The CW watches I own, I didn't buy them because they were a knock off of a more expensive watch brand. I bought them because they looked good and their own style. It's as if CW feels that they need to link their watches as a budget version of someone else's more expensive watch and I don't think long term that's going to help the prestige of the CW brand grow in any way.

Anyone that ordered the blue dial + strap bundle with a May 10th date had there’s arrive yet?

I got an email about the strap being delayed until June, but it stated the watch will still be shipped immediately but I’ve had nothing yet… ‘early May’ has now past.

A1soknownas wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 12:45 pm At least this element of their marketing is consistent, even though it is consistently annoying in my view. There must be some demographic who loves it?

It’s not my demographic, and I’m a CW customer with considerable potential to be a repeat customer.

I want CW to advertise their watches on their own merits — excellent fit and finish, attractive design, etc.

Unfortunately, the advert shown above puts me off buying a Twelve. I’m interested in a great watch, not a great homage.

I’d buy a San Martin if I wanted a homage.

Hicksmat wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 2:31 pm The CW watches I own, I didn't buy them because they were a knock off of a more expensive watch brand. I bought them because they looked good and their own style. It's as if CW feels that they need to link their watches as a budget version of someone else's more expensive watch and I don't think long term that's going to help the prestige of the CW brand grow in any way.

Indeed. Well said.

Hicksmat wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 2:31 pm The CW watches I own, I didn't buy them because they were a knock off of a more expensive watch brand. I bought them because they looked good and their own style. It's as if CW feels that they need to link their watches as a budget version of someone else's more expensive watch and I don't think long term that's going to help the prestige of the CW brand grow in any way.

I don't quite see it that way. I see it more that CWs declared business model makes any watch they release highly competitive against other Swiss watches, as evidenced by the BC.

Maybe it's not so much that they want to produce an homage to an Royal Oak, but that having decided to produce a watch in that general style, it will automatically be relatively inexpensive compared with the big maisons. If a potential buyer equates quality with price, then the result may seem to be not expensive enough to have the quality (and therefore maybe the cachet/exclusivity) the buyer wants, and there must be "some sort of a catch".

It's rather like the Stella Artois "reassuringly expensive" approach. (Which according to Wikipedia stopped being a slogan in 2007, but still sticks in my mind). I know I feel I'm getting a better beer when it's slightly more expensive.

Much seems to being made of Christopher Ward’s advertising approach & the “homage” aspect of the new Twelve release. Maybe we are approaching this issue from the wrong way? A few simple questions could be asked. If not for the advertising’s negative effect, do we like the look of the fit, finish & design of the Twelve? Do we consider the Christopher Ward design & build inferior to what CW acknowledges as a source of inspiration? After doing our research of the watch itself & not the ads, we conclude the quality appears to be good & the design personally appealing, we must ask ourselves the million dollar question. If Christopher Ward is capable of making a high quality watch of this design, why isn’t this being done more often? While the Bel Canto design was more original in design, isn’t this the same question that captured the watch world’s attention? Does the answer have more to do with brand recognition than cost to build economics? Simply put, other brands charge what they do because perceived brand prestige & demand allow them to do so. Prestige comes at a price doesn’t it? My advice is ignore the company advertising if it offends you & judge the watches on their own merits. If you still don’t like the design or think the watches are inferior in quality, don’t buy them. While I recognize the design similarities to those that have gone before them, I have observed some design tweaks that makes the Twelve different & personally appealing. Advertising doesn’t move the needle one way or the other with me. The criteria of buying a watch is deeply personal in nature & subjective. I prefer a well built watch that I can wear everyday without fear of it breaking down. In other words, I buy a watch to be enjoyed by being worn & not as an investment piece. I want a watch that wears comfortably or sits on my wrist nicely. My Sealander & Super Compressor models get worn a lot because they do that. And, I want an attractive watch that I will enjoy looking at everyday & not grow tired of wearing. Lastly, I prefer a watch of timeless design that won’t appear dated ten years from now. Maybe the Twelve meets my criteria but I am willing to be patient. I would like to read about the experiences & see the real world photos of forum members that have bought one first!

Delmar

I'm really trying to see it from all angles, but I can't help but think if you say the ad is putting you off from buying it, you were never going to buy it in the first place. I could be wrong.

I really like the watch and will likely buy the 36mm when it comes out if it looks this good. I don't care for the ad, but that doesn't change the watch design/details.

ajax87 wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 5:16 pm I don't care for the ad, but that doesn't change the watch design/details.

Bingo. It could have been the best or the most cringeworthy advert of all time and it would make absolutely no difference to whether I like the watch or not.

You're all forgetting Mike France etc have signed off on the advertising approach. The adverts I've seen for this watch are basically saying they make similar designed watches (to high end) for less money. That is homage territory. Just make your own thing in its own style at a competitive price point for where CW sit in terms of pricing.

I don’t believe for a second that this advertising is aimed at me. Neither do I think it is designed to be a proclamation in general for what the company stands for.
I only know about advertising from the receiving end and may be wrong but my guess is that CWs advertising is highly targeted, and meant for people who don’t yet own a CW watch but fall within the demographic of people who are most likely to become CW buyers.
I find a lot of CW advertising a bit clever-clever, but it’s been said before that CW sell well to people in tech-type jobs. ‘Do your research’ is part of this.

I think CW are targeting people who would look a bit further beneath the surface than just accept throw-away comments on watch forums about CW being a homage brand.

‘Steal’ also has another meaning - if something is a ‘steal’ then it’s a super bargain. I think this advert is playing on all these meanings. Too clever-clever for me to enjoy, but - it’s not aimed at me

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/the-citize ... -s-market/

My conclusion is that anyone that seriously thinks the Twelve is an homage to a Royal Oak hasn’t handled and examined both watches.

Neil

That’s the essence of advertising isn’t it? Target a potential group of consumers most likely to buy your product that haven’t bought it yet!

Delmar

Hicksmat wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 6:09 pm You're all forgetting Mike France etc have signed off on the advertising approach.

I'm not sure anyone is forgetting that; there's just a lot of people that don't care. I buy things I like, without any consideration for the marketing decisions of the company. In fact, short of completely obvious ethical issues I don't really care about the company that makes the product whatsoever.

WileyECoyote wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 5:03 pm
If Christopher Ward is capable of making a high quality watch of this design, why isn’t this being done more often?

Delmar

Just a selected part of your post.

As far as I am concerned CW do already make high quality watches more often. The BC seemed to captured the zeitgeist, and led to a very favourable reassessment of CW, but the whole collection and back catalogue is bursting with desirable watches.

I have 6 CWs, and could easily have bought many more. The only reason to not buy all the CW watches I like is the sheer cost, and the fact that I would end up with too many to wear as much as they deserve to be worn.

I don't have an integrated bracelet watch. I'm not sure about the dial pattern itself, but reviewers haven't been complaining about it. If I do decide a want a watch in this style, I am sure I won't be looking elsewhere. However it's around £1000 that I don't need to spend urgently on an already burgeoning watch collection. There's a few other watches, both CW and non CW that are equally under consideration, and also purchases I don't have to make. (Which my wife frequently reminds me).