You don’t need to be an economist or a business expert to work out that 2020 has radically changed how people buy watches. People — especially people from China — aren’t travelling, and that’s caused watch markets that rely on the tourist dollar to dip dramatically. In many parts of the world, retail outlets have been closed for extended periods, and even when they are open, people are spending less than usual because of the pervading mood of financial instability. Not to mention the fact that many brands have pared back their release schedules. This year, Swiss watch exports are down around 30 percent from last year. The flip side of this is that watch brands, and consumers, are adapting. More luxury brands than ever before have started offering fully-fledged e-commerce, and the quality and breadth of collector-focused offerings in more “entry-level” brands are better than they have ever been.
Take, for example, Longines. The Saint Imier-based brand has always recognised the importance of enthusiasts, seen most clearly through their heritage collections. And this year has been especially strong for that collection, with Tuxedo dials, Sector dials, a
