Eta Ending Sales December 31St 2015

[Paul78]

Just wonderd what your views were on this?

 

For anyone not knowing, ETA announced a while back they are stopping the sale of all spare parts on December 31st 2015. After this date only Authorised service centres will b able to get them, so once cousins, boley etc supplies have been exhausted we will no longer be able to get them, meaning the customer has to pay extortiate prices.

 

What do you think?

[bobm12]

And suppliers will hoard all the parts to stock up their inventories! Poor us!

[Blacklab]

I also gather that the Swatch Group are going to replace their old chairman:

 

with this chap:

[Paul78]

Suppliers have been told they are not allowed to change ordering patterns, well at least that's what the letter from ETA to cousins said. It said they must continue to order supplies as normal, any abnormalities with quantities will not be fulfilled.

[Geo]

It's a piece of $h!t, the price of second hand movement will also take a hike in price. As Lawson posted earlier, the Japanese manufactures should benefit from it.

[jnash]

It's a piece of $h!t, the price of second hand movement will also take a hike in price. As Lawson posted earlier, the Japanese manufactures should benefit from it.

 

I only really restore vintage so always had this problem, everyone in this field is going to feel it :(

[Blacklab]

....and that's why I tend to stick to old Seiko's but then again I only do this for the fun? of it. The really sad part of it is there are some really good pro's out there who are going to get truly shafted but this outrageous behaviour.

[jaycey]

I'm sure generic parts will be available.

[Blacklab]

While we are on the subject:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/swatch-loses-legal-battle-with-ubs-1420736614

 

Ha! Ha!

[jnash]

....and that's why I tend to stick to old Seiko's but then again I only do this for the fun? of it. The really sad part of it is there are some really good pro's out there who are going to get truly shafted but this outrageous behaviour.

Time.to.speed up 3d printing tech!/

I'm sure generic parts will be available.

[Blacklab]

Time.to.speed up 3d printing tech!/

I got out of 2D printing about 6 years ago 'cause of the aggro. 3D printing = triple aggro.

[jnash]

I got out of 2D printing about 6 years ago 'cause of the aggro. 3D printing = triple aggro.

 

but so much cooler   :D

[clockboy]

The only glimmer of hope is the BHI are in talks with the swiss guys. Therefore a slim chance of a change of policy by Swatch but in my opinion very slim.

The biggest worry for us guys is Swatch also own the companies that make jewels, springs, batteries & lots more.  :thumbsd:

[Mark]

Well the fight is still on for what it's worth. I would encourage all board members to contact their local elected leaders about this.

 

I know it is now on my priority list to write to John Hayes (my MP), he was very happy when I fixed up his Omega for him a few years ago so I am sure he will be interested to know that in the future he may be forced to send it to Omega and pay upwards of £600 for servicing. 

 

It's simple - take away consumer choice = corporate monopoly = illegal

 

The car industry tried it and failed, why should the watch industry get away with it!

[clockboy]

I will in time write to Vince Cable (trade & Industry sec) but I suspect there is little he can do. 

In my opinion the only way to progress forward & I have written this before in the BHI journal, the achilles heel of the multi national organisations is bad publicity. I have not written any letters yet in case it scuppers the present talks between BHI & the Swiss. I suspect if anything does come out of the talks it will be in future you will need accreditations of some sort to purchase, either a certain criteria of equipment or exam pass.

 

If nothing positive comes out of the talks then everyone needs to email too.....

[email protected]

Edited January 9, 2015 by clockboy

[WillFly]

If attempts to swerve Swatch off course fail, then the people who will fill the gap are:

 

• s/h movement sellers on eBay
• the Japanese watch industry
• the Chinese watch industry
• other manufacturers who develop their own movements independently of Swatch, such as Christopher Ward

[Lawson]

Paul78, on 09 Jan 2015 - 04:23 AM, said:

Suppliers have been told they are not allowed to change ordering patterns, well at least that's what the letter from ETA to cousins said. It said they must continue to order supplies as normal, any abnormalities with quantities will not be fulfilled.

 

Hi Paul,

 

Hording parts is not the answer.  Swatch simply have to made a VERY minor design change, and the parts, for say, an 2824 will not fit the new 2824-xx.  And with CNC technology these days they can do that type of re-design quickly.

 

The answer is inform and educate your friends and clients that Swiss based movements will be money pits to service in the future.  Explain the quality and advantages of buying a high-end Japanese movement: like a Grand Seiko.  And I truly hope the Japs take full advantage of this and start a huge marketing campaign, train independents on their movements, and make spare parts easy and affordable to obtain.  Can you imagine what would happen to Swatch if they did that? :huh:

 

Like I said in a previous post: "For the Swiss Houses to say that only their watchmakers are qualified and skilled enough to repair and service their movement is complete affectation."  Swatch are doing this out of greed, pure and simple, so the only way to punish those who lust for money is to remove it from them.  And keep it removed until the Swatch Group dies, and the Swiss re-learn an old lesson they seem to have forgotten, and we don't have one corporation controlling the entire future of watchmaking.

 

Lawson hops down from his soapbox :)

[Mark]

 

• other manufacturers who develop their own movements independently of Swatch, such as Christopher Ward

 

 

The rebirth of independent watchmaking. Exciting times ahead :)

[ash145]

I agree and have said it before, lets hope this is the kickstart the industry needs in the Uk for the future.......with the advancement of CNC machine tools and design, bar the springs and jewels one machinetool is capable of machining all the parts required to produce a watch. A have look at Citizenmachinery.co.uk. £100k and a decent apprentice trained programmer will get anyone started!!..

Edited January 9, 2015 by ash145

[Paul78]

Hi Paul,

Hording parts is not the answer. Swatch simply have to made a VERY minor design change, and the parts, for say, an 2824 will not fit the new 2824-xx. And with CNC technology these days they can do that type of re-design quickly.

The answer is inform and educate your friends and clients that Swiss based movements will be money pits to service in the future. Explain the quality and advantages of buying a high-end Japanese movement: like a Grand Seiko. And I truly hope the Japs take full advantage of this and start a huge marketing campaign, train independents on their movements, and make spare parts easy and affordable to obtain. Can you imagine what would happen to Swatch if they did that? :huh:

Like I said in a previous post: "For the Swiss Houses to say that only their watchmakers are qualified and skilled enough to repair and service their movement is complete affectation." Swatch are doing this out of greed, pure and simple, so the only way to punish those who lust for money is to remove it from them. And keep it removed until the Swatch Group dies, and the Swiss re-learn an old lesson they seem to have forgotten, and we don't have one corporation controlling the entire future of watchmaking.

Lawson hops down from his soapbox :)

Hi Lawson, very well said!