FLE 2023 Launch Announcement

[Bahnstormer_vRS]

Sweet looking watch for sure.

This may prove the exception to the "there are no stupid questions" claim. Why wouldn't the FLEs be COSC? Is it just that folks don't really care about it that much, given the price difference? It seems to me that a special edition would have the more accurate movement to further set it apart. Am I just way off base? And, maybe some of them are? I didn't look through all the history of the FLEs because digging through there the specs aren't easy to find, like it was for the 2023.

For the current, 2023, FLE a COSC rated movement was considered by the FLE Design Team, but to meet their objectives, as set out in the opening post of this thread, it was decided to run with a regular movement.

If you would like to check the specifications of all the previous FLEs, details may be found in the CWArchive.

I trust this answers your questions.

Guy

Sent from my Galaxy S23 Ultra using Tapatalk

[iain]

Sweet looking watch for sure.

This may prove the exception to the "there are no stupid questions" claim. Why wouldn't the FLEs be COSC? Is it just that folks don't really care about it that much, given the price difference? It seems to me that a special edition would have the more accurate movement to further set it apart. Am I just way off base? And, maybe some of them are? I didn't look through all the history of the FLEs because digging through there the specs aren't easy to find, like it was for the 2023.

Everyone will buy the FLE for different reasons but these are my own personal thoughts.

Firstly this is a watch that needed to sell a certain amount of for it to be viable, if there wasn’t enough pre orders then there would be no FLE. I expect this led to some decisions being made in an attempt to keep costs down to attract more buyers. So no COSC, no GMT etc.

I bought the FLE as I’m trying it reduce my collection to the bare minimum and will only want one CW in there. I was attracted to the FLE as this place is where I spend most of my online watch time so I feel I have some sort of connection. If I was choosing a CW to fill the one slot in my box it might not be this one but the FLE link means I’ve gone for it. I didn’t like the last two FLEs, a dress watch and a quartz weren’t for me and I wasn’t here before then.

If the cost had been pushed higher by being COSC then as payment was due a few days before Christmas I probably wouldn’t have jumped in quite so easily. I might have gone the extra for a GMT but I’m sure others wouldn’t. I think this is a good compromise that meant it sold out and those who ordered will eventually get a watch rather than a refund as not enough had been sold.

[tikkathree]

Sweet looking watch for sure.

This may prove the exception to the "there are no stupid questions" claim. Why wouldn't the FLEs be COSC? Is it just that folks don't really care about it that much, given the price difference? It seems to me that a special edition would have the more accurate movement to further set it apart. Am I just way off base? And, maybe some of them are? I didn't look through all the history of the FLEs because digging through there the specs aren't easy to find, like it was for the 2023.

We considered all sorts of different enhancements and features, including having a COSC SW200-1 movement, but all of these elements bring an additional cost. The extra cost for a COSC movement was not trivial and we wanted to make the watch as affordable as possible to maximise our chances of hitting the minimum order threshold, as @iain mentioned. There was also the issue that the supply of COSC-rated movements is not as plentiful as for regular movements, so we didn't want to risk any delays through supply issues either. As it turned out, that wouldn't have been a problem given the other delays we faced.

Hope that helps.

[ex_nihilo]

Thanks! And, for the link as well.

For the current, 2023, FLE a COSC rated movement was considered by the FLE Design Team, but to meet their objectives, as set out in the opening post of this thread, it was decided to run with a regular movement.

If you would like to check the specifications of all the previous FLEs, details may be found in the CWArchive.

I trust this answers your questions.

Guy

Sent from my Galaxy S23 Ultra using Tapatalk

[ex_nihilo]

Thanks iain. That definitely makes sense.

Everyone will buy the FLE for different reasons but these are my own personal thoughts.

Firstly this is a watch that needed to sell a certain amount of for it to be viable, if there wasn’t enough pre orders then there would be no FLE. I expect this led to some decisions being made in an attempt to keep costs down to attract more buyers. So no COSC, no GMT etc.

I bought the FLE as I’m trying it reduce my collection to the bare minimum and will only want one CW in there. I was attracted to the FLE as this place is where I spend most of my online watch time so I feel I have some sort of connection. If I was choosing a CW to fill the one slot in my box it might not be this one but the FLE link means I’ve gone for it. I didn’t like the last two FLEs, a dress watch and a quartz weren’t for me and I wasn’t here before then.

If the cost had been pushed higher by being COSC then as payment was due a few days before Christmas I probably wouldn’t have jumped in quite so easily. I might have gone the extra for a GMT but I’m sure others wouldn’t. I think this is a good compromise that meant it sold out and those who ordered will eventually get a watch rather than a refund as not enough had been sold.

[ex_nihilo]

Thanks welshlad, that most definitely helps.

We considered all sorts of different enhancements and features, including having a COSC SW200-1 movement, but all of these elements bring an additional cost. The extra cost for a COSC movement was not trivial and we wanted to make the watch as affordable as possible to maximise our chances of hitting the minimum order threshold, as @iain mentioned. There was also the issue that the supply of COSC-rated movements is not as plentiful as for regular movements, so we didn't want to risk any delays through supply issues either. As it turned out, that wouldn't have been a problem given the other delays we faced.

Hope that helps.

[Cooperman]

Hi everyone any further updates from CW, was hoping I’d get this watch for my big birthday mid December…thanks

[tikkathree]

Hi everyone any further updates from CW, was hoping I’d get this watch for my big birthday mid December…thanks

Did you see this post from Welshlad?

Update on Delivery Dates

Good news!

CW have now confirmed to us that they are aiming to have the FLE watches ready for dispatch by mid-December, ideally so that people receive them before Christmas.

Clearly, nothing is ever completely guaranteed, but this seems good news and it also seems that the end is finally in sight.

Between now and delivery, CW will be confirming the options relating to including a Consort bracelet with orders, as this option wasn't available when the orders were first placed and paid for. CW don't have the details yet, but I will let you all know once they are available.


If anyone has any questions, post them below and I will try to answer them.

Still looking good for pre-Christmas delivery.

Guy



Sent from my Galaxy S23 Ultra using Tapatalk

[Cooperman]

Thanks Guy, I did see the post , I just thought we would have had another update…I’m just getting a bit twitchy ..

[tikkathree]

Thanks Guy, I did see the post , I just thought we would have had another update…I’m just getting a bit twitchy ..

I have not had any further update yet from CW, although I have recently asked for one. For now, I'm taking that as "no news is good news", but I will chase them up again.

[Cooperman]

Fingers crossed….

[Thunder1]

I have not had any further update yet from CW, although I have recently asked for one. For now, I'm taking that as "no news is good news", but I will chase them up again.

After chasing them up again, I received an update from CW earlier today.

The good news is that everything is still on track for delivery before Christmas.

[missF]

Well, given the stellar year that CW have had, given that they’re still fully committed to their program of interesting new stuff coming out while they build a million Bel Cantos, and given that I’m certain they’ll be piling on the exceptionals for their 20th anniversary next year; when my FLE drops through the door (and I’m still excited) I’ll consider it a Christmas miracle!

[tikkathree]

I have not had any further update yet from CW, although I have recently asked for one. For now, I'm taking that as "no news is good news", but I will chase them up again.

After chasing them up again, I received an update from CW earlier today.

The good news is that everything is still on track for delivery before Christmas.

Yay!! Now I can start to fret - or not - about whether the watch will arrive before I go a-visiting rellies or whether I get the watch shipped to a forwarding address Actually it won't matter a bit which is why I'm not going to fret.... very much

[Cooperman]

That is great news!