Time is running out for watches

There was a time when watches were regarded as a fashion accessory. Sometime in the late 80’s / early 90’s Titan had introduced a watch with straps in various colours and people used to decide on the colour of the strap depending on the colour of their attire. This watch (can’t recollect the brand name now) was a huge hit at that time. Times have changed and people have now started picking the colours for the casing of their MP3 players so that it matches their attire.

Talking about watches, I should mention the two sets of extremes that I have come across. The first category of people consider the watch as an ornament and flaunt their status by donning the most expensive Swiss watches. The second category of people don’t wear watches as they feel that they can anyway see the time from their mobile phones / handhelds / PDA’s etc. Although portable devices tell the time, they might never equal the look and feel of a real watch. Marketers are now concerned because the second category of people are on the rise.

Watchmakers today are worrying that their time has passed and they are scrambling to do something about it. Who would have thought, even a decade ago, that could happen?

But according to the Wall Street Journal teens and young adults are fast abandoning watches as too low tech and too limited.

In the not so distant past no one — not teens, young adults or the middle aged — would have left home without a watch.

So, will a watch run out of fashion?

Only time will tell.