"Is there still a future...?"— Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary asks F.P.Journe owner about the relevance of mechanical watches

Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary recently sat down with F.P.Journe owner François-Paul Journea to discuss the future of mechanical watches. In an October 29 Instagram post, O'Leary posed a thought-provoking question to Journea: Will mechanical watches withstand the test of time and retain their relevance 20 years from now?

"Is there still a future for mechanical watches 20 years from now? You bet there is," he wrote in the caption.

Journea told O'Leary that mechanical watches were more than just a mere trend and held a far greater purpose than their functionality.

Kevin O'Leary is a well-known watch enthusiast. He is passionate about collecting luxury watches and showcasing them wherever he goes. His collection includes high-end brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Pigueta, and F.P.Journe.

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François-Paul Journea explains Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary how watchmaking serves a greater purpose beyond its utility

Kevin O'Leary was curious about learning what F.P.Journe owner François-Paul Journea thought about the future of mechanical watches. He remarked that, in today’s world, no one truly needs a watch because everyone has a phone—yet people still desire them.

The Shark Tank investor asked Journea if mechanical watches would hold their relevance after 20 years.

"In today's world, nobody needs a watch. They have their phone. But everybody wants one. Are you confident in 20 years, They're still gonna want a mechanical watch?, 'Leary asked.

The F.P.Journe owner shared that, according to him, there was no danger to watchmaking because the craft had existed since the 13th century. It managed to survive the electronics era and still withstood its position. A watch has its own use, while a computer/phone has theirs, and it has nothing to do with it.

He admitted that they were living in the modern era, where traditional watchmaking was no longer a practical necessity. Yet he believed that it served a different purpose.

"Well, I think there is no danger because watchmaking has existed since the 13th century. It has survived electronics. A watch is still a watch. A computer is a computer. That has nothing to do with it," Journea said.

Journea explained how watchmaking moved past its functional origins and now represented heritage, artistry, and luxury for the user. It is required beyond its utility and would endure regardless of technological advancements.

He shared that watchmaking has been a long-standing tradition for over six centuries. Its craft, he said, has carried itself because of its history, significance, and passion for the makers and the collectors.

Journea told the Shark Tank investor that watchmaking was more than a mere "trend." He emphasized its permanence and resistance, unlike trends that fade after six years.

"We have everything we need to know about craftsmanship, but that doesn't change the fact that it is something else. It exists because it will always exist. But it has existed for 600 years and it's called inertia. A trend is something that lasts a year and disappears in six years," he concluded.

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How did Kevin O'Leary meet F.P.Journe owner François-Paul Journea?

In an October 20, 2019, LinkedIn post, the Shark Tank investor shared how he met François-Paul Journea and how impressed he was by his company. O'Leary wrote that he wasn't aware of F.P.Journe despite his immense knowledge about watches. He found out about the company through his friend and started researching.

He attended a boutique event in New York where he met François-Paul Journe, who showed him their collection. The Shark compared the experience of viewing a watch to witnessing the Mona Lisa painting.

This ignited a spark of even greater passion for them, and it led him to plan a visit to F.P.Journe’s Geneva factory.

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Shark Tank season 16 episodes air every Friday on ABC.