1. The massive gap between the top two and everyone else...
2. The number of brands on that list that I've personally never heard of...
Also, interesting that Bremont only has 1000 movements certified; I've suspected for some time that they've been stockpiling movements rather than buy on demand.
downer wrote:The number of brands on that list that I've personally never heard of...
Me too. Despite the fact that I read a number of forums. There are obvious WIS favourites in the forums and some makes just don't get a look in. And some that I did not think were in business any more like Enicar.
A round number like 1000 sounds like a special edition to me.
I know that Breitling's policy is to certify every watch so that number equates to the amount that they have made for sale. I am not sure about the rest. Interesting that Tissot (who I did not think did COSC models) are higher than Tag given Tag#s prices and apparent dominance in most Hight Street jewellers.
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." Anais Nin
I am amazed that TAG and Oris are not higher as they have some of the most accurate movments anyway, maybe they don't care about COSC certs.. marketing with it though surely would have been a selling point?
Since I wear a watch no more than 2 to 3 days in a row (if at all!) before I rotate and move to another watch, the mechanical watches I have are accurate enough for me.
Interesting that CW has sold more quartz COSC than mechanical. If the number quoted is accurate we can
conclude that:
C50 sold 200 LE
C70 sold 310
The well known brands at the top of the list will be all mechanical so maybe the unknown brands are mainly quartz. Puts the volumes in better perspective!
Founded in its current form in 1973, the COSC is a Swiss non-profit organization that tests Swiss-made chronometers. COSC is an acronym for the organization's French name, Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres.
COSC testing generally applies to watches manufactured/assembled in Switzerland.[1] Notwithstanding, the normative standards are set by international agreement and are the same whether they are nominally labeled ISO or DIN standards. Some German, Japanese, and even non-certified Swiss movements can surpass the normative requirements. The Japanese have largely abandoned the accolade, replacing it with in-house testing to a slightly more strict standard as with, for example, the Grand Seiko. On the other hand, the Germans have set up their own testing facility in Saxony at the Glashütte Observatory [2][3] where the DIN 8319 standards, which mirror the ISO standards used by COSC, are employed. At one time the French provided similar large scale testing at the Observatory at Besançon, however, today only a very few watches are currently tested there and carry the accolade "Observatory Chronometer."
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." Anais Nin
Some fairly "poor" brands on that list and it basically says nothing. As others comment, some brands test everything, others are largely quartz, some don't test much at all (as the COSC certificate isn't worth the cost for an already accurate movement) and others might just be stockpiling movements regardless of watches. Hmmm.
I'm not surprised we're querying some of the brands on the list - even Google hasn't heard of Normana or Balco watches!
CW: C60 FLE Blue #009
Non-CW: Rolex Sub ND, Panerai PAM 312, Grand Seiko SBGM027, Omega AT, Omega PO, Heuer Monza, Maurice Lacroix Pontos S, San Martin 62MAS, HIMQ Marinemaster.
downer wrote:The number of brands on that list that I've personally never heard of...
A couple of things caught my eye, this being one of them, only Olma -which look ok, Normana - which i cant google/find and Balco - same; slipped past me.
and the others being that Bremont only had 1000 watches certified, thought it would be higher. Junvania are still going and way to go titoni , thats a cool brand operating at just above CWL price levels.