- Messages
- 2,656
OK, so I like watches but I'm not massively rich.
Some time ago I sold my Omega Seamaster, got good money and don't regret it.
Since then I bought an old (1947) Omega (which I then sold on soon afterwards for what I paid for it) and two old Smiths watches.
Swanky Swiss watches bother me on so many levels - to the point of being imho a scam (huge mark-ups and margins, dealers have to "buy-in" at great expense, etc etc). They could retail their watches at about a third of the price and still make a profit, but people want to spend a lot to get the exclusivity.
And then there's what "Swiss" means: to be "Made In Switzerland" watches just have to have "most" of their "work" done there - so the almost completely assembled watch arrives in Switzerland where they add the rotor, polish the case, and box it up - all of which takes a Swiss "craftsman" three days at £150 per day. (The "biggest" "job" setting the regulator -- so it's not running fast or slow -- which is done by putting the watch in different positions (face up, face down, on one side then the other) and checking its accuracy, then adjusting it accordingly.) The fact that the case, movement, dial etc may all have been made in Asia in 48hrs and for £80 means that the majority of the "work" (in time and money) was done in Zurich and so, hey presto, it's a Swiss watch.
Hence this: "“It is not generally known that quite a few Swiss companies have watches assembled in China for export to North America, Asia and even Europe, where the brand name is more important that the “Swiss made†label. Such watches may consist of a Chinese case and a Chinese crystal, a Taiwan-made dial and metal bracelet and Japanese hands. If the movement is to be considered Swiss, 51% of its value must be Swiss and at least the last wheel must be added in Switzerland. Swiss watch brands without the “Swiss made†label are usually equipped with a Japanese movement. The “Swiss parts†label means that the movement is assembled in Asia using kits consisting at least partially of Swiss made components.â€Â
More info here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Made" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Made</a><!-- m -->
(Interstingly, Rolex are one of the very few genuinely Swiss makers - almost everything they do is in-house, which is quite impressive. Since Omega's been owned by Swatch their costs have gone down but they're prices have stayed the same = massive increase in profit margins.)
But for all that the some of the Swiss watches are very iconic and well-desgned (at least aesthetically).
So I joined a Replica Watch forum (RWI) to see what the price, quality and issues were like around "fakes".
(Yes, I know: there's ethical issues and this is a "real" shaving forum so why would you be interested in bogus bling. If so, stop reading now.)
Anyway, it seems a lot of the sites are scammers (well, what do you expect?) but some get good feedback.
So I went here:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nicereplica.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nicereplica.com/</a><!-- m -->
And was quite taken by this:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nicereplica.com/pro_detail.php?ProId=824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nicereplica.com/pro_detail.php?ProId=824</a><!-- m -->
(The Seamaster 300 is a vintage watch from the 1960's which is nice, coz Omega don't make it anymore and it was Royal Navy issue when they did)
The site gets good reviews on the rep forums and they were right: having had two genuine Omegas (though admittedly not a SM300) I can say that this is very very good. The caseback and movement give it away but they are out of sight when it's being worn - on the wrist it's identical to the real thing. Proper automatic movement too. And if you get a watch with a sapphire crystal it really will come with one - not just glass, but the proper hard stuff.
So, er, I bought it. It arrived a few days ago in absolutely flawless condition - not a scratch or mark anywhere - and so far it keeps very good time and is waterproof.
I've got it on the nylon NATO military strap that it came with but will be moving it over a 20mm brown leather strap shortly.
Anyone got any thought on this?
Some time ago I sold my Omega Seamaster, got good money and don't regret it.
Since then I bought an old (1947) Omega (which I then sold on soon afterwards for what I paid for it) and two old Smiths watches.
Swanky Swiss watches bother me on so many levels - to the point of being imho a scam (huge mark-ups and margins, dealers have to "buy-in" at great expense, etc etc). They could retail their watches at about a third of the price and still make a profit, but people want to spend a lot to get the exclusivity.
And then there's what "Swiss" means: to be "Made In Switzerland" watches just have to have "most" of their "work" done there - so the almost completely assembled watch arrives in Switzerland where they add the rotor, polish the case, and box it up - all of which takes a Swiss "craftsman" three days at £150 per day. (The "biggest" "job" setting the regulator -- so it's not running fast or slow -- which is done by putting the watch in different positions (face up, face down, on one side then the other) and checking its accuracy, then adjusting it accordingly.) The fact that the case, movement, dial etc may all have been made in Asia in 48hrs and for £80 means that the majority of the "work" (in time and money) was done in Zurich and so, hey presto, it's a Swiss watch.
Hence this: "“It is not generally known that quite a few Swiss companies have watches assembled in China for export to North America, Asia and even Europe, where the brand name is more important that the “Swiss made†label. Such watches may consist of a Chinese case and a Chinese crystal, a Taiwan-made dial and metal bracelet and Japanese hands. If the movement is to be considered Swiss, 51% of its value must be Swiss and at least the last wheel must be added in Switzerland. Swiss watch brands without the “Swiss made†label are usually equipped with a Japanese movement. The “Swiss parts†label means that the movement is assembled in Asia using kits consisting at least partially of Swiss made components.â€Â
More info here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Made" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Made</a><!-- m -->
(Interstingly, Rolex are one of the very few genuinely Swiss makers - almost everything they do is in-house, which is quite impressive. Since Omega's been owned by Swatch their costs have gone down but they're prices have stayed the same = massive increase in profit margins.)
But for all that the some of the Swiss watches are very iconic and well-desgned (at least aesthetically).
So I joined a Replica Watch forum (RWI) to see what the price, quality and issues were like around "fakes".
(Yes, I know: there's ethical issues and this is a "real" shaving forum so why would you be interested in bogus bling. If so, stop reading now.)
Anyway, it seems a lot of the sites are scammers (well, what do you expect?) but some get good feedback.
So I went here:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nicereplica.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nicereplica.com/</a><!-- m -->
And was quite taken by this:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nicereplica.com/pro_detail.php?ProId=824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nicereplica.com/pro_detail.php?ProId=824</a><!-- m -->
(The Seamaster 300 is a vintage watch from the 1960's which is nice, coz Omega don't make it anymore and it was Royal Navy issue when they did)
The site gets good reviews on the rep forums and they were right: having had two genuine Omegas (though admittedly not a SM300) I can say that this is very very good. The caseback and movement give it away but they are out of sight when it's being worn - on the wrist it's identical to the real thing. Proper automatic movement too. And if you get a watch with a sapphire crystal it really will come with one - not just glass, but the proper hard stuff.
So, er, I bought it. It arrived a few days ago in absolutely flawless condition - not a scratch or mark anywhere - and so far it keeps very good time and is waterproof.
I've got it on the nylon NATO military strap that it came with but will be moving it over a 20mm brown leather strap shortly.
Anyone got any thought on this?
Clearly a fake Sunbury, a genuine one blows smoke up your....
