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Old 4 October 2007, 01:16 AM   #1
Tools
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Is COSC a Scam ??

Let's look at it....

A Swiss organization, "certifying" swiss movements just so they can legally say "Chronometer" on the dial, and this - passed - as a Swiss law.....

And 80 percent of their business is one company....

And certification is to a standard (-4/+6) that almost any decent watch can meet.

If Rolex didn't provide the majority of their income, and pass it along to the customer, and a law didn't exist forbidding anybody else from saying the chronometer word, this "Certifying Body" would not even exist....would it ?

What do you think ????
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Old 4 October 2007, 01:38 AM   #2
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I believe its more of a marketing ploy... to justify the asking price for the watch.
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Old 4 October 2007, 02:32 AM   #3
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Just another marketing tool, but it works. The standard deviation that they rate to was probably good 30 years ago, but with technology, CAD-based design and better tooling for production of the components, I think that the authorized deviation is too excessive and does not reflect today's manufacturing capabilities.

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Old 4 October 2007, 03:33 AM   #4
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While COSC certainly is an excellent marketing ploy, I wouldn't go that far as to call it a scam.

Why? Because it actually works!! COSC certified watches are in fact very, very accurte - and I'm not just referring to Rolex.

Even the OMEGAs I've had the pleasure of owning have always been COSC certified and have proven to be extremely accurte and dependable.

I'm pretty sure it's a good thing to have endorsed on your watch dial!! I love it!!
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Old 4 October 2007, 05:03 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roadcarver View Post
I believe its more of a marketing ploy... to justify the asking price for the watch.
Exactly! The AK "Precision" and the Sub OP sometimes beat the COSC Rolex watches in terms of precision.

But there is much "snobbery" involved in the COSC ratings, too. People (well some!) think that their Rolex is not a "true Rolex" if it is not COSC rated
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Old 4 October 2007, 06:07 AM   #6
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Chronometer vintage watches get much better prices only because they are COSC while in fact all the other ones are just as good imo.
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Old 4 October 2007, 06:21 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tools View Post
Let's look at it....

A Swiss organization, "certifying" swiss movements just so they can legally say "Chronometer" on the dial, and this - passed - as a Swiss law.....

And 80 percent of their business is one company....

And certification is to a standard (-4/+6) that almost any decent watch can meet.

If Rolex didn't provide the majority of their income, and pass it along to the customer, and a law didn't exist forbidding anybody else from saying the chronometer word, this "Certifying Body" would not even exist....would it ?

What do you think ????
I absolutely agree with you.
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Old 4 October 2007, 08:47 AM   #8
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Larry, I tend to agree it's marketing.
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Old 4 October 2007, 09:32 AM   #9
daunwaun
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its all about marketing
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Old 4 October 2007, 12:54 PM   #10
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Yes it is all about marketing and a great form of marketing at that.

Gotta give all the credit to Rolex! It was a brilliant idea to give their movements COSC certification I think.

But I also agree with Larry that the certifying body would not exist if there was no law passed that forbid anybody else from calling a watch a chronometer.

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Old 4 October 2007, 01:01 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BiG JeEzY View Post
Yes it is all about marketing and a great form of marketing at that.
Gotta give all the credit to Rolex! It was a brilliant idea to give their movements COSC certification I think.
But I also agree with larry that the certifying body would not exist if there was no law passed that forbid anybody else from calling a watch a chronometer.
Oh, I agree...A masterpiece in marketing.

But the reality doesn't match up to the hype...IMHO

One of my most accurate Rolex watches is a non-COSC Sub.

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Old 4 October 2007, 02:54 PM   #12
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It might be marketing, but I will always prefer to get a certificatge than not. However, the non-chronometer also comes with a certificate, but without the COSC certification. This has now changed with the non-date sub also being COSC.
To me it is nice to have COSC but in practice is probably makes very little if any difference.
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Old 4 October 2007, 05:16 PM   #13
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Rolex themselves stress test the movement to COSC levels anyway. The cert is just that extra bit of cream!
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