Save The Time – The Plight Of Independent Watchmaking In Australia (VIDEO)
I came across this interesting video today via Ariel Adams and I thought it was worthwhile sharing, not least because it specifically focuses on the Australian watch market. Essentially it highlights the plight of independent watchmakers and watch repairers in Australia whose businesses have been significantly impacted by the increasingly restricted supply of spare parts from a number of the larger Swiss brands.
Featured in the video is Max Schweizer, a very well-known and highly respected watchmaker with over 30-years experience based in Sydney, Australia. His company Max Schweizer Swiss Watch Repair is a factory authorized service agent for the likes of Patek Philippe and Piaget amongst others, and Schweizer himself is also specialized and factory trained for Rolex, Chopard and IWC repairs and I can only assume it is one or several of the latter that is causing all the concern.
To be honest I am somewhat conflicted by this video. The strategist in me understands the reasoning behind the brands’ decision to bring repairs in-house, after all it makes sense on multiple levels. Not only does it allow them to ensure quality control standards are maintained it also allows them to maintain a closer relationship with the customer over the lifetime of their purchase. And let’s face it, for all the incredibly talented watchmakers/repairers out there like Max Schweizer there are just as many, if not more, who are somewhat less shall we say ‘gifted’ and who may end up doing more harm than good to your precious timepiece.
On the other hand the artisan in me is profoundly moved by this somewhat saddening evolution of the industry, a development which may well be the death knell for what is already a dying art, especially in Australia. Not to mention the fact that it will severely limit the choices available to the consumer, as Max himself points out in the video.
In the end it’s up to you to make your own decision, either way it is a very well executed video and one certainly worth watching. Of course if you would like to do more than just watch, you could visit the official Save The Time website and sign their petition…
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Whenever the choices of consumers are deliberately & artificially restricted, the result is higher prices and fewer new, innovative products for lack of the presence of the competitive incentive.
In my judgment, the Swiss watch industry would better serve its customers by increasing the availability of factory authorized service centers and the number of independent, factory trained service professionals, not reducing them.
This would lower service/repair costs, thereby making it possible:
1. for fine watch customers to purchase more fine Swiss watch products.
2. free up in-house resources for research and development of next generation models that would attract new and returning customer purchases.
This is an economic lesson proven and learned well in the history of the personal computer business in the US.
When IBM held the exclusive rights to PC circuitry, hardware and software, personal computers were very expensive and service availability severely limited.
When competitive forces developed IBM compatible hardware clones, prices fell dramatically and sales of PC’s exploded. With rapidly rising sales, hundreds of thousands, even millions of new technical jobs became available as demand rose for repair, installation and new software development.
On this issue, I see the Swiss Watch industry at a crucial crossroad:
It can choose to:
1. Expand product service availability resulting in lower prices, and thereby advance its’ most sacred business capital, customer Good Will, loyalty and sales.
OR
2. Restrict service products and availability, thereby raising prices and limiting consumer choices.
As Winston Churchill stated:
“Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it.”
The historical lessons of restricting service availibility development are not on their side.
Respectfully,
David W. Franklin
The big problem is for older watches. You may only want a new part for a valued old watch that has a patina that you want to keep and with high sentimental value, but it is wrong when the Swiss brand tells you it will not just replace a small broken part but will only overhaul the entire watch and charge you a fortune for it. Or will refuse to anything at all as it no longer services such an old piece.
Highly likely Omega or more broadly Swatch is the culprit. There have been several reports of Swatch consolidating service exclusively to approved service centers.