Similar Cases, a Case Study... of Cases.
I noticed that my recent Baltic Aquascaphe and Merkur Dirty Dozen homage both have very similar cases and case finishing.
Here's a few photos of what I mean:
The brushed 316L stainless steel cases feel the same in the hands, from the mid case feel, brushing of the lugs and case backs. The finishing is also better on the Baltic of course.
This is not a dig at Baltic at all, rather a spotlight of just how good value the Merkur is... And it fits O-so well on that 20mm beads of rice bracelet.
Both watches are at very different price points:
The Baltic on Beads of rice bracelet is $715
The Merkur was $60 shipped.
(The Merkur (Seizenn sub brand) has been an excellent little reliable hand wind field watch over the past year for the money. Full review someday when I'm bored enough)
Baltic is also very transparent on their website that parts are manufactured in Hong Kong, assembled & adjusted in France:
We want to be transparent about our production, and avoid contributing to the ambiguity that has been the bane of the horology industry for over 20 years. We manufacture and assemble in three different regions:
In Hong Kong for the production of the majority of our components
In France for the assembly and adjustment of our watches and the production of straps
In Italy for our accessories line
Once the various components are manufactured, we send them to our atelier in Besançon, France to be assembled and adjusted.
I appreciate this transparency from Baltic, most other microbrands either don't discuss this aspect or assume you already know that this is the reality of modern manufacturing in the global market.
Hey, perhaps my Merkur's stepped case resembles earlier Baltic HMS / Bi-Compax case designs as well. Who knows, they might come from the same factory, having just chosen a generic case off the shelf when Baltic was just starting out.
Thank you for attending TED talk, inspired by sick day boredom & fueled by cough syrup, exploring how my most expensive and cheapest (non-casio) watches share a similar case.
I like affordable & unique watches.
An honesty is always a big plus in my eyes. Go Baltic!
Most of the micro brands get their parts in China just like the big guys and usually off the shelf varieties probably the same factory
One kitchen in the back...
It’s a great discussion. Although… just because there is a standard case you can get your micro brands hands on doesn’t mean you should. MB’s can design and tool parts from the wrist up in several countries. Some choose a standard case, perhaps to keep costs down, but I am not a fan of that standard “look”, per se. That said, love what Baltic is up to beyond the case…
Your eyes are opening to the way there are many microbrands, based in the West, and sprinkling their fairy dust from the West's perspective, and using the Apple-esque 'Designed in {insert Western country}', but when it comes down to it, they're getting their parts either made bespoke for cheap, or straight out of Chinese factory parts bins ('Hong Kong' is always a favourite of mine, as if Hong Kong is somehow unrelated to China), and the overall cost isn't as much as their RRPs suggest. Your Merkur shows you as much. The mark-ups that some 'Western' microbrands pull, and get away with, is quite astounding. One of the reasons you'll often hear me remark that life's too short for microbrands.