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[Question] Why hasn’t the United States generated more luxury watch companies? (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by enzo32ferrari@alien.top to c/watches@style.land

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I can name companies obviously from Switzerland but also Germany, Japan, France, Belgium, Italy, and the UK but need to Google which ones actually build and assemble the watches stateside.

Is it marketing? Lack of experience?

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[–] RickyPeePee03@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

The US used to have a pretty robust watch industry: Ball, Elgin, Waterloo (Timex), Hamilton, Waltham, Gruen, Bulova, Wittnauer. That all got gutted by the Quartz Crisis or bought out with production sent overseas.

As for now, there are pockets - the Lititz Watch Technicum (watchmaking school financed by Rolex) in Pennsylvania is a good example, and RGM watches nearby. I think you're spot on about marketing - nobody cares about US made watches outside of vintage collectors and it would be hard to stand up a USA-Made luxury brand to compete with Rolex etc.