Daniel Hechter is one of the leading fashion brands in the world and in today's article we will be taking a look back at the history of the brand, its founder and most importantly what we think of Daniel Hechter watches.
You will have come to this article to try to ascertain whether the watches from this fashion brand are worth buying.
Watches that cost approximately £200 new but can be bought second hand for sometimes less than £10 - what is that about? Confidence levels may be dwindling, but is this a brand whose watches plummet in value or one where you can pick up a gem for a steal?
Today, we will attempt to answer that question.
Let's get started.
HISTORY OF DANIEL HECHTER - THE BRAND
One of the things that the trend conscious world is grateful for today is the multitude of options that are available to them from the fashion industry. Regardless of your style, taste, background, and even budget, there will certainly be a brand that resonates with you most and one that meets your expectation of relevant and personalised fashion. When all things are considered, we have the massive expansion and development of the fashion industry to thank for this.
But what of Daniel Hechter the brand? Before determining if Daniel Hechter watches are worth a buy, let’s take a trip down memory lane and discuss how one of the biggest fashion brands started.
Daniel Hechter, a fashion brand, was founded in 1962 by a French designer of the same name. The brand focused on changing the popular perception at the time with regards to couture, especially in the 1960s. Daniel Hechter set the objective to change the way we looked at fashion and introduced sporty clothing, pantsuits, and coats that adopted a military style.
The brand’s first fashion item was a women’s clothing collection that was released the same year that the company started. The clothing released by Daniel Hechter at the time attempted to help women reflect on their self-awareness and newly acquired lifestyle, free from social or political restrictions – a very strong social awareness and position at the time.
One of the ways Daniel Hechter achieved this was by making these clothes affordable and accessible to a large population of women in that era.
Apart from producing clothes for men and women, Daniel Hechter also revolutionized the idea of innovation in the fashion industry, especially in the 1970s. This contributed to the success of Daniel Hechter as a fashion brand. The brand was the first to use a stylish advertising photo featuring collections.
Apart from their clothing lines, Daniel Hechter also specialized in other fashion items and accessories such as watches, eyeglasses, perfumes, and shoes. Of these lines of fashion products, it was actually shoes that garnered the largest turnover for the fashion brand.
WHAT ABOUT THE FOUNDER HIMSELF - DANIEL HECHTER?
We cannot talk about the Daniel Hechter brand without touching on the brain behind the brand.
Daniel Hechter, who named the fashion brand after himself, was born in 1938 into a very modest family in Paris. After he finished his secondary education, he moved to a fashion house where he worked as a storekeeper. While at the fashion house, he also started practicing as a stylist, and, by the time he was 18, he was already selling his designs to couturiers such as Jacques Esterel and Louis Feraud.
However, his breakthrough came when one of his designs was chosen by popular actress Brigitte Bardot for roles in La Parisienne.
Four years after this breakthrough, he started the fashion brand that was named after him where he focused on making luxury fashion available and accessible to everybody. If we consider what Daniel Hechter created alongside some mainstream watch brands, for example, Tissot or Hamilton, making luxury watches affordable has been something that has also been successfully achieved in the watch world.
Daniel Hechter’s idea of a reputable fashion brand makes sure that creative fashion should be wearable and affordable. He loathed the perception that creative fashion should only be accessible to a select group of elites who have the financial means to afford haute couture and a world of sparkling events.
CHEAP AND CHEERFUL - ARE DANIEL HECHTER WATCHES WORTH A BUY?
So, now let’s get to the question du jour – what about the fashion brand’s watches. Are they worth a buy?
Daniel Hechter Watches are one of the fashion accessories that the brand has been consistently pushing out over the years. The brand has a variety of timepieces within its collection and each watch comes with a different design and its own “elegance”. Daniel Hechter watches are divided into two categories, namely; for men and women – makes sense!
If you buy one of their watches as new you would be looking to pay anywhere from between £80 up to in excess of £180. There are a number of watch collections, and looking at the brand in isolation, each of these Daniel Hechter watch ranges has its inherent designs - ideal for a variety of looks and occasions.
But Are They Worth The Price That They Are Listed For?
Daniel Hechter has a rich history, as can be seen above, but does this fashion brand warrant a place in your watch collection?
If we dig a bit deeper and look at the specifications of their watches you’ll find a mineral glass, basic quartz movement and 30M water resistance. Not bad but definitely not top end specifications. If we then look at how well these watches hold their value, a quick look on eBay and you will see Daniel Hechter watches being sold (where they are sold at all) for £3 - £5.
Perhaps an indicator that they don’t hold their value much at all.
What about functionality? Chronograph watches with cosmetic but non-functional dials and buttons? Unfortunately yes! Quite a big faux pas in the world of watches. But bought new they come with a 2 year warranty, so Daniel Hechter are clearly pretty confident the watch won't break down on you (for 2 years anyway!).
Ultimately, who are we to tell you what to buy and what not to though! If you like the brand and the style of their watches, go for it!
FINAL THOUGHTS FROM THE THRIFTY GENTLEMAN
As a fashion brand, they do have some nice-looking watches and they align nicely with the brands history and ethos of making luxury fashion affordable. However, in comparison to other watches, there is no doubt you can buy a better quality, more prestigious watch for the same (or even lower) price.
Affordable watches? We're to be convinced. Luxury? Probably not.
But it completely depends on what you are after.
If you like their designs and you are more concerned with the look of the dial than what’s going on behind the case, as a fashion brand, you could do worse. Heck, the reality is, if you really want a Daniel Hechter watch, maybe check out eBay first to see if you can pick one up for less than a tenner! What’s the worst that could happen?!