The Rise of Shape Watches: A New Trend in the Luxury Watch Industry
Unconventional designs and vintage Inspirations are now driving the luxury watch market
The downturn in the secondary market has somewhat diminished the focus on modern watches. Although the demand for this type of watch remains very high, as evidenced by the resale prices of classics like the Nautilus and Royal Oak being multiple times their retail prices, new trends are emerging that could soon dominate the watch industry.
The past year has been dominated by watches adorned with diamond stones. However, alongside this, the wave of watches with uncommon shapes inspired by vintage design is gaining traction.
The other day, I was reading an article on Hodinkee where Tony Traina and Mark Kauzlarich present the new [RE]Master02. This is a very unique watch, and it's understandable that many might not like it. However, the fact that Audemars Piguet decided to focus on a model with such a distinctive case gives a significant hint about how the market is moving.
Hodinkee: In-Depth Understanding – And Going Hands-On With – The Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02
The [RE]Master collection is becoming a new line for AP, with the Le Brassus-based maison striving to be less Royal Oak-centric. After all the work done with the Code 11.59, this new idea could help reduce the brand’s reliance on the iconic watch designed by Mr. Genta.
[RE]Master was created with the intent of reviving and rediscovering the entire vintage universe of Audemars Piguet, which, in terms of prestige, is less sought after compared to its competitors, particularly Patek Philippe. AP pays homage to iconic models from the past, reinterpreting them with today's advanced technologies and materials, such as the sand gold case of the [RE]Master, a material first used only a few months ago on the Royal Oak Self-Winding Flying Tourbillon.
But the most important detail is undoubtedly its asymmetrical case, which draws heavily from a rare AP reference, the ref. 5159BA with a yellow gold case of 27.5 mm in diameter, produced in only seven examples. The original was produced from 1959 to 1963, during which AP made a very limited number of asymmetrical cases, 30 in total.
The fact that AP decided to focus on a case with such uncommon shapes for such an important collection indicates a lot about how the market is moving towards unconventional watches.
Another confirmation comes from other maisons that have recently produced models with non-classic shapes, most notably Furlan Marri. This brand has made a name for itself in the watch industry by reinterpreting some of the most important vintage models, creating more affordable versions but still maintaining high-quality standards.
While AP was bringing back a model with an asymmetrical case, Furlan Marri also drew from the history of the Le Brassus maison for inspiration for its new model launched last week, the Disco Volante, the Italian way to say flying saucer.
The young brand was inspired by one of the many experiments that Audemars had conducted in the post-WWII period.
The 5093 seems to have been produced in modest numbers from the '50s through the '70s. During these years, it was produced in white gold, yellow gold, and platinum, which is also the rarest version.
In addition to Furlan Marri, a new brand, Anoma, has recently entered the industry, presenting its first model, the A1. The watch, with its bold design, reinterprets the classic lines of the '60s and '70s through a case with distinctive and geometric shapes, primarily the Patek Philippe reference 3412.
The explosion of shape watches that we have been observing in recent months is the result of a long process of this type of vintage revival, primarily led by Cartier. Regarding modern watches, the French brand has done an excellent job with its proposals, and in fact, it is the second-largest maison in terms of revenue. Additionally, we are also witnessing a significant boom in many vintage Cartier watches, especially those with uncommon shapes, notably the Crash, but also the Baignoire and the Pebble.
It is no coincidence that I mentioned three watches present in Tyler, The Creator's collection because it is precisely through rappers that this new trend is passing.
Besides Cartier, there also seems to be a growing interest in the Rolex Midas within the Hip-Hop world. One of its admirers is Travis Scott, who has been photographed several times wearing the rare watch designed by Gérald Genta.
All this hype for shape watches can have impacts in two ways. On the one hand, maisons, as AP has partially begun to do, may start offering watches with vintage charm and unconventional designs. On the other hand, the original watches with unique shapes may become increasingly sought after in the secondary market and especially at auctions.
