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Old 10 November 2015, 03:23 AM   #1
Desibaba
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How come there arent any American luxury watches?

All the expensive watches are swiss and the quartz ones are mainly japanese. Where is all the american luxury watch? The Cadillac of watches.
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Old 10 November 2015, 03:35 AM   #2
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RGM is an american luxury brand. Also check out Oak & Oscar. Swiss movement but US designer/company. Their first model is a stunner.
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Old 10 November 2015, 03:47 AM   #3
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In addition to rgm - Kobold?although not sure they have their own movement.

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Old 10 November 2015, 03:48 AM   #4
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I didn't know Kobold was US based. Great sports watches! They do use Swiss movements.
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Old 10 November 2015, 03:49 AM   #5
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Because we're better at making bourbons.
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Old 10 November 2015, 03:51 AM   #6
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Because we're better at making bourbons.
Who is this "we" you are speaking of, Mr. west coast?
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Old 10 November 2015, 03:59 AM   #7
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The US used to be the watch capital of the world. Just look up the great brands that used to call the US home.

The story goes that when WWII came along, retooling for the war put most of US watchmaking on the back burner, while the neutral Swiss just kept cranking them out.

There was also the fact that all those US troops trooping all over Europe were exposed to Swiss watchmaking and were snatching them up.

When the war was over, all those troops came home with millions of Swiss clocks and watches and the public got hooked.

The US makers began to suffer and eventually the quartz revolution caused their slow demise.

This is my recollection of events, but the truth is out there.

Just do some research.
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Old 10 November 2015, 04:03 AM   #8
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Because they make $1500 watches is that luxury !!!! maybe not true just throwing it out there ..... let's be honest what American cars would be in the top 10 of luxury cars worldwide (So that's everywhere except America)
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Old 10 November 2015, 04:17 AM   #9
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What about Hamilton
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Old 10 November 2015, 04:40 AM   #10
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RGM is an american luxury brand. Also check out Oak & Oscar. Swiss movement but US designer/company. Their first model is a stunner.

The owner of O&O organizes frequent GTG in Chicago. A WIS and a gentleman.
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Old 10 November 2015, 05:07 AM   #11
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What about Hamilton
Not really a luxury watch.
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Old 10 November 2015, 05:50 AM   #12
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Not really a luxury watch.
It may have been in the 50's?
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Old 10 November 2015, 08:42 AM   #13
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What about Ball? Definitely swiss movements but recall cases being made here. Also have that company in Detroit forget the name. Might not be considered luxury either.

There are also a few kickstarters out there but to my knowledge only rgm making movements in US.

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Old 10 November 2015, 08:42 AM   #14
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Would you really expect a company like GM (cadillac) to be able to build luxury watches, they have a hard enough time building a car that does not get recalled.
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Old 10 November 2015, 08:59 AM   #15
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Who is this "we" you are speaking of, Mr. west coast?
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Old 10 November 2015, 09:02 AM   #16
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Who is this "we" you are speaking of, Mr. west coast?
dP


However the guy next to me just said who is this we you are speaking about mr western world.

I understand Japan has bought a big piece of kentuckys bourbon industry.

Sorry for the off topic.

How about Shinola? They're trying.
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Old 10 November 2015, 09:11 AM   #17
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However the guy next to me just said who is this we you are speaking about mr western world.



I understand Japan has bought a big piece of kentuckys bourbon industry.



Sorry for the off topic.



How about Shinola? They're trying.

Shinola is trying. Just have to get away from the Chinese cases and on to automatic movements. Even if they are sourced miyota movements.

I have 4 of them and for $500-$1000 they are great.


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Old 10 November 2015, 11:42 AM   #18
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Would you really expect a company like GM (cadillac) to be able to build luxury watches, they have a hard enough time building a car that does not get recalled.
Cadillac perhaps doesn't have the cache of Mercedes or BMW, but brand snobbery aside, I don't believe what you are saying is true. GM in general makes decent product these days. And so far they haven't been caught scamming emissions computers (yet.)
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Old 11 November 2015, 06:16 AM   #19
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http://www.tiffany.com/watches

Tiffany & Co? An American company, but their watches are Swiss Made.
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Old 11 November 2015, 10:30 AM   #20
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What about Hamilton
Hamilton is owned by the Swatch Group.
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Old 11 November 2015, 11:34 AM   #21
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Who is this "we" you are speaking of, Mr. west coast?
dP
Yeah yeah, I'm just here for the job. I'm going out back east once I retire.
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Old 11 November 2015, 12:27 PM   #22
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Would you really expect a company like GM (cadillac) to be able to build luxury watches, they have a hard enough time building a car that does not get recalled.

So true.. But then again the germans need to cheat emissions to meet their numbers...


http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/11/0...-cars-anymore/
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Old 11 November 2015, 12:41 PM   #23
Tokyo Time
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Great American Luxury watches

If luxury means outstanding quality and good timekeeping after more than 132 years, here's a daisy. My great grandfather's silver Hamilton today.
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Old 11 November 2015, 01:32 PM   #24
tylerad1
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If luxury means outstanding quality and good timekeeping after more than 132 years, here's a daisy. My great grandfather's silver Hamilton today.

They don't make em like they used to!
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Old 11 November 2015, 02:57 PM   #25
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Wasn't the founder of IWC American? I thought I read in the history of IWC that he located his watch factory in Switzerland because, then, wages were lower than they were in the U.S.

The United States also had a very thriving clock industry, e.g. Seth Thomas, New Haven, etc., in additional to having very good watch manufacturers (Hamilton, Elgin, Gruen, etc.) who made sturdy, reliable, and stylish watches for everyone.

The world of manufacturing changed dramatically with WWII, when Ford and the rest stopped making cars and made bombers. After the war, people were moving west and were buying new houses (Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley) , cars, appliances, etc. ... things that hadn't been purchased new in decades due to the Depression and war, and then the new technology of television came in. American technology turned towards cars, aerospace and, then, the defense industry.

Plus, at a certain point a Swiss watch had more cache than an American one, just like French fashion is considered to be more stylish and cutting edge than American.

Someone once commented that one reason German cars are engineered so well...arguably, over-engineered, is that the best American math/science/engineer guys went to work for Northrup, Hughes, etc. making military aircraft etc. Post-war Germany had a very limited military, so guys who might have been designing cutting-edge missile delivery systems and the like were instead designing transmissions for BMW.

I love vintage Deco watches, and there are so many stunning American made examples out there.
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Old 11 November 2015, 04:49 PM   #26
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Expensive American Watchmakers were decimated by the Quartz wave, just like the Swiss Watch Industry was.

Elgin, Benrus, Hamilton, Waltham, and Bulova are no longer American Made..

But then, Omega, Blancpain, Longines and other Swiss watchmakers also bit the dust..

They only live on in name under the Swatch Group..
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Old 11 November 2015, 07:05 PM   #27
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America make many good luxury items including boats, but when it comes to watches and cars the platform is quite light on.......
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Old 11 November 2015, 08:06 PM   #28
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Bit off track but I was pleased to find out the other day that there is actually an Australian watchmaker called "Adina" that is family-owned and has been making watches since 1971.
They don't pretend to be a prestige brand and say they are aimed at producing sound, good value watches for ordinary folks.
The business is based in Brisbane and makes 60,000 watches a year (60,000 anything is big numbers in Australia) It sources it's components from 5 countries.
They offer Quartz as well as Automatic movements and use quality SS cases with gold plating in some models, prices vary from A$160. to A$1000.





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