Why oh why?

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Dancematt
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Dancematt »

It's Breitling idea of small. Honestly I used to really like Breitling but their best years seem to be behind them, and not too long ago either just like IWC, around the time of the colt quartz II and steelfish. Big watches are ok in some guises but there still aren't enough smaller, perfectly formed models. I got into watches because I used to wonder how they got so much into such a small space now I wonder why there isn't more going on inside those huge cases, just a huge retaining bit of metal.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by andyg »

Dancematt wrote:It's Breitling idea of small. Honestly I used to really like Breitling but their best years seem to be behind them, and not too long ago either just like IWC, around the time of the colt quartz II and steelfish. Big watches are ok in some guises but there still aren't enough smaller, perfectly formed models. I got into watches because I used to wonder how they got so much into such a small space now I wonder why there isn't more going on inside those huge cases, just a huge retaining bit of metal.
Make it bigger = less engineering = cheaper to produce! Unfortunately we rarely see the cost saving transfer to the consumer. The new C60 maybe the first new watch I have seen in a while that I believe offers more at a very reasonable price (and I thought I'd never say that about CW again!) but huge case depth to save on costs.

The C9 is another case in point, pun intended!
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by robert75 »

The ladies Transocean and Transocean chronographs are 38mm
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

At the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious, if they could produce lovely automatic watches with all the requisite bits in cases less than 36 mm x 12 mm, and they did - decades ago, there is absolutely no reason why they can't produce them now.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Kip »

You are correct Steve, but apparently the sizes of old are not what the majority of people want.

People like us adapt quickly when wearing different sizes which allows one to enjoy the smaller vintage watches, but even we have our limits. Yours might be 32- 40mm and mine might be 34- 44mm, but others like to be "flashy and wear a clock dial. To some anything over 40 -42mm is a clock dial whether by preference or because of wrist size.

The trend for the past several years has been to go larger, but that seems to have settled a bit (hopefully). But if you want a big watch or have money to burn and want an elite watch brand with many complications, you can certainly get something over 44mm.

I shall live with my flexibility regarding sizes up to my max.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Kip wrote:You are correct Steve, but apparently the sizes of old are not what the majority of people want.
Point taken, Kip, but to what extent has the industry been guilty of TELLING people what they want? Advertising is very subtle, at least to the gullible.

A case in point – there are two world timers that I would have loved to have. The CW is what it is. However when you look at the Tissot Heritage world timer, it is based entirely on a 1953 original which came in at 36 mm. The modern version, however, is fully 7 mm bigger.

In 1953 a 43 mm watch didn't exist, at least I very much suspect it didn't. So it would have been pretty unlikely that the majority of people would want one.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by v8power »

Hey, I'm a big guy, so 43mm is too small for my wrist some time. That's why :) It's made for me :)
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by v8power »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote:
Kip wrote:In 1953 a 43 mm watch didn't exist
How about 47mm Radiomir?
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Absolutely. Which is why it would be great if these iconic modern watches became available in a choice of sizes. Because not everybody IS a big guy, as you put it.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by v8power »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote:Absolutely. Which is why it would be great if these iconic modern watches became available in a choice of sizes. Because not everybody IS a big guy, as you put it.
Agree, but for me it's a good news :)
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

v8power wrote:
Amor Vincit Omnia wrote:In 1953 a 43 mm watch didn't exist
How about 47mm Radiomir?
True, well spotted. Though I doubt whether you could name too many more.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by v8power »

I don't know how it will be in english, but in Russia in fifties was made special pilot watches that called "kragers". Named like pilot/motorcycle/horse riding gloves with long wrist part (from german "Kragen") to wear on gloves. 57-60mm indeed... I can find more then 2-3 examples of 40mm+ watches from fifties.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

To be worn on the outside of specialist clothing. Exactly. Wasn't the Radiomir made for diving suits? But ordinary watches? For ordinary people? Wearing ordinary clothes? You are obfuscating the argument.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by v8power »

First and last answer for this: People was smaller. I drove many classic cars and all of them was made for man less then 170cm. I am 192 cm and new generations are bigger then in fifties. I can continue to calculate big watches from first half of XX century, or can say: world is changing.
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Re: Why oh why?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

v8power wrote:First and last answer for this
Promise? :yawn:
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