Year in Review: Predictions for 2026
Twenty twenty-six is just days away. Most in the watch industry are hoping the new year will bring better times than 2025, though most equally don’t quite expect that to happen. That said, it will be a great year for some brands, big and small. Architectural and affordable Independent watch brands have had a great run, and that looks like it’ll continue, especially for (expensive) time-only watches with decorated movements and frequently, open or no dials. Plenty of independent watchmakers cater to this demand, all for more or less the same money. Personally, I find many such watches uninteresting – though a few stand out and feel like they will stand the test of time – but the strength of demand will propel this trend. I expect two more interesting developments to emerge from this. One is watches priced lower, or much lower, than the typical CHF65,000-90,000 range for such watches. Ironically, while lower priced options might offer better value, they might be less appealing precisely because they are cheaper. That said, there is still opportunity in this segment, especially since lower prices often go hand-in-hand with higher volumes, so the market will gradually fulfil it, particularly since the way forward is obvious. Functionally, such watches are not complex. Computer-aided design makes it even simpler by allowing manufacturers to rework existing calibres with relative ease; Christopher Ward is already doing something along these lines with the C12. And decora...
Fratello
