Does the Age of a Watch Brand Really Matter?
This article examines the significance of a watch brand's age, particularly in light of the quartz crisis. It highlights how brands like Blancpain experienced significant breaks and reboots, questioning whether their stated founding dates accurately reflect their modern identity. The piece contrasts these older, re-established brands with newer independent watchmakers that emerged post-quartz crisis, suggesting that a brand's approach and context are more defining than a simple number of years.
Blancpain ceased operations between 1975 and 1983, only to be reopened by Jean-Claude Biver, marking a significant break in its continuous history.
Vacheron Constantin is presented as an example of a brand with a clear, uninterrupted lineage stretching back centuries.
The quartz crisis, beginning with Seiko's invention, is identified as a major dividing line between traditional watchmaking past and present.
Brands like MB&F, Urwerk, and Richard Mille are cited as examples of modern watchmakers whose identities are intrinsically linked to their post-quartz crisis emergence and innovative approaches.
The article suggests that a brand's age matters not as a raw number, but in the context of its heritage, the environment of its founding, and the niche it occupies.