New Video ALERT: Luxury Watch Industry is TANKING
Added 2025-06-28 12:16:50 +0000 UTCWhat is UP Patrons! Happy Saturday and I come bearing some Gringa Early Access!
Oh GOSH. What a week it has been! I am exhausted, toddler has been toddlering and I am ready to have a gin and tonic this weekend! Haha!
I have so much news! I am going to make a dedicated post about it - but I am starting a podcast with Adrian Barker called "The Movement". BUT MORE INFO IN A PROPER POST!
For this post: This is a video I've been stewing on pretty much since Watches & Wonders. I read this book called "Deluxe" by Dana Thomas and it was a really indepth look at how the luxury industry has changed since LVMH. Then I went to Watches and Wonders. And IDK - something about these 2 things resonated within me and inspired this video! It's a different one! It's not my usual thing! But there was something inside me that would be incredibly sad if I didn't make this.
This big thing for me is... Exploring the tension between making something artisanal, meaningful, mechanically marvellous, pushing the boundaries of design AAAAAND being profit motivated. Watch companies are for profit businesses first and foremost. and there's always a tension between art and profit. The theory is: When we combine these 2 things, 1 will always win out. And if profit is the priority we will certainly see a downturn in some form of the quality to ensure margins are the highest they can possibly be. I wonder if that's what we are seeing in watches right now?
What do you guys think?!
Comments
As far as watches go. I think that after the boom in prices, this is the bust.
Nick Jacobs
2025-06-28 22:44:20 +0000 UTCLooking at that list of businesses LVMH own. I noticed DFS. Now I wouldn't cal DFS luxury. They always have a sale on.
Nick Jacobs
2025-06-28 22:29:23 +0000 UTCGah! I love a good read on a lazy Saturday morning! I really enjoyed Deluxe. I’ve never known so much about Louis Vuitton 🤣🤣🤣
Watch Gringa
2025-06-28 20:18:48 +0000 UTC🤣🤣 YOU KNOW! Less is truly more! Savouring a glass of water is one of the best feelings on earth! I was reading a book once about true happiness. And the truest form of joy and happiness is when you’re freezing cold and go into a warm home and thaw. Or when you’re so hungry and eat those first bites that fill you. When you’re thirsty and get a drink of water! To have our needs met is more than enough 💕💕💕
Watch Gringa
2025-06-28 20:17:57 +0000 UTCTHIS IS SO TRUE AND FILLED MY HEART WITH EXCITEMENT AGAIN! This feels like a video: Watch brands that still put heart and soul first!
Watch Gringa
2025-06-28 20:16:00 +0000 UTCYOU AND ME BOTH! We’ve been filming some episodes and I always look forward to it. Adrian is one of my best friends in le industry! So working with him is genuinely a dream!
Watch Gringa
2025-06-28 20:15:26 +0000 UTCFor me, luxury is drinking glass bottled water at home in my Swiss chalet and the occasional good bottle of burgundy wine.. the simple things you know ;)
Ralph
2025-06-28 18:01:15 +0000 UTCLet’s start with how the dictionary defines luxury a material object, service, etc., conducive to sumptuous living, usually a delicacy, elegance, or refinement of living rather than a necessity 2 free or habitual indulgence in or enjoyment of comforts and pleasures in addition to those necessary for a reasonable standard of well-being a pleasure out of the ordinary allowed to oneself Since we are talking about material goods let’s limit the definition to “things” and not experiences. I think we can all agree that in 2025 a watch is not a necessity. We have multiple ways of telling time, mostly our phones. According to the 2nd definition: owning multiple watches of any price would qualify as a luxury. I think most people consider definition #1 when talking about luxury. My idea would be something that it not so easily attainable. A one of watch or exclusive edition. “Affordable luxury” is NOT a thing. That is the hype language that we have been hoodwinked with.
Shelly Herald
2025-06-28 17:00:14 +0000 UTCI’m not sure what my definition of luxury is but as some of my disposable income comes as being a pope tier patron maybe it’s you! Profit has to come first otherwise you don’t get to stay in business and make the stuff you like. I’m not sure what inferior means either; lower quality than previously (but still excellent); lower quality than you could get elsewhere for a similar price (including falling brand value); or just plain shoddy? I was in a Penhaligons shop yesterday to buy some perfume for my wife. It presents itself as a luxury product. The sales assistant was complaining that the company no longer paid her commission for sales and that footfall had dropped off dramatically, especially customers from the Middle East. I have no sense of smell so I can’t tell but I assume the perfume is made by the same industrial process as any other regardless of price point. It still has to smell nice (enough) but it’s luxury because of the hype. Is luxury because it’s nice and makes you feel special, however shallow that sounds?
Ian Forber
2025-06-28 14:22:03 +0000 UTCJust downloaded Deluxe. Needed a good new book. Interesting topic to ponder on a lazy Saturday morning. Hope you get a little lazy gin & tonic weekend time 😊
Monica M
2025-06-28 14:16:20 +0000 UTCI think heart and the art is still out there, with brands like Garrick, James lamb, Struthers and a whole host of independent makers and designers ,we just have to look away from the bigger profit driven brands in that sense, not that they don’t care, but those bigger producing brands will always juggle quality and profit because of production levels. …just my mind fart of a thought 😂😂…Love from the North xx
Dials and Kicks
2025-06-28 12:32:43 +0000 UTCCan’t wait for the pod 🤩
Fernando Hidalgo
2025-06-28 12:22:48 +0000 UTCI HAVE BEEN THINKING OF YOU!!!! I really hope you’re well! Next time we are up north we have to get a coffee! Or a cocktail! Or combine it and get espresso martinis 🤣💕
Watch Gringa
2025-06-28 12:21:32 +0000 UTCI’m looking forward to catching up on you’re videos and hearing the new podcast. Big love to you and the fam❤️
Dials and Kicks
2025-06-28 12:20:22 +0000 UTC
