Watch Hot Takes

Every year watch brands do the same thing over and over again and people freak out as if they’ve reinvented the wheel. I’m here to argue some popular watch features are overrated and aren’t worth the hyped. Here are my watch hot takes.

Blue dials are overrated

Credit: Teddy Baldassarre

Every watch model has a blue dial variation which makes them overdone, unoriginal, and oversaturated in the market. When I see a watch release with a blue dial, I question where the innovation and originality is. I want to see something different. Blue is is said to be so popular due to its versatility. But I’d argue that black, gray, or white dials are more versatile and better suited for a daily watch. I tend to match my outfit for the day with my watch. If I’m wearing a green shirt I can’t wear a red watch, and I feel that same way with a blue dial sometimes more than black or white.

Credit Teddy Baldassarre

Integrated bracelets are overrated

Credit: Time+Tide Watches

Integrated bracelets bring a seamless design that harmoniously blends the watch case and bracelet into one cohesive piece, marrying great design and comfort when it fits right. Comfort is where I think integrated bracelets are overrated because most of the time the bracelets don’t fit just right, since there is not room for a micro adjustment in its design. Brands do provide some mitigation to this by creating half links to help fit the watch. But on a hot summer day when my wrist expands I want to be able to make that quick adjustment that keeps my watch comfortable all the time.

Audemars Piguet shouldn’t be in the holy trinity

Credit: Hodinkee

Holy trinity of watches by most people’s standards is AP, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin. AP doesn’t come close to the other two in terms of depth in its catalog to be considered in the holy trinity. They’ve built their brand around the Royal Oak and everything else they make is either a subclass of the Royal Oak or a flop. Compared to Vacheron, which has many different models, each with their own style and history like the Overseas, Historiques American 1921, Historiques 222, Traditionnelle, etc. AP just isn’t on the same level as the other two.

Credit: The 1916 Company

Chronographs are useless for daily life

Credit: Teddy Baldassarre

The chronograph movement is useless in the sense that it is never really used. I can speak from experience: I never use the stopwatch functionality on my Omega Speedmaster. A simple date window, day date, or even GMT movement provides much more realistic utilization on a daily basis compared to a chronograph. I rarely find an excuse to time something with my watch. Chronographs have also saturated the market much like blue dials. Brands release new chronographs without putting any innovation or differentiating them from the pack. A common drawback of chronographs is the thickness they tend to carry due to the complexity of the movement. I think brands should focus on creating a chronograph with a thinner profile rather than just throwing a new dial color on the same watch with a 14-15mm case thickness.

Some of these takes you may agree with, others you might think I’m completely wrong on. I don’t care, this is my opinion, convince me otherwise.