30th gift

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dbroughton said:

IWC Pilots watch isn't trading on the IWC name.

It may be the cheapest in the range but not by much and it is a CLASSIC!!!

I think the mark 16 says it all.

Get one of these. Coolest watch in your list. should also get one new for £2k

My steelfish is going and being replaced by a pilot's IWC, when I can find a shop that has one and I can try on. It'll have to wait until later this month when I'm back in the UK. As an aside, here at Le Mans there is no Omega, Rolex, Breitling, IWC, or any really high class dealer except one that sells Tag Heuer in town. That's it - nearest dealer is 150 miles (Paris)

[RTBmotorsport]

Cheers Don- I took the plunge after seeing an advert in Octane ! Bit foolish just buying one without trying it on, but it's design is stunning, and the presentation of the papers and box is worth the money alone !
Rob

[tertius]

stovey said:

<long posts snipped>

I think alot of these issue will be solved when The Swatch group start phasing out the supply of ETA movements to non Swatch group makers from next year.

I have two questions though:

1) If IWC take an ETA ebauche and modify it is it still an ETA movement? I'd say so.

2) If Omega use an ETA movement isn't it still an in house movement as both are part of the Swatch group anyway?

Edited by stovey on Sunday 7th October 23:27

Hmm, interesting questions. All my opinion of course.

1) is it still an ETA movement, well ... maybe, maybe not. I really don't know the answer (if there is one) but my view is ... maybe.

In my opinion it really depends on how much work they do to it. I'm sure you have read the articles on TZ arguing that IWC do so much work to the ETA supplied kit, replacing parts and so on that it is really a new movement. I think of it as neither an ETA nor an in-house movement but something in between.

To attempt a motoring analogy (which I'm not sure works) take RUF and their engines, they start with a Porsche engine, tear it to bits, change parts, add parts (usually including a turbo charger) and end up with something new, is it still a Porsche engine ... well, sort of, but not one that Porsche will sell you.

2) is it inhouse if they are part of the same conglomerate? In my opinion no, not if its actually the same movement that the subsidiary will sell to anyone else.

Regarding the availability of ETA movements outside the Swatch group, I'm not sure this will change as a) I gather that complete movements will still be available, its the kits (ebauches) that will not. And those makers that want the kits will be buying the clone/equivalent ebauche from a company like Sellita. Or more likely the Chinese equivalent, that will pop up shortly, if it hasn't already.

[mateus]

Don't know about the technical side, but just a thought, does it really matter what the movement is? (Barbarian I hear you shout) but when you love a watch, You love a watch.

The experience of buying something special well designed & exclusive is the journey. In reality the look and brand is what will sell. When your driving and you catch a glimpse of your best watch whilst changing gear (deep thrum of a V8 soundtrack), who cares about the movement it's all good....

Omega get's my vote by the way.

[tertius]

mateus said:

Don't know about the technical side, but just a thought, does it really matter what the movement is? (Barbarian I hear you shout) but when you love a watch, You love a watch.

The experience of buying something special well designed & exclusive is the journey. In reality the look and brand is what will sell. When your driving and you catch a glimpse of your best watch whilst changing gear (deep thrum of a V8 soundtrack), who cares about the movement it's all good....

Omega get's my vote by the way.

Well, if it doesn't matter to you then you don't need to worry about it. And in that situation I wouldn't.

However, for me personally since the movement is what, literally, makes a watch tick then, yes, I think it is quite important. And even if it were just down to looks many watches have display backs - if that simply displays the same movement you can see in thousands of other watches well that is a lot less attractive than displaying something special to the watch in question.