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Ronda announces new Automatic movement? Auto Shinola soon?

6K views 13 replies 13 participants last post by  Kewrock 
#1 ·
As a guy from Detroit, I really would like to support the home team and own a Shinola. The case construction seems very well done (though I am not a fan of the butterfly clasps on their bracelets, I find flip clasps like those found on Rolex and Omega bracelets to be much more comfortable). What has kept me from purchasing one of their watches is the fact that they use quartz movements. However, their supplier, Ronda just announced at Basel that they are going to begin producing their first automatic movement in decades (a competitor to the ETA 2824). Does this mean that Shinola might create some new pieces utilizing Ronda's new automatic movement? Who knows, but a guy can dream. I always told myself I would buy a Shinola as soon as they created an automatic watch. If I'm lucky, I'll get to finally own one in the next year or two. Time will tell (no pun intended).
 
#2 ·
Well, I assume they could have sourced automatic movements from somewhere else previously if they really wanted to.

I would guess they have focussed on quartz thus far because they wanted to, rather than Ronda not having an auto.
 
#3 ·
I remember reading that they have some kind of relationship with Ronda that included Ronda personnel training their assembly workers in Detroit. If they do go ahead with automatic movements, I'm sure we will hear a lot about it. Good for Ronda though, more alternatives to ETA is a good thing.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Possibly. But it wouldn't surprise me that Shinola didn't offer watches with automatic movements because the vast majority of watch buyers don't care about movements. Unlike watch collectors, who, for many reasons, prefer mechanical to quartz (in spite of the superiority of the latter in terms of time-keeping and innovation in horology), the average person wants a watch with no muss and no fuss.

Like Willie Sutton or any smart business person, the folks behind Shinola went where the money was. Think of it this way: RGM has plenty of street cred among watch enthusiasts. But outside of a GMC truck ad, no one among the masses knows or cares about its watches. That's fine because it has chosen that approach. Shinola has different goals, some of which are similar to Fossil (which was cofounded by the guy who runs Shinola), as well as has an interested in employing more people in Detroit. Going the RGM route would not help Shinola accomplish any of its goals.

This isn't to say that Shinola couldn't eventually offer watches with mechanical movements. It probably will. But the first step for Shinola isn't to win the backing of the one percent of watch owners are collectors. It's winning the 99 percent of watch owners who don't know or care about the difference between a Ronda quartz and a Miyota automatic.
 
#6 ·
When it is introduced, I'll be at the front of the line. I love my Shinola Runwell and will happily add an automatic cousin to the group.


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#7 ·
Does this mean that Shinola might create some new pieces utilizing Ronda's new automatic movement?
I read an article where the owner said they don't have any plans to move to an automatic movement. From what I've read they like being able to say their watches are "hand made" in Detroit and it takes much greater skills to assemble an auto movement than it does a quartz. In fact, in 2014 they only had two watch makers putting the movements together. Then they went down the assembly line.



An interesting read on Shinola and where everything is actually made here: Shinola Watches - Made in Detroit? ? Gentleman's Gazette
 
#13 ·
A few poibts:

Ronda is a partner with Shinola.

Shinola has had a reference to automatics on their site for years, of the 'We don't have them now, but sign up to our newsletter to be informed in case we do later' genre.

Fossil, who Kartsotis also co-founded, has automatic 2824 clone movement production facilities in Ticino Switzerland.

It's probably going to happen eventually, to move up the value scale.

That being said, I think their style if watches would be better suited to a larger movement such as a 6498 handwind (re-bridged à la RGM, or Isoprog), or Valgrange-style big auto, maybe SW400-based? 2824 clone would be lost in their larger sizes, in my opinion.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I saw Shinola watches in Nordstroms outlet store last night. I'd never heard of them, and to be honest, what caught my eye was the beautiful bamboo box they came in. Honestly, they seem a little gimmicky to me. Kind of like Invicta stuff. List on the hang tag was $750, marked down to $448. Built in Detroit with a Swiss brand movement of parts made in the far East. Basically, it's a $100 Fossil in a really nice box. The model I looked at was the 5021 in white. They had a half dozen other Shinolas too, all priced the same. Right next to it was a Fossil really dressy large chrono for $78.
I just cant justify spending more than $100-200 on a quartz watch. It's a beautiful watch. But so is the Fossil. And inside there really isn't that much difference. Ronda, Myota, ETA. They're all just cheap quartz movements that'll most likely run forever.
Even Citizen. I can't believe how expensive they've gotten. 6 years ago, I bought their top of the line titanium Calibre 2100 Ecodrive for $215. Now they're almost $500. The Skyhawk watches are even more. My old NavaHawk was under $175 new. The battery in my Ecodrive died last year after only 5 years give or take. Half of it's 10 year advertised lifespan. Not covered by warranty, and very expensive.

My point is, for what they're asking for these high-end quartz watches you can get some really nice long life mechanicals and automatics that you can hand down, or a half dozen equally nice inexpensive designer Fossils and others.
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