MotorSport Range

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Caller
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Re: MotorSport Range

Post by Caller »

PaulJS wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 11:09 amPrior to crafting this offering I scanned through the 'all watches' facility on the website and confirmed my opinion that the whole range has gone pretty much bland, generic and mainstream with the only exceptions being North of £1500 or, in an attempt to be different, looking like they have come out of a Christmas cracker!

The much heralded current motorsport range seems to have been something of a damp squib and I am not surprised it will be short lived.
Following your example, I too scanned through the 'all watches' facility and what struck me was the sheer volume of the range of C60/65 Tridents. Many seemingly indistinguishable from the other, which they are, as all strap options are shown, so the list just seems to go on forever. It was actually all very confusing.

But here's a confession - had the logo not have been a barrier, I would have bought the C65 Khaki.

The only true stand out watch for me is the Morgan Aero 8 range.

I think CW have got away lightly with the debacle of the C7 cases on the motorsport range. There was a huge fanfare launch about the technical prowess of the design which caused much excitement, although as a Bremont owner, it just felt a copy with just a few cosmetic changes to separate the two, then as I am also a Chopard Mille Miglia owner, I looked at the dial and bezel similarities and thought CW were taking the proverbial. Although I initially expressed a liking for one of the blue dialled models. So let's just say I was never really one of their target audience.

But going back to the case - what sort of business does all the research needed, including no doubt, a full cost analysis, and having done so, decides to proceed with what they see as a groundbreaking design, settles on various price points, sends the PR into overdrive to launch the watch and then scraps the whole range a few months later, stating the case costs too much to produce? I know all businesses can get things wrong, but this is a classic of the genre. I assume they misjudged the demand and that has affected their costings? Whatever, they got it badly wrong. I hope they have learnt their lesson and come up with something more original next time.
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Re: MotorSport Range

Post by Mikkei4 »

The case of the outgoing Motorsport range was a great design whether it was based on Bremont's or not. The range didn't quite work though IMO due to the style of the numerals, the multitude of different designs and movements was confusing and the cost due to the cost of the case. The popularity of the range rose only when they appeared at significantly reduced prices at which level they were then "recognised" and the design applauded.

I think the case of the C65s would be ideal for a new Motorsport range with the elan of the older C70/Grand Prix watches. Plenty of opportunities for different dial colours but not as busy and without the huge numerals of the previous Grand Prix series, chronographs with sub-dials placed so the name logo has to be centre justified at 12 etc etc.
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Re: MotorSport Range

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Caller wrote: Tue Apr 30, 2019 7:52 am
But going back to the case - what sort of business does all the research needed, including no doubt, a full cost analysis, and having done so, decides to proceed with what they see as a groundbreaking design, settles on various price points, sends the PR into overdrive to launch the watch and then scraps the whole range a few months later, stating the case costs too much to produce? I know all businesses can get things wrong, but this is a classic of the genre. I assume they misjudged the demand and that has affected their costings? Whatever, they got it badly wrong. I hope they have learnt their lesson and come up with something more original next time.
I actually don't think they got anything wrong with the case, its fantastic - not quite to the standard of the Bremont Trip Tick case, but not too far off. What they did get wrong, in my opinion, was the dial designs. They are too 'niche' and only really appeal to hardened motorsport fans in my opinion. I'm not a big motorsport fan, but bought a C7 Auto Chrono when they were 50% off just to see the case and I wasn't disappointed. I still have it, for now. After all of the work, money and marketing that went into that case I really do think that they have made a mistake by not using it with alternative dial designs.
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Re: MotorSport Range

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^^ I tend to agree. The case is great. The problem is the dials which are just trying too hard to be "motorsport".
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Re: MotorSport Range

Post by albionphoto »

I agree. The case design was great. The rest of the design of the motorsport range was not great. The dials were a definite disappointment. I nearly bought the orange hornet a couple of times but couldn't get past the dial design. There are lots of good motorsport themed watches out there (TAG Monaco, Omega Speedmaster Mk II re-issue, some Oris Williams, etc) but the CWs weren't on my "must buy" list and so I didn't.
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Re: MotorSport Range

Post by H0rati0 »

I rather liked the range, especially the Rosso Corsa COSC, but the coated cases are a no-no for me.
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Re: MotorSport Range

Post by Caller »

Fair comments form you guy's about the watch. So the sales were disappointing that meant the case wasn't cost effective, as I suspected. But hey-ho, not my area of expertise.

But I stand by my point about originality though. It's what I thought CW were promising and so far the most significant has been a logo change.
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Re: MotorSport Range

Post by manicm »

downer wrote: Tue Apr 30, 2019 1:02 pm ^^ I tend to agree. The case is great. The problem is the dials which are just trying too hard to be "motorsport".
The lettering I didn’t mind. But the red on black leather strap was just too gaudy. And on the quartz chrono, the black sundials on the white main dial was just too shouty.

So it wasn’t the dial per se, but the horrendous contrast and clash of colours. I have a mk1 quartz chrono C7 which was a truly elegant design, and this mk3 was clearly a misstep.

The case is a masterpiece though.