I looked at the Cousins UK price list for Selitta movements. This provides an interesting comparison that I admit isn't strictly applicable (see below) but is illuminating.Dynamite_Kid19 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:07 amYes it is pricier and I think the 1/3 is accurate. If Zelos can put it in $800 watch I think CW could manage with a reasonable increase and not push them too high. Not sure of production numbers but they are owned by the Citizen Group and have said their goal is to be a replacement for the SW or ETA. I also forgot to mention it does not have the winding issue that some people have had with the SW. I personally haven't had any issues with winding my SW's.Kip wrote:I think the movement cost is approx. 1/3 higher which would probably translate to a watch price increase of roughly $250 - $300. A bigger problem would be acquiring the movements in volume. Actual research would produce more accurate numbers.
I'd be up for the increased cost. Could allow CW to create 3 price tiers, SW equipped could be Trident 300, LJP Trident Pro 600 or 1000 and then inhouse Tridents.
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The SW200.1 was 129.95 pounds, the SW300.1 was 379.95 pounds. Simple maths says that's a 250 pound difference on its own. Multiply that by 3 and we get a 750 pound price increase (CW business model). Life isn't that simple though and I'm sure that with a minimum order quantity and b2b model the price of both movements would reduce significantly. Indeed, the price increase may be the $250 - 300 you suggested. Cousins UK pricing may not be the best guide but it is a useful one that can be checked independently and doesn't rely on estimates.
https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/sell ... ement-list
Zelos can use the Sw300-1 in an $800 watch. Okay, but they don't make in Switzerland as far as I know. They are designed in Singapore and are nice watches but don't have the additional cost (burden) of an atelier in Biel/Bienne. You may question the value of "swiss Made" on the dial but a lot of folks appreciate it. Outsourcing for lower assembly and overall staffing, etc will reduce overall costs significantly.
Finally, you and I may be willing to spend an extra $250 - 300 (or more) on a watch to get the SW300-1 but a lot of people on here aren't. A quick read of the comments following the price rise of the new military watches should be informative. Design considerations apart (I don't like them either) there were as many moans about the price as the design. Imagine the typed outrage and "I won't buy at that price, that's too much for a CW" if prices went up across the board because of a new movement and that assumes it is just a $300 increase. At the end of the day a 20%-ish price rise to justify slightly better regulation and a 4 hour rise in power reserve doesn't justify using the SW300-1.