Velociphile takes a close look at the rise of the Chinese tourbillions. What was once an expensive complication is now commonplace. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Good quality watches have always been available cheap, think Seiko 7s26, and even high complications such as rattrapante and repetition have their cheap functional examples in Western makers (Nivrel, Kelek, ETA etc) and that doesn’t prevent sales of more expensive versions. But if the Chinese begin to manufacture complications like this, a) at high volume, b) with super low prices, and critically, c) provide ‘Western’ companies with these kind of high complication base movements, the question is how do the Swiss maintain a clear “luxury premium” buffer?
Read the rest here.
