The Pandemic Watch: Innovations in Response to a Global Event

A Global Shift: Down to the DNA

We all know, as collectors, watches are more than just tools. They can mark moments, memories, and milestones over the course of our lives. And sometimes those significant events that are typically external can make their way into the DNA of a watch itself.

The pandemic of 2020 sent waves of instability around the world, it was a time that could truly be identified as a marker of how things were Before and After across so many lives. And the watch community was no stranger to being affected either. Watch designs quietly evolved in response to those overwhelming stimuli and gave birth to some unique innovations. They were there to provide a small sense of comfort however they could. A watch whose only function was to accompany us in one of the limited places we could breathe a little easier, thus creating a new subgenre: a stay at home watch.

Comfort as Luxury

We were at home, we had more time, but we still wanted to feel a degree of normalcy or order. Yes, some of us took up baking or knitting, which are foreign hobbies to me because I can’t think of two more stressful things to do. But at the root of all of that was an attempt to find some kind of familiar ease, a feeling of coziness.

I think the watch brands took this opportunity to innovate on a much smaller, subtler, personal scale. And from that, we received watch designs that reflected smaller, wrist-friendly case sizes with options hitting the 36-39 mm range. Of course, these options already existed but personally I saw a lot more of these sizes appear.

We also received clean, distraction-free dials with calming layouts and soft finishes. Even the accessories, the integrated bracelets, rubber straps, or supple leather appeared to give the already considered luxury items more gravitas (except for the rubber straps which always make me want to jump in a pool). There was a definite rise in watch strap options so maybe this was the watch communities sourdough?

“We already mentioned the new colorful Oris Cotton Candy releases, which became an overnight success. This was likely down to their bright dials, but their bronze cases and bracelets undoubtedly added to the appeal.” (Ferenczi, 2021)

Some of the more notable watches that captured this softness or comfort were the Cariter Santos-Dumont and the Nomos Club series: the former, illustrating a sleek but modest elegance and the latter a fun, minimalist, and approachable design with its muted, softer colors released around this time.

(Courtesy of Nomos)

While those watches and accessories played a more calming, flexible role, there were releases hell bent on dazzling us as much they could; their intent? To raise our mood.

Emotional Aesthetics

And in that, we saw a lot more warm colors, nostalgic tones, and pastel palettes. Think of all those salmon dials, those softer greens. Remember those Oris and Baltic dials? Even looking at them now puts a smile on my face.

“To start, color played a major role.” (Ferenczi, 2021)

Further along the emotional spectrum, we had the sensational forces of positivity such as the rolex oyster perpetual releases with their bubble, puzzle, and emoticon dials. Divisive as they were, even I can’t deny that whoever designed these had fun doing it and someone out there gets a kick out of them to this day.

(Courtesy of authenticwatches.com)

Reconsidering Time

We saw a new world and we lived in it, capturing how we chose to spend that excess of time and it was reflected in the innovations and what we chose to wear.

It gave us a new perspective on our watches and on new designs that reflected nostalgia, or quietness and muted watches. Some others made a splash, a veritable celebration of announcement that they were here to cheer us up. There were designs not for the sake of it or for limited editions but because of necessity, practicality, of comfort and familiarity during a time where all of those aspects of life were the most important.

We may never have another event quite like the pandemic of 2020 and I hope we never do. But if any other good can be squeezed out of it, it's that we are a little more aware, not just of watch trends or what the consumers want or whatever limited edition is being pushed out this month. But events like that form a response, an emotional change in our lifestyle that makes us consider what we truly value in our lives, choices, and by the tokens we pick up to help us see our way through it.

Ferenczi, B. (2021). The watch industry and covid: A retrospective. https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/the-watch-industry-and-covid-a-retrospective-p_80979/