Watches Consumer Insights

Trend - Watchmakers are incorporating sustainable materials, such as ocean-bound plastics, into products. This offers customer the combination of luxury build quality and name, with the positivity associated with sustainable goods. This adds further value to luxury timepieces beyond status symbols, enabling new levels of self expression with timepieces.

Insight - Customers interested in collectible luxury goods are typically motivated by exclusivity, quality, and appearance. These consumers value products that fit their lifestyle, such as luxury watches that match outfits. As a reflexive action to these motivations, the luxury watch industry is filled with ultra limited-edition, ultra luxury iterations. However, these products are typically sold only on their complex composition and professional build quality, which may not fit into every consumers lifestyle due to environmental concerns. As a result, luxury watchmakers are now incorporating sustainable materials, such as ocean-bound plastics, into collectible timepieces.

Trend - Watch manufacturers are incorporating plant-based materials into their designs to offer consumers cruelty-free and eco-conscious options. These timepieces reduce the industry's environmental footprint while harnessing the power and versatility of plants.

Insight - The fashion industry is one of the largest pollutants, seeing as the materials used to create the products are often not sustainably sourced and non-recyclable. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of this and their own environmental impact, and are turning to more sustainable options. Factors like recyclability, sustainably sourced, and renewability are affecting their consumption choices as they search for brands that promote these values.

Trend - Brands and designers are diverging from tradition in watch design and launching products with surprising aesthetics and unconventional functionalities. These pieces are created to appeal to an increasingly niche audience.

Insight - Aware of the developments in design and technology, contemporary consumers are consistently on the lookout for new products that could be useful to their lifestyles and/or ones that can supercharge their aesthetic. This is rooted in a desire for novelty that enables individuals to not only indulge in their curiosity but to also test out new ways to enhance their daily routine. In this space, consumers consider it worthwhile and gain peace of mind, as a result, when testing out the effectiveness of new experiences.

Implications - As the number of clientele for luxury goods continues to grow exponentially, the notion of opulence is being expanded to include a design ethos that highlights uselessness. With specific regard to timepieces, this movement of worthless luxury products signifies a preference for status over function; as designer goods become commonplace, the status-obsessed require continued stimulation in new and exotic ways.

Implications - Carbonado, or "Black Diamonds," are now the luxury good to covet. As these gems are very rare, they offer the feeling of exclusivity, but they also provide a dark mystique that can make one feel both sexy and subversive. While real black diamonds are hard to come by and even more expensive to purchase, that's not stopping designers from using them as inspiration, evidenced in the cars, beauty products, jewelry and even gourmet foods that have been influenced by these precious stones' magic and mystery.

Implications - Today's on-the-go consumers are constantly looking for products that will help them multitask, and one area in which multi-functionality may influence purchasing decisions is watch design. Because watches can be worn, they provide a convenient method of storing data, connecting to friends, making payments and more. Saving people the time and trouble it takes to find similar functions and apps on their computers, phones or tablets, these built-in features appeal to time-starved consumers searching for convenience in their day-to-day lives.

Implications - Designers are bringing back the 16th century with sleek and modern twists on the classic pocket watch. While still considered a refined, luxury item, the pocket watch is no longer associated with only an older market as more and more young consumers take on this more traditional look. Designers, however, are doing their part by infusing modern elements like social networking, gaming and other technologies into these classic pieces.

Implications - Every aspect of life is getting an eco-friendly makeover, including fashion. As sustainable clothing makes its mark in the industry, another aspect of green fashion is emerging: solar power. Sun-powered fashion accessories in particular are becoming available to green-minded individuals, with everything from solarific purses to watches. Although still just a novelty, these solarcessories may grow in popularity as eco-friendly living increases in priority among consumers.

Implications - What is typically associated with everything shabby has taken on a new form in the market. It now costs big bucks to buy products with already distressed-looking materials. Shabby-chic fashions—with high prices—give consumers an edge to set themselves apart, yet allow them to maintain a high-fashion look.

Implications - Making their way into the hearts of the fashionable and geeky alike are stylish, hi-tech accessories that can do everything from monitor your blood pressure to control your iPod. With a rising preference for portability and easy-to-use technology, it’s no surprise that many designers are trying to merge fashion and function.