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Forgotten Watch Brands -- Good brands that you know about but that aren't at the top of your mind

11K views 44 replies 38 participants last post by  Chicharito 
#1 ·
Zenith is one for me. Unfortunately for them, maybe for me, when I see "Zenith," I think of televisions and regardless of whether a Zenith is/was a good TV, I just can't get it out of my head that they aren't a television company. As a result, they never come to my mind as a company whose watch products I should consider or whose watches I would actively recommend. Even so, I fully recognize that they make a very good watch and that their El Primero chrono is among the best in the business. The thing is that I remember how good they are when I think of Tag and Rolex, not when I'm just trying to think of a watch to suggest to someone or for myself.

Others -- not talking about the folks who specialize is eccentrically styled or constructed watches -- that I have to try hard to remember are:
  • Ulysses Nardin
  • Corum
  • Longines
  • Bedat
  • Bovet
  • Even more that I can't remember even now that I'm trying. LOL
All the best.
 
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#3 ·
Zenith is one for me as well, I wonder why that is? I was not aware that there was ever a Zenith TV company, so that can't be the reason for my forgetting them. I often forget Mido when looking at lower-to-mid-range Swiss brands, and I often forget Breguet when looking at the high-end brands. The Trinity, Lange, and JLC seem to get more attention than Breguet around here, or is that just me?

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#7 ·
Zenith is one for me as well, I wonder why that is? I was not aware that there was ever a Zenith TV company, so that can't be the reason for my forgetting them. I often forget Mido when looking at lower-to-mid-range Swiss brands, and I often forget Breguet when looking at the high-end brands. The Trinity, Lange, and JLC seem to get more attention than Breguet around here, or is that just me?
I don't know if it's just you. They seem to get mentioned often enough. I do think the "Guilded Age/Victorian" look of a lot of their pieces just isn't everyone's "cup of tea," so that may have something to do with their not being as often mentioned. That they went through the '80s and '90s struggling to survive as a brand, as as part of that struggle they compromised themselves at the entry levels of their product line, probably didn't do any good for their current market presence/position. Also, unlike their peers -- AP and PP -- they didn't offer something that was very well designed and characteristically '70s-ish and which no doubt confounded their sales and market presence efforts. Plus, their generally Victorian look probably didn't do them much good either in the late '90s and early part of this century.

It's possible to successfully "buck" style trends, but not if one is only offering options that look like things from 60 years prior, and even then, their styling would have been thought "old fashioned."

All the best.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Zenith is one for me. Unfortunately for them, maybe for me, when I see "Zenith," I think of televisions and regardless of whether a Zenith is/was a good TV, I just can't get it out of my head that they aren't a television company. As a result, they never come to my mind as a company whose watch products I should consider or whose watches I would actively recommend. Even so, I fully recognize that they make a very good watch and that their El Primero chrono is among the best in the business. The thing is that I remember how good they are when I think of Tag and Rolex, not when I'm just trying to think of a watch to suggest to someone or for myself.

Others -- not talking about the folks who specialize is eccentrically styled or constructed watches -- that I have to try hard to remember are:
  • Ulysses Nardin
  • Corum
  • Longines
  • Bedat
  • Bovet
  • Even more that I can't remember even now that I'm trying. LOL
All the best.
Are you saying not currently being hyped?

Blancpain
Baume et Mercier
Concord
Dubey & Schaldenbrand
Eberhard & Co.
Ebel
RW
Rado
Hamilton
Universal
 
#15 ·
In my opinion Rado is the most undervalued brand here on WUS.
They have been at the cutting edge of watch materials for over 50 years but are viewed here as a fashion brand.

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That's probably because that's how they promoted themselves for years. Even as a pretty open minded guy about watches in general, and being one not opposed to Rado, I still think of them as an upmarket Movado -- sleek, elegantly styled watches -- offering more "watch cred" than do Movado by incorporating more appealing movements that do Movado. I don't see anything wrong with that, but then I make no pretense about being a movement junkie either.

All the best.
 
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#18 ·
Well, I can't say I've ever unintentionally forgotten the last three you listed. Entirely because I've never heard of them to begin with. LOL TY for sharing.

All the best.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Raymond Weil
Bulova
Universal Geneve
Ebel
Rado

i own three of these but they get very little mention on this board. Dare I say not expensive enough? Innovative in their own way at different times during their history.
 

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#20 · (Edited)
I own a Zodiac and Cyma also, getting some mention in this string. I should add my Daniel Mink to the list as well. Sorry for the fuzzy pics.
 

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#22 ·
I'll have to say Breitling.

It is good thing that Breitling is now making their in-house movement but for whatever reason I found Breitling has lost its wing in recent years. In some cities in Asia, you can't find Breitling authorized retail stores anymore. At the same time new shops like IWC, Panerai, PP, ALS, VC shops are in town. Breitling use to near in recognition as Omega & Rolex and now I feel they are so far behind. Breitling recognition prob is even behind Tag.

I think past yrs Breitling made the right direction going in-house. It is a good brand and a good company but no one seems to talk about them anymore. Which is kinda sad.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Yes, Montblanc gets looked down on quite a bit because their specialty is elsewhere and they're relatively new to time pieces. But handle them, they are really good quality build.

Milus. Was waiting to see them mentioned. Obviously very very much off the radar....

But how can this be so far off the radar?
 
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