Watches going out of fashion?

[Lollipop]

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/f...ack=1&cset=true

Wristwatches Get the Back of the Hand

Young consumers tend to see the time-honored timepiece as irrelevant. The up-to-the-minute accessory now is the ubiquitous cellphone.

By Leslie Earnest, Times Staff Writer

April 16, 2006

Is time running out for the wristwatch?

Surveys and sales data show that young shoppers are shunning watches for snazzier time-telling gadgets, such as cellphones and iPods.

Last year, the number of people who bought watches not in the Rolex and Patek Philippe stratosphere dropped 12% from 2004, according to a leading market research group. The runaway favorite brand for teens, Fossil Inc. of Texas, acknowledged an 18.6% decline in wholesale U.S. sales of its namesake brand.

Oakley Inc., which is based in Orange County, said watch sales fell 11% last year as it phased out digital watches and styles that weren't selling well.

For many in the cellphone generation, watches now seem about as relevant as grandfather clocks. Bare wrists were plentiful last week at the Lab, a Costa Mesa shopping center that caters to teens and young adults. Shoppers dived into purses or pockets to retrieve cellphones when a reporter casually asked the time.

You don't wear a watch?

What's the point? they answered.

"It's like a hat," said Francis Eagan, a 21-year-old waiter from Tustin. "It serves no purpose, like earrings."

Kamlyn Snyder said she hadn't worn a watch since she plucked one from a cereal box many years ago.

"The inconvenience of strapping it on in the morning," said the 21-year-old student from Huntington Beach, a pink bow tattooed on her right foot. "My grandma does; that's how she tells time. She's not that old. She's, like, 60, but still …. "

Many older people too would make the cellphone their primary timepiece if it didn't mean digging around for their reading glasses, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for the NPD Group, which tracks consumer trends.

"Once the cellphone manufacturers recognize that not everybody has X-ray vision, they'll begin to make the cellphone clock a little bit bigger and it will very quickly replace the fashion watch as the No. 1 timepiece," he said.

Cohen began polling consumers about watches after he realized that he had stopped wearing one a couple of years ago.

His conclusions were corroborated by the Piper Jaffray investment bank, which produces a semiannual report on teen preferences. In the latest study, teenagers who said they never wore a watch rose to 59% from 48%. The number of teens who said they wore a watch daily declined to 13% in this spring's survey, compared with 18% of those polled in the fall.

And 82% said they didn't plan to buy a watch in the next six months, compared with 76% last fall.

"Some people just buy nice watches to be cool," said skateboarder Hayden Navarro at the Camp, an outdoor-themed shopping center in Costa Mesa. "That's a dumb reason to buy a watch."

Hair flipping up from under a striped beanie, Navarro sat on his skateboard and described how he props up his watch in his bedroom and uses it as a clock.

Attitudes like that might make watchmakers yearn to turn back the clock.

The dismal poll results caused Piper Jaffray to maintain its "neutral-to-cautious stance" on Fossil's stock.

"No matter how you sliced the data, it looked incrementally worse for the fashion watch industry when catering to teens," said Neely J.N. Tamminga, one of the report's authors. "The punch line for us is, clearly, the teens are using other means to tell time."

When another group, Teen Research Unlimited in Illinois, asked teens how they use their cellphones, 87% said to tell time, said Rob Callender, the group's trends director.

"The watch turns into something that's completely incidental to their lives," he said.

The vast majority of people still use wristwatches to tell time, and few people expect the device to end up on the endangered accessories list. But many think they'll be linked more to status and fashion than to function.

"People usually don't buy a Rolex just to tell time," said Nitin Gupta an analyst with the Yankee Group research firm.

Cohen, the NPD analyst, said his research showed that the number of people buying watches that cost more than $1,000 — such brands as Rolex, Breguet and Patek Philippe, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars — dipped 2% last year.

But the Swiss, who are not expected to be neutral on this topic, said they didn't think that time was ticking on the industry.

Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group, with 19 watch companies including Longines and Omega, called 2005 "a banner year" for its business, including its machine-washable Swatch Flik Flak for children.

But cellphones have other advantages over the watch, including automatic time-zone changes. Many people use their cells as alarm clocks and calculators. Some even watch TV on them. You can't do that with your watch — unless you're [censored] Tracy.

Of course, watch batteries last longer. And, in some ways, watches are more durable. You can't go surfing with your cellphone.

At least not yet.

Some watchmakers are responding with "jigged up" styles that appeal to young people, said Paula Correri, accessories editor for the Tobe Report, published by a retail consulting and trend forecasting firm in New York. They're light-years beyond the first wristwatch, made by Patek Philippe in 1868.

Microsoft has teamed up with Fossil, Swatch Group and another watchmaker to create what it calls the Smart Watch. Wearers pay a monthly fee to get up-to-date information including news headlines, stock quotes and weather reports.

About 84% of adults have cellphones. And manufacturers are counting on both seniors and youngsters to expand future sales, experts note.

Targeting older consumers who are "a little techno-phobic," said analyst David Chamberlain of the high-tech consulting firm In-Stat, at least one company has a stripped-down cellphone (no camera, video, text messaging or wireless connection) that sports larger numbers and a bigger screen.

You might think the cellphone's race against the most time-honored device would be troubling to the National Assn. of Watch and Clock Collectors in Pennsylvania, which boasts a museum with about 12,000 timepieces and a school of horology — the study of timekeeping.

But spokeswoman Kim Craven didn't blanch.

"It seems from what we've seen … watches are more of a fashion statement," she said.

"Why use both?" she asked, echoing shoppers at the Lab. "The watch doesn't do anything that a cellphone can't."

Time out

Fewer teenagers are wearing watches, according to a survey of about 2,000 high school students.

Q. How often do you wear a watch?

Spring 2006

Never – 59%

Sometimes – 28%

Every day – 13%

Fall 2005

Never – 48%

Sometimes – 34%

Every day – 18%

*

Sources: Piper Jaffray & Co.

[krustybrand]

I'm glad the young generation doesn't see the point of a watch. Now they can just beat each other up for the iPods and leave me and my watches alone.

[Dutchy]

Well I am one teen that will continue to wear watches!

By the way, the people interviewed didnt seem too bright. One kid uses his watch for a house clock, the other said theres no use for a watch like no use for a hat (a cap helps against the sun, and a wool one to keep you warm), and another said it was out of style because grannie has one!

Anyway, I aint changing!

Although, I dont have a watch now (already thoroughly discussed), at school use my cellphone now to tell the time.

[krustybrand]

My reply was partially tongue-in-cheek, not a condemnation of youth. I don't know why they have to go into malls to interview young people. I guess it's too tough to track down the ones who are busy studying, working or volunteering at hospitals, old-age homes, etc.

[groobash]

I don't think this is anything new. Wearing a watch while carrying a cell phone is certainly redundant. I went years without wearing a watch.

But as time passes, you get older and yearn for the simpler days of your youth. You remember the way your father/grandfather always wore a certain watch, etc.

There will always be some people who wear nice watches, just like there are still some (like me) who would rather write with a fountain pen than a Bic ballpoint, even though they're messy and leaky and expensive.

We drive old cars, date classy women (not girls), drink fine liquors, smoke cigars because we enjoy them noit because they're cool. Someday our kids will thnk back to us and our watches and the cycle continues...

[Chicken Manny]

If I was Timex I might be worried. High-end watches are purchased more for status, interest, collection and promotion of image than anything else. I don't see that changing anytime soon. If I see trophy wives start to become unfashionable then I will start to worry.

[Richard Tracy]

Interesting subject,..

I don't think it will ever happen, watches will probably be around as long as we measure time,

but,.. what do you think would happen to the price of mechanical watches, if they ever did stop

producing them ?

Would we be able to go out with few hundred dollars and bring back a chest full of gen Swiss ?

Or would the prices skyrocket for the remaining left in existance ?

[cwai02]

Cellphone is going to replace the mp3 player, pda, watch...

but isn't wearing a fancy automatic watch always for fashion, status, wealth...?

Edited April 17, 2006 by cwai02

[Craytonic]

Or would the prices skyrocket for the remaining left in existance ?

Production would quickly resume if this happened to the extent it was profitable.

[krustybrand]

It's unfortunate that the youth of today are so ready to accept mediocrity and garbage in the name of technological progress. MP3 sound quality is absolute crap. I listen frequently to MP3s played through my digital cable to my stereo. My system is very good, with Snell Acoustics speakers. MP3s sound faraway and dead. When I put an analogue tape of Tony Bennett into my Nakamichi deck, the whole room just comes alive with the sound. CDs generally can't match a good tape or vinyl either, as most are recorded in a very sloppy manner.

I don't see good watches ever going out of fashion much as I don't see audiophile equipment ever dying out either.

[shimside11]

I never wore watches when I was a teen either. All I needed to know was when school was out and when band practice and gigs started.

Once I got responsible I started wearing watches.

[swdivad]

I never look at my cellphone to tell the time... that's why I have a watch.... Cellphone clocks are redundant.

[Klink]

dino saurs

they went outa

fashion 2

now

they in

museums and make movies

with mosquitos

Life is Good!

Klink

[hookoo]

I quit wearing watches right after the calculator watch became uncool. It wasn't until I had seen my father-inlaws Rolex, and it just clicked in after that. I have been a watch addict ever since. You have to learn to appreciate a quality time piece. I think we all share similar reasons as to why we collect them.

Edited April 17, 2006 by hookoo

[Chronus]

I used the cellphone while i didnt have a watch for a while. i had a problem during the last summer where i would get a rash from the watch so i didnt wear it, and i used the cellphone.

[Hok]

I used the cellphone while i didnt have a watch for a while. i had a problem during the last summer where i would get a rash from the watch so i didnt wear it, and i used the cellphone.

I really realised how much i need a watch when i went to my first assessment (i'm student) and they wouldn't allow cellphones. i never was obsessed with the time it is, but a wristwatch is WAY more practical than any cellphone (i'm no addict of these, though)

most of the people i know wear a watch, but of course no patek's, so i can see why their sales are going down

[cony212]

I'm a very young teenager myself and I would say about 50% of my male friends wear a watch to tell time...the girls on the other hand, all use their cell phones...I have always worn watches, from my first casio, to a talking watch, even the calculator watch, i'm sure we've all used them one time or another to help us in tests I've gotten so used to wearing a watch that my wrist feels naked whenever I'm not wearin one.

"The inconvenience of strapping it on in the morning," ...How lazy can one person be? 4.5 seconds out of your morning time is an inconvenience???

[Pugwash]

Ok, reading that article, it's not news, it's an advert. It's a Fossil pump and dump or futures sale. Why mention the Microsoft involvement, when it's old news that died last year?

Not what I'd call news journalism, to be honest.

[DarthSimon]

Actaully, I use my cell phone to check to see if my Automatics are keeping good time lol

[archibald]

What a masterwork of investigative journalism from the LA Times. People missing the point of wearing a watch? Imagine that!! People with no taste? Shocking! Let me put it so even a reporter can understand: People don't wear watches solely to see what time it is. Watches are cool. Weaing an attractive/and or fine watch indicates an appreciation of time-honored craftsmanship, interesting design, and mechanical ingenuity--in other words it indicates taste. Do we really need the LA Times to tell us that a 22 year old LA kid might lack all of the above?

[slay]

i catch myself looking at my cellphone to tell time even when i have a watch on my wrist

[Pugwash]

Do we really need the LA Times to tell us that a 22 year old LA kid might lack all of the above?

Apparently, they think we do. However, I'd like to know what adverts ran on the same printed page.

[Edge]

Whatches are iconic and a statement as most people have mentioned. They are a symbol of taste. I have a mobile phone which is also a symbol of my appreciation of the finer things, and a sybol of my taste. However funnily enough I use my mobile for what it was designed for MAKING and RECEIVING phone calls and text meesages. I have a digital camera and DSLR camera for taking photos and therefore it stands to reason that I have a WATCH for telling the time, it is alas what THEY were designed for.

The High End fashionable designer watch will NEVER die, there will always be people with money who wish to have that symbol of status and style and then there will always be people like us the true conosseuirs of horology, who will always buy fascinating and wonderful timepieces.

[Edge]

i catch myself looking at my cellphone to tell time even when i have a watch on my wrist

I'm usually too lazy to get my phone out of my pocket unlock it and look, much easier to just glance at my wrist.

[slay]

but i'd trow my cellphone away in a jiffy if i could make&recieve calls with my ipod nano!

i hope apple comes out with an ipod with integrated phone someday (and not a phone with integrated ipod!)

i'd never go out without a watch though! everytime i dont wear a watch (because i plan on doing sports) my friends will IMEDIATELY notice and say "HUH?? No watch today? are you sick?"