A new socialism of luxury watchesTourbillions Made in China
The call themselves Million Smart Enterprise or PTS resources Ltd. They fabricate in South China and are mostly based in Hongkong. And they get ready to challenge Swiss watch manufactures where it hurts most – automatic watches with extensive complications and going as far as Tourbillons.
While simple Chinese mechanical watches with complications were mostly not of high quality, most recently the mechanical watches and especially Tourbillions have, for Chinese financial measures, a comparatively high price. When Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe charge a five-figure amount or more for a watch, it is launched by China with a surprisingly good quality for a fraction of this price – normally less than 3000 Euros. With a stainless steel case, with an alloy L316, engine turned and with refinement, with sapphire crystals in the front and at the bottom and with blued hands. Well, at the time of purchase the Tourbillion possibly runs faster or slower 30 or 40 seconds per day. But when a watchmaker readjusts the Tourbillion, the accuracy enhances to 8 or 10 seconds per day in most of the cases. Certainly, some Swiss manufacturer will feel uncomfortable now. Because these values are within the specifications of Swiss watch industry for confederate Tourbillions.
So it seems that one today more than ever has to pay attention to watches “Made in China”. Because China is already the “factory of the world”, so what we see now could be something like a new socialism of luxury watches.