watches of the time could not compete with. It was also around this time that Swatch made its appearance in the marketplace, appealing to the avant garde youth of the day with ultra-modern good looks and a colourful, sporty appeal. It is testimony to the popularity of the watches that they are still around today.
Timeless Appeal Always Wins Through
Another reason the luxury watch market is not especially worried by any perceived threat from the Apple Watch lies in the question of longevity. While a well-crafted mechanical watch will last for generations, handed down as an heirloom and treasured by successive generations, the technology that powers the Apple Watch supersedes itself every 18 months.
Despite Apple’s tendency to dominate the new markets they enter, there are strict controls that govern what can be deemed a ‘Swiss watch’, and therefore Apple won’t be able to make that claim. With the expectation that the Apple Watch will introduce new generations to watch-wearing with pride (something that has gone a little out of style just lately), the Swiss watch industry looks favourably on Silicon Valley entering their marketplace. The expectation is that Apple will ultimately benefit the more traditional watch brands.