It’s About Time: The Future of Watches

Ever since the emergence of sundials and water clocks in Egypt around 1500 BC, humans have been fascinated by timepieces. Over the centuries, portable clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches gave people the chance to carry time around with them. Many of these became status symbols – the luxury of portable time afforded to only the few. And now, with the advent of wearable tech over the past decade, what is on our wrist has come to tell us much more than simply the time. Whether it's Swiss watches or wearable tech, the status of watches is evolving. In our productivity-obsessed world, our lives are driven by accurate timekeeping – and now we have multiple devices, reminders and calendars to keep us on track. So how is our relationship with time evolving now that it is commoditised, and what role will watches play in a digitally dominated future? In this episode of The Next Five podcast we explore the future of watches, timekeeping in a digital world, and the psychology behind our fascination with time. François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet, talks about the current watch market, the strength of luxury Swiss watchmaking vs wearable tech, and how mechanical timepieces maintain their status in a digital world. Andreas Zimmer, Head of Product for Huawei Europe, offers insights into the wearable watch world and the role that the tech-led wristwatch play in modern life. Dr Ruth Ogden, Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University, discusses how we, as humans, have developed a relationship with time, and how the products we use affect what we do with it.

Our Sources for the show: FT Resources, Forbes, EY, Bloomberg, Insider Intelligence, Morgan Stanley, pyments.com, appleinsder.com. This content is paid for by advertisers and is produced in partnership with the Financial Times’ Commercial Department.

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