Tag Archives: sale

Classic Swiss

Tata Group May Pull The Plug On Favre Leuba

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It was always going to be an uphill battle to revive the Favre Leuba brand name and make a small volume of watches in Switzerland, then retail them around the world at a reasonable price.

The problem is this; for many watch fans under the age of 50 Favre Leuba means nothing. It was a prestige Swiss brand – the second oldest in the world founded in 1718 – but Favre’s heyday was five decades ago and it never really achieved the same marketing kudos of Blancpain in diving, Zenith in chrono movements or Heuer in motorsport during the mid 20th century. In the USA, most watch fans know Bulova, Hamilton, Zodiac or Buren from the past, but not a name like Favre Leuba. In short, there isn’t much heritage and glamour to sell to a new 21st century generation.

So, no surprise that Titan, part of the Tata empire, announced yesterday that it’s scaling back investment in the FL brand. The costs of manufacturing in Switzerland must surely be a factor here, although the marketing spend needed to tell FL’s heritage story to a wider audience is also considerable?

Titan Company acquired global rights to the trademarks of heritage Swiss watch brand Favre Leuba for 2 million euros in 2011. In a regulatory filing, Titan Company said that it has been continuously supporting FL, and has made a series of investments but that the COVID-19 pandemic, however, has severely impacted the revival plans. That may be partially true but the bottom line is this; would you spend £7000 buying a Favre Leuba dive watch or buy a pre-owned Rolex Submariner?

Thank you for being honest, goodnight Favre Leuba.

Watch market news

Heads Up: Yema Has a Black Friday Sale On

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French watch brand Yema have some punchy, striking designs and they also have a Black Friday event on. Can’t fault that. With 30 percent off the Mecaquartz Rallygraf model retro 70s fans will be tempted to splash out. It’s a cool looking watch that captures the glam era of motorsport, and there are Panda and reverse Panda dial options available for under 300 euros.

Likewise, the Superman 2020 model with 30 percent off is another sweet deal, as Yema clear stock ready for next year’s watches. There are deals across the range and you can find out more here.

Modern Quartz

Torgeon 40% Off Summer Sale

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Just a heads up that fashion brand has a 40% summer sale on right now, and it covers blue dial models.

These quartz watches feature Swiss Ronda movements inside, and some like the Kingfisher model have a slightly smaller case size at 41mm, rather than the 45mm they used to boast. Big dials are fine, if you’ve got a big wrist – that’s our take on it anyway.

You also get a mineral crystal, plus super luminova markers. We spotted a nice vintage style Wren model, with a cream coloired dial rediced to £128 as well. Decent value.

More here. 

 

 

Japanese Watches

Sayonara Pulsar; Best of The Pulsar Watch Bargains Online

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Seiko are pulling Pulsar out of the UK, with the last deliveries taking place early in 2020. That means remaining stocks are being sold off fairly competitively by UK retailers, large and small. We take a look online to cherry pick some of the bargains.

RUBICON WATCHES

This online retailer based in the UK has some nice examples of the PU2 Chronograph series, with one rose gold and blue dial model (pictured) catching our eye at £79.99. A WRC chrono in black and gold is another winner, especially at £69.

We bought a new Pulsar chrono recently from Rubicon and it arrived packed in the inner/outer boxes, all paperwork correct, tags and stickers protecting the dial, case and links too. Pro outfit 😉

pulsar PU2 chrono

THE JEWEL HUT

This online branch of TH Baker jewellers has a selection of models, including a PS9 Pulsar with a white dial reduced to £55. (see pic below) If you feel like splashing out just under £63 then there’s a handsome military GSTP style Pulsar, with big numerals set on a black dial, plus that distinctive Brit forces arrow. Nice vintage look on that one.

pulsar white dial PS9 model summer sale

A Solar Red Accelerator at £155 is another great deal in our view, as you get that long life solar cell/battery, saving you battery replacement costs every three years or so, plus limi dial and hands.

H SAMUEL

Looks like all H. Samuel Pulsar models are sold out.

Pulsar-Accelerator-Solar-Steel-Mens best price

EDMONDS JEWELLERS

Edmonds have got a couple of PT3 chrono models, including a nice black and gold model on offer at £50. That’s a big reduction on the original £150 RRP. They also have a handsome blue dial PZ6 chrono, with solar power, at £146, along with a few Solar Pulsar watches. Basic quartz models start at about £75 on their website, good selection in stock right now.

HOLLINS AND HOLLINSHEAD

Another good range of Pulsar watches with decent reductions at UK stocks are being cleared. Who can argue with a solar powered PX3 model at just £66? Not us, we think that is great value. We also spotted a Solar Accelerator model at £95 – has to be worth a look.

WATCH NATION

This Chester based business has a physical shop in the suburb of Hoole, or Notting Hoole as it’s known locally, but also do a great deal online, ship UK-wide, and specialise in clearance lines and discontinued models.

Great news for Seiko and Pulsar fans here as we saw plenty of bargains. We spotted a blue dial, steel case, Solar PX3 model reduced to £73, while a PG8 black dial, blue and silver bezel quartz captures the Seiko 5 feel for under £58. The thing we like about Watch Nation is that their website has a Make Offer button, so you can bid a few quid less and try your luck – handy if you want to price match.

Enjoy the bargain prices as come late 2021, when Pulsar watches have to be bought from overseas sources in the main, there’ll be extra import taxes and postage charges on some popular new models, depending where you purchase from of course.

 

 

 

British Watches

Nite Watches – Top Picks From The Sale Selection

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We love Nite watches approach to military/tool watch design. Make it glow baby! Famous for their super-bright Tritium lume, Nite watches also have a great ethos on build quality overall, with a diver in the range, plus the Icon, Hawk and MX10 – which is available from £220 on the Nite website.

Swiss Ronda quartz movements inside, two year guarantee. Prices include UK delivery as well.

Not the lockdown is easing, it will probably see a bit of an uptick in terms of online delivery times, so you won’t have to wait too long. The Nite Sale models are discounted, and sold on a `when they’re gone, they’re gone,’ basis. Worth a look.

Nite Hawk model
Hawk model

The green dial Hawk has a huge 51mm case size if you want a chunky watch, with the tritium lume giving excellent night time vision, plus a polycarbonate case for durability. It’s very much a tool watch, not something that’s designed to live inside a box, wrapped in a soft cloth bag. Nite claim a ten year battery life too. The Hawk Sale models start at £240.

Find out more here.

 

 

 

Classic Swiss

Lanco Electronic – The Quick Fix in the Face of The Japanese Invasion

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I’m a sucker for project watches. Something lying in a drawer, in need of TLC, or simply unloved, slightly dusty and PX-ed in the shop against something shiny n new-ish.

This Lanco Electronic was a mystery to me, so I took a chance having shaken the watch and seen a few seconds of ticking from the second hand, before it fell lifeless again. Cash offer accepted. But the owner said it needed a battery – odd, I thought, as it said antimagnetic on the caseback, so there was a balance wheel in there. How could a watch need both battery and a balance assembly fettling?

Hmmm, intriguing as a case for Jason King and Department S you may say.

Lanco electronic 1

OK, back at the ranch and I prised the back off, only to see a bizarre arrangement of electronic calculator parts, plus a chunky balance assembly and circlip type adjustment lever, similar to an Omega. Interesting.

Ten minutes Google clicking later I discovered this Electronic was launched in the mid-1970s, no doubt to help the Tissot/Lanco empire strike back against the Seiko/Casio guys busily taking the world watch market by storm with digital models.

But there’s no quartz crystal being vibrated in the Lanco, instead an electronic impulse tells the balance to get busy and the circuit board wizardry sees to the accuracy of the time. A gentle clean up ensued, and to be honest, I didn’t fancy taking it apart as resistors and wires bore me to tears, plus I know bog-all about them, having ditched physics at school in favour of art after the third year. The physics teacher had extremely hairy hands, and it put me off frankly…but that’s another story.

pixl lanco 2

So, long story short, I slotted in a 395 battery and away it went. Magic. Just spinning like a top and happy a sLarry after about 40 years. Bloody marvellous. One new strap and a set of pins later and she’s looking good. Not a museum piece in A1 condition, but a fine example of a rare watch that’s part of the Swiss industry’s roller-coaster story during the supersonic Seventies.

Yours for a mere £75. Probably cost almost that much back in the day. There y’go, not every Swiss watch is a fantastic long term investment. No, some wristwatches are just for fun, and you buy them because you like the look of its shape-shifting browny-gold dial, and the word `Electronic’ emblazoned on it, shouting to the world that Lanco were suddenly hip, with-it, getting on down with Kool and The Gang. Hell yeah.