Critical Review: Why Movado Watches Fall Short in Value and Innovation

Welcome to Average Joe Watch Reviews, where we delve deeper than just reviews. Today, I want to discuss the Mavado brand and why I haven't been a fan for several years. 

Movado primarily produces quartz movements, which, while Swiss-made, are quite basic. These watches lack complications—no day/date function, no GMT. They're essentially simple timepieces. Despite this, Movado prices these watches upwards of $1,000, which seems excessive for what you get. The Mavado Bold series, while more reasonably priced at $300-$400, still feels overpriced for such simple movements.

One significant issue is depreciation. A Movado watch that sold for nearly $1,000 in the late 2000s can now be found for less than $200 on the secondhand market. This significant loss in value is a major drawback.

Movado is not well-known for automatic movements, which is unusual for a Swiss brand. They focus heavily on quartz movements, which diminishes their appeal to watch enthusiasts who typically value automatic movements. While they do have some automatic models, they're not prominent enough to boost the brand’s reputation among serious collectors.

Movado is part of the same corporate umbrella as fashion brands like Hugo Boss and MVMT, which primarily produce fashion watches with basic Chinese movements. This association can undermine Mavado’s image as a high-end luxury brand. 

Movado has stuck to its minimalistic design for years without venturing into more varied styles like chronographs or field watches. This reluctance to innovate limits their appeal. For instance, their reverse Panda model, priced at $700, still features a quartz movement. Competitors offer Swiss automatic movements for less, which questions Mavado's value proposition.

These critiques highlight my issues with Movado. Despite my reservations, there's potential for Movado to win back watch enthusiasts by incorporating more automatic movements and innovating beyond their traditional designs.