Every man's watches in different countries
Since there are probably users from a lot of different countries here, I am curious to know what is the "every man's" or "mall watch" brand in your country. In the US it's Timex I think?
In Finland it is Leijona (lion). It has been operating since 1907 and back then they imported watches from Switzerland. Reasent years their watches have been mostly made in China. There is a Swiss made collection with in the brand still. It is the most sold watch in Finland.
The watches are mosty quartz, excluding some LEs.
Then there is a Leijona Heritage collection, witch are more high end and has been made in collaboration with Kari Voutilainen a Finnish master watchmaker.
So I'm curious to hear is there a similar brand in other countries?
The watch in the picture is my Leijona 1917 limited edition, they made 250 of these and mine is 149. I't gold plated, with an acrylic crystal and has the miyota 8n33 hand wound movement inside. I payed something like 200€ for it knew.
Bit over forty years old guy who spends too much time checking other guys wrists.
In the UK its Sekonda. Originally founded in the sixties, these were Soviet watches with Soviet movements but a different name on the dial. They were supposed to get a decent quality movement on the wrist of the every man. When the Soviet Union collapsed, they shipped production over to Hong Kong and since then have been making only quartz.
I do find their slogan funny though.
"Tells time. Looks good"
Now I may be wrong, but is that not the bare minimum of what a wristwatch should do? It's like if Toyotas new slogan was "Gets you places. Doesn't break" (actually that is rather fitting for Toyota)
Perhaps someone with better internet skills or industry insider information can help here, but this is a hard question to answer in the United States. At many times in the last 50 years the answer would have been Timex. I am not sure that Timex is top five now. Over 40% of the US market is smart watches, so Apple may lead in units sold. For non-smart watches it seems that Rolex is the leader in value of watches sold among traditional watches. I can't find figures for units sold for traditional watches. I will guess Casio.
In the UK its Sekonda. Originally founded in the sixties, these were Soviet watches with Soviet movements but a different name on the dial. They were supposed to get a decent quality movement on the wrist of the every man. When the Soviet Union collapsed, they shipped production over to Hong Kong and since then have been making only quartz.
I do find their slogan funny though.
"Tells time. Looks good"
Now I may be wrong, but is that not the bare minimum of what a wristwatch should do? It's like if Toyotas new slogan was "Gets you places. Doesn't break" (actually that is rather fitting for Toyota)
I’d say Accurist is at least on a par with Sekonda reputation wise.
In the U.K. I would say that on most average high streets you will find:-
Sekonda
Accurist
Seiko (bottom end Quartz offerings)
Citizen
Bulova
Pulsar
Lorus
Casio
and then…… all the Chinese Quartz rubbish fashion brands by clothing companies etc which the U.K. masses actually believe the higher the price the better the watch.
Hugo Boss, Vivienne Westwood, Gucci, Michael Kors. To name but a few.
If you go to the Cities and posher spa towns you will then enter the world of Omega/Rolex et al.
US mall watches? Seiko, Citizen, Fossil, Bulova (and lots of fashion watches like Calvin Klein, DKNY, Kenneth Cole, etc) ... Walmart and Target? Casio and Timex.
@Aurelian , could you give your source for "Over 40% of the US market is smart watches..."?
To me, this seems possible based on dollars, but I would be absolutely blown away if this were true based on units sold.
@Aurelian , could you give your source for "Over 40% of the US market is smart watches..."?
To me, this seems possible based on dollars, but I would be absolutely blown away if this were true based on units sold.
Based on "units worn" in my neck of the woods (mid-Atlantic of the US), the majority of watches I see are Apple Watches, so that 40% sounds about right.
Many people think that in Russia the most favorite brand is UN, but it all remained in the 90s. Today, the most popular are Rolex/Omega and Seiko/Casio. In addition, our domestic brand, Raketa, has been gaining momentum recently. They make watches dedicated to our historical achievements. For example, a model with a steel bezel from a rocket with a strap from a spacesuit.
I agree with the assessment, regardless of what the actual percentage is, that the US is predominantly smart watches, though I’m not sure what the breakdown is between Apple and others. I can tell one from another.
In the UK its Sekonda. Originally founded in the sixties, these were Soviet watches with Soviet movements but a different name on the dial. They were supposed to get a decent quality movement on the wrist of the every man. When the Soviet Union collapsed, they shipped production over to Hong Kong and since then have been making only quartz.
I do find their slogan funny though.
"Tells time. Looks good"
Now I may be wrong, but is that not the bare minimum of what a wristwatch should do? It's like if Toyotas new slogan was "Gets you places. Doesn't break" (actually that is rather fitting for Toyota)
Interesting. I have heard of Seconda but never thought it was a UK brand.
Perhaps someone with better internet skills or industry insider information can help here, but this is a hard question to answer in the United States. At many times in the last 50 years the answer would have been Timex. I am not sure that Timex is top five now. Over 40% of the US market is smart watches, so Apple may lead in units sold. For non-smart watches it seems that Rolex is the leader in value of watches sold among traditional watches. I can't find figures for units sold for traditional watches. I will guess Casio.
I'm sure applewatches are very popular and casio too.
What I was hoping to hear was what are the watchbrands similar ti Leijona in othe countries.
Brands that are very well known in their own country, but not in other countries.
I’d say Accurist is at least on a par with Sekonda reputation wise.
Have heard of Accurist also and knew to assosiate it with UK.😊
In the U.K. I would say that on most average high streets you will find:-
Sekonda
Accurist
Seiko (bottom end Quartz offerings)
Citizen
Bulova
Pulsar
Lorus
Casio
and then…… all the Chinese Quartz rubbish fashion brands by clothing companies etc which the U.K. masses actually believe the higher the price the better the watch.
Hugo Boss, Vivienne Westwood, Gucci, Michael Kors. To name but a few.
If you go to the Cities and posher spa towns you will then enter the world of Omega/Rolex et al.
The fashion watches are popular here too.
But otherwise from that list Seiko and Casio are the ones you see here. Lorus in occasion.
Many people think that in Russia the most favorite brand is UN, but it all remained in the 90s. Today, the most popular are Rolex/Omega and Seiko/Casio. In addition, our domestic brand, Raketa, has been gaining momentum recently. They make watches dedicated to our historical achievements. For example, a model with a steel bezel from a rocket with a strap from a spacesuit.
Looks like a cool watch.👍
I definetly know of Raketa and Vostok, I own the scubadude.😊 Also know Poljot.
But help me put with UN?
I’d say Accurist is at least on a par with Sekonda reputation wise.
It was a tossup between Sekonda Accurist and rotary but (at least in my experience) Sekonda is more prevalent. May be regional differences though
I'm sure applewatches are very popular and casio too.
What I was hoping to hear was what are the watchbrands similar ti Leijona in othe countries.
Brands that are very well known in their own country, but not in other countries.
You are too late. The American watch industry never really survived the Second World War. Waltham and Gruen did not make it out of the 1950's. The biggest, Elgin, was defunct by 1968. Bulova and Wittnauer are owned by Citizen. Hamilton is part of Swatch. Timex is really a Dutch multinational owned by Norwegians. These were all distinctly American brands. What is left are microbrands and a few small brands like Hampden.
Perhaps, only Armitron fits your question.
🤔🤔 I think in France would be Festina (mainly quartz movements) I'd say I've seen the brand throughout the teen-elderly person range.
In Mexico Casio is definitely the king and q&q (citizen's sub-brand) is rather big too!!
🤔🤔 I think in France would be Festina (mainly quartz movements) I'd say I've seen the brand throughout the teen-elderly person range.
In Mexico Casio is definitely the king and q&q (citizen's sub-brand) is rather big too!!
I own a Festina and q&q they were gifts. Was suprised to learn that q&q has some history, tought they were new brand.
In the UK and Ireland I would also add Rotary to Sekonda, lower end Citizen and Seiko, Accurist, Casio and the awful clothing brand watches etc basically anything you can buy in H Samuel or Argos. Some of the quartz Rotary chronographs are cheap homage to the Navitimer with a slide rule bezel.