When Gen Z wears watches not to watch the time
Evan Fry, born in 2003 - the time when many people often carried Nokia 1100 or Sony Ericsson T610 phones in their pockets. Mobile phones at that time had been displaying hours on LCD screens for nearly a decade, and concerns about them replacing wristwatches also began to spread. A 2005 article once commented: "Many young people see outdated wristwatches as no different from ancient sunwatches. For them, a phone is a new-style watch.
From childhood to adulthood, Fry can always watch the time anywhere: on iPhone phones, laptops, TVs, electric ovens, heating systems, Nintendo DS game consoles, even smart mirrors in the bathroom. Therefore, the fact that he owns more than 35 watches - each with an average price of 1,000 to 2,000 USD (equivalent to about 26 million to 52 million VND) - becomes even more noteworthy.
In that collection, Fry's favorite item is currently a Tag Heuer Carrera with a silver metal strap and dark red-purple bezel, purchased for about 3,500 USD (about 92 million VND). His future goal is to own an H. Moser, although some models cost up to about 50,000 USD (about 1.3 billion VND). He has tried his favorite - a vanta black clock with no timeline - and cannot hide his passion: "Beautiful to the point of being irresistible".
At the age of 22, Fry is part of the Gen Z wave (people born from 1997 to 2012) who love watches. According to the high-end watch resale platform Bezel, customers under 30 years old account for up to one-third of total transactions. This group was previously often underestimated by older brands, according to CEO Quaid Walker. "The watch market is now really starting to pay attention to young people," he said. Even Gen Z is the group with the highest average spending per watch purchase.
Not only shopping platforms, long-standing brands also recorded changes. Longines - a famous Swiss watch brand - said that the number of young customers has increased significantly, especially those who come to repair or restore old watch models. At the company's flagship store in London (UK), about half of the customers who come to maintain watches are under 30 years old. According to Mr. Thiago Abrantes, deputy manager of the London store, this partly comes from the inheritance factor: "Many people receive watches from their fathers as a gift.
Although the trend is spreading, Fry is still a rather "exceptional" case in his group of friends. He makes videos on YouTube from his home in Utah, sharing his passion for watches, from newly launched models to classic collections. His collection spans the 1960s and 1970s, even including a Zenith pocket watch from the last century.
For Fry, the appeal of watches is not only in material value but also in the depth of cultural history. "They used to be companions in someone's life, and because they are essential items, they are used every day" - he said. "There is something very attractive, almost sacred, when you hold in your hand an item that has passed through so much time.
That nostalgic feeling is also clearly shown in Gen Z's aesthetic taste. Data from 2025 from the Chrono24 platform shows that Gen Z buys classic-style watches more than any other age group. Thin, elegant models with simple dials, usually in gold or silver, leather straps - such as Cartier Tank Louis Cartier, Vacheron Constantin Patrimony or vintage Seiko models - have increased by 44% in purchases in the 14-28 age group since 2018.
According to CEO Walker, these watches evoke "a time when people collected and cherished things made to last long".
Dahyn Lee, owner of the online vintage watch store Teia Collective, found that more than 45% of her 10,000 followers on Instagram are Gen Z. "They grew up in a highly digital environment... and that seems to make them even more eager for things that can be touched, with a specific shape," she said.
Once a month, Lee brings her collection - hunted from antique fairs, eBay and sources in Japan - to vintage markets in London. With prices ranging from 60 to 460 USD (equivalent to prices from 1.6 million to 12 million VND), this is an easy-to-reach segment. Many teenagers come to her booth, choosing a watch just because "it looks exactly like the one my grandmother used to wear".
I think it's almost a way to connect with the past. They can reminisce about the time before they were born.
Male - female" watches - Things that are outdated
Another notable point is how Gen Z breaks traditional standards - including gender discrimination against watches.
According to Lee, her customers are "going crazy" for small women's watches - regardless of whether they are male or female: "I have sold a lot of watches classified as "female" to male customers. And vice versa, there are also many girls looking to buy male watches.
Fry also owns many watch models designed for women. He admits that he was hesitant when trying small, feminine designs - until he saw actor Timothee Chalamet wearing a Cartier Panthere on the red carpet of the "Dune: Part II" event in Mexico City in 2024. " Especially when his figure is quite similar to mine. That was like an initial boost," Fry shared.
According to Abrantes, the influence of celebrities in the watch world is very large, especially for beginners and those who are shaping aesthetic taste. It allows young customers to "break the mold", explore independent brands and experiment with different choices.
After the Oscar awards ceremony - where many stars such as Hudson Williams, Michael B. Jordan, Shaboozey or Pedro Pascal appeared with small watches, with a feminine touch - Longines store recorded a clear increase in customers bringing screenshots from the red carpet to look for similar products.
People come to try out out out of curiosity. Some buy, some don't" - Abrantes said.
Walker also recorded a similar trend on the Bezel app, where customers can connect with watch experts for advice. “Many people say: I want to buy the first watch. Then show us a picture of someone on the red carpet wearing an interesting model,” he said.
This service helps young buyers access less famous brands, instead of just focusing on familiar names like Rolex or Patek Philippe.
For Lee, her customers even put the design factor above the brand - and sometimes even function. "I see them as people who love beauty, rather than people obsessed with watches," she said.
Although all the watches on her website work normally, Lee admits that sometimes she still collects and sells those with special designs, even when they no longer run: "Some customers don't mind the watch not working, because they actually want a bracelet. That's very characteristic of Gen Z.
In the end, what they search for is usually simply "appearance".
Lee recounted an interesting situation: Occasionally, a teenager 14-15 years old - born around 2011, during the iPhone 4 era - excitedly ran to her booth to buy a watch. Then they told their friends: "I don't even know what time it is anymore".
