ETA movements is no longer available for outside watch makers
The most important quality of replica watch is timekeeping and movements. However, these normal movements we have seen in market a largely developed by ETA, a quasi government-owned company. In terms of watch making, the creating and application of a watch movement always takes very long period of time. It needs to be testified and refined to ensure the 99.99% accuracy. In this case, in the past decades, the ETA is responsible for movements design and creation. Some watch companies, like Swatch, would go straight to apply the movements. And some others would get a kit form sold by the ETA. Considering the complexity of creating new movements, unless some exclusive of watch makers would devote to create their own in-house movements, most others tend to use existing movements.
Rolex can be counted as an exception. In one hand, it contributed to develop their own movements for years. In another hand, it did not charge as much expensive as other companies. However, recently, ETA announces that it will stop to provide timepiece movements to other watch makers in 2010. When a watch company wants to use an ETA movement they order a kit, and assemble it. Sometimes a maker will modify, decorate, or add to a movement. The ETA 2824-2 is no wonder a popular instance. Since nighteen seventies, the movement has been started deployed into production and is widely used around the world. It is an excellent movement with the potential to achieve chronometer certification. You can see how when ETA puts thought into creating a movement, then bank on it being around for the long haul. In order to keep the quality of the movement, watch makers have been known to decorate the rotor, add extra complications, or tweak diverse parts of the movement to make them more accurate (particularly when try to apply for a chronograph certificate).
So what will happen in 2010 when ETA stops selling movements to outside watch makers? One reason they are doing so if because of volume and exclusivity. If you are that kind of person who always wants to be different and unique, the watch replica of this edition would definitely be you type. They are making so many movements that they will only have the capacity to make enough for their in-house brands. Most likely, though new competitors in market will emerge and sell different movements. I am not familiar with the number of patents that ETA has, but at least in the US, Patents are only valid for 14-20 years, depending on the type of Patent. Therefore, since the ETA’s movements were designed and widely applied for decades. There is nothing barring competitors from making the movements, which will inevitably occur.
I forecast that in the next 3 years, people would desperately chase for ETA movements since they tend to stop sale their in-house movements to outside firms. However, at the same, you don’t need to worry and panic that the amount of watches with ETA movements would be reduced largely. You still can have one by purchasing their own brand replica watches. No matter what, this would be a wonderful change for new companies to participate in and change pattern that the one-giant company run the whole industry. I believe that we might see new complications with affordable price and one can only wait and see as to what the quality will be. Until 2010, I am not going to hold my breath. Most watch consumers will not even likely realize the transition.
