Random musings and general banter.

[Hammy60]

I genuinely don't get this Swan & Edgar story. As far as I remember, Swan & Edgar was a department store in Piccadilly. I remember it closing in the early '80s, I think. I don't remember them having their own in-house watch brand - but of course, I could be wrong.

I am assuming the name was purchased years later and applied to a new watch brand? Fine, I am aware of lots of dead brand names brought back decades later with absolutely no connection with the original manufacturer. I have no problem with that at all. The concerns start when a restarted company name's products are sold on the basis of a spurious direct connection and heritage of the old unconnected name. Is this the case with these Swan & Edgar watches? Am I missing something and there is a direct link?

Oh God, no. It's that bloody woman with the titanium knees and more steps than Hampstead tube on that wretched treadmill again. Time to disembowel myself without an anaesthetic

They maybe sold watches, but they didn't have their own in house watch brand.

The present Swan & Edgar brand belongs to Fields Luxury LTD, started up in 2018, baby James Fields is the sole Director, they have absolutely NO connection, past or present, with the dept store. Trademark was registered in 2017.

They also do Gamages of London watches, again named after an old London store, exactly same type of watches as the Swan & Edgar range, papa Antoni Fields usually flogs them on TJC channel instead of Ideal World. Gamages trademark was registered in 2019, again NO connection with old store.

They are also friends with a chap that has also started a watch brand, in 2017, after another old London store, Barkers of Kensington, yeah and you guessed right, same type of watches as Swan & Edgar and Gamages. There is also some info to suggest that Baby Fields is a partner in the brand, although can't find anything official, but their are internet links which suggest he is a partner. Papa Fields and the owner of Barkers were directors together of an advertising agency back in the 90s. Again this brand has NO connection with the old store.

 

[Hammy60]

They use another agency person on the no no hair remover who supposedly has a condition where her hair grows in abundance, but with the no no, it’s no problem at all.

I don’t believe her either.

They just hire someone for the show, give them a suitable story favourable to the product and everyone’s a winner, nice little earner for them to trot out the same story as the products on IW come back again and again.

They also have some guy shaving his wrist, what the hell is that about.

i always wonder, if these products work, and they use them all the time, then how can they demonstrate on the shows, surely there would be no, no hair to remove on the shows?

 

[Hammy60]

You would think that Swan & Edgar's pick of the day, especially with it's India story and dial with the Indian ocean, would have an Indian location on the 24 internal 24 hr bezel, but no, they have their arch enemy Pakistan there and Bangladesh, but no Indian location.

 

[Hammy60]

Hayley - "if this was in a top end store, in London, I would expect this to have probably a 1 in front of the figure we're looking at."

So Hayley, you expect a £30 Chinese watch which you guys are selling at the inflated price of £107.99 to probably be £1107.99 if it was in a top end store in London, you're away with the fairies lass.

The fact you even think it would be in a top end store is bad enough , but a grand for that cheap Chinese watch is just ludicrous, only a horological ignorant blethering idiot or a conniving lying con artist would even think of/suggest such a thing.

 

[cheeky chappie]

Mason on cordless hoover very corded hoover- "that's why everything is now cordless, because cords are problems"

not everything Mike, better have a word with Peter V, he gave a good reason this morning why a corded appliance can better.

Don't you just love IW, if it's corded it's great and better than cordless, if it's cordless then corded is crap and from the past.

If my use of the search filter on their website is correct, Currys have 78 corded vacuums available, so evidently still some demand

Just my opinion, of course cordless has a place and the tech will continue to improve. However, when it comes to something like a vacuum or lawnmower, I'll stick with corded until the tech (predominantly battery life) improves.

 

[Mommabear]

Hayley - "if this was in a top end store, in London, I would expect this to have probably a 1 in front of the figure we're looking at."

So Hayley, you expect a £30 Chinese watch which you guys are selling at the inflated price of £107.99 to probably be £1107.99 if it was in a top end store in London, you're away with the fairies lass.

The fact you even think it would be in a top end store is bad enough , but a grand for that cheap Chinese watch is just ludicrous, only a horological ignorant blethering idiot or a conniving lying con artist would even think of/suggest such a thing.

She’s always saying that about the fashion

I don’t think the buyers in the ‘high end’ stores would ever give your polyester creations a thought

 

[cheeky chappie]

They maybe sold watches, but they didn't have their own in house watch brand.

The present Swan & Edgar brand belongs to Fields Luxury LTD, started up in 2018, baby James Fields is the sole Director, they have absolutely NO connection, past or present, with the dept store. Trademark was registered in 2017.

They also do Gamages of London watches, again named after an old London store, exactly same type of watches as the Swan & Edgar range, papa Antoni Fields usually flogs them on TJC channel instead of Ideal World. Gamages trademark was registered in 2019, again NO connection with old store.

They are also friends with a chap that has also started a watch brand, in 2017, after another old London store, Barkers of Kensington, yeah and you guessed right, same type of watches as Swan & Edgar and Gamages. There is also some info to suggest that Baby Fields is a partner in the brand, although can't find anything official, but their are internet links which suggest he is a partner. Papa Fields and the owner of Barkers were directors together of an advertising agency back in the 90s. Again this brand has NO connection with the old store.

I find your analysis quite offensive Hammy.

Let me tell you a little story. You might have heard of a retailer called Poundworld? They were a premium value store founded in the 70's that sadly went into administration in 2018 due to stiff competition from other premium value stores.

I've acquired the brand name.

I'm already in discussion with various Alibaba watch sellers and IW about launching my Poundworld range of watches on their channel. They're very excited about my business venture. My first watch will be called the *****-y. It will have VD plating, a premium plastic watch face, quality quartz movements that cost me £1 and a case insert that's been printed on an inkjet printer using glossy photo paper. All watches will come with a comprehensive 3 day warranty.

Don't feel so smart now, do you?

 

[Four Flexies]

Oi, you lot. Leave Jenny’s knees alone!

 

[cheeky chappie]

Some bloke in a scruffy tee shirt and shorts presenting today. Looks like he turned up to deliver a Big Mac Meal and a large root beer in a ‘K’ reg Proton, and got sent to the nearest studio because the regular presenter had gone sick - probably after eating food from that little barbecue that never sells out.

If it's who I'm thinking of, he was selling bbq stuff last night and trotted out the 'I've bought this' line.

Like I said before, WHO CARES?!?

These presenters are simply that, presenters. They carry zero weight/inside knowledge when it comes to products, so why would the fact they've 'bought one' influence someone to buy ... unless that someone is a ****?

Let's say James Dyson was being interviewed and was asked who he thought his main competitors are in terms of quality. He replies Bosch, saying their quality and ethos has always impressed him. Now, that sort of indirect endorsement might influence my buying decision given his background.

However, the rambling endorsement of a selly telly presenter who'll sell anything as long as they're being paid, emmm, that won't influence me quite as much

 

[Mommabear]

Mark Ryes? ex Bid.

Where’s Rob, haven’t seen him for ages?

 

[Hammy60]

If my use of the search filter on their website is correct, Currys have 78 corded vacuums available, so evidently still some demand

Just my opinion, of course cordless has a place and the tech will continue to improve. However, when it comes to something like a vacuum or lawnmower, I'll stick with corded until the tech (predominantly battery life) improves.

I have both corded and cordless vacuum, corded for proper clean, cordless for a quick touch up. No way can the cordless replace my Henry, it can reach all areas of the house, without changing plugs like Mason keeps suggesting, and contrary to what Bev says reaches the top or bottom of stairs no bother, has way more suction power than the cordless, and also doesn't need emptying as often and is not exspensive like Dyson etc.

 

[Hammy60]

She’s always saying that about the fashion

I don’t think the buyers in the ‘high end’ stores would ever give your polyester creations a thought

I've noticed Sally say quite a few times on fashion shows, "I can see Kate Middleton wearing this".

 

[Hammy60]

Mark Ryes? ex Bid.

Where’s Rob, haven’t seen him for ages?

Yeah, Rob was on recently, just a few shows, but in the last couple of weeks.

 

[Mommabear]

I've noticed Sally say quite a few times on fashion shows, "I can see Kate Middleton wearing this".

Hope she was laughing when she said it

 

[Hammy60]

If it's who I'm thinking of, he was selling bbq stuff last night and trotted out the 'I've bought this' line.

Like I said before, WHO CARES?!?

These presenters are simply that, presenters. They carry zero weight/inside knowledge when it comes to products, so why would the fact they've 'bought one' influence someone to buy ... unless that someone is a ****?

Let's say James Dyson was being interviewed and was asked who he thought his main competitors are in terms of quality. He replies Bosch, saying their quality and ethos has always impressed him. Now, that sort of indirect endorsement might influence my buying decision given his background.

However, the rambling endorsement of a selly telly presenter who'll sell anything as long as they're being paid, emmm, that won't influence me quite as much

I personally believe, that they are so shallow, it's seems a trait of the wannabe celebrity types, that they believe the viewers are equally as shallow and swallow up all the bull they spout, sadly there does seem to be a helluva lot of shallow folk out there, you just need to see how many subscribers these youtube influencers (who are paid to influence) etc get. At times i think the whole worlds gone mad.

Agree with your Dyson comment though, worth listening to an actual expert in the field, may not always agree with those experts, but at least their opinions are worthy of considerations, celebrities, influencers etc on the oter hand, can take a running jump.

 

[JeepSwensonfan]

Let's say James Dyson was being interviewed and was asked who he thought his main competitors are in terms of quality. He replies Bosch, saying their quality and ethos has always impressed him. Now, that sort of indirect endorsement might influence my buying decision given his background.

And I bet Bosch pays tax.

 

[Hammy60]

Hope she was laughing when she said it

Nope, seemed deadly serious.

 

[Mommabear]

I can recommend the corded and cordless Shark

 

[Tricompax]

Hayley - "if this was in a top end store, in London, I would expect this to have probably a 1 in front of the figure we're looking at."

So Hayley, you expect a £30 Chinese watch which you guys are selling at the inflated price of £107.99 to probably be £1107.99 if it was in a top end store in London, you're away with the fairies lass.

The fact you even think it would be in a top end store is bad enough , but a grand for that cheap Chinese watch is just ludicrous, only a horological ignorant blethering idiot or a conniving lying con artist would even think of/suggest such a thing.

Love the way they twiddle the 10 o'clock crown like Billy oh, and the "expensive to do 24hr internal bezel" (so they tell us every show) hardly moves a fraction
Bring back baby Fields, more fun when he was telling us all about their horological master pieces

 

[Mommabear]

Think it was ‘expert’ David yesterday, MM called him Jonathan at one point

Ever the professional