Tribus Watches

I don't really know what to make of this...

Seems to be the vanity project of Christopher Ward's kids, they've somehow managed to convince Liverpool FC to let them into bed and in a Bremont-inspired move have a watch with a bit of a Spitfire in it. I think ambitious is the correct word for the pricing for a young upstart although they aren't totally dreaming with some of their wares. They have a rewards scheme that feels close to the Tesco Clubcard and I have to imagine that the DFS sales model will be employed as at Chr Ward.

Website is an unnavigable primary-coloured nightmare and the whole thing smells a bit pretentious but hey, it's another British brand for us to kick. Good luck to them, hopefully they can keep a bit of momentum going with Daddy's experience. Not for me right now, but maybe in time.

https://tribus-watches.com/

There you go Paul, a logo on the front and some engraving on the back, worth every penny. I don't blame Liverpool for milking their current success especially as they are unlikely to retain the PL, very few teams do.

I bought my lad the special edition CL/World Club winners shirt from the Liverpool shop before all the madness began.

https://i.postimg.cc/KjQSxJTt/IMG-8880.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/KcfdKpKM/IMG-8881.jpg

Expensive, but all COSC and at least they've got a better logo if they are CW's kids. The TRI-01 and TRI-03 are actually pretty nice...

Logo sort of reminds me of the old Grand/King Seiko watches.

Look forward to all the flogging-a-one-trick-pony stuff that will ensue once the target market is saturated, and may even buy something when they start to show-up in TK Maxx for £49.99.
Until then I shall return to my customary state of sublime indifference regarding both 22-millionaires-falling-over-randomly-in-a-field and the increasingly zany doings of those lovable rogues at Ward Mansions.

Had a bit more of a look at the brand and website. Website looks very Kickstarter to be honest though with their father backing them I would suggest they are in good hands and have a fair idea of what direction they wish to take.

I think the Liverpool link is going to work both ways for the club and the company who are local businessmen. It will be interesting to see where they go from here.

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Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner

There you go Paul, a logo on the front and some engraving on the back, worth every penny. I don't blame Liverpool for milking their current success especially as they are unlikely to retain the PL, very few teams do.

I bought my lad the special edition CL/World Club winners shirt from the Liverpool shop before all the madness began.

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It's as tacky as a fly-strip but you should maybe pick one up Ken, there'll never be a blue version. :la:

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Originally Posted by Papa Hotel

It's as tacky as a fly-strip but you should maybe pick one up Ken, there'll never be a blue version. :la:

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I've been saving up for the Blue version since 1987. The money will pay for my funeral, I can't see me ever needing it for an Everton PL winners commemorative watch during my lifetime.

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Originally Posted by robert75

Had a bit more of a look at the brand and website. Website looks very Kickstarter to be honest though with their father backing them I would suggest they are in good hands and have a fair idea of what direction they wish to take.

I think the Liverpool link is going to work both ways for the club and the company who are local businessmen. It will be interesting to see where they go from here.

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But... With 20 clubs in the premiership surely they have just alienated the other 95% of football fans???

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Originally Posted by redmonaco

But... With 20 clubs in the premiership surely they have just alienated the other 95% of football fans???

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Thats only one watch in their line up, they seem to be selling other stuff too. I doubt fans of other clubs will care any more than when other brands choose to sponsor a club, player etc.... Personally it wouldnt bother me if say Bremont or Garrick chose to sponsor their local club.

I have to be honest I am quite pleased to see Chris continuing with the watch business (One of the other founders of CW is from Formby by the way on Merseyside)

Hello Chums,

Long time no see - so did anyone buy one of these? I came across the brand and was curious.

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Originally Posted by Alansmithee

Hello Chums,

Long time no see - so did anyone buy one of these? I came across the brand and was curious.

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No, but welcome back [emoji106]

So far this is still the only thread on this forum with the word Tribus in it.

Of course, no conclusion can be drawn from this one forum alone but there are only three reviews/unboxings on YouTube (cursory search and haven't watched the videos). The most-viewed video on the Tribus YouTube channel has 292 views with what looks like an interview with Jamie Carragher only pulling in 63 viewers...

It doesn't look like it's going well, and all this with the (now apparently pulled) backing of Liverpool FC and the decent name recognition of Christopher Ward's involvement.

With Liverpool’s moment in the sun over now for a while, these will die on the vine if they haven’t already.

https://tribus-watches.com/

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Originally Posted by Alansmithee

https://tribus-watches.com/

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Least surprising news


So WTF was it all about? Too much cocaine use? Tax write-off? Nasty head-injury? Fever-dream?

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Originally Posted by earlofsodbury

Least surprising news


So WTF was it all about? Too much cocaine use? Tax write-off? Nasty head-injury? Fever-dream?

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What were the prices? I never looked.

Lack of marketing too, by the looks of it.

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Originally Posted by markrlondon

What were the prices? I never looked.

Lack of marketing too, by the looks of it.

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Low 4-figures iirc.

Started with much fanfare with a watch only the fans of one particular soccer team might possibly want, never heard from again even though apparently produced a number of more mainstream models.

Bit of a loss to know what to think of it all TBH.

I liked the TRI-01 range and nearly bought one in their 70% off sale but didnt have the colourway i wanted. Also liked the My Dog Sighs models but not at that price. Overall i think too expensive and the sale wouldn't have gone down well with existing customers that had paid full price.
The brand didnt get much attention on here but got a lot more on the Christopher ward forums.

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Originally Posted by earlofsodbury

Low 4-figures iirc.

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Ouch. A digit too many perhaps.

Thanks.

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Originally Posted by markrlondon

Ouch. A digit too many perhaps.

Thanks.

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I think very few people paid that - there were always discounts and I think they were 80% off at the end...

However some very hopeful sellers on ebay 😂

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Originally Posted by Rob s

... the sale wouldn't have gone down well with existing customers that had paid full price ...

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So, exactly what the original CW used to do - to the everlasting irritation of customers? :cower:

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Originally Posted by earlofsodbury

So, exactly what the original CW used to do - to the everlasting irritation of customers? :cower:

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That's a fair point, I also wouldn't pay full price for a CW. The sales do hurt the brand. Obviously discounts are available on a lot of watch brands but most are a bit more subtle.

The watches I tried appeared to be very cheaply made (wobbly crowns, very basic case press, just felt very cheap).

It probably made Mr Wards children some money for doing very little (investors money that it!!...)

CW just seems quite good at raising funds and spending them IMO (like a lot of "entrepreneurs" these days...

I liked some of their models but their retail prices were too high based on the specification and competition as examples.

Well that's that then. They had something ridiculous like an 80% off sale around the end of last year / start of this year, the writing was on the wall at that time. A shame, but doesn't feel like a surprise.

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Originally Posted by redmonaco

CW just seems quite good at raising funds and spending them IMO (like a lot of "entrepreneurs" these days...

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It's the modern business model innit: Raise loadsamoney, spend money like rain in a thunderstorm, create market presence at vast loss, then profit in the longer run. In theory.

It seems to be working for Bremont and Christopher Ward.



(Disclaimer: I know that Bremont has VC funding but in actual fact I've no idea about CW. So apologies to CW if it's all self-financed).

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Originally Posted by robert75

Do they not own their own factory now and actually helped out a few other brands in the past?

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Which brand did they help out?

The only other company I know of was the merger with their factory, i.e. their OEM, Synergies Horlogères. This was a merger of equals as far as official communications were concerned, although I've not bothered to search for the financials. It was certainly a good deal from CW's side I reckon.

It follows the path that Rolex and many others have followed.

Yep, Meistersinger. They promoted them on the CW website and gave a decent discount.

I have a bit of a soft spot for Meistersinger, lived close to Münster and spent quite a lot of time there, would love to see them do well.

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Originally Posted by robert75

Meister Singer, it was a few years ago.

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Originally Posted by Papa Hotel

Yep, Meistersinger. They promoted them on the CW website and gave a decent discount.

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Interesting, thanks. I never noticed that.

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Originally Posted by robert75

I think CW shared movements with them in the past hence the link.

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Ah yes, I remember that. I was just never aware that CW was selling Meistersinger watches on their own website.

At the time, if I remember correctly, Synergies Horlogères was making the movements for Meistersinger. This same movement with minimal changes then magically became CW's 'in house' movement for their own single hand watches. Then CW and SH merged, making the 'in house' claim retrospectively true by default. All as I recall.