Boutique junk

[deepcdvr]

Sorry for the rant, but I've been through a flurry of buying/trading of the lower end (300-1000 dollar) boutique brands for the last few months and every single piece had some minor yet aggravating flaw.

Couple of the bezels wouldn't line up at 12
One of the watches had 7 clicks between indices
On one piece, the bezel did line up, but the rest of the numbers on the bezel were slightly off the dial indices
Lume applications were all over the map
One had pretty big gaps on the bracelet end pieces
On two of the watches, the leather bands were of laughable quality
Etc...

What's up? Is this a trend? Is it just me?

When I first started in this business, I had a few Invictas and never noticed any of these problems. I moved 'up' to Ocean7's and they were fine as well. Marathons were next. Again, no drama...

Now it seems every watch out there under a grand has a loose crown, loses 30 seconds a day, etc...and it seems people accept it as par for the course.

I think there's just a bunch of crap being shill'd.

Anyone else notice this?

[DMB]

Yep. That's why I sold off all my crap and settled on a few "good ones". The bad thing is, once you go to the next level there isn't any going back.

[SCM64]

It's why I get what I know, and know what I get and don't flip.

Dont be shy, let's hear some names.

[BBK357]

Yes- tell us the brands so we can avoid them...

[Dedalus]

Yep. That's why I sold off all my crap and settled on a few "good ones". The bad thing is, once you go to the next level there isn't any going back.

^^^^ This. ^^^^ And hearing this, why would you want to go back.

Out with the names Paul (and please, try and match each brand to its rightful failing. )

[CGSshorty]

I would love to know which brands you have had negative experience with.

[CesarG]

Money's too valuable to be spent on micros

[sharkfin]

I would love to know which brands you have had negative experience with.

+1

[Lush]

Been there and all that too.
Had a bezel pop off one I got last summer, all I did was turn it...

[bloozy]

Yep. That's why I sold off all my crap and settled on a few "good ones". The bad thing is, once you go to the next level there isn't any going back.

What he said.

Oh, and I miss my Marathons. I'll have to have another J-Sar modded with a 2824-2 of course... and plonguer hands next time around. And yes, I still want to try a C-Sar.

[msa6712]

Not a fan of micro brands either...
would rather spend the extra $$ for QA and peace of mind.

[River Rat]

Paul you been around the block collecting watches for a long time.I only jumped on the band wagon once and bought a Boutique watch and found out I did not like them.And you had a lot of what I call quality brands like Omega,Rolex,Tudor,Heuer and others but some how those junk boutique brands get you hook line and sinker.Dam it took you a long time to come to your senses if I ever see you post another boutique watch I will remind you of this post.

[BBK357]

i want to know which boutique watches failed. i like some brands, and of course i love my Korsbek and do not see any problems with it at all, solid as i have ever seen a watch built.

[Jeep99dad]

Interesting post. I'd love to know what brands you've had problems with.
I've had good luck with some, less so with others. My two Artego for example were of poor overall quality IMHO. Indices, lume application, bezel...
I had bad luck with another brand where even the second watch was not satisfactory from a mvt/crown standpoint but the owner was great to deal with and did the right thing.
Ive been pleased with Benarus in gener and 2 of 3 Helsons. One had a misaligned bezel but Peter took care of it. My Armida was great. Lum-Tecs and Bathys all great too...

[tazman64]

I use to be of the believe, "you get what you pay for" But not anymore. Ive owned watches from invica to breitling and omega's and yes the invicta's were shit for the most part. As far as micro brands ive had a couple benarus and they were awesome, not one problem! but everyone had them and in collecting everyone moves up in quality as time goes by. My first breitling was a seawolf BNIB from a add and the watch wasnt in cosc specs had to pay to send it in and wait a month or so just to get it back running +6 seconds a day and had a big scratch on the endlink. Ive had other issues with other watches that i wont get in to. So ive had more issues with highend stuff then middle of the road (micro) less the invictas. the bad thing about high end watches for me anyway is i can only by one or two a year, so i stopped going to the forums and started getting borred with the watch stuff.Its not much fun when everyones showing off new watches and i have to keep posting the same ole 3-4 watches. Ive decided to have my cake and eat it too!!! I will not just by highend anymore, there has been a micro watch ive wanted since i first saw it, but i kept telling myself that i would be going backwards. HA!!! Its all collecting. Watches are so complicated instruments your going to have problems now and then be it a exspensive watch or a inexspensive one. Thats how i see it.

[toxicavenger]

I have actually had good luck with allot of micro's I have owned and that why sometimes I am disappointed by bigger name brand watches price/quality ratio.

of course I haven't went way over board on spending to try a bunch of name brands.

so far I have had good luck with Bernhardt, Boschett, Halios, Tsunami and if you consider Marcello C a micro then I would count them as a good guy also.

but considering how many you have owned Paul you statements definitely hold water for me.

[toxicavenger]

Not a fan of micro brands either...
would rather spend the extra $$ for QA and peace of mind.

I wish this was always true, if it was then I would never have owned a micro brand. but there are issues at any platform regardless of $$$. now there might be less at the higher price range but it seems that as the price goes up more people become such strong koolaid drinkers then they are blind to the defects or issues of the brand they carry a flag for.

[Jamie]

Preach on brotha preach on.

[el presidente]

Omega FTW❤

[jimyritz]

Quality over quantity....

[demer03]

No more Micro quality....no more Micro drama.

[toxicavenger]

No more Micro quality....no more Micro drama.

didn't you just buy another KB?

[demer03]

If you consider them a Micro, then yes.

How about "less infrastructure...less well funded" Micro's then...

[toxicavenger]

If you consider them a Micro, then yes.

How about "less infrastructure...less well funded" Micro's then...

great reply Mike.

[Jem]

I haven't really been too dissapointed with the few micro brands I've owned...I kind of expect to get what I paid for, especially at the lower price point. I've been dissapointed more with a few high-end brands. I do expect close to perfection when I pay 6k- 17k for a freakin watch.
Loose bezels, poor time keeping, miss aligned markers, poorly constructed bracelets and unsightly flaws on the dial and hands are defects I've experienced with a few high pieces and for certain are not isolated to just micro brands.

Well said and totally agree with you.