I have been desperately trying to resist ordering a black Sealnder gmt, successfully so far. Having recently taken delivery of a green non-gmt Sealander, I was struggling to justify another watch. The news of this pending price rise has just blown that resolve out the water (plus when I mentioned it to my missus she told me to stop messing around and just get it ordered). So, black Sealander gmt on black and white #tide strap is now on its way!

Am I the only one whose primary issue with the email is the centered text? It’s driving me nuts!

jkbarnes wrote: ↑Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:23 pm Am I the only whose primary issue with the email is the centered text? It’s driving me nuts!

Could be worse- it could have been written in Comic Sans

Am I the only whose primary issue with the email is the centered text?

No Andrew, I doubt that you are https://thewebsitearchitect.com/does-ce ... ssibility/

ajax87 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 13, 2023 1:57 pm CW Learned their lesson about aligning text to the left side...

Too soon? I'll see myself out.

Brilliant response! Well done, sir.

Hopefully the 2 x C63s carrying the final SH21 1.0 are on track for a release in March prior to the April price increase otherwise they'd probably attract a relative serious increase of £hundreds.

This prompted me to check my account history. In May 21 I bought one of the then new C63 GMT for £695... a quick look at the current lists and they are £850. Even a 5% increase on April 3rd would take that model to around £900. So that's a 30% price rise in less than two years....

(that original purchase included a voucher, but these would have been accounted for when setting rrp and were widely known and used)

I'm not posting to question whether the rises are necessary or fair, only to point out that some CW models (the C60 I also bought in 2021 shows a very similar trend) will likely have risen 30% in less than two years.

If only my income had...

5oclockhero wrote: ↑Mon Mar 13, 2023 6:07 pm This prompted me to check my account history. In May 21 I bought one of the then new C63 GMT for £695... a quick look at the current lists and they are £850. Even a 5% increase on April 3rd would take that model to around £900. So that's a 30% price rise in less than two years....

(that original purchase included a voucher, but these would have been accounted for when setting rrp and were widely known and used)

I'm not posting to question whether the rises are necessary or fair, only to point out that some CW models (the C60 I also bought in 2021 shows a very similar trend) will likely have risen 30% in less than two years.

If only my income had...

This announcement coincides with their financial year end which is on March 31st, so another neat little way to boost sales before that event (in this case, without actually having to have a sale!).

Everything goes up in price, but Christopher Ward's prices sure do seem to creep up more than is implied in their company motto. They are just aiming at a different demographic now, not the hipsters anymore!

Blimey that's a quandary.

Personally I think it is a fair and transparent way to put the price up assuming that orders already placed are honoured at the original price.

Making the case to buy a CW watch even harder. Competitive market also, CW may hit bumpy waters. They need a serious rebrand if they are pitching themselves at a higher price point. If they want to be Bremont #2 then they need more than just raising prices.

5oclockhero wrote: ↑Mon Mar 13, 2023 6:07 pm This prompted me to check my account history. In May 21 I bought one of the then new C63 GMT for £695... a quick look at the current lists and they are £850. Even a 5% increase on April 3rd would take that model to around £900. So that's a 30% price rise in less than two years....

(that original purchase included a voucher, but these would have been accounted for when setting rrp and were widely known and used)

I'm not posting to question whether the rises are necessary or fair, only to point out that some CW models (the C60 I also bought in 2021 shows a very similar trend) will likely have risen 30% in less than two years.

If only my income had...

Check the bill, did you use a discount code then? that'll make up the difference.

Actually, i ordered mine on 06-2021 a White C63 GMT on rubber for 875,= but thats with the 120loupe code, so add that back its 995,=. On the website its now listed for 1110,= (thats EUR). Maybe EUR pricing gone mad due to Brexit finalised and importtaxes?

Prices have been increasing across all watch brands at a rate that far outstrips the typical growth in earnings of the potential customers. This has been happening for many years, but has accelerated over the past 18 months.

CW increasing their prices is no different to other brands doing the same. If it becomes a problem for CW it will be a bigger problem for most brands that typically operate in the £800 to £8,000 price point.

Whilst I have been fortunate to buy a few relatively expensive watches over the years (in the price points above CW, but far, far less than the silly money proper high end brands), there is no doubt that dipping my toes in such waters again would be far more painful. To the extent that such further purchases are unlikely.

However as CW prices have increased, I haven’t changed my mind that they remain the brand I am likely to buy at their typical price point. All I have had to change is my expectation of what the cost will be.

Neil

Hicksmat wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 11:05 am Making the case to buy a CW watch even harder. Competitive market also, CW may hit bumpy waters. They need a serious rebrand if they are pitching themselves at a higher price point. If they want to be Bremont #2 then they need more than just raising prices.

I don't think the upcoming price increase is an attempt to pitch themselves at a higher price point. Manufacturing costs have gone crazy over the last couple of years so CW have eventually had to raise their prices as they are already operating at a tight margin compared to most other Swiss brands.

It does mean they may face losing some sales in the short term but running at a loss is a much greater risk.

triffidman wrote: ↑Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:42 pm
This announcement coincides with their financial year end which is on March 31st, so another neat little way to boost sales before that event (in this case, without actually having to have a sale!).

Everything goes up in price, but Christopher Ward's prices sure do seem to creep up more than is implied in their company motto. They are just aiming at a different demographic now, not the hipsters anymore!

Wait, you mean I'm a hipster? Oh what have I been missing?

Mikkei4 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 13, 2023 3:38 pm Hopefully the 2 x C63s carrying the final SH21 1.0 are on track for a release in March prior to the April price increase otherwise they'd probably attract a relative serious increase of £hundreds.

In the remaining 16 days of March? I'm so hoping, I'm holding my breath, I'm checking the calendar, I'm checking my emails and facebook feeds daily.