Wilberforce: Who are the predominant gender audience of the vintage watch world?
ST: Mostly men.
Before you get worried, don’t. I’m not going to throw myself in front of a horse to prove this point, or throw the nearest hammer at my local jeweller’s gents watch selection.
Women’s vintage mechanical watches have been overlooked and deserve more limelight. Our sales have suggested women are increasingly interested in vintage watches, perhaps as the vintage style is in vogue, however this explanation is beside the point. The trend is clear.
I can only speak for the lower end of the market (around £40 - £100) as this is our focus for women’s vintage and retro watches. Despite having an almost even split of men’s to women’s watches on sale, for every 2 men’s vintage watches sold we have sold 1 women’s watch.
If you look around your office, local pub or the restaurant for your next meal out I would make a guess that 70% of people would be wearing a watch, it would then be usual that 50% are women*. Granted all of those watches won’t be vintage watches, yet if the vintage watch market are largely focussing on one side of a two horse race we are missing out on a significant chunk of the market, a large portion of turnover and a critical amount of profit.
Women are choosing vintage, especially vintage mechanical pieces. The turnover is there for the taking.
Adjust your (marketing) position and get some female action.
ST
- Wilberforce Watches -
By Sam Tucker
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*Captain Obvious, Thank You, Obvious University Press, 2016, p.101.