Attention watch geeks....

Kohai999

Kohai999

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The newest issue of Inc. Magazine

has a feature on Kobold watches....

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20070501/features-michael-kobold.html

This is their website:

http://www.koboldwatch.com/

This is a quote from the article, for those too lazy to read it:

"The world's largest maker of movements, ETA, has announced that it will soon produce only for brands owned by its parent company, Swatch."

This will KILL the makers that have been using ETA's, unless someone else has information to the contrary.

1. What do you think of the Kobold watches?

2. How is this going to affect people like Bill Yao?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I thought that....

a) this has been known for at least a good 5 or 6 years already (so the "assembler" watch brands have had a lot of leadtime)

and

b) ETA will still sell assembled and branded ebauches, just not the kits, so the brand engineers now have to use ETA movements and not just restamp them?

I'm not positive about this.

-j
 
Right. This is something that new people keep finding out about, misinterpreting, and pitching fits over their misinterpretations ... that's been going on for several years now....
 
From the Kobold catalog"

For sharpshooters and snipers who use seconds as their primary time reference, the chronograph hands are red-lacquered and thereby ensure unmistakable legibility.

This watch comes on a Soarway bracelet in titanium. The bracelet is screw-locked preventing the watch from being torn off the wrist in the event of a strong impact or while being manhandled in a hostile struggle.
Click to expand...

For 5K? It better be bulletproof and kill people for me. Good God, man!
 
Cougar Allen said:
Right. This is something that new people keep finding out about, misinterpreting, and pitching fits over their misinterpretations ... that's been going on for several years now....
Click to expand...

Cougar,

I just posted what I had read, because I had not seen it mentioned anywhere else, and wanted some 411.

Didn't pitch a fit, just posted what was written, and asked some questions.:p

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I think ETA/Swatch is really trying to leverage their power as the premiere ebauche/movement supplier to extend their brand.

After all, no one says Hayek is stupid.

To a certain degree, I'm not sure how well this will work.

It depends on whether the prices will stay the same, and whether the branding is that important to the brand engineers.

If this is true, I could easily see the action backfiring on ETA, as many lesser brand engineers switch to the rapidly-improving Chinese movements, who have had significant expertise in knocking off the ETA movements (and there are rumors that they are even "improving" some movements (read: removing parts, simplifying, but making less reliable) ).

I would love to see more genuine Swiss ebauche companies spring up, but as I understand it, it takes a lot of capital investment for that. There are a few, but their names slip my mind.

I highly doubt that the true manufactures (e.g. Rolex, Patek, Zenith) will start selling their movements to their lesser competitors (e.g. TAG Heuer, Sinn, Silberstein, etc.)

It'll be something interesting to see as it unfolds.
 
P.S. It is a significant change, just not the end of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
 
Never owned a Kobold, but I am kind of disenchanted with expensive high-maintanance, mechanical watches anyway. I owned several back in the days, when I was young and vain, and wore a gold Submariner for over 10 years. It sits now in a safe deposit box, waiting for it's day at e-Bay. The thing laged about 6 seconds/day right from the start, now the numbers are dull and it needs a $ 800.- tune up. I am not willing to put out the money right now.

Got a Citizen Skyhawk Titanium with a Japanese Eco Drive about four years ago. +- 5 sec./year accurate, needs no batteries and has more time zones and functions than what even the busiest frequent flyer will ever need. I am pretty sure it will still do its job in another four years. And if it ever goes to the dogs, at less than 400 bucks it costs only 1/40 of the Rolex, which, btw, has only a $ 600.- movement anyway. Add 2.000.- bucks in gold, a grand for teh labour, and 12.000.- for the name.
 
Robert H said:
From the Kobold catalog"



For 5K? It better be bulletproof and kill people for me. Good God, man!
Click to expand...

my GMT11 retails for over $5K now and neither kills folks or is bulletproof, sure is a good looking watch though.

if ya cant afford $5K get a seiko or marathon, lots of good stuff for less,

i have never even herd of a kobold FWIW.
 
Interesting watches, I am a bit of a watch geek and I have never heard of them. A little on the expensive side though and rather unavailable as the company is trying to keep the availability in short supply. Ferrari employed a similar tactic a while back. (and suffered for it) Are they certified chronometer?
 
chimeragrande said:
Interesting watches, I am a bit of a watch geek and I have never heard of them. A little on the expensive side though and rather unavailable as the company is trying to keep the availability in short supply. Ferrari employed a similar tactic a while back. (and suffered for it) Are they certified chronometer?
Click to expand...

I don't think so. The assembly is done in the US.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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