As a TechCrunch resident watch lover, I enjoy a view of the markets outside the dreck of typical consumer electronics. I can see beautiful pieces handcrafted by real craftsmen, historical pieces that pay homage to past glory, and sexist watch companies that suggest, in clear terms, that guys are the only ones doing some work.
Bear with me.
A reader of my other blog, WristWatchReview, showed me a storm that is getting ready in the world of watch with regard to the German brand Nomos. The storm is focused on their At Work series. Described by a spokesperson as "inspired in part by the repeated demands of male customers for larger products … watches" online advertising is primarily geared towards the men and the good that they do as a & nbsp; Engineers, scientists and programmers. There is no mention of women at work, even though the watches are essentially unisex discs and brushed metal squares.
The spokesman added that some sizes tend to be worn by some genres and cited their 33mm models as a favorite of all girls. The company said that there was no reason that a woman could not wear a piece of the At Work series, although they did not make any mention in it. their advertising.
Who wears the At Work saddle? There is Michael Martin, 33, of Code and Theory! There is Eric Kuhn, a social media specialist who "swears by older business practices: coffee, phone calls and handshakes." These guys love watches and they seem very capable. However, there are many women who wear watches and are capable and, I presume, work at Code and Theory and are social media specialists. Why not give them a Nomos projector?
In short, wrote a complainant, "NOMOS marketing reinforces harmful and outdated sexist stereotypes."
The real problem is that watches, for the most part, are unisex and the industry has discovered that even the smallest models are selling well to men and women. The days of Panerais pie come to an end and, even if they were not, many women prefer a big watch. The Omega Speedmaster, for example, is popular for both genders and the Rolex Submariner has become a loved piece by vacationers, both men and women. Even Apple offers an equal vision of male skin divers and women living in horological harmony.
As for the watch sites, it's a mixed bag. Rolex does not mention the genre, just the size. Tudor, a low-cost cousin of Rolex, does not mention the genre and has embraced Lady Gaga as the brand's ambassador. Swatch and Tag Heuer also avoid binary genres.
Other companies – Tissot, Omega and Cartier – offer watches for men and women and some offer "women only" watches such as the Mido Romantic, but none of them give the point to men as to Nomos. ]
Nomos is a darling nerd these days with their minimalist designs and affordable price (for the watch world). What Nomos can not afford is to alienate a whole segment of the population by suggesting that only men are "at work".
I do not want watchmakers. They must straddle multiple cultural loopholes, ranging from planning global advertising campaigns that will go to both Dubai and San Francisco to building and selling analog technologies in a digital world. But, as I have said before, the industry is shooting itself in the foot, if not in the intestines, once a week. An insularity that stems from the disconnect of a wider world and a focus on fashion creates a frustrating amalgam of awkwardness and ignorance that makes the faux pas even more ridiculous. Nomos has the right to advertise his watches as he sees fit. However, this is not in their best interest.