8past10: the Future of the Watch Forum Is Mobile

From connecting with other enthusiasts on Instagram and on online forums to getting their daily dose of content from numerous blogs, watch lovers in 2017 have a number of ways to enjoy their hobby. But if Instagram just isn’t enough to satisfy your lust for #womw, there’s 8past10—a relatively new app that offers everything from wrist shots and quizzes to testimonials and reviews from people simply excited to share their love of watches. Christian spent some time playing with the app to see what it’s all about.

8past10 has a layout and functionality similar to Instagram. There are tabs for “My Feed,” “Discover,” add photo, “Alerts” and “You” (your profile). That makes it easy for anyone who has experience with Instagram to quickly pick up the interface of 8past10. Being that it’s dedicated watch content, the area where 8past10 excels is in its “Discover” tab. Unlike Instagram, users can find much more than just photos and videos. Here you can find stories, featured brands, ongoing discussions, quizzes and highlighted users.

I also like that the “Discover” tab allows users to expand the number of visible discussions, articles, and photos. This enables you to browse through the options easier and to quickly build out your feed. Users can also sort content through “Trending” or “Latest.”

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Adding a photo is also very easy. Use the app to take a photo or import one from your library, Facebook or Instagram. You have a choice of eight filters and an exposure toggle. All photos are square, also like Instagram. After you’re done with the editing, you select your watch’s make and model, style features (vintage, quartz, etc.) and price range. Add a caption and then post it. From the same tab you can also create a discussion. Here you add a cover image, write a headline and description and post it. Users have created discussion posts for feedback on watch purchases, comparing case options and debating brands. It’s a great way to engage the community in a direct way.

Save

Save

Save

It has certainly been a fun app to play with. I find myself browsing through watches and reading discussions pretty often. The platform is somewhat of a cross between a traditional forum and Instagram, and you can interact with it as one would either of those two platforms. There’s more in-depth content should you want it, but there’s also scrollable eye-candy, too.

But as much as I enjoy the app, I do have a small bone to pick. The user base currently skews toward more high-end watches. I can’t say if there just aren’t enough users that collect and post more affordable and mid-tier watches, or if I haven’t yet found the users that do, but time will tell if the app draws a more diverse range of collectors. I think it will.

That quibble aside, I would definitely recommend 8past10 to people interested in watches. It’s constantly updated, it’s clean, and it’s simple to use. I plan to become a bit more active on it, as I still rely on Instagram to post the vast majority of my wrist shots. But that may be changing in the near future, especially as the user base grows.

Save

Save