Is there a direction CWL watches are aiming for?

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
Throbbe
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Re: Is there a direction CWL watches are aiming for?

Post by Throbbe »

Jimleymurmer wrote:Hate to say it but...CW are trying to build brand without celeb endorsement and high street presence. Noble idea but misses the big point; that is everything beyond the cheapest of the cheap quartz is not a need but a 'want' and everything we 'want' needs suitably influenced. The glamour of some jewellers would help, the cachet of some celeb endorsement would too. But it's hard to create an emotional response in all but the most eager watch buyers on the Internet and nowhere else. And the company will be forced to rethink its strategy as it has to start making money. No business however noble the motive will survive with growing losses and stretched cash flow. As a keen buyer of CW watches, inc C900 MP, I really want it to succeed but at what point are you forced by investors/bank to do what's needed to survive? I think they will be forced to consider celeb endorsement. Will this push prices up? Not necessarily if the volume grows sufficiently.
Interesting point (and overall discussion). I think you may undervalue the brand value of not going down that route. I rather admire the early mission of providing quality at the lowest possible price, and get the impression that others do too. It feels like I'm avoiding some of the aspects of the watch market that i find distasteful ('limited' editions of several thousand, snobbery as a marketing tool, paying extra because celeb X has the same model), so am simply paying for quality and nothing more.

To my mind, some of the more recent models move away from that early mission statement, and although I like them, I'm unlikely to buy one. I suppose it does at least feel like the man at the top is making the watches he wants to make, and there's something to admire in that, and indeed that is another aspect of CW that is different to most other manufacturers.
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28800bph
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Re: Is there a direction CWL watches are aiming for?

Post by 28800bph »

robinbarke wrote:Well, look at it another way. How does Wera and her small team manage to give such excellent personal service to members of this forum when in addition they are having to check, sign off, pack and despatch circa. 75 new watches on average, every single working day. Then there must be an escalating flow of returns, guarantee work and servicing to organise. Something doesn't add up or they are simply super human.

Robin
Well,I think they are super human :D I had always assumed there were at least two or three Weras. :o

But 75 per day seems reasonable. Especially since most of the QC is done by the private label manufacture.

A typical Amazon.com warehouse "picker" walks over 10 miles per day and has to find and collect 1500 items for packaging!
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richtea
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Re: Is there a direction CWL watches are aiming for?

Post by richtea »

28800bph wrote:
robinbarke wrote:Well, look at it another way. How does Wera and her small team manage to give such excellent personal service to members of this forum when in addition they are having to check, sign off, pack and despatch circa. 75 new watches on average, every single working day. Then there must be an escalating flow of returns, guarantee work and servicing to organise. Something doesn't add up or they are simply super human.

Robin
Well,I think they are super human :D I had always assumed there were at least two or three Weras. :o

But 75 per day seems reasonable. Especially since most of the QC is done by the private label manufacture.

A typical Amazon.com warehouse "picker" walks over 10 miles per day and has to find and collect 1500 items for packaging!
This thread has resulted in one or two interesting estimates on production numbers and future types of model for C Ward
I guess only the owners know the real truth but as the Company seems to be forging ahead with several newer ranges right now and near future then i hope its an indicator of a healthy business
I think as customers we need this to be the case but obviously prices are also in our minds
As for the 75 watch output on sales per day Robin mentioned it sounds initially like a lot of little boxes flying out the door but i assume most sales are literally a dispatch and invoice with the packaging and QC done long before
So perhaps its not such a high figure

Oh and i'm pretty glad i'm not an Amazon "picker" if those figures and walking distance are true :D

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RichT
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pcal
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Re: Is there a direction CWL watches are aiming for?

Post by pcal »

I'm hoping they start making their watches smaller - I'd love to get a C11 if it wouldn't look gigantic on my wrist. On the other hand, if they keep making them larger, I can get the women's equivalent :lol:
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