I'd love to say I'm a watch expert, but I'm not and I can't really tell you the answer to these questions. But from what I remember on the Jaeger Lecoultre website, they do make many of the tiny parts themselves. There is a really good video, or animated story about their whole process which you should look at. Once you've seen it, their watches look cheap at the price.
Bet it's really out of a Wilkinsons Christmas Cracker !!!! View attachment 10966 http://www.designbuzz.com/ I like this " sundial watch" £93 .. I like clean lines. I don't wear watches the last one I had was a Mickey Mouse watch!!!! I miss that watch I stop wind up watches they just die ( no not me forgetting to wind) That is a truely vile watch. I'd never buy something like that !!! And never on eBay!
I have a few Zenith Watches, they are my favourite make, so I know a little about their history. No watch company, not even Rolex make every single part of their movements, just as say BMW or Ducati dont make every single part of their engines, but they make the vast majority. Unlike a lot of brands these days who just buy in a std ETA movement and call it their own. To me the El Primero is still the best chronograph you can buy for the money, its been used in the famous Rolex Daytona and a few other watches too (until Zenith were bought out by LVMH and were told not to supply the competition anymore, hence Rolex had to develop their own movement about ten years ago. Interestingly on the secondhand market, Daytonas with the Zenith 'engine' are worth more than those with the later Rolex movement. There is an interesting story behind the resurrection of the El Primero mechanical movement after the quartz revolution killed off most of the old Swiss factories.. its quite romantic really, you can read about it here.. Just Watching with James Dowling: "The Attic", a trip into watchmaking history.
Glidd, Probably in stock at Sid and Doris Bonkers Watch Emporium, Neasden. E J Thribb is a big fan. I hear.
I bought myself a Bell & Ross BR01-92 last year while my Omega Seamaster was away having a new battery fitted ... and then required some replacements parts and ended up in an even bigger bill!! I have to say that the Omega came back spotless. They re-polished the case and bracelet to remove the scratches and dings as it was an "everyday" watch I'd worn for over ten years. One of my mates says that his Rolex automatic is not very accurate in keeping time and thinks it's because of the movement. Does anyone else have any experience of this? I'm thinking of a Submariner next...
The one in the first post is absolutely disgusting... why would anyone want something like this, let alone at this price?? I would love Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 but at the moment I can't justify spending about £3600 on a watch.
Yes, don't trust the jewellers to service it to anywhere near the standard Breitling do. If you just want a routine service, Breitling have UK based service centres that will do that. But if you want it overhauled and returned "like new", get is sent off to Breitling - mine came back last week :0)
I used to be a watch fan but still have the following: Jaeger Le Coultre Rose Gold Master Control Home Time (evening wear) Breitling Steel / Gold Chronomat. Leather strap. Green Face Rolex Steel GMT Master. Black face Rolex Steel / Gold Daytona (daily wear) The first and last have proven to be reasonable investments although that is not why I bought any of them.
I am getting a real Jason Bateman and The Business Cards Scene vibe here. Probably just me though :biggrin: