Swiss made vs hand made vs mass production

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Apr 12, 2008, 8:06pm « Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production »

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Mass Production

Author koimaster WTF Veteran member is offline

Topic: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production (Read 213 times) Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production « Thread Started on Oct 17, 2007, 11:32pm »

There seems to a split in the watch society in regards to what kind of watch is best. I for one One, IMHO watches are not an investment! That is my rule #1.

1st there!

Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,467 Location: The Great NW

Rule #2. Buy what you like and can afford.

Rule #. if you limit yourself to one type over another you miss out on all the great watches out there.

Is a Seiko Monster any less of a watch than an Omega? Not to me. Is Watch with German works less impressive than a Japanese movement?

Why is a handmade movement any better than something like a Valjoux 7750 which is mass produced and is the price difference worth it?

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boscoe Administrato r

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Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production ÂŤ Reply #1 on Oct 17, 2007, 11:39pm Âť

Koi, I agree with you on all points.

My collection runs the gamut.

But price difference/value are relative.

Some will say an Omega Seamaster isn't worth 10 times more than a Seiko Monster or a Rolex Sub isn't worth 40 times more than an Invicta 8926. Or that you have to be nuts to even say that.

The "truth" lies somewhere in between those poles.

Handmade isn't necessarily better, but it's cool and nostalgic.

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You bought what??

"Owning a Pro Diver means you never have to iron your clothes." - Mtech, The Wise "Nothing says Swiss like Cheese. And nothing says Cheese like Inwicta." - Mr. Eel Lyer,

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Florida koimaster WTF Veteran member is offline

1st there!

president and CEO Inwicta Watch Groupe

Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production « Reply #2 on Oct 17, 2007, 11:45pm »

@Boscoe I love handmade watches, My Speake-Marin is handmade but it also cost more than some cars. Now I have looked at one of our forum sponsor sites and they seem to make a nice watch which is handmade at a decent price point for most models.

I also se nothing wrong with a quartz such as most Renato or Invicta or even Seikos. It just seems that lines have been drawn in the sand regarding Swiss Made etc. It is too bad.

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mgiraz Senior Member

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Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production « Reply #3 on Oct 18, 2007, 12:58am »

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I agree with you guys on all points but the question of the Monster being less of a watch than an Omega. I say, Of course it is ! (And I have both and wear my Monsters more!) Our WIS forefathers have set a pattern over these many years establishing values. Values of the way they were made, where made, materials etc, etc. Name something: Joined: Dec Cars, guns, jewelry purses etc. In almost everything there are different "levels". If we all had unlimited income, most of us would change from 2006 Gender: our existing levels. I just posted a $10,000 Montana Watch Co. as my Male ultimate grail under Boscoe's "grail" thread. If I had the means, I'd be Posts: 379 playing at that level and I'd give away my Monsters!

Location: Functionally they both are within seconds of each other each week. But Clovis, CA it stops there. If you don't believe me , look at the price. You may not accept it....but you can't deny it.

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talktime WTF Veteran

Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production

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« Reply #4 on Oct 18, 2007, 7:31am »

To Koi: I think the "line in the sand" regarding the Swiss watch industry is simply the fact that they rode out the storm, and have proven to make a reliable product.

Joined: Aug 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 505 Location: Long Island / Connecticut

If America didn't sell out and we still had the same Hamilton (for example) that everyone's grandfater had back in the 40's, I think that line in the sand would be a hell-of-a-lot harder to see. In fact, there was a time when the Swiss were copying American designs!

The swiss have been around through the Depression, the quartz revolution, and are now riding the wave after years of waiting for the tide to change.

This is true for other brands as well. Seiko have made a very solid name for themselves in the mid-range. They are under fire for trying to move up-scale (more or less overnight) when they should have been a bit more patient with it, and would not come under such critisism. Their spring drive is awesome technology, but reserved for the highest-end watches.

The Omega Co-Axial movement (for a good comparison) was also in the high-end at first, but now is in many of their "lower" line watches (although sayting that in regard to Omega is a bit weird..). Seiko could learn from this I think...

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"I don't have time for a cheap watch"

boscoe Administrato r

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Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production « Reply #5 on Oct 18, 2007, 8:43am »

Seiko makes great watches. I am coming to appreciate them more and more.

My 6R15 automatic diver, part of the Prospex line, is an exceptional watch. And I thought the fit and finish on my relatively newly-acquired Sekio Coutura Kinetic Perpetual far exceeded the Tissot Seastar 1000 I shipped back this week.

Ironically, I was swapping watches - changing into the Seiko after work - when I opened the Tissot box. I was struck by how much nicer the Seiko's f/f was.

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You bought what??

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11,669 Location: Florida wautersjr WTF Veteran member is offline

"Owning a Pro Diver means you never have to iron your clothes." - Mtech, The Wise "Nothing says Swiss like Cheese. And nothing says Cheese like Inwicta." - Mr. Eel Lyer, president and CEO Inwicta Watch Groupe

Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production « Reply #6 on Oct 18, 2007, 11:52am »

I agree with you completely koi.

Of course I'm not a watch collector, just find them interesting.

Quartz/mechanical, Swiss/Japanese/Chinese,... They are all watches. Do I think a Seiko is less than an Omega... No, but I'll let you know for sure when I have one My 100$ Seiko might be less impressive though... at least I hope so. Otherwise I will be really disappointed paying that kind Ambitious in of money for a watch your heart, Pride on your wrist

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"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol

Joined: Feb 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,193 Location: Belgium talktime WTF Veteran member is offline

Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production « Reply #7 on Oct 18, 2007, 12:07pm »

I hear you guys!

I'm actually considering a Seiko right now...

As well as a Hamilton,

Joined: Aug 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 505 Location: Long Island / Connecticut tbarry Senior Member member is offline

and I have a Vostok Europe already which was cheap, and is quite decent.

I looked at Avier (a sponsor) last night, but was put off by the fact that different watch styles have different logo designs/fonts. Seems very 'unstable' to me...

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"I don't have time for a cheap watch"

Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production « Reply #8 on Oct 18, 2007, 12:13pm »

Good design, good materials, good workmanship and enough pride in

the product not to mislead people about its origins are all important to me. In short, I do not care where a watch is made so long as it is well made and honestly presented.

Joined: Jun 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 355 Location: Texas talktime WTF Veteran member is offline

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Re: Swiss Made vs Hand Made Vs Mass Production ÂŤ Reply #9 on Oct 18, 2007, 12:24pm Âť

I'll second that Tbarry....

If only it were that easy!

"I don't have time for a cheap watch"

Joined: Aug 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 505 Location: Long Island / Connecticut Forum Jump

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