Upcoming Eta Part Restrictions

[Ishima]

First of all, sorry I don't have the specifics on hand right now, I recently got a newsletter through from the British guild of watch and clockmakers at work confirming and updating a nagging fear about ETA part restrictions, they announced a date, which if no one else can provide I'll make sure to post it tomorrow when I can read it again.

As far as I can tell, they plan on no longer providing any spare parts to anyone other than Swatch and the various Swiss watchmaking houses that they manage. 

God I see so many problems across the industry with this, I just don't know how any of this will work out.

Anyone have any insights into the situation?

Edited April 11, 2015 by Ishima

[frenchie]

What they don't realize is that the chinese brands will simply take over the market. There is demand, there will be a supplier. They are shooting themselves in the foot.

[Ishima]

Well it's not really that simply, no one wants to use Chinese movements/parts, and it leaves the issue of current watches that are fitted with ETA movements, which makes the majority of the upper market of watches, what are we to do about them, just do straight movement exchanges, or keep a bench of movements for salvage, either way, it will make horology more difficult and more expensive.  

Edited April 11, 2015 by Ishima

[Geo]

There's been a fair bit of talk about this before on the forum Ishima, and I totaly agree with you. :(

[Irishcain]

I know independents here that have been posting signs in their shops about this since the courts found against the SWATCH group. A number of them have been stockpiling mountains of eta parts and have been supplementing with Chinese parts. One I know has a big sign that says all replacement parts will be Chinese origin unless the customer specifically requests Swiss.

[anilv]

There's a good article on how eta painted themselves into a corner. Can't find it now but will keep looking.

By virtue of being the biggest supplier of movements and parts, they could not refuse to supply their products to all comers!

Anil

[WillFly]

There's been quite a long discussion about this here in the past. As I've said before, there will be three probable effects (IMO) on the watch world:

 

1. Repairers will stock s/h parts and the desirability of s/h ETA movements on eBay and other sources will rise

2. Chinese and Japanese watches will kick off in an even bigger way

3. More brand makers will do deals with independent Swiss manufacturers outside the Swatch group.

 

Greed will eventually take its toll...

[bobm12]

I concur with Will. Let's see what happens!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob