IWC's latest target audience
Just recently, an interesting thread at one of the Dutch watch forums regarding IWC was started. In short, the topic starter of the thread wrote that IWC was the new watch for the rich. Perhaps a bit exaggerated, but I drew that same conclusion a while ago as well. I define it as follows: IWC is the new Rolex. Rolex used to be, and perhaps still is, a watch that stood for a successful career, life and wealth. At least, that is the image that it is stuck with. For collectors and watch aficionados, this brand has another meaning, but you probably already knew that. Otherwise you wouldnÄôt be visiting this web site. Anyway, IWC Schaffhausen seems to be on a mission. With their new range of advertisements, published in a broad scope of light reading material, they seem to target at successful young businessman. At least people that are not per definition watch enthusiasts. There is nothing wrong with that, especially not from a sellerÄôs perspective. However, I see this trend going on which has ruined, and still does, the image of Rolex for many watch enthusiasts. I fear that the same thing will happen to IWC. Rolex was never a brand that started out to be for the watch enthusiast, so that might prohibit this trend from progressing to a worse level for IWC. This trend is that people who are the former Rolex buyers for all the, in the eyes of collectors, wrong reasons, now start buying IWC watches. An IWC watch has a more sophisticated image and seems to be a more justified time piece to be seen with at work and social events. Personally, I am more impressed by the finish of a Rolex watch and the finish of its mechanical movement than I am with IWC watches in the same price range (<5K Euro).
