Aquadive going down also?

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toxicavenger
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Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Sat Jul 28, 2018 9:26 pm

It that last year I have heard they employed crickets now, maybe it has really happened
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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by matt.wu » Sat Jul 28, 2018 9:29 pm

Shouldn't be a surprise to anyone!
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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Sat Jul 28, 2018 9:30 pm

You are right. Since their mods disappeared a few years ago also.

Maybe Doxa was tired of losing money?

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by CGSshorty » Sat Jul 28, 2018 9:32 pm

They'll always be Aquajive to me.
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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by bedlam » Sat Jul 28, 2018 11:06 pm

CGSshorty wrote:
Sat Jul 28, 2018 9:32 pm
They'll always be Aquajive to me.
This^^^^

I do remember them forgetting to put a lume pip on the bezel of their first dive watch.

And being told to "be the wolf!" by one of their inner-circle-jerks as a response to criticisms. LOL

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by Ryeguy » Sun Jul 29, 2018 4:15 am

I wish I saved the screen capture of the Google street View image of their US location. It was a very modest home in a rural area of a southern state.

I hate to see any business go under, but it does make sense. They didn't seem to expand their designs beyond their core theme (from what I noticed - I didn't follow the brand). You can only ride that pony for so long.

I also noticed they still have those Bathscape GMT limited editions available. They state they made 500 of each and they have been on the market for a while. I guess they weren't as popular as Aqudive hoped. That is a lot of money tied up in inventory for a small company.

On edit- I really like that cushion case shape and I would embrace my inner Danny and wear that turquoise Bathscape GMT. I just don't $2K like it.

It goes back to what I said in the Kobold parts thread. I'd have to REALLY like a micro that breaks the $1K price point barrier.

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by bnabod » Sun Jul 29, 2018 6:05 am

Used to love mine
It was thick yes but I regret selling it

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:05 am

Ryeguy wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 4:15 am
I wish I saved the screen capture of the Google street View image of their US location. It was a very modest home in a rural area of a southern state.

I hate to see any business go under, but it does make sense. They didn't seem to expand their designs beyond their core theme (from what I noticed - I didn't follow the brand). You can only ride that pony for so long.

I also noticed they still have those Bathscape GMT limited editions available. They state they made 500 of each and they have been on the market for a while. I guess they weren't as popular as Aqudive hoped. That is a lot of money tied up in inventory for a small company.

On edit- I really like that cushion case shape and I would embrace my inner Danny and wear that turquoise Bathscape GMT. I just don't $2K like it.

It goes back to what I said in the Kobold parts thread. I'd have to REALLY like a micro that breaks the $1K price point barrier.
Isn't Doxa US location also a house?

Doxa has been riding the same pony a long time. And they are the same company.

I like the look of AJ's for sure. Not to long ago they ran out of watches and sent a customer a demo case that the lugs holes were never finished. They just forgot to tell him it was a demo, and they didn't answer his emails. :raised:

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by bedlam » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:16 pm

toxicavenger wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:05 am
Ryeguy wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 4:15 am
I wish I saved the screen capture of the Google street View image of their US location. It was a very modest home in a rural area of a southern state.

I hate to see any business go under, but it does make sense. They didn't seem to expand their designs beyond their core theme (from what I noticed - I didn't follow the brand). You can only ride that pony for so long.

I also noticed they still have those Bathscape GMT limited editions available. They state they made 500 of each and they have been on the market for a while. I guess they weren't as popular as Aqudive hoped. That is a lot of money tied up in inventory for a small company.

On edit- I really like that cushion case shape and I would embrace my inner Danny and wear that turquoise Bathscape GMT. I just don't $2K like it.

It goes back to what I said in the Kobold parts thread. I'd have to REALLY like a micro that breaks the $1K price point barrier.
Isn't Doxa US location also a house?

Doxa has been riding the same pony a long time. And they are the same company.

I like the look of AJ's for sure. Not to long ago they ran out of watches and sent a customer a demo case that the lugs holes were never finished. They just forgot to tell him it was a demo, and they didn't answer his emails. :raised:
Yup, Aquadive, Jenny, Doxa, Isofrane are all made by the Synchron Investment Group. They bought the rights to several defunct brands and did a bunch of reissues.

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:31 pm

bedlam wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:16 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:05 am
Ryeguy wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 4:15 am
I wish I saved the screen capture of the Google street View image of their US location. It was a very modest home in a rural area of a southern state.

I hate to see any business go under, but it does make sense. They didn't seem to expand their designs beyond their core theme (from what I noticed - I didn't follow the brand). You can only ride that pony for so long.

I also noticed they still have those Bathscape GMT limited editions available. They state they made 500 of each and they have been on the market for a while. I guess they weren't as popular as Aqudive hoped. That is a lot of money tied up in inventory for a small company.

On edit- I really like that cushion case shape and I would embrace my inner Danny and wear that turquoise Bathscape GMT. I just don't $2K like it.

It goes back to what I said in the Kobold parts thread. I'd have to REALLY like a micro that breaks the $1K price point barrier.
Isn't Doxa US location also a house?

Doxa has been riding the same pony a long time. And they are the same company.

I like the look of AJ's for sure. Not to long ago they ran out of watches and sent a customer a demo case that the lugs holes were never finished. They just forgot to tell him it was a demo, and they didn't answer his emails. :raised:
Yup, Aquadive, Jenny, Doxa, Isofrane are all made by the Synchron Investment Group. They bought the rights to several defunct brands and did a bunch of reissues.
Carl, you are right. I still laugh that Rick from Doxa came here a few years back to "set the record straight" that DOxa did NOT own Aquajive.

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Aquadive going down also?

Post by hoppyjr » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:56 pm

Edit: :grin:
Last edited by hoppyjr on Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Sun Jul 29, 2018 8:14 pm

hoppyjr wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:56 pm
OK, I see how it works now.....

Making a general statement about small/boutique/micro brand watch companies = bad.

Trash talking a specific brand like Aquadive = good.

Image
This thread is about AJ and the path it has taken. The other thread was about parts available to people who might need them. WHat is so hard to understand about that? :think:

Don't be thick. :salute:

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by Ryeguy » Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:20 am

bedlam wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:16 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:05 am
Ryeguy wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 4:15 am
I wish I saved the screen capture of the Google street View image of their US location. It was a very modest home in a rural area of a southern state.

I hate to see any business go under, but it does make sense. They didn't seem to expand their designs beyond their core theme (from what I noticed - I didn't follow the brand). You can only ride that pony for so long.

I also noticed they still have those Bathscape GMT limited editions available. They state they made 500 of each and they have been on the market for a while. I guess they weren't as popular as Aqudive hoped. That is a lot of money tied up in inventory for a small company.

On edit- I really like that cushion case shape and I would embrace my inner Danny and wear that turquoise Bathscape GMT. I just don't $2K like it.

It goes back to what I said in the Kobold parts thread. I'd have to REALLY like a micro that breaks the $1K price point barrier.
Isn't Doxa US location also a house?

Doxa has been riding the same pony a long time. And they are the same company.

I like the look of AJ's for sure. Not to long ago they ran out of watches and sent a customer a demo case that the lugs holes were never finished. They just forgot to tell him it was a demo, and they didn't answer his emails. :raised:
Yup, Aquadive, Jenny, Doxa, Isofrane are all made by the Synchron Investment Group. They bought the rights to several defunct brands and did a bunch of reissues.

I actually kind of liked that Jenny Caribbean reissue they put out back in 2012. It looks like they are still available, but the website says "available at the end of November 2012" so I'm not certain when the website was last updated.

I'd also kind of worry if I bought one now that I'd be getting a watch that had been sitting on a shelf for 6 years. It could be ready for a service on your first day of ownership.

@ Terry - didn't you have a blue one a few years ago?

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by JBZ » Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:40 am

Doxa is an interesting case given that they do primarily sell the same design with just a few variations. I'm just guessing, but I imagine what's keeping them alive:

- Real cult following among dive watch enthusiasts. It's still a niche brand, but those who love it REALLY love it.

- Unique design. Nothing else looks like a Doxa dive watch. I can't remember ever seeing any rip offs beyond some individual Seiko mods.

- One of the first "revival" brands, and one of the first to seriously promote internet sales. It's good to get in on the ground floor.

- Slick website and advertising.

- Good product. Sure, they've had some issues, but they put out a quality watch at a reasonably affordable price.

- Customer service that's gotten better over time. Again, they've had their problems, but seem to be better now, if not perfect.

- Other designs that they appear to sell primarily in the far East. I imagine they make good money off those since they're still selling them as far as I know.

- Mike keeps buying them. :mrgreen:
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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by Bradystraps » Mon Jul 30, 2018 9:27 am

So damn hard making it to any level in this Micro world. More and more competition every day.
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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by logan2z » Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:05 am

If the company is defunct then apparently nobody told Hodinkee...

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/divin ... re-100-gmt

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:43 pm

logan2z wrote:
Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:05 am
If the company is defunct then apparently nobody told Hodinkee...

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/divin ... re-100-gmt
That is weird.

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by dnslater » Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:21 pm

toxicavenger wrote:
Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:43 pm
logan2z wrote:
Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:05 am
If the company is defunct then apparently nobody told Hodinkee...

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/divin ... re-100-gmt
That is weird.
They seem to still post on their Instagram and Facebook feeds.

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by hoppyjr » Mon Jul 30, 2018 4:19 pm

dnslater wrote:
toxicavenger wrote:
Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:43 pm
logan2z wrote:
Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:05 am
If the company is defunct then apparently nobody told Hodinkee...

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/divin ... re-100-gmt
That is weird.
They seem to still post on their Instagram and Facebook feeds.
If they aren’t answering up to customer inquiries, maybe reach out to Jason and see if he has interest in a follow up story on that?

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:30 pm

Ryeguy wrote:
Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:20 am
@ Terry - didn't you have a blue one a few years ago?
No I never owned one. I borrowed one for a while. Cool watches, but a little large for me.

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by CGSshorty » Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:54 pm

Isofrane has been all over social media today. I’d ask them about the issues, but I don’t have a dog in this fight?
What are the actual CS issues?
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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by Steelman » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:20 am

I'm interested in both aquadive and isofrane. Any info on recent CS issues?

I owned a BS300 when first released. Too big even for my large wrist but would love a BS100. I think they make (or made) great watches and I'm sorry to see them having difficulties. One of the nicer micros I've owned.

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by toxicavenger » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:21 am

Steelman wrote:
Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:20 am
I'm interested in both aquadive and isofrane. Any info on recent CS issues?

I owned a BS300 when first released. Too big even for my large wrist but would love a BS100. I think they make (or made) great watches and I'm sorry to see them having difficulties. One of the nicer micros I've owned.
The issue seems to be they don't reply to emails and phone calls. That is enough issues for me

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Re: Aquadive going down also?

Post by Steelman » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:28 am

toxicavenger wrote:
Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:21 am
Steelman wrote:
Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:20 am
I'm interested in both aquadive and isofrane. Any info on recent CS issues?

I owned a BS300 when first released. Too big even for my large wrist but would love a BS100. I think they make (or made) great watches and I'm sorry to see them having difficulties. One of the nicer micros I've owned.
The issue seems to be they don't reply to emails and phone calls. That is enough issues for me

agreed.

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