Student ID: 5065 8033

http://stylewristwatches2015.atspace.eu/best-female-watches.html

History of Watches

Before World War I, wristwatches (wristlets as they were called) were reserved for women. Instead of wristwatches gentlemen carried pocket watches and even quoted to say they “would sooner wear a skirt as wear a wristwatch”. This started to change in the 19th century (Boer War), when soldiers discovered pocket watches were clumsy to carry and thus difficult to operate while in combat. Soldiers fitted them into primitive “cupped” leather straps so they could be worn on the wrist, thereby freeing up their hands during battle.

Even with their success in combat, the popularity of the wristwatch was still limited to ladies’ models. Until World War I (1914-1919), when soldiers from around the world converged on Europe to help defeat the German Empire. The demand for reliable, accurate wristwatches was now at its peak. When these war heroes were seen wearing them, the public’s perception quickly changed, and wristwatches were no longer deemed as feminine. [The History andEvolution of the Wristwatch by John E. Brozek – Jan 2004]


Pocket Watch https://galaxact.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/history-evolution-of-a-wristwatch/	The Earliest Wristwatches http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/wristwatches.php

Wrist Strap for Pocket Watch http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/wristwatches.php	Rare photo of a British soldier wearing a wristwatch in 1917 During World War I http://rolexblog.blogspot.hk/2010/07/we-want-to-be-first-in-field-and-rolex.html

Why Watches are still worth wearing? [Reasons By Ellie Krupnick – 29Jan2014]

1. It's rude to check your phone all the time

2. With watches, you can check the time hands-free

3. Sometimes, you just don't want to bring your phone with you

4. You feel "naked without it."

5. It makes it look like you put effort into getting dressed that morning.

6. Unlike the rest of your work wardrobe, it's acceptable to go wild with watches.

7. The kind of watch you wear becomes a part of your identity.

8. Grown-ups wear watches.

What is your reason for you to keep wearing a watch? J

Current situation of 3D printing in Watch industry – Slow adoption

Currently 3D printing adoption in watch industry was quite slow and most of the large watch brands did not apply 3D printing in their production due to the following reasons:

1. 3D printers are not precise enough to print out mechanical watch movements

2. Larger companies already invested in certain looks and machinery, they have no strong reason for them to rush into something new

3. They make only a few watches every time, they can easily customize or adjust watches within a collection

[Watchmakers Slow to Adopt 3-D Printing by Arthur Touchot– 24Feb 2014]

Citizen was one of the first large watch companies to apply 3D printing in their production process. It is using 3D printing on prototyping which replace their time-consuming in-house prototyping process. It gives designers to have more time to thoroughly review designs during early stages so they could produce better final designs.

Besides, Citizen is using 3D printing to magnify and print tiny structural parts at three times their actual size to examine their movement and invent new assembly jigs. "With the high-precision 3D printed mock-ups of our wristwatch designs, we improved quality and saved three times the installation costs of our ProJet 3500 HD within six months." -- Mr. Naito, Product Development, Citizen Watch [3D Printer Saves Citizen Watch Time and Money]

Besides of Citizen, some other watch/jewelry company use 3D printing to print the band/ casing cast in different materials.

JELWEK 3D Printed, Eco-Friendly Watch which both looks and feels very similar to wood

http://3dprintingindustry.com/2014/12/15/3d-printed-wood-like-jelwek-watch/

The First Commercial Watch Made from 3D Printed Gold by Hopstroff

http://3dprintingindustry.com/2013/09/03/the-first-commercial-watch-made-from-3d-printed-gold/

The world’s 1^st 3D-Printed Titanium watch by rvnDSGN which is cost USD$600.

http://3dprintingindustry.com/2013/08/20/time-will-tell-rvndsgns-us-manufactured-3d-printed-titanium-watches-offer-a-new-approach-to-the-art-of-making-wearable-functional-fashion/

Fashion brand NOOKA collaborated with 3D Systems (Company that engineers and manufactures 3D printers) to deliver a special edition 3D printed bands which can be purchased from online website “Cubify”. And from Cubify customer can purchase 3D printed Apple watch bands. [Cubify - Watches]


Limited edition NOOKA	Web Flex Band for Apple Watch

Opportunities by globalization and consequences of 3D printing adoption

1. New Market/ Demand

o With the strong economic growth in BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and rising disposable incomes, it boost consumer spending on personal accessories, apparel and travel. It also increased the demand on luxury products.

[Passport – Watches global trend]

o New competitors from technology company create a new market for watch industry - smart watch e.g. Apple Watch (released on 24 Apr, 2015). The smart watch also create a new demand for watch accessories e.g. bands, watch-stands, cases, buckles will be created.

[Apple - Watches]

Ø Adopting 3D printing

- Provide flexibility to designers and consumers to customize and print their own bands with different materials. Company “cgtrader” even launched a 3D print competition on Apple watch accessories.

Apple Watch Accessories 3D Printing Challenge

To know the competition result:

http://www.cgtrader.com/blog/apple-watch-accessories-challenge-winners-announced-pimp-your-brand-new-gadget

2. New idea from consumer and other market expertise

o Under globalization, consumers are keener and more able to express their individuality through consumption. Not just celebrities, Blogger and fellow consumers are increasingly steering preferences and buying choices. [Global consumer trends] Company need to “think globally and act locally”. Many watch companies also have their own Facebook/ website which allow consumer to express their comments.

https://www.facebook.com/omega

o Besides of improve product quality, watchmaker company keep monitoring the market trends e.g. consumer interest on Smartwatch, mechanical watches lead the global growth on watch industry. [Passport – Watches global trend] The growth of Smartwatch is totally different from traditional watch industry, collaboration with technology companies are required. Example: MotionX Horological Smartwatch Open Platform to the Swiss watch industry [Luxury smartwatch].

Ø Adopting 3D printing

- Increase the interaction with consumer e.g. design competitions

- Company invest in 3D printing can gain knowledge from other company/ industry successful case e.g. how Citizen apply 3D printing

3. Provide better service and product

o With the advancements in internet-based tools, it increased the buying convenience and online shopping is growth rapidly. Buying convenience will be one of important criteria for global consumer. [Global consumer trends] Swatch Group and Fossil Inc have seen strong sales performances via their internet retailing platforms. They also plan to extend the online sales to more various brands. [Passport – Watches global trend]

o Due to the keen competition, company need to provide more diversified product to fulfill different customer needs e.g. diver watches, sport watches, multiple time zone watches [Type of watches].

Ø Adopting 3D printing

- Customer can design and order from online shop directly

- Reduce customer shipping cost and time (On-the-spot printing/ print in by customer)

- Cheaper and easier to repair as customer can just replicate the damaged parts and repair the watches

- Time reduced on prototyping gives designers to have more time to thoroughly review designs during early stages so they could produce better final designs [3D Printer Saves Citizen Watch Time and Money]

4. Reduce supply chain and production cost

Companies can select the best suppliers and manufacturers without cross-border issue.

Ø Adopting 3D printing

- Shorten research and development time e.g. prototyping (short term)

- On-the-spot and on-demand 3D-printed manufacturing will highly reduce the manufacturing cost.

5. Eco-Friendly

Globalization raised the awareness of environmental protection. Companies introduce Eco-Friendly Watch, bio-degradable watch and solar powered watch.

Ø Adopting 3D printing

- Beside of production cost reduction, on-demand manufacturing will largely reduce the environmental costs of assembling, transporting, maintaining, storing (nearly eliminating transportation costs and inventory) and all the related logistics involved.

- Overall the potential and eco-friendly results of 3D printing technology are promising. This technology is believed to be revolution in manufacturing which is expected to get bigger, better and greener. E.g. eco-friendly utilizing bio-degradable materials. [3Dprinting Eco-friendly]

Pitfalls for adopting 3D printing

1. Not precise enough and material limitations in current status

The machines are not precise enough, at least not yet, to print out mechanical watch movements. Printer objects are limited by printer size, multi-material machines can only print copies of same item and printers are optimized to use single material, however watches are made from multiple materials.

2. Lack of expertise in computer-aided design (CAD)/ 3D printing technology

CAD is difficult. It takes hundreds to thousands of hours of training in order to learn and develop competency. The market is lack of 3D printing experts.

3. Intellectual property rights and infringement liability

It is too early to confidently state how future courts will view them in light of 3D printing. How to protect intellectual property and risks of violating or infringing copyright and patent laws will be a big issue in 3D printing.

For adoption and building on 3D printing technology in watch industry

· Co-creating with customers to understand customer’s needs and expectations, e.g. Apple Watch Accessories 3D Printing Challenge. "Are we collaborating with our customers to create relevant offerings and enhance their experience?" [Week7 Reading: Business Opportunities through Collaboration]

· Organizational collaboration and coordination is very important. Work with 3D printer company (partnership) to get a broader array of ideas. Hire 3D printing expert and re-skill staff to handle 3D printing technology is needed. [Week2 Reading: At the Edge of Innovation] Citizen is a good example for other watch company on how to collaborate with 3D printer company. [3D Printer Saves Citizen Watch Time and Money].

· Support IT department to manage the IT issue created by 3D printing. E.g. protection 3D printable files, data storage of large amount of customer/ 3D printing data.

· Work with legal advisors and compliance officers to find out how to manage intellectual property e.g. patent.

· As 3D printing technology is still evolving, management is required to keep monitoring how to technology changing and act fast.

What’s next for Watch industry?

Short-term

o With the opportunities provided by 3D printing, more competitors will enter watch industry.

o Large company will start to adopt 3D printing to lower production cost.

o Customer can customize their product through online shopping.

o 3D Printer improvement e.g. from single material and colour to multiple material and colour.

Long-term

o 3D Printer will be more precise and able to print mechanical watch movements.

o Retail shop will provide “On-the-spot” 3D printing service.

o More keen competition. Watch supply stores won’t have to get their parts from the upper-hand watch houses like Swiss watchmakers who typically refuse to sell their parts to individual watchmakers. Watch repairers will be able to churn out replacement parts in no time. It will lessen the monopoly on luxury watches and repair. [3D printing Affect]

Reference

Required Reading

Business Opportunities through Collaboration

In-text reference: [Week7 Reading: Business Opportunities through Collaboration]

At the Edge of Innovation

In-text reference: [Week2 Reading: At the Edge of Innovation]

Articles

The History and Evolution of the Wristwatch by John E. Brozek

In-text reference: [The History and Evolution of the Wristwatch by John E. Brozek – Jan 2004]

http://www.qualitytyme.net/pages/rolex_articles/history_of_wristwatch.html

Watchmakers Slow to Adopt 3-D Printing by Arthur Touchot

In-text reference: [Watchmakers Slow to Adopt 3-D Printing by Arthur Touchot – 24Feb 2014]