Rip off watches on Ebay, eg. Montres Allison
I'm the owner of the page at http://www.an1.co.uk/ebaywatches (formerly http://www.homp.org/vogel). I noticed some hits with referers from this forum.
Many thanks to abraxas for posting my link in the post here http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5511
What I'd like to do is build up a dossier of nasty watch companies on Ebay and have a page for each one with evidence and information on each company. Sort of like a name and shame exercise. Then, hopefully we will avoid having people ripped off on Ebay.
Many thanks.
Kind Regards
Alan.
Regarding Montres Allison
Some of you know me from the regular tz, thepurists, watchparadise, etc., and I am here to say that Montres Allison is doing some exciting things. Just look at their webpages at http://www.montresallison.net/ensvizzengarten and http://www.montresallison.net/webcam.htm
Look at their engine turning on the video, the pictures of their rose engine - and video of it in action. Look at the solid gold and unfinished components. They are making very nice high quality timepieces and should definitely not be included in discussions of far lesser brands.
There have been some posts on the tz ahci forum for quite some time about this information and on watchparadise and without a single naysayer. Maybe you have overlooked these things but many of us WIS are seeing them and appreciating them.
Be seeing you around the forums.
Rothman
Re: Regarding Montres Allison
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rothman
Look at their engine turning on the video, the pictures of their rose engine - and video of it in action. Look at the solid gold and unfinished components. They are making very nice high quality timepieces and should definitely not be included in discussions of far lesser brands.
If you feel so passionately and happily about Montres Allison watches I suggest you take the time to read all the links about Montres Allison watches on my page. They are all to independent links not written by me. Only info I provide is about domain registrations. It'll take you a while to read the links but you'll get the picture and I hope it changes your mind before it's too late. I wouldn't like you or anyone else to be scammed. I guess you don't know ur scammed unless you're knowledgeable, but I have experienced being scammed and on top of my girlfriend leaving me it doesn't feel too good I must say.
The idea is they want you to think they're watches are worth the money they say they are, when they aren't. Think about it. If you had all the time and resources in the world, and wanted to sell $30 chinese watches for $300. All you have to do is make a convincing website (probably easier to do than you think) and set-up an on-line shop with prices in the thousands. Sell them on Ebay and clueless people will bid hundreds.
Edit: Don't you think their website is like trying too hard to make you think they're a genuine company?! I do.
Hi everybody... On this subject...
I have to say regarding the independent links provided by anewman that you fail to post the information on the MA website in multiple places that states that they use components from Asian countries, European countries, and the US. They even have a big piece on Kiu Tai Yu to help try to convince people that there can be good components from countries other than Switzerland.
MA doesn't say that their watches are Swiss Made, Made in Germany, etc. They don't make the false claims of these other companies who use deception to sell their items. And not only that, but their watches have 1000 month warranties, and they've been in business for something like five years.
Here is a quote from the MA homepage: "MA Luxury Timepieces uses fine parts, movements, accessories, and components from various countries around the world in the manufacture of our exclusive luxury timepieces. MA Luxury Timepieces is a celebration of fine watchmaking worldwide and is not limited to one geographical region. Please read more about MA Luxury Timepieces in our history and faq pages.
"
Here is a quote from their history page: "Ensvizzengarten, located in the high mountains near Nederland, CO, is the home of MA Luxury Timepieces wristwatches. While a world away from the Swiss origin of watchmaking, MA Luxury Timepieces produces some of the finest timepieces available in the world today using MA Luxury Timepieces in-house movements, ETA Swiss Made movements, and ebauches and calibres from various regions and manufacturers around the world. Non-inhouse components absolutely must be manufactured to the precise standards required in MA Luxury Timepieces. MA Luxury Timepieces is proud that it will not be limited to only one geographic region in the selection of parts, movements, and components in the manufacture of its luxury timepieces. MA Luxury Timepieces utilizes the best technology and engineers in the world during the design and manufacture processes. With assembly, engineering, service and design processes being performed in New York, NY, USA; Ipsach, Switzerland; Nederland, CO, USA; Japan, Russia, Germany, China, and Hong Kong, MA Luxury Timepieces is truly a global presence in the luxury wristwatch industry."
In doing my research, I learned that they are members of the Better Business Bureau and have never had a complaint filed against them. Five years of producing watches and no complaints sounds pretty good.
And then there's the pictures and videos and their invite on their site for anybody to go visit them.
Maybe as John Davis said, their first watch was a POS, but people have said the same about early Rolexes (Wilsdorf and Davis) and early Mullers. Then there's Movado which is now based in New Jersey, USA and TAG Heuer that sell gold plated quartz watches for over a thousand US dollars.
If MA is handmaking solid gold dials, putting them into solid gold cases made in the USA, using tourbillon movements, sapphire crystals, solid gold components like rotors, etc., then this puts them in a category of companies that are actually doing machine work and metallurgy and engine turning. They should not be compared to those companies that are using a mineral crystal and plastic movement holder in a non-screwdown case all made in China with a stamped brass dial and ultra cheap unfinished movement and then calling it Swiss Made or Made in Germany.
I think many others are realizing this information too, and hence that is why the posts on regular tz ahci and watchparadise have not been flamed. I think that others have started taking an interest and more of a wait and see attitude and have been able to differentiate between those companies and a US company that is obviously trying very hard to make the right moves. Yes it may seem that they are trying to hard to convince everybody that they are doing their own machining, assembly, etc., but wouldn't you do the same if there was this nonsense out there? You would not want to lose customers based on obvious lies, so you would hope that the proof you are showing on your website that you are legitimate would be enough convince people that you are legitimate.
I would challenge you to take a more of a wait and see attitude and not include that company with those others in your mind just like many of us on the other forums have started doing. And to give a balanced point of view on the subject, why not provide links to the much higher number of positive comments posted on the web as well as the picture of their facility and webcam?
Rothman
Correction: Franck Muller Tourbillon
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ming Thein
Sorry mate, none of those FM's have a tourbillon :P
Ming
:oops: :oops: :oops:
Sorry, of course you're right!
This is a real 'Franck Muller Tourbillon Revolution' with a real tourbillon an a 'FM Conquistador'.
http://www.peter-frueh.de/mueller4_bg.jpg http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1023/fmconq.jpg
This picture shows two Franck Muller fakes!
Quote:
Originally Posted by wombat
I'm not an expert on Franck Muller watches and don't like the style at all.
The picture are only an example the similarity between the FM watch and the MA.
Regards, Hal
