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| Joined: | Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai |
| Posts: | 115 |
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Prices are kept high by ETA arbitrarily doubling the prices for movements. The non Swatch Group watch companies have to pay these prices if they want to stay in business while continuing using ETA movements - but shurely they will hand the additional cost down to us.
The first wave of price increase will hit Hong Kong on July 1st. Watches previously in the USD 500 range (list price) will rise in price by up to 75%(!) - putting them closer to the USD 1000 price range.
More expensive watches will see a price increase by 15% to 35% - depending on make and model. Oh, and by the way - rumors here in HK have it that Swatch Group brands will most likely have the lowest price increase.
Second:
"Swiss made" defined by 80% of cost incured in Switzerland for mechanical watches.
This will not keep some manufacturers from importing Chinese movements as parts kits and assembling them in Switzerland. The high cost of manual labour in Switzerland will give the watches made with these movements the attribute "Swiss made". Seagull already delivers tourbillon movement kits to Switzerland - wait for the first "Swiss made" tourbillon with a Seagull movement.