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Watch out - cell phones taking over as timepieces
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 24 - 08 - 2006


Ask graphic designer Parker
Weintz the time and he doesn't look to his wrist, he pulls a
cell phone out of his pocket -- and he's not alone, Reuters reported.
The proliferation of cell phones, with their list of extra
features, has had the knock-on effect of eliminating the need
to wear a wristwatch unless it is to make a fashion statement.
Weintz, 37, said he recently abandoned his trusty Swiss
Army watch and now relies on his phone to tell time.
"The time is right there," said Connecticut-based Weintz as
he drew a palm-sized cell phone from his shorts pocket. "And
it's all around us in this digital age."
U.S. watch sales, which have been on the decline since
2001, fell 4.9 percent in 2005, according to a new market
research study.
Men especially have taken to abandoning watches as cell
phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants) become
increasingly commonplace, said Tim Dowd, an analyst at market
research firm Packaged Facts and author of a report titled
"Watches and Clocks in the U.S."
Women have emerged as the more loyal wearers as watches
have become more decorative. Of the 69.9 million U.S. adults
who bought watches last year, 40.3 million were women,
according to Dowd.
"Women are expected to accessorize more," he said.
Dowd said watchmakers were starting to exploit the
accessory angle by seeking the endorsements of popular figures
such as rock stars or snowboarders.
Swatch Group, the world's biggest watchmaker that has Omega
and Tissot among its brands, posted a higher first-half profit
on Thursday, boosted by demand for expensive watches.
The Swiss-based watchmaker has shifted its product mix
toward luxury watches.
Weintz's business partner, Chris Kelly, with whom he runs
graphic design company ignition13, said he continues to wear a
watch, a chunky $3,500 Omega, but only as a fashion statement.
Kelly, 36, said he also owns a $7,000 watch and is eyeing
another that would set him back about $2,000.
Dowd's report found that men purchase more luxury watches
than women, who buy only 30 percent of the top-priced watches.
"The personal statement a watch makes is just as relevant
as ever," said Josh Rubin, editor-in-chief of coolhunting.com,
a blog that tracks trends in design and technology.
"Whether it's a GPS-enabled watch that helps you find your
way and tells people you're techy, or a vintage '70s LED that
says you're digital old school, a watch can make a specific
statement."


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