Thread: How does Invicta make its watches?
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1. 03-29-2012 07:32 PM #1 wwoof
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Join Date Mar 2012 Posts 31 My Watchbox How does Invicta make its watches? Heavens. there are enough variations and distinct price ranges so I am wondering if they bid out different lines to manufacturers or do they actually own a few factories around the world? I can't help but notice that some of their designs resemble ultra-luxury brands and wonder if they are in the replica business as well? Reply With Quote
2. 03-30-2012 08:17 AM #2 patsbosoxfan
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Mystery abounds... but its safe to say they don't manufacture anything or very little. They create the designs but contract out all the parts. Its also safe to assume that in order to keep costs down they use Asian based manufacturers, not that that's a bad thing, many of the "high" end brands use Asian manufacturing, but you'll never get some of them to admit it. Assembly also probably takes place in Asia except for their "Swiss Made"
time pieces which have to assembled in Switzerland. Other factors go into the Swiss Made label as well and these standards are becoming stricter as we speak. It will become more difficult for Invicta to produce a "Swiss Made" timepiece at the price points we are used too. I don't think Invicta is in the replica business but the factories they do business with... maybe. Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk GoDuke1 likes this. Reply With Quote
3. 04-03-2012 10:49 PM #3 wwoof
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Good answer! It seems production coordination is 50% of their overhead. It's really amazing how they can mix and match their parts and come up with so many different but similar watches. Whoever is building their watches uses excellent QA on the finished products as they pretty much all look great. Reply With Quote
4. 04-04-2012 02:13 AM #4 mcghee.r
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Join Date Apr 2012 Age 43 Posts 30 My Watchbox not sure but keep doing what works i own 15 invicta watches all but one say swiss made i bought all of them on ebay and they are all great watches the fit and finish is superb if they are asain made they are doing a great job
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5. 05-05-2012 08:45 PM #5 bluzglide
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While many people badmouth Invicta, it is still a reputable watch company better, in my opinion, than the current Elgin, Bulova, Sandoz, and many other brands with venerabler old Swiss names, but now made in China. Invicta does indeed have several factories and their watches are on a quality par with anything in a similar price range. I have an Invicta Special Reserve Sub Aqua Noma III Limited Edition with a Sellita SW200 movement. All Swiss made watch and even though it is far too big for my wrist, it is a true work of art. Invicta has recently jumped on the "big
watch" bandwagon with 45, 50 and even 60mm cases. I feel this is a fad trend and will die out, but even at these sizes the watches are remarkable. In my opinion Invicta is frowned on by many watch people simply because they are less expensive and yet of equal quality. Dave Reply With Quote
6. 05-08-2012 07:04 PM #6 aladin sane
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Just where are these invicta factories? Their existence is news to me. Reply With Quote
7. 07-20-2012 06:19 PM #7 Glenns25
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Join Date Jul 2012 Posts 27 My Watchbox Current Collection Factories I was looking through the Invicta catalogs and noticed on the bottom of each calendar model that the watch was assembled in Italy. I wonder if that is still true? I also find that reading posts on other forums that a lot of hatred is directed at Invicta and seems to me to be lot of snobbery involved. Reply With Quote
8. 07-20-2012 06:31 PM #8 patsbosoxfan
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As far as I know Invicta has never claimed to have produced watches in Italy. Their Jewlery yes but not their watches. Yes there is some snobbery involved, but there are some historical issues with the company. Best thing prior to any purchase is to do your research and make an informed decision. I know of all their issues and I continue to support the company albeit I haven't been into alot of their newer stuff. I've been purchasing alot of their older stuff on the bay. Last edited by patsbosoxfan; 07-20-2012 at 08:46 PM. Reply With Quote
9. 07-20-2012 08:14 PM #9 bluzglide
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Join Date Dec 2007 Location SE NC Posts 10 My Watchbox
A lot of their newer stuff is the larger watches (50mm or so) which don't really appeal to me. I still love Invicta and enjoy the fact that they are using Sellita and Seilo movements now in some of their models. Even the Miyota movement, although a lesser movement that either of the others, is a great movement. The production values of Invicta are second to none in my opinion. I have never seen poor construction on one.Their gold plate is durable, their steel is quality, their watches run and run. Sure they aren't considered high end watches, but they run like it. Dave Reply With Quote
10. 07-20-2012 11:55 PM #10 Alaskan
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A few months back I purchased my first Invicta, a 9404 pro diver. I won't bore you with the details but, I picked it up for a great price. It came with the Seiko NH35A movement and has been running +2 every 24 hours. I must admit I am impressed with the watch. The bracelet that came with it is another story. POS, in my humble opinion. Replaced it with a shark mesh and sometimes put a watch 1. 07-21-2012 08:35 PM #11
HogWldFLTR
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See the following link: Invicta - Chinese Watch Industry Wiki
Invicta Watch Group was founded in Florida, USA, in 1991. The company designs and markets watches under a variety of brands including Invicta, S. Coifman, Potger-Pietri, Activa, Brizo, Cacciato & Joss, Pastorelli and Technica. For the American market, Invicta watches are promoted primarily via the TV shopping channel ShopNBC. The brand enjoys a strong enthusiast following.
History The Invicta brand originated with the Invicta Watch Company founded by Raphael Picard in 1837 in Switzerland, and the Invicta brand dates back to 1886. In post-WWII era, Invicta was a well-known and successful brand. As with many Swiss manufacturers, Invicta's fortunes declined during the quartz watch
revolution in the 1970s. The Invicta brand name was bought in 1991. It primarily focussed on the South American market, where at the time there was still a strong market there for mechanical watches, and many of the first 'new Invicta' watches were automatics. When Invicta watches were introduced into the US market, the combination of old Swiss name, mechanical movement and low cost proved a magnet to the growing enthusiast-collector market. Through active engagement with on-line forums and the use of TV marketing, Invicta have been able to tailor their distinctive watches to meet the changing desires of enthusiasts without alienating the mass market. In fact there are many who claim to have become enthusiastic watch collectors after first purchasing an Invicta. Invicta Watch Group state that the current owner of the Invicta name, Eyal Lalo, is a descendent of Invicta brand founder Raphael Picard.
Invicta and the 'Far East' Evidence suggests that Invicta watches are manufactured by subcontractors, a practice common in the industry. IWG's market share is big enough to allow them to competitively offer original designs rather than rebranded stock OEM catalogue items. And by having watches built to order in both Switzerland and China, Invicta are able to offer an enormous and constantly changing product range from budget quartz fashion watches to Swiss made certified chronometers. The Swiss models, like the company logo bearing the Swiss flag and 1837 date, are important for maintaining market awareness of the heritage of the name. However it is the Chinese-made watches that provide the bulk of IWG's watch production. Miyota-powered mechanical watches were a staple part of the collection until recently, when Invicta switched to Seiko/TMI automatics. However any Invicta mechanical watch with more than basic function (apart from automatic chronographs) can be assumed to have a Chinese movement. Quartz powered Invictas have usually had ETA movements made either in Switzerland or Thailand, although increasingly Invicta have been favouring Ronda for special function quartz watches. Invicta often brands non-Swiss, non-Japanese movements as Technica Swiss Ebauches, though the movements are Chinese in origin. It is helpful for enthusiasts to note that if their Invicta watch is marked 'Swiss Made' it is Swiss Made; if it is marked 'Swiss Movement' then the movement is Swiss and the rest is likely Chinese and assembled in China; and if any other usage of the word 'Swiss' is used (e.g. 'Technica Swiss Ebauches') then there is unlikely to be any significant Swiss content. The quality of Chinese made, Chinese movement Invictas continues to improve. Currently, the most common source for Chinese movements in Invicta watches is Sea-Gull.