Quite taken with the new limited edition of the jump hour in sterling silver

Nice clean presentation. I think the boutique edition is my favorite rendition of the watch

It’s been produced for British Watchmakers’ Day 2025

I like the strap.

Just my humble opinion but when I first opened this page my initial impression was it looked like an "Ali Express" watch or a Kickstarter. Nothing really bad about that just something I would pay maybe £2-400 for similar to other brands coming out of China at that price.

What got my interest was the sterling silver case (my favourite watch case material) so had a look on the Fears website and the overall design really grew on me, I especially liked the different colour dials and to be honest whenever I see "Limited edition" I have already lost interest as that usually translates to "Double the price for the same thing in a different colour"

A few things that put me off though, first is the price. Is something that does irritate me British brands putting a pre vat price on their websites to make it look cheaper than it is. Secondly over 4K for the watch in steel! I bought one of the jump hour CW watches years ago (Granted in the sale) and paid about £500 even full price it was around £1,000. OK it was a long time ago but even double the price or a little more you are talking 2-2.5K

Another is the reviews I have seen in the past regarding QC of the watches, in fact it was the overpricing and the QC reviews that made me purchase a Farer watch with a better case design Swiss movement and less than half the price.

Sorry I can buy a Reservoir jump hour watch with an unusual design for even retail 3.5k and usually at a discount

Time goes by wrote: ↑Sat Jan 11, 2025 9:06 am It’s been produced for British Watchmakers’ Day 2025

Which means you’ll probably have to jump through hoops to come within a mile of being in with a shout to join a lottery to be able to buy one.

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 10:11 am

Time goes by wrote: ↑Sat Jan 11, 2025 9:06 am It’s been produced for British Watchmakers’ Day 2025

Which means you’ll probably have to jump through hoops to come within a mile of being in with a shout to join a lottery to be able to buy one.

Which really has become a terrible trend in watchmaking.

robert75 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 10:27 am Which really has become a terrible trend in watchmaking.

And commerce in general.

Call me old-fashioned, but I’d love to see a return to the days when you walked into a shop to buy something and, if they had it, you could walk out with it. If it was the display model and the only one left you could often negotiate a discount. Or they would try to get one in for you.

Don’t CW have a model you can only buy at showrooms or events? Great if you live near Maidenhead or Dallas, or are able to attend an event. Bit rubbish if you’re in Western Australia or Hammerfest.

I don’t want one anyway. Or the Fears. Over.

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 12:13 pm
Don’t CW have a model you can only buy at showrooms or events?

It’s taken me so much self restraint today not to make a comment in jest related to nearly new pieces of said model and the sale. Very proud of myself for holding back

timepieces_and_bags wrote:

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 12:13 pm
Don’t CW have a model you can only buy at showrooms or events?

It’s taken me so much self restraint today not to make a comment in jest related to nearly new pieces of said model and the sale. Very proud of myself for holding back

Which ultimately was / were withdrawn / not sold by CW.

Guy

Sent from my Galaxy S23 Ultra using Tapatalk

robert75 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 10:05 am Just my humble opinion but when I first opened this page my initial impression was it looked like an "Ali Express" watch or a Kickstarter. Nothing really bad about that just something I would pay maybe £2-400 for similar to other brands coming out of China at that price.

And there you have it, the whole "Emperor's new clothes" mystique which we are expected to negotiate in choosing which watches are "approved"/"cheap Chinese junk". Talk about navigating in the fog!!

I was heartened yesterday watching Mike France taking about the early days and CW watches being assembled in China and the big clue being "Swiss movement" on the dial. And yes, straight upstairs to check and indeed my C4 Peregrine is so signed on the dial. Do I suddenly think less of it? No I do not.

Caller wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2025 5:42 pm I like the strap.

^^^^me too.

tikkathree wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 5:16 pm

robert75 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 10:05 am Just my humble opinion but when I first opened this page my initial impression was it looked like an "Ali Express" watch or a Kickstarter. Nothing really bad about that just something I would pay maybe £2-400 for similar to other brands coming out of China at that price.

And there you have it, the whole "Emperor's new clothes" mystique which we are expected to negotiate in choosing which watches are "approved"/"cheap Chinese junk". Talk about navigating in the fog!!

I was heartened yesterday watching Mike France taking about the early days and CW watches being assembled in China [youtube]https://youtu.be/fO9xsFu29A4?si=piKi6zz0w3NSwmRH[/youtube] and the big clue being "Swiss movement" on the dial. And yes, straight upstairs to check and indeed my C4 Peregrine is so signed on the dial. Do I suddenly think less of it? No I do not.

Caller wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2025 5:42 pm I like the strap.

^^^^me too.

There is nothing especially wrong with watches coming out of China and regarding value Altelier Wen come out of China with a Chinese movement and cost near 3K. That being so it comes with a hand made guilloche dial, regulated movement heat blued screws etc....

You can get a Huasuo with a Selitta movement in it for a little more than the one with a Chinese movement if you wish.

The problem with the Fears as I say is on first glance there was little that made it stand out from say Olto 8 or similar is its not something especially bad but on first glance something that I would assume to be in a similar price bracket. Thats not to say one is junk and the other isnt.

I assume there is something else to add to the cost, hand polishing, bevelled edges etc There are plenty of watches made in China especially micro brands and the mark up on them is equally steep. Considering I have just bought a Katino watch for just over £100 (Using basically a Unimatic case and a Seiko movement) speaks volumes of the mark up we are putting up with.

Yes I remember the early days of CW watches, I think my first one might have been a pilot one in one of the sales for about £150- £200

tikkathree wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 5:16 pm I was heartened yesterday watching Mike France taking about the early days and CW watches being assembled in China and the big clue being "Swiss movement" on the dial.

Hmmm. Let me think of a possible reason why he wasn't so open about CW being assembled in China all those years ago?

Or was he?