WHEN HYPE

REPLACES VALUE

At some point, watches stopped being about horology and started being about validation. That moment is where hype quietly replaced value.

Today, more often than not, what is desired is not the object itself, but a name, a brand, and the silent message it sends to society: “I’ve made it.”

And there is nothing inherently wrong with that. Everyone has their own milestones, and celebrating them is valid.

The problem begins when a supposed scarcity of highly sought-after pieces makes them virtually impossible to find in boutiques or authorized dealers. In their place appear endless waiting lists, calls that never come, and, inevitably, a secondary market where people end up paying two, three, or even four times the official retail price.

Much of the responsibility lies with us, the buyers. We are the ones willing—sometimes desperately—to pay those inflated prices. But perhaps we are asking the wrong question.

The real question should be: Is this watch truly worth this price? Am I buying it because I genuinely love watchmaking, or simply because of the hype?

These are valid—and necessary—questions. Because at those price levels, we are often not receiving superior value in terms of movement complexity, materials, or craftsmanship. In many cases, that same money could instead secure truly exceptional timepieces—watches with history, identity, and outstanding technical execution.

This becomes especially evident with Rolex. And let me be clear: I love Rolex. I own several pieces myself. But at some point, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify paying extraordinary sums for watches that are, objectively speaking, technically simple and, for some, even uninspiring, when compared to what brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne, or even Patek Philippe have to offer at similar price points.

And this phenomenon is not exclusive to Rolex. It also affects certain sporty models from Patek Philippe, and certainly the now-mythical Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet. Ironically, within these very brands exists a vast universe of extraordinary watches, pieces of far greater horological depth that receive far less attention—yet would make far more coherent purchases at these inflated prices.

This often leads to another question many buyers ask themselves:

Is this a good “investment”?

From a true collector’s perspective, that question misses the point. Watches are not investments—that is a separate conversation altogether. They are objects meant to be enjoyed, worn, and experienced. Of course, value retention matters to some extent, but in the world of watch collecting, the greatest satisfaction comes from buying what genuinely resonates with you, not what promises the safest financial outcome.

We live in a privileged era for horology. Never before has there been such a vast diversity of brands, styles, and philosophies. I have seen collectors with extremely high-end pieces enjoy watches of far more modest prices just as much—sometimes even more.

Ultimately, my intention is simple: not to fall into the hype.

Not to pay absurd amounts for steel watches when that same money could secure high horology in precious metals.

Not to chase overvalued icons while true masterpieces quietly wait to be discovered.

Because, at the end of the day, true watch collecting is not about scarcity, status, or resale value.

It is about connection, craftsmanship, and the quiet satisfaction of wearing something that speaks to you—not to everyone else.