ETA against Inhouse

[willy]

ETA make really good calibers . They are a huge concern who supply thousands of brands all across the world , and they have the money and resources to make reliable calibers . Indeed some of their calibers are more reliable than many inhouse calibers and cost less to service . But, and it is a big but , any watch with a ETA caliber that as not been finished or modified to a very very high standard will never become a collector item . And the reason is that they are so common , and do not cost very much to make . There are a few brands like IWC or Ulysse Nardin amongst others who buy ETA calibers in kits , and then rework them and finish them to a fantastic standard . Other brands like Omega Brietling etc etc order the most of their calibers from ETA with maybe a better finish , or they finish them at their own factory . Tudor have used ETA for a long time , and i am sure Rolex specify the standard and finish they want from ETA . Many older Tudor models are collectors items even with ETA calibers inside them . But this is the exception to the normal used watch market , and has got a lot to do with Rolex who own Tudor .
I would never ever buy a new watch with a ETA caliber in it costing more than 10.000dkr excepting a few brands . You are paying through the nose for calibers that cost nearly nothing to make .
But if you want a watch that is cheap to service with a caliber you can rely on , then ETA are up there with the best . But do not think you have a watch that as anything to do with great watchmaking . And it will never become a collectors item .
The Swatch group who own ETA are stopping supplys of ETA calibers to brands who are not a part of the Swatch group . This move is forcing many more brands to develop and make their own calibers . But they nearly all rely on out of house manufactures for certain parts they cannot make such as Nivarox springs .
Of course there is the snob effect of owning a watch without a ETA caliber . And many brands use this in their marketing strategy .
My own opinion is that a ETA caliber can do the job of telling time just as well as many calibers costing a hundred times as much . And will cost you a hundred times less money to keep them working . And i would buy more of them if the watches they are in cost hundreds of times less . Willy