Does Anybody Really Care What Time It Is? Leica Sells Watches

[filmtwit]

We are edging curiously close to the emperor's clothes. Veblen and his conspicuous consumption seem inescapable.

Yeah, it's a lot like the development of all the "Super" cars onto the market in the last 10 or so years.
THey are market for super rich to push back against the just normal rich.

I can't really say the same for Leica cameras as a whole, unless we just look at "Special Edition" (Digital) cameras. Then it's the same thing.

 

[filmtwit]

An economist friend of mine was telling me few months ago how prices for watches have been increasing by quite a bit during the pandemic. Nobody knows exactly why. My guess is that suddenly we have extra time and we need a way to measure it.

People with too much alone time on their hands and too much money on their pockets, online and ready to spend it since they can't go out and spend it?

 

[lukitas]

I think Leica AG may have missed a beat.

Their true USP is that hey are the last company to build quality 35 mm cameras, the only company that makes rangefinder cameras with a sensor.
In the market for quality horlogerie, they are new, and not alone.

Cheers,

Lukas

 

[james.liam]

People with too much alone time on their hands and too much money on their pockets, online and ready to spend it since they can't go out and spend it?

That isn't fair. With watches, having a purely mechanical movement, like a fully mechanical camera. has its specific appeal.

 

[ptpdprinter]

That isn't fair. With watches, having a purely mechanical movement, like a fully mechanical camera. has its specific appeal.

Yeah, that's what we are talking about, the specific appeal. There is a difference of opinion as to what that specific appeal is. I think there are several specific appeals. Some people buy them because of one specific appeal, and others buy them because of another specific appeal. Some people buy them because of more than one specific appeal. Others buy them because of one specific appeal but say it is because of another specific appeal. You just never know. But sometimes you do.

 

[filmtwit]

That isn't fair. With watches, having a purely mechanical movement, like a fully mechanical camera. has its specific appeal.

1) I Have an Swiss made Oris.
2) we're looking at stupid high price tags that you nor I will-ever-have-super-luxury-level-items. But at the same time, leica used prices have gone up to unprecedented levels (like $2-3k for common M6?) . Why? in part Covod, where you've not lost your job, but getting by just fine, but instead going to Europe, Japan, or where ever, you buy a Leica instead because right now you still can't really go to those places.

 

[jsrockit]

Film Leica M cameras have gone up because new ones cost $5000+… all of the coolest film cameras have gone up because they aren’t being made. There is something to be said for Covid affecting prices since we were all stuck at home for so long. Also the stores were running out of cameras at times.

 

[boojum]

Film Leica M cameras have gone up because new ones cost $5000+⦠all of the coolest film cameras have gone up because they arenât being made. There is something to be said for Covid affecting prices since we were all stuck at home for so long. Also the stores were running out of cameras at times.

Yes, over a period of about a year a year or so ago I picked up four Leicas. They are being sold on eBay now for more than I paid for them. A great deal of the price rise has to be laid to inflation. Too much money chasing too few goods.

 

[fireblade]

Goods that you can lash out the $$$ and are worth it....not in any particular order.

1. A good pillow
2. High quality mattress
2. Quality cold weather clothing
3. Shoes...my Achilles heel...pardon the pun
4. Real parmesan cheese
5. Coffee beans....the world starting turning to sh!t when instant coffee was invented
6. Food.
7. Quality socks
That'll do for now.

 

[filmtwit]

Film Leica M cameras have gone up because new ones cost $5000+⦠all of the coolest film cameras have gone up because they arenât being made. There is something to be said for Covid affecting prices since we were all stuck at home for so long. Also the stores were running out of cameras at times.

Except new Leica film camera's have been $4-5k for the last decade.

 

[luuca]

if this new business let the company be more strong, no problem for me, as long as they continue to develop and support M system

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

Epson makes watches.

https://www.epson.jp/products/trume/

They pair nicely with the RD-1 camera.

Mike

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Epson makes watches.

https://www.epson.jp/products/trume/

They pair nicely with the RD-1 camera.

Mike

Epson, Seiko, and Orient (another Japanese watch maker) are all divisions of the Seiko-Epson Corporation; so in a sense, Epson has always had something to do with watch manufacture.

 

[David Hughes]

One of the statements to me is that a fool and his money are soon parted.

I wonder what sort of statement I'd make if I left the sticky label with "Camera £3" or "Watch £3.99" and so on on them?

Regards, David

PS I make a point of telling them that they have made a mistake with the price and they should put it on ebay. Recently I was told that they hadn't as the two dealers who come in daily just after they've opened ignored the camera I was after...

I usually play with the cameras for a while and then pass them on to another charity shop; usually with the batteries charged and now and then replaced and new lens caps and so on. Sometimes I can make up an outfit from my bargains and that goes in a decent bag. Like most of us I guess I have a heap of oddments just waiting for a new homeand doing this I don't feel I've wasted them.

 

[bcostin]

It's actually kinda rare for a company to make all their money off just cameras or just optical devices. Just about all of Leica's current competitors are camera and optics divisions within a much larger corporate conglomerate.

I'm more of a Casio calculator or Samsung smartwatch guy myself, but I'm glad to see Leica making use of their reputation for fine craftsmanship to stay profitable. That niche of comfortably well-off professionals and amateurs have always been their bread-and-butter. The alternative isn't greater photographic purity, it's probably bankruptcy and/or being bought out by one of those other conglomerates.

 

[sojournerphoto]

I’ve occasionally looked at nice watches, but since I’m welded to my plastic Garmin I know they’d just get lost in a drawer somewhere…

 

[David Hughes]

It's actually kinda rare for a company to make all their money off just cameras or just optical devices. Just about all of Leica's current competitors are camera and optics divisions within a much larger corporate conglomerate.

I'm more of a Casio calculator or Samsung smartwatch guy myself, but I'm glad to see Leica making use of their reputation for fine craftsmanship to stay profitable. That niche of comfortably well-off professionals and amateurs have always been their bread-and-butter. The alternative isn't greater photographic purity, it's probably bankruptcy and/or being bought out by one of those other conglomerates.

Leitz split into several companies a while ago. Our bit just do cameras; or rather just did. And of course, they advise and licence lens designs and so on for other makers, I think.

Regards, David

 

[james.liam]

Leitz split into several companies a while ago. Our bit just do cameras; or rather just did. And of course, they advise and licence lens designs and so on for other makers, I think.

Regards, David

Yup. Think of all those Huawei phones used to spy on the unwitting by PLA intel operations, all fitted with "Leica" camera optics.

 

[aizan]

All they need to make is an endgame grinder to complete the trifecta: cameras, watches, and coffee.

 

[dourbalistar]

All they need to make is an endgame grinder to complete the trifecta: cameras, watches, and coffee.

Leica already made some coffee mugs, so I guess they're on their way:

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