What Is WatchTok? TikTok Has Its Own Community for Watch Lovers
Published Feb. 10 2023, 5:41 p.m. ET
Sure, Gen Z will never know what a VHS or landline is, but they are here for one piece of dated technology: Watches.
And it's not just them. Folks of all ages are enamored with watches. In a world where the current time is just one phone screen tap away, many people are still looking to their wrists. But what's even more surprising is watch lovers are all coming together in one common place: TikTok.
The platform is rife with videos about watches. And when we say watches, we’re not talking about smartwatches, like a Fitbit or Apple watch. In fact, they totally scoff at those gizmos. These watch stans are into the good stuff like Rolexes and Cartier. Let's take a peek into #watchtok, which has over 337 million views as of writing.
Enter TikTok's #watchtok.
Type #watchtok into TikTok and you'll find a host of different videos about the time-telling device. For example, user @timepiecepapi shows off some of the most affordable timepieces worn by U.S. presidents.
And in this video, a TikToker named Ben (@bens_watches), who refers to himself as a watch influencer, takes us through a day in his life.
There are even watch unboxing videos and watch review videos.
Most of these videos, as you would assume, feature young men. But look closer and you'll notice that some old-school watch dealers have entered the platform.
John Buckley, a watch dealer based in New York's diamond district, runs the TikTok account @tuscanyrose. In many of his videos, he films his negotiations with other watch dealers as he haggles prices down. He also answers viewers' questions, serving as a valuable resource for younger generations.
Creator Mike Nouveau (@mikenouveau) also teaches strategy and profit, as he buys a watch for $3200 and within two hours, sells that same watch to someone for $1000 more.
Why do people still wear watches?
Smart devices have eliminated the need for many people to wear a watch. However, there are still ample reasons why the watch has remained relevant in a digital world.
In addition to telling the time, watches are a fashion statement — especially for men who don't wear other types of jewelry. Furthermore, watches have always been seen as a symbol of power and status.
As Ariel Adams wrote for Forbes, "Watches have been a status symbol ever since they were invented. It once took a king's purse to afford even a modest timekeeper. If you pulled a pocket watch out of your coat in 1750 you were one hell of a big deal. Fast forward to today and things are different, but in some ways surprisingly the same."
That said, it makes sense why some of our favorite celebrities like DJ Khaled and Drake have become avid watch collectors. Lastly, watches are a very clear-cut investment. It's a valuable piece that you can wear every day. The best part? After you grow tired of it, you can usually sell it back for the same price or even higher.