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Thread: Watch Journalists.

  1. #1
    Craftsman windows95's Avatar
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    Watch Journalists.

    It’s a busy time of year again for these folk, and good for us as we love watches, but for me as usual there is something amiss. I read many reports and reviews of the latest pieces from Basel or any other event, you can sense the interest and passion of the reporter, whether they like the watch or not, you will generally get some nice stylish photos, some history, when a brand changed logos or movement maybe, some specifications and of course the price.
    What irks me the most is the lack of specifications, I finished work early this morning, could not sleep due to being fully wound after more reviews. The journalists are mostly all the same, Hodinkee, A blog to watch, the list goes on, often a lovely article, but to me unfinished, watch forums are full of the same questions, lug to lug, thickness, blah blah.

    Let’s use Hodinkee as an example, the report of the BB41, at least twice he mentions how slim the watch in question is but fails to give a measurement, to me the thickness of a watch is just as important as the diameter, again in the short video of the Omega trilogy, the guy on the right comments on how slim the pieces in the set are, well how slim? It’s always the same, maybe the reporter will say it’s quite a heavy watch for its size, but fails to tell us the weight. Also, the photos, very rarely a side shot showing the case back shape, or how the lugs are arrow straight or curve downward. What occurs then, for me is the trawling of forums trying to ascertain the missing information, which is often conflicting.

    These people get up close to the watch, or are sat with the manufacturer’s representative but fail miserably to give the basic information, such as depth, lug width, weight etc. I work on the railway, let’s say one night I run a cable from A to B, prep it ready for termination into an asset, the testing team arrive and need to know the actual length of the cable for their calculations, and my answer is “well its quite long”, is just not good enough, an extreme comparison possibly. Surely a journalist does not have that much to carry? How about a set of callipers, or a ruler, maybe a set of tiny Salter scales to fit in the man bag? I can measure a watch in 30 seconds with a ruler and builders eye. Set yourself above the rest.

    I know there are many things I should be worrying about, my family or attacks in Westminster for example but these tiny details cannot be ignored. Maybe I have it wrong and people prefer a bit of mystery? Too much time on my hands? Is it time for a jacket?

    On a positive note, I logged on today using the standard web page, usually its Tapatalk, the live Dreadnought is rather leasing to the eye.

  2. #2
    Master
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    And, relax...

    Completely agree though (or, 100%, if you prefer the measurement...). Most of us find thickness as critical as diameter to a good fit, and given that recent Omegas have been so maddeningly thick, one really wants to know what the new releases are like in this regard. I've also had exactly the same question of the new SeaDweller: yes, it's gone from 40mm to 43mm, but is it thicker? In general the absence of the key measurements from reviews is maddening. Often you can't even get the thickness from manufacturer websites, and have to hit google in the hope that someone on a forum with a Vernier caliper has actually got a figure...

    (As an aside, it's a measure of the industry's paradoxical imprecision that when checked the measurements aren't often very accurate - eg one gets told that most Rolexes are at least 1mm smaller in diameter than officially stated. Bizarre.)

  3. #3
    Master Glen Goyne's Avatar
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    Have been reading quite some articles on Basel on some sites but they seem to like everything. Haven't seen any critical reviews yet.


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  4. #4
    Master sean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Goyne View Post
    Haven't seen any critical reviews yet.
    Write something unflattering and the company won't send you shiny watches to review. Access journalism, it's called.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by windows95 View Post
    Let’s use Hodinkee as an example, the report of the BB41, at least twice he mentions how slim the watch in question is but fails to give a measurement, to me the thickness of a watch is just as important as the diameter, again in the short video of the Omega trilogy, the guy on the right comments on how slim the pieces in the set are, well how slim?


    you know what they say if the watch is really fat? it's quite slim, you can almost get it under shirt cuff.

    I've seen new Omega seamaster profile photos somewhere - no, they are not slim. they did the old trick - slim middle case with protruding case back.

    here's the photo.

    Last edited by Normunds; 24th March 2017 at 21:39.

  6. #6
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by sean View Post
    Write something unflattering and the company won't send you shiny watches to review. Access journalism, it's called.
    Not just watches but they won't be paid. It's not coincidence every blog covers the usual suspects first. The later ones just pay less.


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  7. #7
    I have a term for some watch Jornos.

    "Trick or treaters"

    Send watches or advertise or get nothing.

    Hence why you see little from small independent ( and often British ) brands in publications, unless the jornos or publication has had a treat.

  8. #8
    Master
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    The enthusiast press is almost always terrible. That's why these forums are so important- real people spending our real money.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by PIERS (UK) View Post
    I have a term for some watch Jornos.

    "Trick or treaters"

    Send watches or advertise or get nothing.

    Hence why you see little from small independent ( and often British ) brands in publications, unless the jornos or publication has had a treat.
    As a journalist myself (I do cars and motorcycles), I've never really seen any journalism. They are mostly bloggers, and they function as extensions of the marketing department of the watch companies. It's how they get invited to launches and events, and some get watches to "test." This means they put the watch on and wear it around for awhile. Very few dive with dive watches, and weigh, measure and time the watches as an actual journalist would do. Most of them suck as writers, but the standards of writing have deteriorated to the point that the internet page viewers don't even notice. They also really have a high opinion of themselves, and they live for the whole luxury lifestyle thing. There is a huge element of narcissism these days, and no where is it more apparent than the online watch youtubers and bloggers. Check out how they are advising the Swiss companies on how to deal with the latest "crisis." It would be like me telling Ford how to build cars (and Ford just announced in the USA next quarter profits will be down 50%). I know better. I try to give readers factual information, and limit my own opinions as much as possible. I like the watches; I don't care for the opinions of the "watch press." I'm sure there are exceptions, but I've yet to read them.

  10. #10
    Master helidoc's Avatar
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    I always thought that articles were paid for in some form, particularly ablogtowatch, which seems to cover small internet based companies disproportionately. Having seen Arial Adams collection, or at least part of it, he owns lots of these type of watches, so maybe I misjudged him a little.

    Hodinkee, quite classy looking output, but they play a bit to much to their Manhattan demographic and disposable income. All that flogging straps and leather goods too, underpinned by some venture capitalists who want a return on their investment.

    Having said that, I've been checking in with Hodinkee a lot during Baselworld, so they must be interesting to me.

    Dave


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  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by PIERS (UK) View Post
    I have a term for some watch Jornos.

    "Trick or treaters"

    Send watches or advertise or get nothing.

    Hence why you see little from small independent ( and often British ) brands in publications, unless the jornos or publication has had a treat.
    Is that just what you think or actual experience? Only with the publications I shoot for I know that is not the case. The only thing that is likely to hinder getting in is if the imagery supplied is not up to scratch and there is no budget to get somebody (like me) to shoot the watch.

    As for reporting from Basel and missing the details? Do you have any idea of the time schedules and appointments they have? I know a journalist who books his annual holiday post Basel for a very good reason!

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by JP Chestnut View Post
    The enthusiast press is almost always terrible. That's why these forums are so important- real people spending our real money.
    Those real people spend a lot of real money base on what they read. Then you expect them to literally write their expense off?

    Watch forums are by and large an extention of the watch journalism. Only more ´deceiving´ because it is not as obvious as the journalism.

  13. #13
    Master
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    How do the economics work? I believe Hodinkee, for instance, had eight people at Basel. How do they get paid? Good journalism is expensive, and I do not see how these blogs generate enough capital to pay real wages. In truth, what you get is public relations, always uncritical because they need access to the watches.
    For real, independent journalism, you would need money to finance it. Or heavy advertising. Neither is currently available.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by paskinner View Post
    How do the economics work? I believe Hodinkee, for instance, had eight people at Basel. How do they get paid? Good journalism is expensive, and I do not see how these blogs generate enough capital to pay real wages. In truth, what you get is public relations, always uncritical because they need access to the watches.
    For real, independent journalism, you would need money to finance it. Or heavy advertising. Neither is currently available.
    Yeah and Ben Clymer is very wealthy he has vintage daytonas drives a ferrari etc but i believe he was fairly wealthy to begin with with his career at UBS.


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  15. #15
    Master
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    Interesting point being raised.
    Personally I don't mind Blog to watch,Hoodinkee, TGV etc.
    However I was in a watch repairers and leafed through WatchPro magazine which is a trade publisher. I actually thought that it had articles I'd really like to read. Had stats from insurers with age groups for Brands - Rolex was 68! (Maybe a high end insurer with disproportionate age group). Articles about future trends etc. I thought this was the best Cross section of reporting I'd read. I've no connection to magazine BTW

  16. #16
    Embedded 'journalism', reputational maintenance, stealth sales posts and perhaps even other assorted flavours of self-promotion.
    Good Grief what a minefield!

    Without some knowledge of horology (no!) and occasionally taking the back off your watch (no!) how, above all the noise, do you verify that you really know the score?
    Last edited by forpetesake; 25th March 2017 at 14:08.

  17. #17
    Craftsman Frakius's Avatar
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    I find the writing on most of the watch sites mildly nauseating, like the feeling you get after eating too much chocolate, the writing is all syrupy and sweet. I still go to them as they are useful for information on new stuff coming out with some nice photos so it's not all bad. I think living in the rarefied air of luxury goods for so long has addled their brains slightly!

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