• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Journeyman

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2005
Messages
7,963
Reaction score
3,435
"The light for the photovoltaic charging system reaches the movement through the dial – specifically, through the Roman numerals."

I find it hilarious - although perhaps not surprising - that people are going crazy over a Cartier model that has this feature and hailing it as wonderful. Seiko introduced it to their range of dress watches about 20 years back, but I guess a $200 Seiko with that precise feature isn't as exciting or cool as a $4000 Cartier...

Another feature that both Seiko and Casio introduced for their quartz watches a couple of decades back was a "snooze" function to save battery power - if the watch was not moved for 30 minutes or an hour, the hands would stop moving, but the movement would still count the passing of time so when the owner picked up the watch again, days or weeks later, the hands would snap back to the correct time and carry on as before. Once again, that feature passed un-noticed by watch bloggers - but when FP Journe introduced the feature on a $13,000 quartz watch a few years back, it was marketed as a technological marvel!
 

Phileas Fogg

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
4,712
Reaction score
4,467
^ that’s a great analysis.

I watch Formula 1. Formula 1 cars use parts and components made by many different sources. Team Red Bull does not make its own engine or its own tires. I’m not sure they could or would want to. I’m also unconvinced that if they did, they would project themselves into the winners circle with every race.

At some point, all of this in-house movement stuff becomes marketing. Sort of like “full canvassed” has become so with tailored clothing.
 

Phileas Fogg

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
4,712
Reaction score
4,467
I find it hilarious - although perhaps not surprising - that people are going crazy over a Cartier model that has this feature and hailing it as wonderful. Seiko introduced it to their range of dress watches about 20 years back, but I guess a $200 Seiko with that precise feature isn't as exciting or cool as a $4000 Cartier...

Another feature that both Seiko and Casio introduced for their quartz watches a couple of decades back was a "snooze" function to save battery power - if the watch was not moved for 30 minutes or an hour, the hands would stop moving, but the movement would still count the passing of time so when the owner picked up the watch again, days or weeks later, the hands would snap back to the correct time and carry on as before. Once again, that feature passed un-noticed by watch bloggers - but when FP Journe introduced the feature on a $13,000 quartz watch a few years back, it was marketed as a technological marvel!

Cartier is coming out with some exciting new technology actually. In the pipeline is a method for creating fire from rubbing two sticks together.
 

Dino944

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
7,703
Reaction score
8,667
I find it hilarious - although perhaps not surprising - that people are going crazy over a Cartier model that has this feature and hailing it as wonderful. Seiko introduced it to their range of dress watches about 20 years back, but I guess a $200 Seiko with that precise feature isn't as exciting or cool as a $4000 Cartier...

Another feature that both Seiko and Casio introduced for their quartz watches a couple of decades back was a "snooze" function to save battery power - if the watch was not moved for 30 minutes or an hour, the hands would stop moving, but the movement would still count the passing of time so when the owner picked up the watch again, days or weeks later, the hands would snap back to the correct time and carry on as before. Once again, that feature passed un-noticed by watch bloggers - but when FP Journe introduced the feature on a $13,000 quartz watch a few years back, it was marketed as a technological marvel!

I agree the "Inhouse mentality" of if its made in house they are a serious manufacturer or if made inhouse it must be better (something newbies fall for), is a relatively new phenomena. Would people say PP, AP, and VC were not serious manufacturers because they didn't always make the movements for every watch they produced?

Even in thinking about it, within my small collection, only about half my watches use inhouse movements. Some of them I bought because their outsourced movement is special or beautiful.

^ that’s a great analysis.

I watch Formula 1. Formula 1 cars use parts and components made by many different sources. Team Red Bull does not make its own engine or its own tires. I’m not sure they could or would want to. I’m also unconvinced that if they did, they would project themselves into the winners circle with every race.

At some point, all of this in-house movement stuff becomes marketing. Sort of like “full canvassed” has become so with tailored clothing.

I do have to admit, with F1 its a bit different, but with a road car, I struggled with that idea. Years ago, I test drove a Lotus Elise. A lot of fun to drive, but at that money, I just struggled with the idea of it having a Toyota engine. Yes, reliability and ease of parts at least with the engine, but it just bothered me...well that and I'm not very tall and each time I tried to get in and out wit the roof panel in place I pulled a muscle in my neck. I decided, that if every time I tried getting in and out it was literally a pain in the neck it wasn't for me. :rotflmao:
 

Adsky Luck

Timed Out
Timed Out
Joined
May 21, 2020
Messages
550
Reaction score
758
I like the blue on my Kamasu dial - mother of pearl blue

Orient%2BKamasu%2BLE%2Bfeb%2B2020%2B21.jpg


Orient%2BKamasu%2BLE%2Bfeb%2B2020%2B22.jpg
 

clee1982

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
28,808
Reaction score
24,609
I find it hilarious - although perhaps not surprising - that people are going crazy over a Cartier model that has this feature and hailing it as wonderful. Seiko introduced it to their range of dress watches about 20 years back, but I guess a $200 Seiko with that precise feature isn't as exciting or cool as a $4000 Cartier...

Another feature that both Seiko and Casio introduced for their quartz watches a couple of decades back was a "snooze" function to save battery power - if the watch was not moved for 30 minutes or an hour, the hands would stop moving, but the movement would still count the passing of time so when the owner picked up the watch again, days or weeks later, the hands would snap back to the correct time and carry on as before. Once again, that feature passed un-noticed by watch bloggers - but when FP Journe introduced the feature on a $13,000 quartz watch a few years back, it was marketed as a technological marvel!

So wife is a non watch person, i’m 100% sure my wife is considering watch as jewelry stand point. The no need for servicing for 16 years is really just bonus (if she got a manual wind she might never bother to wind it beyond first day)
 

Ambulance Chaser

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
13,935
Reaction score
10,021
Years ago, I test drove a Lotus Elise. A lot of fun to drive, but at that money, I just struggled with the idea of it having a Toyota engine.
Kind of like a Rolex Daytona with a Zenith movement? :devil:

(The lack of an in-house "engine" would not dissuade me from either if I had the money.)
 

Texasmade

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Messages
28,341
Reaction score
37,198
Even in thinking about it, within my small collection, only about half my watches use inhouse movements. Some of them I bought because their outsourced movement is special or beautiful.
My collection of Omega Seamaster, Omega Speedmaster, AP RO, and Cartier Tank Americaine only the AP has an in-house movement.
 

mak1277

Distinguished Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2019
Messages
3,912
Reaction score
5,847
In-house or not, doesn't really sway me all that much. If I was dropping serious money (like $20k plus) on a watch, I would expect that the movement was beautiful, but otherwise as long as it's a quality movement I'm not all that worried either way.

What *does* bother me though is when brands stick a basic/common movement in a watch and then still charge a bundle for it. I realize there are different levels of ETAs for example, but they're still basically the same. Why would I buy a watch for $3k with an ETA or Sellita when there are equally attractive options at under $1k with the same movement?
 

Leiker

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2020
Messages
531
Reaction score
915
^ that’s a great analysis.

I watch Formula 1. Formula 1 cars use parts and components made by many different sources. Team Red Bull does not make its own engine or its own tires. I’m not sure they could or would want to. I’m also unconvinced that if they did, they would project themselves into the winners circle with every race.

At some point, all of this in-house movement stuff becomes marketing. Sort of like “full canvassed” has become so with tailored clothing.
Interestingly enough, that will change over the next couple of years.

 

pmeis

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
896
Reaction score
2,020
Most of my watches have inhouse movements, the only one where I'm not sure I see the benefit is actually my Santos. I'm not sure if the 1847MC inside is giving me anything over a 2892? Given that it's a closed caseback I can't even make a case for being able appreciate any possible unique finishing (though I understand its pretty plain). As far as I understand it, its built for stability and robustness, a workhorse for Cartier to use in a wide variety of applications and to not be reliant on ETA.

Could or would Cartier cut 20% off the sales price if it used a 2892? Dunno. Did the inhouse movement effect my willingness to pay the asking price? Maybe ?‍♂️. I bought it because I thought it was the most versatile and coolest looking watch I had experienced within my price range. Maybe I would have thought twice about it if it had been using an ETA movement, but I'm not sure the in house movement really figured into my rationale.
 

RSS

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
11,554
Reaction score
4,516
Cartier is coming out with some exciting new technology actually. In the pipeline is a method for creating fire from rubbing two sticks together.
But ... they ARE diamond pavé sticks!
 

Newcomer

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
10,371
Reaction score
27,467
I have sincerely enjoyed the in-house movement discussion. I may be a little tardy to the discussion, but I wanted to offer my 2c.

I think the proliferation and focus on so-called in-house movements is annoying at best, and disingenuous at worst. The vast majority of "in-house" movements are either ETA-clones, or purchased via some sort of exclusivity agreement with another manufacturer, or are made in-part in-house, or are made through some subsidiary that the manufacturer owns a part of, or are shared among brands within the same umbrella, etc. The whole dog-and-pony-show kind of absurd. And, for in-house movements in the, say, $2,000 - $10,000 range, many of these movements are not as reliable or accurate or easy-to-service as an ETA or other standard movement. I'll take a slightly modified ETA that is accurate -4/+6 over an "in-house" movement that is not COSC-certified and needs to be sent back to the manufacturer.

Further, of the in-house movements that are made, a lot of them are way, way, way too thick. I just do not understand this phenomena - it is like they are designed to look pretty through a case back instead of fit comfortably. The B01 movement is absolutely massive. All of the Omega movements are also absolutely massive. New =/= better if it is not as wearable, IMO. Give me a svelte off-the-rack movement any day of the week.

Really, the only time I care about in-house v. outsourced is in the Patek/VC/Lange/AP range, and I am still fine with an outsourced movement as long as it fits the case and design of the watch. Where I draw the line is using an outsourced movement that does not fit the case / impedes design.
 

Viral

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
5,302
Reaction score
1,420
In-house or not, doesn't really sway me all that much. If I was dropping serious money (like $20k plus) on a watch, I would expect that the movement was beautiful, but otherwise as long as it's a quality movement I'm not all that worried either way.

What *does* bother me though is when brands stick a basic/common movement in a watch and then still charge a bundle for it. I realize there are different levels of ETAs for example, but they're still basically the same. Why would I buy a watch for $3k with an ETA or Sellita when there are equally attractive options at under $1k with the same movement?
What bothers me is the fact that steel watches are pushing over $20K for no merit-based reason. ****, the submariner will be over $10K in less than 5 years for essentially the same watch when it sold for $5K less
 

jamesnyc

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
240
Reaction score
50
Hi gents, just out of curiosity, how hard to get Rolex batman from boutique these days? Is it much harder than before due to shortage of production?
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.2%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 38.8%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.2%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.1%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,154
Messages
10,578,827
Members
223,882
Latest member
RoberParme
Top