) and go back to functional design that serves a useful purpose (step forward Lumiere and Sapphire Edge).
I get your point, but I’m one of those people who love artsy, sculptural pieces. At the end of the day, who really "needs" a watch? And what’s even the purpose of a “functional” watch when we all carry a smartphone with us?
I’ve always been amazed by how much people care about dive watches with extreme water resistance—600m, 1000m—how often will the average person even dive, let alone to those depths? And sure, we travel more these days (I love traveling and do it quite a lot), but how often do we really need a GMT when our phone is right in our pocket? I’ve even caught myself checking my phone for the time out of habit, despite wearing a watch.
For me, watches are functional jewelry for men. Men often feel the need to justify having “pretty” things and accessorizing, which is why watches dominate men’s jewelry more than rings, necklaces, or bracelets. Since I see watches as jewelry, I’m naturally drawn to artistic and sculptural designs rather than traditional, stereotypical watch aesthetics. I don`t need the time-telling/functionality justification. The Bel Canto and Moonphase are perfect examples of the kind of watches I love. The Twelve also strikes a great balance between sculptural design and traditional functionality.
That said, CW is doing an amazing job catering to both of our tastes, and I hope they continue. If I may be bold, I’d say it’s the artsy, statement pieces that truly put CW on the map. These are the watches that will keep pushing them further into the mid- or maybe one day even to high-luxury tier. If CW had stuck purely to traditional, functional designs, they might still be seen as just another microbrand.
