| By :
Mark Etinger
Watches and timepieces have been around for centuries, in many different forms and creations. However, the luxurious designer watch is something unique all in itself. Designer watches represent a successful market, offering intricate pieces of jewelry for thousands of dollars, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars, and doing so with a product that can offer only one true useful aspect: telling time. And yet, a functional wristwatch can typically be had at a dollar store. So how are luxury watch companies like Panerai and Audemars Piguet able to find a customer base? One of the main reasons why luxury watches are often so expensive is because the reputation of well-known watchmakers speaks for itself. When a company has produced time-keepers of the highest of standards for decades, sometimes centuries, they are going to require you pay not just for the quality and the materials in the piece, but for the name on the side of it. Just like a plain white t-shirt with the word "NIKE" on it doubles its price from typical wholesale blank clothes, having the words "A Lange" or "Patek Philippe" jacks up the price. Designer watches are much more than just timepieces. They are symbols of luxury and style. And wearing one of these small pieces of jewelry that is clearly beyond the financial reach of an average citizen sends the message of elitism and class. And because of the lust these prestigious watch companies have created for their products, the business for luxury watch replicas has flourished. While most replicas are in fact illegal, there are a few limited legally manufactured designer watch replicas, which typically have comparable materials and quality-level, without the reputation-carrying name on the side. By informing the consumer that the replica for sale is just simulation inspired by a luxury timepiece, the producers are able to sell higher-quality watches for a more modest price. Over time, interest in luxury watches has increased, and this increase in popularity is expected to continue rising for the foreseeable future. However, some watch-enthusiasts are concerned that modern technology, specifically hand-held computing devices, will push the luxury wristwatch into irrelevancy. After all, why would anyone strap something to their wrist for the sole purpose of offering only one function… telling time… when they could just as easily use an iPhone that instantaneously offers access to the entire World Wide Web? What will save designer watches… in fact, the reason they will continue to flourish…. is the romantic, historical aspect of it. There is something beautiful in the unstoppable ticking of a perfectly-designed luxury watch that cannot be matched by the bright screen of a smart-phone. And because of this, just like how the Kindel and iPad will never be able to fully replace books, so too will the cellular phone not be able to replace classic luxury wristwatches.
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