Random musings and general banter.

[Hammy60]

Kev - "this could be one of the last times we'll see this ETA movement on one of these shows."

Well that's easily remedied, start selling the mainstream Swiss brands, Tissot, Mido, Certina, Hamilton, Longines, Rado etc etc, they all still have access to ETA movements.

 

[Hammy60]

Melonayseee Bombay

Laugh is he was saying last nights melanasey was the best he'd seen, now it's the Mathey-Tissot.

Bombay Sapphire watch Glass, must be made from recycled Gin bottles, so keep drinking gin folks so Kev's watches have plenty of glass to make watch crystals from.

 

[ronzy75]

Not a very good marketing ploy going on here, encouraging debt by advising people to put it on various cards This needs reporting
And the watch looks crap

 

[Hammy60]

Kev - "Deepest dive watch ever made"

Eh no, was the deepest when it was made but there have been watches since which go deeper. Ok a one off, but Omega's Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional has been tested to nearly 36,000 ft.

 

[Hammy60]

More Bombay sapphire.

 

[ronzy75]

Kev - "Deepest dive watch ever made"

Eh no, was the deepest when it was made but there have been watches since which go deeper. Ok a one off, but Omega's Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional has been tested to nearly 36,000 ft.

And the James Cameron Rolex, btw, the only record that ugly thing holds is
The current record for the deepest a human has ever dived was set in 2014 at 332.35m by Ahmed Gabr, and on his wrist was a bulbous Charmex CX Swiss Military watch rated to 6,000m

 

[Hammy60]

Peter saying get a valuation.

Best valuation to get Peter is to see what folks are getting/asking for when they sell the watch. On Chrono24, there's a few being offered NEW, for $4700. So I don't know what you're expecting from a valuation, certainly nowhere near the fictitious RRP you had when they were first on air.

 

[Hammy60]

Kev on the bronze traser - "That price on your screen is surreal, should be £850, you know that's not bull coming from me."


Well your son is selling it for £710 so I'm going to have to post this to that statement.

 

[Hammy60]

I would imagine that deep diving Swiss Military watch is not an onscreen sample, ie one of the customers will receive it

Imagine paying £3500 and receiving a watch that Peter Simon has had his grubby hands and spit on.

 

[Professor Branestawm]

So Kev's just heard of the double-cone Incabloc, even though it's been used for decades.

It's like when he hears something for the first time, then it must be new and nobody else has heard of it before, like the mecaquartz etc.

The more we hear from Kev, the more i'm convinced his experience in the watch trade is nowhere near the 40 years he claims.

I absolutely agree. I have no knowledge of him, but he comes across to me as one of the army of microbrand watch salespeople you used to see at every watch fair. Never exhibiting, always just on the sidelines, or like many of the shop owners who might have, say, two shops to obtain stock for.
Back in the late 70s, my dad had a rotary watch with a double cone Incabloc. I think it cost a couple of pounds (I still have it, and it still works. Bet that won’t be true for any of the huge number of Chinese made watches they sell). They talk about it (Incabloc) as though it were solid gold. Certainly as if it were something more than just a good basic shock absorption system (though Incabloc do supply and make tools and balances as well). It’s just like ETAshock, but with a slightly better reputation- but nonetheless it is nothing more than just a shock absorber.
I guess, from watching IW these last few years, I’d summarise their watch programmes as being pure salesmanship. There seems to me to be little, if any, genuine watchmaking knowledge (‘Bombay Glass’, for heaven’s sake!), just an IW presenter (salesperson) accom by a representative of the brand (another salesperson).
I actually feel sorry for these supposed collectors. As I posted a few days ago, I’ve been there and done that. No watch with a basic Chinese mechanism lasted more than a couple of years. Of the Russians, well, Poljot used to actually boast in their brochures that their watches had an average lifespan of around ten years (when they were imported by Poljot Europe, and at one time sold on QVC). Only the Swiss and Germans have any real claim to being heirlooms- and if we are honest, even then it’s at a price point far higher than those sold here.
By all means buy them, wear them and enjoy them in good health. But don’t see any shopping telly watch as any kind of investment.

 

[Mommabear]

Daddy Field was on TJC last night saying how it takes him years to get the designs just right and the presenter nodding away at his every word. ‘Insure them for the website price of £600, not £89.99, the price you’ve paid, that’s just silly money, we can’t make them at that price, you won’t get another for that’

He gets redder in the face every time he’s on.

 

[postmanpat68]

Whooohoo!!!! the bloody treadmill is limited stock again, and with the other model of the treadmill sold out (I bet they get stock in as soon as it sells out though) no more jenny's story for a while or Hayley mentioning the daily mail walking write ups.
Cue the squeaking mini mobility trainer as a substitute. Boring same old, same old crap

Well another treadmill has arrived at Ideal towers, same as the old pole treadmill but with a different name called the Wonderstride foldable treadmill, same price, features and looks the same.
I'm guessing same old stories and how many times can Hayley mention the daily mail walking write ups in a show.

 

[Hammy60]

Daddy Field was on TJC last night saying how it takes him years to get the designs just right and the presenter nodding away at his every word. ‘Insure them for the website price of £600, not £89.99, the price you’ve paid, that’s just silly money, we can’t make them at that price, you won’t get another for that’

He gets redder in the face every time he’s on.

3 years?

Of course he can't make them at that price, but some poorly paid Chinese folk can.
The insurance part is just part of his con trick to give the viewer the idea that the offer of £89.99 is a legitimate bargain and that the RRP is the true value, which we all know it isn't.

 

[cheeky chappie]

3 years?

Of course he can't make them at that price, but some poorly paid Chinese folk can.
The insurance part is just part of his con trick to give the viewer the idea that the offer of £89.99 is a legitimate bargain and that the RRP is the true value, which we all know it isn't.

To me, the following is a legally correct / polite way of saying 'RRP's are in most cases a bit of a con.'

Prices: Recommended retail prices (RRPs)

www.asa.org.uk

 

[cheeky chappie]

I hopped on last night and they were selling bedding. A quick Google check and I found the stuff cheaper online from other retailers.

IW ... yeah, great value

 

[cheeky chappie]

Next time you hear Peter S and Kevin do the hilariously funny phone number routine ...

Peter: 09056
Kevin: 48 48 48

... I want you to think of a frog when Kevin's doing his bit. For some reason it reminds me of 'ribbit, ribbit, ribbit.'

 

[Hammy60]

I absolutely agree. I have no knowledge of him, but he comes across to me as one of the army of microbrand watch salespeople you used to see at every watch fair. Never exhibiting, always just on the sidelines, or like many of the shop owners who might have, say, two shops to obtain stock for.
Back in the late 70s, my dad had a rotary watch with a double cone Incabloc. I think it cost a couple of pounds (I still have it, and it still works. Bet that won’t be true for any of the huge number of Chinese made watches they sell). They talk about it (Incabloc) as though it were solid gold. Certainly as if it were something more than just a good basic shock absorption system (though Incabloc do supply and make tools and balances as well). It’s just like ETAshock, but with a slightly better reputation- but nonetheless it is nothing more than just a shock absorber.
I guess, from watching IW these last few years, I’d summarise their watch programmes as being pure salesmanship. There seems to me to be little, if any, genuine watchmaking knowledge (‘Bombay Glass’, for heaven’s sake!), just an IW presenter (salesperson) accom by a representative of the brand (another salesperson).
I actually feel sorry for these supposed collectors. As I posted a few days ago, I’ve been there and done that. No watch with a basic Chinese mechanism lasted more than a couple of years. Of the Russians, well, Poljot used to actually boast in their brochures that their watches had an average lifespan of around ten years (when they were imported by Poljot Europe, and at one time sold on QVC). Only the Swiss and Germans have any real claim to being heirlooms- and if we are honest, even then it’s at a price point far higher than those sold here.
By all means buy them, wear them and enjoy them in good health. But don’t see any shopping telly watch as any kind of investment.

I don’t know how he got into watches, but him and his wife are Directors in Watchbase Ltd, until 2013 it was called Jacques farel (UK) Ltd which seems to have originated 2004. It’s only from 2014/2015 that they started to make any kind of sales, must have been when he got involved with IW.

Yeah, the double cone Incabloc has been on the go for a long time and is the standard Incabloc in a lot of Swiss made watches. The Chinese tend to use their clone, sorry mean equivalent of the Novodiac shock system, which is Incabloc’s shock absorber for cheaper movements. If you look at the Chinese clones of ETA2824 you see they all seem to use the Novodiac system instead of the standard double cone.

Yeah, IW is just sales folk with pretend experts, who in reality are just sales folk for the distributors or brands themselves. Although Reynolds has faults he’s probably one of the better ones, although that’s not hard, just for the fact he tends to give you more info about the watches themselves, most if you’re lucky will say stainless steel case and diam and that’s the limit of the technical info, whereas Reynolds will at least mention more about the movements/straps etc, albeit with a fair chunk of exaggeration.

I think IW collectors are among the new crop of watch collectors that have started collecting in recent years as watches have become popular again. While IW will have a few knowledgeable collectors, I’m pretty sure a very lot of them are not, or else the Resultco brands and the likes of Swan & Edgar wouldn’t be selling. I also think a lot of them would be in the affordable watch collectors group, wanting a watch collection without spending hundreds or even thousands for a watch. The shame is they could have a cracking affordable watch collection with watches for around the same prices and better quality if they would search around the web, for the same money as they’ve paid for a Morphic, a Heritor, a Swan & Edgar, a Reign, a Shield, a CCCP, an Earnshaw etc, they could have had a collection with Seiko, Orient, Wenger, Pulsar, Citizen, Vostok etc, all good watchmaking brands with actual history and heritage, instead of these imposter brands.

While I’ve nothing personally against their watches, if it tells the time and you like it fine, but I hate all these brands for the false stories behind the brands, the ridiculously inflated RRPs and exaggerated level of quality attributed to them, oh and the fact they purposely hide the fact they are Chinese made.

Agree no shopping telly watch is an investment, in fact very, very, very few watches are an investment, just a few select top brands could probably claim that, 99.99% of watches will start losing money the day you buy it, but IMO you’re not a watch collector if you are doing it for an investment, for me watch collecting is about your love of watches, not the money.

 

[postmanpat68]

I hopped on last night and they were selling bedding. A quick Google check and I found the stuff cheaper online from other retailers.

IW ... yeah, great value

A quick google on any product will find any item Ideal sell cheaper online from a far better retailer with better customer service.

 

[cheeky chappie]

I don’t know how he got into watches, but him and his wife are Directors in Watchbase Ltd, until 2013 it was called Jacques farel (UK) Ltd which seems to have originated 2004. It’s only from 2014/2015 that they started to make any kind of sales, must have been when he got involved with IW.

Yeah, the double cone Incabloc has been on the go for a long time and is the standard Incabloc in a lot of Swiss made watches. The Chinese tend to use their clone, sorry mean equivalent of the Novodiac shock system, which is Incabloc’s shock absorber for cheaper movements. If you look at the Chinese clones of ETA2824 you see they all seem to use the Novodiac system instead of the standard double cone.

Yeah, IW is just sales folk with pretend experts, who in reality are just sales folk for the distributors or brands themselves. Although Reynolds has faults he’s probably one of the better ones, although that’s not hard, just for the fact he tends to give you more info about the watches themselves, most if you’re lucky will say stainless steel case and diam and that’s the limit of the technical info, whereas Reynolds will at least mention more about the movements/straps etc, albeit with a fair chunk of exaggeration.

I think IW collectors are among the new crop of watch collectors that have started collecting in recent years as watches have become popular again. While IW will have a few knowledgeable collectors, I’m pretty sure a very lot of them are not, or else the Resultco brands and the likes of Swan & Edgar wouldn’t be selling. I also think a lot of them would be in the affordable watch collectors group, wanting a watch collection without spending hundreds or even thousands for a watch. The shame is they could have a cracking affordable watch collection with watches for around the same prices and better quality if they would search around the web, for the same money as they’ve paid for a Morphic, a Heritor, a Swan & Edgar, a Reign, a Shield, a CCCP, an Earnshaw etc, they could have had a collection with Seiko, Orient, Wenger, Pulsar, Citizen, Vostok etc, all good watchmaking brands with actual history and heritage, instead of these imposter brands.

While I’ve nothing personally against their watches, if it tells the time and you like it fine, but I hate all these brands for the false stories behind the brands, the ridiculously inflated RRPs and exaggerated level of quality attributed to them, oh and the fact they purposely hide the fact they are Chinese made.

Agree no shopping telly watch is an investment, in fact very, very, very few watches are an investment, just a few select top brands could probably claim that, 99.99% of watches will start losing money the day you buy it, but IMO you’re not a watch collector if you are doing it for an investment, for me watch collecting is about your love of watches, not the money.

Great post. I'll slightly disagree with your last paragraph re collectors. I think they, almost regardless of the item, broadly fall into two categories. Those that collect purely for financial reasons (e.g. buy an item and lock it away hoping it'll appreciate in value) vs those that buy for a true appreciation and love of the item with financial gain secondary or not even a consideration.

And yes, if IW just sold the watches with a more level-headed approach it would be fine. However it's the OTT sales approach whether the watch is £39.99 or £3,999.99 that gets me, referring to them all as though they're tier 1 quality etc etc.

All jokes aside, when you hear the likes of Peter S trot out 'it's a thousand pound watch all day long this!!!' when they're selling it for £199.99, it's nothing short of embarrassing to watch, pardon the pun! They genuinely are like market stall sellers, Del Boy with the suitcase.

 

[Hammy60]

Kev on the £180 Rolly - "i've spoken to quite a few people over the last few years and quite often what some of the lads like doing, before covid more likely, is walk into bar or pub with their new watch on , before they would tell teh guys what they paid for it, they would pass the watch around, and Rollys were a favourite for that. The guys used to look at Swiss Made, look at Mathey-Tissot, look at Swiss Made and start with that and say oh come on Jack you paid £600, you paid £700, Jack you didn't pay a £1000 for that? No paid £200. You know i don't often say this, but i'm here today with Shaun and i'm going to say it, don't be put off by these fantastic prices,"


Firstly never seen that ever happen in a bar, and secondly you can get the watch from America, for approx at most £130 ish inc duty and a free little watch carry bag thing as well.