I was also thinking about GM in the 1980s…

I guess Blancpain is where Biver’s journey and the resurrection of mechanical watch making started but the creative drive has now long petered out 🤷🏻‍♂️
Another one I could mention is Montblanc. The Villeret pieces remain underrated for what they are and the rest of the line somehow struggles. The NR is an exciting watch that continues to fly under the radar, they have killed the only distinctive model from a design perspective (Time Walker - whether one liked it or not, it was clearly MB) and the question is what does MB really want to be in the watch sphere 🤷🏻‍♂️

💰179 Marketplace Listings for Blancpain›

Underdogs: What are yours?

By: Modernahab : November 25th, 2025-07:44

Underdog: Someone who is hardly noticed (The Urban Dictionary) I’m sure many of us have brands we think of as over-hyped and overrated (names will not be mentioned ;-D), but perhaps likewise some that we admire and feel worthy of more attention and respec...

Some beautiful watches there. I always loved that LUC Twist.

By: Blansky : November 26th, 2025-01:39

Speake Marin is/was a brand that seemed to fly under the radar. Possibly so was Ulysse Nardin. ...

Yup, Speake Marin does seem to suffer some from the Rodney Dangerfield syndrome.

By: Modernahab : November 26th, 2025-17:56

I think they deserve credit for their individual and idiosyncratic design language, though I wonder if that also impedes their popularity. Ulysse Nardin is an interesting case, I think. I felt that they were much more in the public eye a couple of decades...

Very interesting thread and proposition…

By: KMII : November 30th, 2025-07:50

Depending on perspective this could apply to many brands. As you say, Chopard in many ways still lags in perception behind the quality of watches. The LUC line generally sports nice and horologically sound pieces, the AE fully fits the current era / custo...

Very astute!

By: Modernahab : December 2nd, 2025-01:39

Regarding Chopard, I agree that the Mille Miglia line seems like an adipose appendage at this point. I also think that the jewelry watches in the Happy Diamonds mode may continue to damage the perception of Chopard as a serious player in the mechanical wa...