The key phrase there for me is his reference to trends.
To keep the company healthy, which is what it is all about, you should be leading the trends, not merely following them. You have to make things that people who have not bought one before, want to buy.
The reality is that the classic style watch buying crowd is a minority and the style of watches they buy are by their nature conservative, old-fashioned, more mature and ultimately, more anonymous. What good is it if they make five watches that I would buy one of each if they can make one watch that I wouldn't buy but 100 others would?
If the result is that 99% of their product isn't to my liking, so be it, as long as I can still get my Classic Carrera, I'm happy.
The vintage watch thing is interesting, in particular the mention of parts. It is implied that they have archived stock, which makes sense knowing how watch companies are with old/legacy parts in hidden basements/lifts/vaults/boxes leaning up against a shelf. The question I have is whether they would be committed to making parts o which they have old stock?
I recall a conversation with a Rolex guy a few years about them starting a historic/vintage certification service, much like Ferrari's Passport thing where they can/will restore vintage watches to factory spec and provide proof/certification for it. The concept is very appealing to me, especially as it means franken watches might be less of a worry if I know the questionable 20% could be rectified and rhen certified by the manufacturer as being "authentic" with a record and similar passport.
And finally, thank you David for sneaking in a question about the old dive watch.
