Christopher ward price increase

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
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akirk
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by akirk »

highway62 wrote:Ahhhh, so the "fantastic handling" previously mentioned is a bit of wishful thinking. It at least has a straight six I hope! :lol:
3.0 straight six and one of the best handling cars I have driven - and I have driven cars from BTCC to supercars...

Alasdair
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by highway62 »

It's good that you like it.
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by Tooks »

akirk wrote:
highway62 wrote:Ahhhh, so the "fantastic handling" previously mentioned is a bit of wishful thinking. It at least has a straight six I hope! :lol:
3.0 straight six and one of the best handling cars I have driven - and I have driven cars from BTCC to supercars...

Alasdair
The 3.0 Z3 is a very nice car indeed, my wife owned one for a number of years.

However, I'd be interested to hear what supercars you have driven and are deeming it better than? BTCC cars don't count, they're very focused machines built for one thing, and you know one would spank any road car around a track.

As it is, I would say that the Z3 was a competent handler, but not outstanding by any stretch. It did not compare well to many of its rival machines of the day, and that's not me saying that, that's the car mags and tv progs.

Still, it's hard to beat the wail of a BMW straight six whatever the machine!

Probably worth another thread I guess, severely off topic now!!
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by CornishDave »

Ian

Watches for the Masses

I am not a fan of the C5 to small for my larger than average wrist. The others are quartz, perhaps I should have said "Automatic Watch for the Masses"! My ideal minimum watch size is 42 not interested really in anything smaller and if I am honest in the more budget end of CW's range there is nothing that attracts me at present.

Dave
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by ianblyth »

28800bph wrote:The Christopher Ward C5 was $175 in 2005. In today's dollars, that is $210 (adjusted for inflation to 2013).

The ChrWard C5 MkII is $485 today.

The biggest difference I see is replacing the letters "OV'T" with "ADE" at the bottom of the dial.

Do you think today's C5 is twice as nice, or half the bargain?

I think CW should increase prices as the market will support, but I got spoiled by lower prices.
It sounds like a number of people got spoiled. I remember when I used to be able to go out for a few pints on a Friday night with a £1 and still have money left for fish and chips. :lol:

The figure looks quite bad but I would like to see the same comparison with a model from Rolex, Omega and Steinhart (and others if available) for example to see what their equivalent rise was over the same period.
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by highway62 »

Not sure what the relevance of Rolex or Omega would be, both entirely different animals to CWL. World famous brands with huge advertising & marketing aspects to their business & both featuring in house movements in many of their watches.
Steinhart on the other hand yes, but they haven't really had a model comparable with the C5, on their other watches I certainly haven't noticed such a marked inflation in prices.
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by akirk »

Tooks wrote:
akirk wrote:
highway62 wrote:Ahhhh, so the "fantastic handling" previously mentioned is a bit of wishful thinking. It at least has a straight six I hope! :lol:
3.0 straight six and one of the best handling cars I have driven - and I have driven cars from BTCC to supercars...

Alasdair
The 3.0 Z3 is a very nice car indeed, my wife owned one for a number of years.

However, I'd be interested to hear what supercars you have driven and are deeming it better than? BTCC cars don't count, they're very focused machines built for one thing, and you know one would spank any road car around a track.

As it is, I would say that the Z3 was a competent handler, but not outstanding by any stretch. It did not compare well to many of its rival machines of the day, and that's not me saying that, that's the car mags and tv progs.

Still, it's hard to beat the wail of a BMW straight six whatever the machine!

Probably worth another thread I guess, severely off topic now!!
I think that maybe you are right - it is not the 'sharpest' car I have driven, but in terms of handling dreaful local country lanes it has a lot of poise / forgiveness / adaptability and directness which allows it to steer like a go-kart - I have driven all sorts of top machinery from lotus esprits (dreadful clutches!) to XJ220s (sound like tractors) - the more modern ones are fantastic at handling - until you put them in the real world where they tramline and throw themselves all over the place - the problem with mags / shows is that so often they compare them on tracks where it is measuring a very narrow range of ability - on local roads I would run out of skill well before this car couldn't cope - it is very good indeed... (until it rains when my Kuga is faster cross-country!)

to put this back on track :) - I think that the best exercise is to ignore previous CWL prices and simply ask the question as to whether the watch is acceptable / good value at its current price - the concept of increases is distorted by where it sat before and if it is good value now, and the increase was high, then the increase is not an issue - just that it was a bargain before - if it is not good value now, then that is the issue... and I am sure that CWL know what is / isn't selling...

Alasdair
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by highway62 »

Just checked on what I spent buying my 2 Steinharts , both back in 2010, relative to their current prices.

Image

Has increased by 20 Euros in 3 yrs



Image

No increase at all.
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by Galton321 »

An important factor is the relative change in the exchange rate in euro and pound to the Swiss Franc. Since 2009 the pound has fallen from around 2 Swiss Francs to 1.4 and the Euro from about 1.6 to 1.25 Swiss Francs. Anyone care to the maths?
highway62

Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by highway62 »

As a matter of interest does anyone actually know the prices ETA charges to customer companies for its various movements?
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by downer »

Galton321 wrote:An important factor is the relative change in the exchange rate in euro and pound to the Swiss Franc. Since 2009 the pound has fallen from around 2 Swiss Francs to 1.4 and the Euro from about 1.6 to 1.25 Swiss Francs. Anyone care to the maths?
Without knowing the profit margin on the finished goods and the proportion of goods purchased in Swiss Francs, I don't think it can be calculated. However, for sure it has had a fairly significant impact.

The odd thing is the lack of increases from Steinhart.
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by Viognier »

Perhaps Steinhart has hedged pricing with a significant pre-buy of ETA movements to shelter....or may simply purchase more movements and receive stronger pricing ?
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by scooter »

Just checked.

Bought my Steinhart Ocean One green bezel in April 2011 from Neil @ Chronomaster for £290.

Steinhart are currently selling them for £295.08.

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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by highway62 »

Seems safe to say Steinharts are something of a bargain.
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Re: Christopher ward price increase

Post by CornishDave »

Ian

That cannot have been in Wokingham!! If it was must have been about 1962!!

Had a walk around Wokingham last week whilst dog sitting for my daughter in Bracknell, the dog rather likes Dinton Pastures! Parking for £1.80 for four hours quite reasonable, lower inflation than watches! :thumbup:

Dave

PS On the watches side it would be interesting to understand how Steinhart can keep their price increases lower than CW. Makes me think a factor might include the cost of a five year warranty versus a two year one, plus 60 day returns. If so we are really paying for the warranty - no such thing as a free lunch and all that.
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