Please explain Kobold to me

[WatchScout]

What's the deal with the SMG-1 and the Dievas Vortex? Did Kobold design the case, get Fricker to make it, then Fricker started selling them to Dievas? Or was it Fricker from the start, and Kobold designed the face and the bezel?

Still v. nice looking watches...

Fricker made cases for Kobold. This came to chrashing halt. The Vortex case is the same case as supplied to Kobold.

There are more lurid details to this. I have not dog in this fight though, so if you want to know a bit more, PM me.

[Umbongo]

are you referring to the same "Team America" that saved your a$$ back in '41-'45?

Enjoy the big wedding tomorrow. :thumbleft:

Thats another thing that would really put me off the kobold, or ANY watch - an american forces connection of any kind! The whole "TEAM AMERICA! F*** YEAH!", attitude turns my stomach.

No I think he's referring to the Team America that waited until Britain and its Empire had stood fighting alone long enough for Germany to give up on Britain and go for the Soviet Union, a move that eventually proved its undoing.

Yep. Those are the americans I was referring to. The ones we, unfortunately, are left with today. For a backward rogue colony they dont half make a noise!

Touched a raw nerve, did I laddies? Well not to worry, I won’t be rubbing salt into your wounds.

Eye opening? Only kind of suprising as this is a watch discussion board, but as I’ve learned over the years, these boards are populated by a typical cross-section of society, including the feeble of mind and those lacking in self-awareness.

My initial response was directed to ‘bongo who in his short time here has decided he can use this forum to ejaculate his negativity towards the United States. One need read only a few of his previous posts to get a picture of his feelings. What he thinks of the United States of America and Americans in general isn’t important, but we are all guests here and this forum is a place to discuss watches.

There are numerous other forums more befitting that would allow him to thoroughly articulate his refreshing perspectives on America and the war, and undoubtedly receive much admiration and accolades.

My best regards to all.

Hey. Some of you are ok. Theres an exception to prove every rule! Glad youve been following my posts bub. "Have a nice day!". :usa2:

[jwg663]

Didn't Bill Clinton wear one when he was President?

Pretty good product placement I think...

I think he did, but it's a Glycine that's got BJ on the dial :wink: :wink: :lol: :lol: :D :D

[sijoc]

So, somebody please explain Kobold, or at least the justification for their prices, to me.

Yikes. Here we go. This thread has been here before and every other watch forum for the last 5 + years.
I am an unabashed admirer of the watches and have cycled through many of them. I've bought a few new but never paid more than $1800. Each one I have had, including many more bought 2nd hand, has been worn and sold at that dreadful thing on this forum - profit. Nothing major in most cases, but they certainly pay for themselves, paypal fees and postage and a few bucks to add to the next watch! Can't say that with 99% of all other makers/brands. It makes buying and selling watches fun and inexpensive.

Simple demand and supply addresses the new prices.

[sijoc]

I like a lot of them, if the Commanche had a bracelet I might even have succumbed.

Mine's on a Kobold bracelet. :D

[burnside]

I don't like to see Anti-American sentiment, at this time the are fighting alonside each other and dying in some countries and have a shared interest, aim and beliefs.

We in times gone by have been as arrogant as they are portrayed to be and still are, not to mention acting inappropriately abroad. You can knock the US and the UK and Western Countries but at the end of the day who supplies aid and expertise when required, who tries to help, us and them, usually with very little thanks and no its not always to oil/mineral rich countries.

A bit of good natured banter is the way its always been no need to get nasty.

As regards Kobold, nice watch well put together, a little pricey unless purchased second hand.

[sijoc]

are you referring to the same "Team America" that saved your a$$ back in '41-'45?

Enjoy the big wedding tomorrow. :thumbleft:

Thats another thing that would really put me off the kobold, or ANY watch - an american forces connection of any kind! The whole "TEAM AMERICA! F*** YEAH!", attitude turns my stomach.

No I think he's referring to the Team America that waited until Britain and its Empire had stood fighting alone long enough for Germany to give up on Britain and go for the Soviet Union, a move that eventually proved its undoing.

Interesting historical perspective.
Tell me how y'all were doing WWI too?
Oh, and the air support/surveillance for the Falklands war too.

[sijoc]

are you referring to the same "Team America" that saved your a$$ back in '41-'45?

Enjoy the big wedding tomorrow. :thumbleft:

I wonder if the American Ambassador will turn up 2 days late?

Probably will if he's wearing a Kobold. :twisted:

[sijoc]

I don't like to see Anti-American sentiment, at this time the are fighting alonside each other and dying in some countries and have a shared interest, aim and beliefs.

We in times gone by have been as arrogant as they are portrayed to be and still are, not to mention acting inappropriately abroad. You can knock the US and the UK and Western Countries but at the end of the day who supplies aid and expertise when required, who tries to help, us and them, usually with very little thanks and no its not always to oil/mineral rich countries.

A bit of good natured banter is the way its always been no need to get nasty.

As regards Kobold, nice watch well put together, a little pricey unless purchased second hand.

Well said, sir.
I see the UK as a little America. Just a little behind.
Maybe a pun was intended. :twisted:

[burnside]

At least the UK and US are not as bad as Australia ;)

There's only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other
people's cultures and the Dutch.

[Umbongo]

At least the UK and US are not as bad as Australia ;)

There's only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other
people's cultures and the Dutch.

:lol: :lol: :lol: Actually, in spite of myself, I quite like the aussies - theyre one of the only countries who, like the English, can swear properly!

[PekkaM]

They exist so that Bremont prices look (slightly) more realistic. :wink:

Don't forget the 3000€ Invicta ;)

[Umbongo]

I don't like to see Anti-American sentiment, at this time the are fighting alonside each other and dying in some countries and have a shared interest, aim and beliefs.

We in times gone by have been as arrogant as they are portrayed to be and still are, not to mention acting inappropriately abroad. You can knock the US and the UK and Western Countries but at the end of the day who supplies aid and expertise when required, who tries to help, us and them, usually with very little thanks and no its not always to oil/mineral rich countries.

A bit of good natured banter is the way its always been no need to get nasty.

As regards Kobold, nice watch well put together, a little pricey unless purchased second hand.

Well said, sir.
I see the UK as a little America. Just a little behind.
Maybe a pun was intended. :twisted:

As opposed to complete behinds! :bootyshake:

[burnside]

Nah they're ok, its the Welsh i can't stand ;)

[sijoc]

Wait a minute!
Shouldn't you limeys be watching that commoner become a princess or something. Let's hope she doesn't do a Fergie and come here selling things.

Maybe theres a pun there also. :roll:

[Umbongo]

Nice to see a bird doing well for herself! :lol:
Mind you, all credit to the yanks for taking fergie off our hands! A match made in heaven there! Many thanks! :salute:

[t20569cald]

Well now, on a 'NATO spotting' thread on another forum I made the comment that I had just watched the first couple of episodes of the new Hawaii 5-0 (apparently the new Danno is James Caan's son, but I digress) and the new McGarrett, some Australian plank, sports his watch on a NATO strap but I was unable to identify it.

Ho-hum, chimes up some chappy, the cast wear Kobolds.

So, curiosity led me to look at their website - not bad but 5 grand a pop!

I know that 5 large is not a lot for watch, I know that handing over that amount for a Rolex, Cartier, IWC, etc. buys not just the hardware on your wrist but all the baggage that goes with it - history, marketing, Aerobatic team running costs, George Clooney's retirement fund and so on. But Kobold has no history, expensive marketing strategy that I know of, it is just another artisanal assembler, unless I am missing something. Eddie, Bill Yao, Kemmner, Squale et al all turn out a high quality, extremey well finished, fit for purpose tick-tock for a few hundred dollars, pounds, euros or whatever.

So, somebody please explain Kobold, or at least the justification for their prices, to me.

Quite simple really, one word, "Retail"
It costs a lot to get German or Swiss made, non Asian stamped cases.
Costs a lot for German or Swiss dials, tooling, Swiss hands, movements in lower volumes, etc.
There are another 30 or 40 other costs as well. Even the stationary for a small office costs a heap.

So you have high production costs, then to take it retail, no retailer wants it, unless he gets 50% of the profits or so.
To make it possible, you have to hike the price up to reflect this.
Then as a business you want to make something, so up a touch more, then you pay an actor to wear it, or three. So have to get that money back somehow.
Without a group of companies behind them to keep production costs down with a network of dealers who tow the line because your one of the big boys that make their existence possible, then everyone along the way wants a big piece of the pie.

[TheFlyingBanana]

are you referring to the same "Team America" that saved your a$$ back in '41-'45?

Enjoy the big wedding tomorrow. :thumbleft:

Thats another thing that would really put me off the kobold, or ANY watch - an american forces connection of any kind! The whole "TEAM AMERICA! F*** YEAH!", attitude turns my stomach.

No I think he's referring to the Team America that waited until Britain and its Empire had stood fighting alone long enough for Germany to give up on Britain and go for the Soviet Union, a move that eventually proved its undoing.

It is an uncomfortable fact for Americans that there were more British forces in contact with the enemy until late 1944, and had been for five long years since the beginning of WW2 in 1939.

Don't get me wrong, I am eternally grateful for American assistance in WW2, but Hitler effectively lost the war in 1940 when he tried and failed to defeat Britain. It was then a matter of time before Nazi Germany was defeated, as the British Empire became fully mobilised and poured manpower and resources into the global conflict.

Entering the two and only world wars late, and then claiming all the credit for winning is somewhat ludicrous.

[TheFlyingBanana]

Interesting posts. I know many feel the US should be thrown into the sea for things like Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and 'Mob Wives', but these sentiments are eye opening to me.

I wouldn't take too many of them seriously...

I am a great fan of America and love the country and people. But I do also have a genuine grasp of world history and our place in it.

[Umbongo]

Interesting posts. I know many feel the US should be thrown into the sea for things like Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and 'Mob Wives', but these sentiments are eye opening to me.

I wouldn't take too many of them seriously...

I am a great fan of America and love the country and people. But I do also have a genuine grasp of world history and our place in it.

So, youre saying that WW2 WASNT won single-handedly by John Rambo in operation thunderbolt eagle lightning godpunch? Thats not what this american school book says...

[t20569cald]

are you referring to the same "Team America" that saved your a$$ back in '41-'45?

Enjoy the big wedding tomorrow. :thumbleft:

Thats another thing that would really put me off the kobold, or ANY watch - an american forces connection of any kind! The whole "TEAM AMERICA! F*** YEAH!", attitude turns my stomach.

No I think he's referring to the Team America that waited until Britain and its Empire had stood fighting alone long enough for Germany to give up on Britain and go for the Soviet Union, a move that eventually proved its undoing.

It is an uncomfortable fact for Americans that there were more British forces in contact with the enemy until late 1944, and had been for five long years since the beginning of WW2 in 1939.

Don't get me wrong, I am eternally grateful for American assistance in WW2, but Hitler effectively lost the war in 1940 when he tried and failed to defeat Britain. It was then a matter of time before Nazi Germany was defeated, as the British Empire became fully mobilised and poured manpower and resources into the global conflict.

Entering the two and only world wars late, and then claiming all the credit for winning is somewhat ludicrous.

The fact is this is a watch forum, and all of you are now talking crap.
Most Brits i know, know little about WW2 , same as most Americans i know. They know some on one particular bit, and thats it. To make a statement that Germany lost the war when it tried and failed to defeat Britten in 1940, just goes to show how ignorant you are.
Its more likely that Germany (numbers never to be known accurately) lost more men on the Eastern front, than the UK even had in the whole war.
This is like a discussion on religion or politics, goes nowhere.
So maybe its time to get back to the subject we all know a little about?

[spluurfg]

So maybe its time to get back to the subject we all know a little about?

Yes. Kobolds. Pointlessly overpriced in my opinion. And yes I'm American. I wouldn't buy one for $2,000 let alone $5,000.

[Umbongo]

are you referring to the same "Team America" that saved your a$$ back in '41-'45?

Enjoy the big wedding tomorrow. :thumbleft:

Thats another thing that would really put me off the kobold, or ANY watch - an american forces connection of any kind! The whole "TEAM AMERICA! F*** YEAH!", attitude turns my stomach.

No I think he's referring to the Team America that waited until Britain and its Empire had stood fighting alone long enough for Germany to give up on Britain and go for the Soviet Union, a move that eventually proved its undoing.

It is an uncomfortable fact for Americans that there were more British forces in contact with the enemy until late 1944, and had been for five long years since the beginning of WW2 in 1939.

Don't get me wrong, I am eternally grateful for American assistance in WW2, but Hitler effectively lost the war in 1940 when he tried and failed to defeat Britain. It was then a matter of time before Nazi Germany was defeated, as the British Empire became fully mobilised and poured manpower and resources into the global conflict.

Entering the two and only world wars late, and then claiming all the credit for winning is somewhat ludicrous.

The fact is this is a watch forum, and all of you are now talking crap.
Most Brits i know, know little about WW2 , same as most Americans i know. They know some on one particular bit, and thats it. To make a statement that Germany lost the war when it tried and failed to defeat Britten in 1940, just goes to show how ignorant you are.
Its more likely that Germany (numbers never to be known accurately) lost more men on the Eastern front, than the UK even had in the whole war.
This is like a discussion on religion or politics, goes nowhere.
So maybe its time to get back to the subject we all know a little about?

Ay up lads - the expert's arrived! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
However, the who won the war discussion is boring me now, so back to watches...

[aikiman44]

Actually, David Downing's 'Sealing Their Fate, The 22 Days That Decided WWII: "advances the.. case that the German failure to take Moscow, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the British launching of Operation Crusader in North Africa established the conditions for Axis defeat."

Todd knows whereof he speaks.

[TheFlyingBanana]

failed to defeat Britten in 1940, just goes to show how ignorant you are.

:D :D :D

Oh the irony...

[t20569cald]

failed to defeat Britten in 1940, just goes to show how ignorant you are.

:D :D :D

Oh the irony...

Pulling part of a sentence out,,, and claiming its irony,,
I stand by the ignorant comment then. I almost felt bad writing it before.

Anyway, Kobold has high prices because it went retail and needed to make a profit of some type, has high production costs, and after paying an actor they most
likely are trying to cement their spot in the market while their marketing is working.

[TheFlyingBanana]

failed to defeat Britten in 1940, just goes to show how ignorant you are.

:D :D :D

Oh the irony...

Pulling part of a sentence out,,, and claiming its irony,,
I stand by the ignorant comment then. I almost felt bad writing it before..

The irony was you accused me of being ignorant, and had totally miss-spelled "Britain"...

See? :D

It's a bit like me accusing you of being an Amerikann idiot.

[Umbongo]

It'll be interesting to see how he replies to that. Possibly he'll try to claim he miss-spelled it on purpose for some really clever reason or other, or perhaps he'll launch a few insults over the fence.
Either way you have the upper hand.

[t20569cald]

It'll be interesting to see how he replies to that. Possibly he'll try to claim he miss-spelled it on purpose for some really clever reason or other, or perhaps he'll launch a few insults over the fence.
Either way you have the upper hand.

Actually i dont care how i typed it. Spelling is only medium on my list priorities.
Could have been an interesting thread

[t20569cald]

failed to defeat Britten in 1940, just goes to show how ignorant you are.

:D :D :D

Oh the irony...

Pulling part of a sentence out,,, and claiming its irony,,
I stand by the ignorant comment then. I almost felt bad writing it before..

The irony was you accused me of being ignorant, and had totally miss-spelled "Britain"...

See? :D

It's a bit like me accusing you of being an Amerikann idiot.

OK, fair point, cant really argue with that :o