WWT Shows CLICK TO: Join and Support Internet Horology Club 185™ IHC185™ Forums

• Check Out Our... •
• TWO Book Offer! •
Go
New Topic
Find-Or-Search
Notify
Tools
Reply to Post
  
Your Comments Please. "Click" to Login or Register 
IHC Life Member
Watchmaker
Picture of Scott Cerullo
posted
SmileThis morning at the Chapter One mart, I saw a lot of Chinese watches. One was a real Tourbillon, and it was only $1000. Some of them had Swiss parts and were assembled and finished in China. Some were pretty rough copies of the famous brands. Some were (IMO) very nicely done, and were very inexpenive. This may be a case of horological Darwinism. If the Chinese are pumping these watches out at these prices, I think they might eventually overtake the Swiss as they improve. Check out the link below. I know this one is pretty flashy and not to everyone's taste, but I held the identical watch today. I was impressed that it could be sold for under $100. I did not buy one, but was tempted.

http://cgi.ebay.com/21J-AUTOMATIC-MULTIFUNCTION-SKELETO...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
Posts: 1033 | Location: Northeast Pennsylvania in the USA | Registered: June 02, 2003
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

Any of us old enough to remember when "Japanese made" meant "poorly made" have no problem realizing that perception sure has changed over the years. I'd bet it won't be long until there will be outstanding precision made movements of world class quality and design coming out of China... in fact it may be sooner that we yet realize!

We live in an ever-shrinking and rapidly developing world my friends.

Wink
 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
posted
Scott,

I think Lindell is correct in his evaluation.

What we're in the procees of seeing is a 21st. Century "Industrial Revolution" where many, many items which used to be primarily manufactured in Europe or the USA are moving to China. I think this will eventually include much of the watch industry as we know it today. However having said this, I think there will always be a place for high end, luxury watches. Who knows where these will eventually come from in the future.

If you read Business Week on a regular basis you'll see that China is rapidly becomming the "Global Manufacturing Country" while India is fast becomming a primary provider of Software Development, Online Tech Support and Financial Services

NOTE:- I read recently, there were more Tourbillons made in the last year or so than had been made in the past 200 years since it was invented. Eek


Dave Freeman
IHC Member 321
 
Posts: 976 | Location: Texas in the U.S.A. | Registered: January 27, 2004
IHC Member 155
Bulova Watchmaker

Picture of Rich Kuhn
posted
Most people do not realize that China has become the world’s largest consumer of precision computer controlled machinery. And it is not by a small percentage. We will see the demise of manufacturing in most of the traditional manufacturing countries in our lifetime. It has been happening for the last six years. Most of the world’s major manufactures have or are in the process of opening plants in China. They have also become the world’s largest user of oil and this is one of the reasons oil prices have and will continue to rise.


Rich Kuhn
IHC Member 155

 
Posts: 896 | Location: New Jersey in the USA | Registered: December 16, 2002
  Powered by Social Strata  
 


©2002-2023 Internet Horology Club 185™ - Lindell V. Riddle President - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Internet Horology Club 185™ is the "Family-Friendly" place for Watch and Clock Collectors