The ETA 2824-2. The base caliber of 80% of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry.

The ETA 2824-2. The base caliber of 80% of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry. Ebauches, S.A. Became the company, ETA in 1983, from a series of consolidations that happened out of the “Quartz Crisis” in Switzerland. Mechanical watches were quickly becoming phased out due to the much less expensive, and, by some accounts, “funner” quartz watches. SWATCH was the Swiss brand to fully capitalize on the Quartz watch phenomenon and made many different unique and fun…

What’s the Real Cause of the Parabolic Rise in Prices for Rolex Watches on the Secondary Market?

What’s the Real Cause of the Parabolic Rise in Prices for Rolex Watches on the Secondary Market?? Over the last several years I have heard several theories on why the supply has seemingly dried up for Rolex Watches in the Primary Market (availability from Authorized Dealers). Most sound more like conspiracy theories than fact based on sound business principals. Firstly, what got us to this point? Beginning sometime in 2017 I heard a rumor from…

Buying a Breitling in the Secondary Market – A deal, or a dud?

Buying a Breitling in the Secondary Market – A deal, or a dud? In 2017 the historic Swiss Watchmaker, Breitling Montres, S.A., founded in 1884 by Leon Breitling and known for their Chronographs and Cockpit instruments used during WWII, was purchased by a Private Capital Firm, CVC Capital Partners. A new CEO, Georges Kern, who was formerly CEO of International Watch Co. Schaffhausen (IWC) and served in other capacities for the Richemont Group, began revamping…

The Rolex 5513: A Watch You May Or May Not Know

Rolex 1967 Submariner, reference 5513…what a fascinating timepiece. The Rolex model 5513 was an adjunct to the existing Submariner line. The model 5512, which was a chronometer certified model (with the same case as the 5513) housed a 26 jewel caliber 1560, non-hacking movement. Later models would sport caliber 1570 which is the no-date variant of the caliber 1575 found in the date models of this time. Unfortunately, the 26 jewel movement was considered a…