ajax87 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 01, 2022 2:13 pm I love it. Everything about it. The dial color, SS bezel, size, caseback, the price! The swish looks great here. I can’t pinpoint why I like the swish here and not on the Aquitaine?

I wish I was in the market for a new watch right now!

I thought the same about the swish. I think it's because on this, it's colour matched. On some of the Aquitaines the indexes (well the lume, anyway) is off white, and the white swish just stands out. On a few the dials have white features, and the swish matches. Again, on pale dial Aquitaines, eg the green bezel, the swish is black rather than the matching colour. If the swish is the only ident, it needs to carefully planned, I think.

Robotaz wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:57 amCool how it was in stock and now it’s already preorder, which means we’re basically funding a half-ass Kickstarter project over and over.

I want to get on the kickstarter campaigns you've been on - in my experience they quote X months where X is never less than 3 and if they deliver in X+6 that's good; X+16 and still waiting is my worst. Even in this I've been lucky and always got something - plenty of people back the wrong campaign and get scammed.

To deliver the watch in a couple of weeks they have already been paid for so while you may be providing CW with a very short term loan to make something else your money is not at risk and it's not comparable.

suicidal_orange wrote:

Robotaz wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:57 amCool how it was in stock and now it’s already preorder, which means we’re basically funding a half-ass Kickstarter project over and over.

I want to get on the kickstarter campaigns you've been on - in my experience they quote X months where X is never less than 3 and if they deliver in X+6 that's good; X+16 and still waiting is my worst. Even in this I've been lucky and always got something - plenty of people back the wrong campaign and get scammed.

To deliver the watch in a couple of weeks they have already been paid for so while you may be providing CW with a very short term loan to make something else your money is not at risk and it's not comparable.

Well, so you’re new to watches so let me very briefly explain something to you.

First, there was Kickstarter. Next, there was pseudo-legitimate watch companies begging people for preorder money. It literally did not exist until Kickstarter came along.

I said this before when the mods did the research project. I actually think preselling batches of watches in limited numbers is a great move. It must be so difficult making large numbers of watches for stock, and then finding they don't move as well as expected. Doing it this way makes much more sense financially. Maybe take a 10 or 20% deposit with the the order, and the balance on supply, rather than expect prepayment in full. If doing it like that helps CW thrive and supply watches that meet customer demands, then so much the better.

The major difference between a kickstarter and a company like this is the uncertainty that anything will ever be delivered. If they have some ready to go and some ready to go in two additional weeks I’m not sure that really means anything to me. I just found out it existed twelve hours ago.

Lovely colour and gradiented dial.

Robotaz wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:17 am Well, so you’re new to watches so let me very briefly explain something to you.

First, there was Kickstarter. Next, there was pseudo-legitimate watch companies begging people for preorder money. It literally did not exist until Kickstarter came along.

CW has offered pre-orders for at least a decade, so a two-to-three-week wait doesn't seem at all unreasonable or off-brand, let alone equivalent to a crowdfunding campaign. Not that I would mind a crowdfunding campaign either. Frankly I wish more companies made manufacturing decisions based off 100% known demand, rather than wasting resources creating junk no one wants (see for example Richemont destroying its unsold inventory).

zacharrry wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:44 am
CW has offered pre-orders for at least a decade, ...

Yep. I bought my C5A Mk2 when it was still a pre-order. That was what? 2009? Didn't see anything wrong with that.

I especially like preorders if it prevents a Moonswatch situation where there’s zero indication when and whether stock will arrive. Give me a general date range and I can decide whether it’s reasonable.

Anyway, I bought one. Seems like a fun watch.

I’ve bought many pre-orders including FLE models from CW in the past decade or so and have never felt any anxiety about it. This is one more pre-order from me, I think it’s a fabulous looking watch and 40mm is my preference in C60 cases. The price is also pretty keen; it’s normally around what we pay for nearly new models, which are generally not in copious supply.

Robotaz wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:57 am Cool how it was in stock and now it’s already preorder, which means we’re basically funding a half-ass Kickstarter project over and over. I just logged in to buy one, but now that I’m a “funder” for people who don’t have the money to deliver what they’re selling, I’m out. Not playing this cheesy game anymore.

Huh, how do you bank roll a product that was in a product life cycle way before you saw it? You can't bank roll a product in two days specially when it is marketed in a two week delay? I feel I am stating the obvious. I hope you are joking. peace my friend.

JAFO wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:24 am I said this before when the mods did the research project. I actually think preselling batches of watches in limited numbers is a great move. It must be so difficult making large numbers of watches for stock, and then finding they don't move as well as expected. Doing it this way makes much more sense financially. Maybe take a 10 or 20% deposit with the the order, and the balance on supply, rather than expect prepayment in full. If doing it like that helps CW thrive and supply watches that meet customer demands, then so much the better.

There's always Paypal and "Pay in three" : one stage payment now and two further at monthly intervals. I'd have to remind myself how other paypal options such as pay over 6 or 12 months work but I'd expect the first downpayment to be pretty immediate.

What happens with paypal if you return the watch under 60/60 for a refund? Simples, payment reversed.

JAFO wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:24 am"It must be so difficult making large numbers of watches for stock, and then finding they don't move as well as expected. "

I wonder how sales of the C65 Aquitaines are going....

Well, that's my first "swish" Swiss watch ordered and, to tell the truth, I barely gave it a second glance!

tikkathree wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:20 amI'd have to remind myself how other paypal options such as pay over 6 or 12 months work but I'd expect the first downpayment to be pretty immediate.

I know one thing for sure - you pay interest. That's enough for me to look no further.
Or not

@tikkathree

Sorry about this ramble..

I am not talking about how customers can finance their watches. I am talking more how CW and other watchmakers can maintain a business in difficult times, and one way is to presell limited runs of watches, rather than tie up many thousands of pounds in slow moving stock.

It wouldn't surprise me if CW aren't cutting their already thin margins even more with the Atoll. The selling price hardly covers the movement in a 3 x valuation, it seems to me.

£500 less vat is about £420. A third of £420 is £140. That can't possibly cover all their costs. How can £140 cover their costs on this watch?. Maybe they have a stock of movements and other parts they want to use up. Maybe they get a rebate or discount based on buying a certain number of movements or other parts. Who knows? Maybe there will be more of these opportunities going forward.

I think it looks like a great watch. I really like the colour, and the design. This lighter blue is right on point. Oris seem to produce loads of LE Aquis variants for at least 3 times this price. There's
absolutely nothing about this watch that would put me off.

Yet, I don't think I am in the market for the Atoll, despite thinking it offers terrific value. I just already have a collection of watches that I feel the same way about, and my wife just doesn't want to see me buying more watches!

I looked at a couple of watches in the last CW sale both of which were really nice, and which would have looked great in the watch box, but which after careful thought I decided I didn't really need. My most worn watches will only be worn perhaps 30 times in a year at most. Some won't get to 5. and quite a few won't get a wear at all. It's hard to justify adding to that, however desirable the watch. Heck, I could even pay off for it and not even notice the payment.

I don't know if Federico (talks watches) is genuine, but every show he seems to be sporting a different watch that he loves, but hasn't worn for a while. He must have an enormously expensive watch collection. Many of the youtube guys are the same. Producer Michael, The London Watch Collector, and others. It's easy to get seduced by these guys. They have expensive watch collections, but they also have expensive cars, often stables of expensive cars.

So anyway, good luck to CW, good luck to those those who do buy the Atoll, wear it in health, and show us the pictures. You can't go wrong with this.