New Tudor Factory

[Driver8]

Not sure if this has been mentioned before, so apologies if it has, but last night at a Tudor event I attended, a couple of representatives actually from Tudor confirmed they have just opened a brand new dedicated factory in Switzerland, and they are completely moving out of the Rolex facility.

Hopefully good news for both brands as a dedicated Tudor facility will hopefully mean even more freedom to do their own thing (although obviously they still both have the same parent company), while hopefully the Rolex factory will be able to utilise the freed up space and produce a few more pieces.

[1William]

Good information. I hope someone does a video once they get access to the new facility.

[WatchGuy1966]

Lots of published info on this including the METAS lab in-house. It's a joint venture with Breitling and one other Luxe watch brand.

Really a cool concept.

[Tools]

I think that Tudor buying up Sellita and building their own movement facility with their watch facility is genius.

They have broken the strings attached to Swatch/ETA, and opened the door to other watch brands who used ETA movements. It is going to position Tudor not only as a powerhouse brand, but a source for movements, filling in the hole left by Swatch/ETA as they limit access to their ebauchs.

When once some looked down on Tudor saying "... they have ETA movements", it won't be long before more and more brands will say "... they have a Rolex/Tudor made movement".

Puts a whole different "cache'" look to their products. Or further, Rolex can still be Rolex, but in the future it may be Tudor, XXX, XXX umbrellaed brands.

[CarlOver]

To me it seems that Tudor is totally doing their own thing. Their thing is nothing like Rolex’s thing.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Tools

I think that Tudor buying up Sellita and building their own movement facility with their watch facility is genius.

They have broken the strings attached to Swatch/ETA, and opened the door to other watch brands who used ETA movements. It is going to position Tudor not only as a powerhouse brand, but a source for movements, filling in the hole left by Swatch/ETA as they limit access to their ebauchs.

When once some looked down on Tudor saying "... they have ETA movements", it won't be long before more and more brands will say "... they have a Rolex/Tudor made movement".

Puts a whole different "cache'" look to their products. Or further, Rolex can still be Rolex, but in the future it may be Tudor, XXX, XXX umbrellaed brands.

That's quite a journey since the blockbuster release of the Tudor Heritage Chronograph in 2010 that reignited the attention of the entire watch community.

Plus, the limited production run of ETA powered Tudors could become the stratospheric priced grails of the future.
dP

[77T]

It helps the whole Rolex SA ecosphere - more capacity in the old building - breaking down barriers to Tudor’s future growth - and maybe new models.


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[MRBolton]

Did you ask the Tudor reps what we should expect this to mean?

[Cigars&Watches]

So the talk some time ago that Rolex was opening up new factories to up production substantially was actually a Tudor factory…

[Omarion07]

Originally Posted by Cigars&Watches

So the talk some time ago that Rolex was opening up new factories to up production substantially was actually a Tudor factory…

No the second factory in Biel is still a Rolex factory… they’re even posting jobs for that location. Unless there’s more than one.


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[Dirt]

Originally Posted by 77T

It helps the whole Rolex SA ecosphere - more capacity in the old building - breaking down barriers to Tudor’s future growth - and maybe new models.


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This

[Wpalmer03]

Originally Posted by Tools

I think that Tudor buying up Sellita and building their own movement facility with their watch facility is genius.

They have broken the strings attached to Swatch/ETA, and opened the door to other watch brands who used ETA movements. It is going to position Tudor not only as a powerhouse brand, but a source for movements, filling in the hole left by Swatch/ETA as they limit access to their ebauchs.

When once some looked down on Tudor saying "... they have ETA movements", it won't be long before more and more brands will say "... they have a Rolex/Tudor made movement".

Puts a whole different "cache'" look to their products. Or further, Rolex can still be Rolex, but in the future it may be Tudor, XXX, XXX umbrellaed brands.

Did this transaction/new factory create what is now called Kenissi? Tudor/Breitling/Chanel joint venture that makes their movements.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by 1William

Good information. I hope someone does a video once they get access to the new facility.

Indeed

Thanks for the Post OP

[Reikolexguy]

Thanks. Really informative.


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[Tools]

Originally Posted by Wpalmer03

Did this transaction/new factory create what is now called Kenissi? Tudor/Breitling/Chanel joint venture that makes their movements.

Yes. Kenissi is the name coined for this movement company, and the first Tudor movement was showcased at Basel in 2015.

In 2016 they brought on Breitling and the name Kenissi, from Greek Kenesis (activity/movement). In 2018 Chanel came on board.

The point from Rolex/Tudor is to provide 3rd party movements, as well as having a source for their own in-house movements and no longer rely on somebody else.

[Cigars&Watches]

Originally Posted by Omarion07

No the second factory in Biel is still a Rolex factory… they’re even posting jobs for that location. Unless there’s more than one.


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[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Tools

I think that Tudor buying up Sellita and building their own movement facility with their watch facility is genius.

I did not know that. The part about Sellita, I mean.

Thanks for the information.

That was really a genius move.

This will be fun to watch.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Wpalmer03

Did this transaction/new factory create what is now called Kenissi? Tudor/Breitling/Chanel joint venture that makes their movements.

https://www.kenissi.ch/

[watchmavan]

Originally Posted by WatchGuy1966

Lots of published info on this including the METAS lab in-house. It's a joint venture with Breitling and one other Luxe watch brand.

Really a cool concept.

The new facility is not a joint venture with Breitling. Breitling have a contact with Tudor's movement manufacturing arm to supply 3 hand calibres.

Chanel did buy in but they are a minority share holder. The MT calibres are in fact 100% Tudor and in watches well before this.