# Victorinox watch brand



## pistolero

I'm wondering if this brand is considered as just another Fashion brand since they primarily make, and is known for their knives and travel gear . I have my eye on some of their higher end mechanical watches and i'm curious if they hold up their value as well as "proper" Swiss watchmakers like Oris and Tag Heuer, which also make entry level watches in the same price range as the high end Victorinox that I am looking at.


----------



## Reliefcp

Victorinox makes solid watches. I would say they dont hold their value off their retail price but what brand does? They use some nice ETA movements in their higher priced watches and their attention to detail is about in the Hamilton range. I have owned several and if you can find a watch priced in the $500 range you will get a very nice watch for the money spent. Good lume too.


----------



## T-hunter

Never cared much for them, nice pocket knives though.


----------



## Beau8

Before the advent of "fashionable watches", you had Swatch and Swiss Army. Both were and still are entry level Swiss Made watches at reasonable price-points.


----------



## Aleric

I think they are good watches. I have a Swiss Army (Victorinox), and a couple of Wengers (same company now) in my collection. No complaints whatsoever.


----------



## mb8780

The Dive master 500 is a great start


----------



## por44

Solid, dependable and fairly priced (if you get a sizable discount)


----------



## baronrojo

And may I add...good looking? Victorinox watches are very nice to look at. Someone there is doing something right as most people have nothing but nice things to say about them.


----------



## celwin

baronrojo said:


> And may I add...good looking? Victorinox watches are very nice to look at. Someone there is doing something right as most people have nothing but nice things to say about them.


Completely agreed. they have some of the best looking watches around. In fact my next piece to my collection will be a Victorinox Crhono I saw at a local jeweler.


----------



## Elgin

Very solid watches. I love them! Make sure you are not paying retail, because they can be had for relatively inexpensive amounts if you have patience and shop around.

I recently purchased an Ambassador Auto, and an Ambassador XL mechanical for $500 total (shipping include). At that price, I should be able to recoup the majority of my cost, if I needed to sell. So far though, I can see a reason I would ever want to sell them.


----------



## GMT-II

I own a Dive Master 500. 

No complaint. Very good watch for the money paid. 316L SS casing and bracelet. 500m water resistance. Generpus amount of super luminova applied on hand ,dial and bezel. Other more prestige brand, probably need to fork out few hundred dollard more for the same kind of spec with swiss made.


----------



## Boxer

I don't consider Victorinox a fashion brand since they use ETA mechanical movements in many models. The lume is great on my DM500 also. I view fashion watches as being designed just to achieve a certain look while not caring about the movement inside or small details like lume or the nice date magnifier applied under the crystal on the DM500. The Swiss Army models were obviously designed with emphasis on function and not just styling.


----------



## Auroch

Boxer said:


> I don't consider Victorinox a fashion brand since they use ETA mechanical movements in many models. The lume is great on my DM500 also. I view fashion watches as being designed just to achieve a certain look while not caring about the movement inside or small details like lume or the nice date magnifier applied under the crystal on the DM500. The Swiss Army models were obviously designed with emphasis on function and not just styling.


But invicta uses ETA movements in some of their models ... and they're def. a fashion brand


----------



## Beef Hardcake

This. I've owned a few VSA models and have been favorably impressed with the quality. I own and regularly wear a Chrono Classic XLS and love it. Good quality worksmanship, sapphire crystal, very solid feel to it. I also wouldn't call them a fashion brand, because on most of what I consider 'fashion' brands (Diesel, Guess!, etc.) the drop in quality from a VSA is hugely noticeable.


----------



## rm7pr

Wife bought me this watch at Macy's for about $100 eight years ago. I used it daily without any problems till about 4 months ago (that's cause I discovered WUS). Now the wife uses it daily without any problems. So I'm gonna say Victorinox Swiss Army is outstanding. Bty does anyone have a nice chrono auto from VSA? Looking for one now. Thx


----------



## jasoland

I like the Casio Watch Brand over.....


----------



## CrystalBall

In my experience, VSA are pretty good. I think that there are better options out there for similar money or less, though. In the UK the cheapest Infantry Quartz is £220, which compares unfavourably with brands such as Tissot and Seiko. You can get an entry-level Certina for ~£250, which IMHO is a better buy. I don't tend to distinguish between "fashion" and "real" watches, as I think this is a blurred area. A lot of Swiss luxury watch brands are very fashion-orientated, e.g. Rado and Cartier. Omega and Pequignet also market products like jewellery, perfume and leather goods. I think a lot of it is based on individual perception, really.


----------



## Memphis1

at the height of my collection I had 50 VSA's... I think a lot of people are misinformed. Not a single VSA in my collection gave me headaches. I've sold most because I want to pick up a rolex deepsea and a damasko dc66 and i'm pretty sure that the rolex and damasko are gonna give me a headace or two. The way i see it, VSA's are lexus cars and the Rolex and Damasko are a ferrari and a mercedes g500; both costs more and are viewed as high end, but are more high maintenance and sometimes the thought of getting rid of them will cross your mind. btw, i think of seikos as honda civics, cheap and reliable, but i would never own one.


----------



## Monocrom

My old $55 Timex Expedition exhibited far better Q.C. than the two Victorinox watches I used to own. Thankfully I was able to return them to the two different places I bought them from. One was a $200 Field model that I honestly loved. Crystal was defective. Moisture always got inside the watch and would fog up the dial for days at a time. Another was a $450 model that I loved a bit less. Still, I thought it was excellent. Until I discovered the case was cut lopsided and would cut off circulation to my wrist if I wore it for longer than an hour. 

Still, I must admit that Victorinox watches have a certain beauty to them. If you decide on one, examine it very carefully before you buy. And make sure the store has an excellent return policy.


----------



## CrystalBall

Memphis1 said:


> at the height of my collection I had 50 VSA's... I think a lot of people are misinformed. Not a single VSA in my collection gave me headaches. I've sold most because I want to pick up a rolex deepsea and a damasko dc66 and i'm pretty sure that the rolex and damasko are gonna give me a headace or two. The way i see it, VSA's are lexus cars and the Rolex and Damasko are a ferrari and a mercedes g500; both costs more and are viewed as high end, but are more high maintenance and sometimes the thought of getting rid of them will cross your mind. btw, i think of seikos as honda civics, cheap and reliable, but i would never own one.


Memphis1, the VSA = Lexus, Seiko = Honda Civic analogy doesn't work for me. VSA is an entry-level Swiss watch, nothing more. They are decent watches, but Victorinox is a design, marketing and assembly operation, not a manufacture. Many of the components they use are imported from the Far East. Seiko design and make everything in-house, and it shows in the quality of their product. They make everything from affordable quartz watches to high-end mechanicals costing thousands of pounds. Regardless of price, VSA is not in the same league as Seiko.


----------



## Famousname

Check the sig. You can't miss with one of these. My first was an Ambassador XL mechanical. Wife sports this one now.


----------



## sandro

CrystalBall said:


> Memphis1, the VSA = Lexus, Seiko = Honda Civic analogy doesn't work for me. VSA is an entry-level Swiss watch, nothing more. They are decent watches, but Victorinox is a design, marketing and assembly operation, not a manufacture. Many of the components they use are imported from the Far East. Seiko design and make everything in-house, and it shows in the quality of their product. They make everything from affordable quartz watches to high-end mechanicals costing thousands of pounds. Regardless of price, VSA is not in the same league as Seiko.


Funny, but to a car person you're only re-enforcing the analogy. Lexus is merely a marketing front for a large (and one might argue very generic) auto manufacturer. Toyota is Lexus, Lexus is Toyota. They make reliable, dependable cars across a wide range of categories. I think of it as Toyota == Swatch. Lexus is just a marketing front for Toyota, but VSA is not much more than that for Swatch. VSA watches look great, they should they're dressed up versions of generic ETA mechanisms; much the same way Lexus are dressed up versions of Toyota chassis.

Honda is an entire end-to-end company. They make motors in a large range of form-factors (lawn mowers, generators, cars). You can get a Civic or a credible supercar from Honda (NSX). Until the recession killed it, they even raced Formula 1. Within Japan, Honda is seen as an innovator, while Toyota is the conservative choice.

Amusingly enough the real Swatch group of automobiles is probably Volkswagen AG. They make: Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, Seat, Skoda, VW, Scania, and from 1998-2002 they manufactured Rolls-Royce. They also make commercial trucks. As of last year the parent company to VW AG is now Porsche, so we can add them to the list.

(disclaimer, I've own Toyotas and VWs at the moment, but my motorcycle is a Ducati  ).


----------



## CrystalBall

sandro said:


> Funny, but to a car person you're only re-enforcing the analogy. Lexus is merely a marketing front for a large (and one might argue very generic) auto manufacturer. Toyota is Lexus, Lexus is Toyota. They make reliable, dependable cars across a wide range of categories. I think of it as Toyota == Swatch. Lexus is just a marketing front for Toyota, but VSA is not much more than that for Swatch. VSA watches look great, they should they're dressed up versions of generic ETA mechanisms; much the same way Lexus are dressed up versions of Toyota chassis.
> 
> Honda is an entire end-to-end company. They make motors in a large range of form-factors (lawn mowers, generators, cars). You can get a Civic or a credible supercar from Honda (NSX). Until the recession killed it, they even raced Formula 1. Within Japan, Honda is seen as an innovator, while Toyota is the conservative choice.
> 
> Amusingly enough the real Swatch group of automobiles is probably Volkswagen AG. They make: Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, Seat, Skoda, VW, Scania, and from 1998-2002 they manufactured Rolls-Royce. They also make commercial trucks. As of last year the parent company to VW AG is now Porsche, so we can add them to the list.
> 
> (disclaimer, I've own Toyotas and VWs at the moment, but my motorcycle is a Ducati  ).


I think I get your gist, although I'm not 100% sure! Watch-car analogies don't work for a variety of reasons, but the main point I was making is that VSA isn't a high end brand and Seiko isn't a "cheap and cheerful" manufacturer. Nor, incidently, is VSA part of Swatch Group. They are at about the same level as Tissot (although I would tend to put them slightly lower) but don't have the brand heritage. Tissot, unlike VSA, is part of Swatch Group! VSA design, assemble and market mid-range watches to be sold alongside a range of other products, their niche being Swiss made watches at an affordable price. Seiko, like many Japanese companies, have full market coverage. They make some watches that are cheaper than VSA and some that are more expensive.

The key difference between the two is not the extent of their market coverage but the fact that Seiko is one of the few true manufactures left. Every watch they sell is designed and made by them, not simply assembled from bought-in components. VSA could stop making watches and move into other areas, but for Seiko it is their core business. Love or hate VSA (and I happen to like them), I feel that, regardless of price, Seiko design and quality is superior. Seiko may not be a high-end aspirational brand in the same way that Omega or Breitling are, but they offer at least equivalent quality for a fraction of the price. And that is truly special.


----------



## Monocrom

The part about Lexus and Toyota is true to an extent. I've driven and ridden in a Toyota Avalon. A real sleeper in terms of luxury and comfort. And, an excellent bargain. Slap a Lexus badge on the front and the back, make no other changes at all; and the car could easily sell for an extra $3,000 with no problem. But Toyota is clearly doing something right since Lexus has been very successful over the years. 

Also, good news regarding the Honda NSX. Yup, Honda plans on actually introducing a new version soon.


----------



## Lukemc01

Say what you want about VSA, but at least they have a dedicated factory with decent movements. I was a little disappointed that my reg. sized Chrono Classic had a G10.211 movement whereas my Maverick (an older design...) still has the 251.272. The XL and Dive Master 500 Chronographs are 251.262s. Although everyone seems to be doing it - every Tissot Quartz Chronograph is a G10.211 now.

On the plus side, I picked up a couple Ambassador XLs recently for a song (Mechanical - Thanks Tinknocker! and an automatic Chrono). They are both amazingly accurate and I don't know where else you can find a watch with a Valgranges A07.211 movement for the price. The manual wind model has become my favorite.


PS And as my signature proves, I like my two "Seikos"...


----------



## Triton9

Toyota is seiko, Lexus is Grand seiko... Funny, I thought we are talking about VSA? LOL..


----------



## dualtime

I've owned a few over the years. They are very solid, well built watches..


----------



## jpv

Big fan of VSA. Their styling is great and they used high-quality components. They hold up favorably to my Glycine and Oris. In fact, for the under $1000 market, they might be the best deal out there.


----------



## Monocrom

jpv said:


> Big fan of VSA. Their styling is great and they used high-quality components. They hold up favorably to my Glycine and Oris. In fact, for the under $1000 market, they might be the best deal out there.


That distinction goes to Christopher Ward. The Two Victorinox watches I used to own proved defective for two different reasons, and ironically; bought at two different shops.


----------



## Famousname

Famousname said:


> Check the sig. You can't miss with one of these. My first was an Ambassador XL mechanical. Wife sports this one now.


Damn! I forgot I even own this watch! Where has she put that? Lovely watch, by the way. Looks like it cost twice as much, in person.


----------



## Ernie Romers

I agree, I own one (bought from a member in our sales corner) and wear it a lot.


----------



## Travelller

CrystalBall said:


> In my experience, VSA are pretty good. I think that there are better options out there for similar money or less, though...


After having bought my first (and probably last), my thoughts exactly. A great watch but overpriced. Tbh, I bought it before doing [all of] my homework. I have the Air Boss Mach 4 which uses the venerable Unitas [now ETA] 6498-2 ("high beats" version). After monitoring it for a week, it is the most accurate watch I own, averaging +1s/day... ! I like the looks of it from a _form_ POV, but _function_ is less evident as the seconds hand is more or less unreadable in a pinch _(but WTH, it looks cool!) _I was also attracted to these [Air Boss] models because of the internal bezel which acts as a count-down. Finally, the lume is half-decent and even dazzles for the first 30mins or so... . The 45mm case impresses, thin enough though, thanks to the hand-wound movement, to be very subtle on the wrist, underneath a sleeve.

So if someone gave it to me as a gift, I'd have only praise for the watch :-! But when you factor in the price (€1050/$1350 _list_ in the EU), the outlook changes a bit. With that kind of money, you can go with _Aerowatch, Alpina, Certina, Damasko, Glycine, Junghans, Meistersinger, Mido, Nivrel, Oris, Steinhart, Stowa, Tourby, Zeno, etc._ Or if you prefer, even military-tech with mechanical goodness from Lüm-Tec. Given the competition, I can only assume Victorinox is banking on name & current customer-base thanks to their venerable SAK, of which I own more than a handful...










Last but not least, regarding the 6498-2; The movement as found in the Air Boss is stock from ETA, with even the "Victorinox Swiss Army" logo done by ETA, etc. Although the brushed plates are nice, it is certainly standard fare and many of the companies listed above offer the same movement in Cotes de Genève finish as well as blued screws...










So again, a very nice watch , just in the wrong price-class... :-(


----------



## Famousname

^^^^Nice breakdown


----------



## William Tockman

I have five VSA at the moment. I love the brand as I grew up w/ their knives. VSA is the core of my collection, but not w/o fault. My very first one was replaced a month after I bought it. It was in 93 when the new models just came out and I bought one that had a plastic bezel. As was a major issue I had w/ Casio (I had nearly 10 in the height of my Casio, days in the late 80's) the watch got snagged, and the band pin just pulled it self straight through the attachment point. As a result, I had to replace the entire watch. Six months later, same problem.

By '99, I had been given my second VSA which worked great. Sadly, I can't recall the model number off the top of my head, but it had one of those press-to-illuminate dials that was all the rage back then. Soon the ability to use that function became intermittent, and my jeweler who actually serviced watches said the board needed replaced. I continued to use that watch for several more years till I was handed my third model which I wore up till earlier this year.

Overall, out of all the VSA I have owned, the biggest issues for me has been replacing the watch bands, which I seem to have to do yearly, and replacing the battery every couple of years. I will admit the watch I just retired was eating batteries yearly. I would go through one a year, and it has been suggested it go in to my jeweler for a cleaning and re-lube. However, I have seen incremental improvements in their watches over the past 20 years. I'm about ready to drop down $500-$1000 for an all-mechanical VSA. I would disagree with CrystalBall that VSA is an entry-level Swiss watch. I would argue that Swatch is an entry level Swiss watch.

(Sidenote as far as Swatch goes, is a brand that has been nothing but a headache for me, and would die a happy man before ever touching anything with the "Swatch" label on it And, yes I do know ETA is owned by the Swatch Group, but am merely referring to the actual jelly plastic watches and not the overall Swatch corporation as a whole).


----------



## Travelller

William Tockman said:


> I would disagree with CrystalBall that VSA is an entry-level Swiss watch. I would argue that Swatch is an entry level Swiss watch...


I likes me VIC, likes me Swatch too...


----------



## CrystalBall

William Tockman said:


> I have five VSA at the moment. I love the brand as I grew up w/ their knives. VSA is the core of my collection, but not w/o fault. My very first one was replaced a month after I bought it. It was in 93 when the new models just came out and I bought one that had a plastic bezel. As was a major issue I had w/ Casio (I had nearly 10 in the height of my Casio, days in the late 80's) the watch got snagged, and the band pin just pulled it self straight through the attachment point. As a result, I had to replace the entire watch. Six months later, same problem.
> 
> By '99, I had been given my second VSA which worked great. Sadly, I can't recall the model number off the top of my head, but it had one of those press-to-illuminate dials that was all the rage back then. Soon the ability to use that function became intermittent, and my jeweler who actually serviced watches said the board needed replaced. I continued to use that watch for several more years till I was handed my third model which I wore up till earlier this year.
> 
> Overall, out of all the VSA I have owned, the biggest issues for me has been replacing the watch bands, which I seem to have to do yearly, and replacing the battery every couple of years. I will admit the watch I just retired was eating batteries yearly. I would go through one a year, and it has been suggested it go in to my jeweler for a cleaning and re-lube. However, I have seen incremental improvements in their watches over the past 20 years. I'm about ready to drop down $500-$1000 for an all-mechanical VSA. I would disagree with CrystalBall that VSA is an entry-level Swiss watch. I would argue that Swatch is an entry level Swiss watch.
> 
> (Sidenote as far as Swatch goes, is a brand that has been nothing but a headache for me, and would die a happy man before ever touching anything with the "Swatch" label on it And, yes I do know ETA is owned by the Swatch Group, but am merely referring to the actual jelly plastic watches and not the overall Swatch corporation as a whole).


As Swatch effectively make their watches in-house (you note that ETA is part of Swatch) that makes them at least the equal of VSA in my estimation, regardless of price. VSA markets a variety of merchandise and is not primarily a watch company. Swatch, however, IS a watch company and a very important one at that. Swatch watches may be cheap disposables, but without them the Swiss watch industry could not have survived in its present form.


----------



## natnaes

CrystalBall said:


> As Swatch effectively make their watches in-house (you note that ETA is part of Swatch) that makes them at least the equal of VSA in my estimation, regardless of price. VSA markets a variety of merchandise and is not primarily a watch company. Swatch, however, IS a watch company and a very important one at that. Swatch watches may be cheap disposables, but without them the Swiss watch industry could not have survived in its present form.


That's an interesting disposition to take. I find it rather weird that you would consider that swatch "makes its own watches" on the basis that ETA is part of Swatch Group, but consider Swatch to manufacture only watches while there are Omega handbags, Tag Heuer jackets, etc. in the market, all of them part of Swatch Group. I don't think it matters if a company does sell other merchandise, it's not as if it's the same people making watches that're making handbags: the brand image is projected by management and the manufacture is handed over to whom they think makes the best at budgets they'd like to work with. I don't own any VSAs nor Swatches, but I do hate to tell customers that their swatches are beyond repair (work at a watch dealership).


----------



## vitorlintomen

I really like this brand.
You will get a deep water-resistant, anti-reflectve sapphire, swiss-made watch in a more than a fair price.
I don`t know about their higher end watches, but I would be careful about the over-sizing.


----------



## Monocrom

vitorlintomen said:


> I really like this brand.
> You will get a deep water-resistant, anti-reflectve sapphire, swiss-made watch in a more than a fair price.
> I don`t know about their higher end watches, but I would be careful about the over-sizing.


Considering the absolutely ridiculously low legal requirements for a watch to qualify as "Swiss-Made," you're getting one that's "Swiss-Made" in name only. But plenty of other brands do the same thing. You're not getting anything remotely, genuinely, Swiss made without spending major amounts of money.


----------



## sakura7

i love my wengers..first decent watch i ever bought was a first edition titanium wenger a long time ago & it still runs like a top


----------



## drhr

Love 'em . . .


----------



## CrystalBall

natnaes said:


> That's an interesting disposition to take. I find it rather weird that you would consider that swatch "makes its own watches" on the basis that ETA is part of Swatch Group, but consider Swatch to manufacture only watches while there are Omega handbags, Tag Heuer jackets, etc. in the market, all of them part of Swatch Group. I don't think it matters if a company does sell other merchandise, it's not as if it's the same people making watches that're making handbags: the brand image is projected by management and the manufacture is handed over to whom they think makes the best at budgets they'd like to work with. I don't own any VSAs nor Swatches, but I do hate to tell customers that their swatches are beyond repair (work at a watch dealership).


But Omega jewellery, leather goods etc. are a sideline. Omega is first and foremost a watch company that also markets other related products. Presumably someone that owns an Omega watch and enjoys the brand might also want, for example, an Omega wallet or bracelet. VSA, on the other hand, is not primarily a watch company and markets everything from flasks to T-shirts. Swatches beyond repair isn't an issue as they are inexpensive disposable items that were never designed to be repaired. If you are talking about Swatch Group watches, then I think most will agree that they are reliable, durable watches that compare well with similar products from other manufacturers. I own several (Longines, Tissot and Certina) and they have given me many years of excellent service with no problems whatsoever.


----------



## natnaes

CrystalBall said:


> But Omega jewellery, leather goods etc. are a sideline. Omega is first and foremost a watch company that also markets other related products. Presumably someone that owns an Omega watch and enjoys the brand might also want, for example, an Omega wallet or bracelet. VSA, on the other hand, is not primarily a watch company and markets everything from flasks to T-shirts. Swatches beyond repair isn't an issue as they are inexpensive disposable items that were never designed to be repaired. If you are talking about Swatch Group watches, then I think most will agree that they are reliable, durable watches that compare well with similar products from other manufacturers. I own several (Longines, Tissot and Certina) and they have given me many years of excellent service with no problems whatsoever.


I don't think where they started out should be considered consequential to the quality of their products at all. If that were the case, Casio would be making good calculators and rings but not watches. Also Calvin Klein from Swatch Group markets everything from underwear to t-shirts, bags, and fragrances. No doubt, Swatch Group watches are quite durable and reliable, and so are VSA, Burberry, Seiko etc.

Furthermore I think if you gave any run-of-the-mill watch dealership $200 to replace the batteries on your Tag Heuer quartz watch and throw in "servicing", they would give you many years of excellent service too.


----------



## Kcsteel

I've had mine for two weeks now. I went with the Chrono Classic. I've had a few watches in the past and they don't hold a candle to this one.. With there style and quality combined and swiss movement, sapphire crystals. They seem to be more ideal for army/ marine/ police/ pilots/ navy seal.. More than a just sit behind a desk jewel. I have a few friends learning about them.. I see there prices sailing soon ... Get em now!!!


----------



## CrystalBall

natnaes said:


> I don't think where they started out should be considered consequential to the quality of their products at all. If that were the case, Casio would be making good calculators and rings but not watches. Also Calvin Klein from Swatch Group markets everything from underwear to t-shirts, bags, and fragrances. No doubt, Swatch Group watches are quite durable and reliable, and so are VSA, Burberry, Seiko etc.
> 
> Furthermore I think if you gave any run-of-the-mill watch dealership $200 to replace the batteries on your Tag Heuer quartz watch and throw in "servicing", they would give you many years of excellent service too.


I think my original point was less concerned with the quality of the VSA product than the position (for want of a better word) of the brand relative to others at a similar price point. There is nothing wrong with VSA watches (I have both an infantry quartz and and infantry mechanical), but on balance I prefer Tissot, Certina, Oris, Seiko etc. for similar money. I think that the "jack of all trades" nature of the company cheapens the watches somewhat and there are better options out there. CK are actually quite similar to VSA in that they too are not primarily a watch company. Incidently, I have never paid anything like $200 for a battery change/service. None of my quartz watches have ever been serviced other than having the seals changed (without any ill-effects as some are now 20-25 years old) and I usually pay between £9 and £12 for battery changes. The only watches which cost more than this are my Omega DeVille and Junghans Mega 1000 - £15 in both cases at an AD.


----------



## natnaes

Of course at an AD and not at Swatch Group. 

It's true though they all make pretty good watches but brand position to me isn't affected by how many products they market. If its good its good, doesn't matter what else they market.


----------



## docbp87

Love mine:


----------



## chanwengyan

If you ask me "Brand-X is a fashion watch brand or not?", here is my definition:

*What is the first product comes to your mind when you heard the brand?*
Casio - watch
Toyota - car
LV - bag
Nike - shoe

So, what is the first product comes to your mind when you heard Victorinox Swiss Army?
( for me, swiss knife )


----------



## lvt

chanwengyan said:


> If you ask me "Brand-X is a fashion watch brand or not?", here is my definition:
> 
> *What is the first product comes to your mind when you heard the brand?*
> Casio - watch
> Toyota - car
> LV - bag
> Nike - shoe
> 
> So, what is the first product comes to your mind when you heard Victorinox Swiss Army?
> ( for me, swiss knife )


When you say "Casio" I probably will think about pocket calculator first, so is Casio a watch brand ?


----------



## lvt

chanwengyan said:


> If you ask me "Brand-X is a fashion watch brand or not?", here is my definition:
> 
> *What is the first product comes to your mind when you heard the brand?*
> Casio - watch
> Toyota - car
> LV - bag
> Nike - shoe
> 
> So, what is the first product comes to your mind when you heard Victorinox Swiss Army?
> ( for me, swiss knife )


When you say "Casio" I probably will think about pocket calculator first, so is Casio a watch brand ?


----------



## Memphis1

Victorinox is def a knife maker... And if you ask them they'll say the same. But that doesn't detract from the quality of their watches, clothing, luggage, flashlights. I've had plenty of 2k VSAs that I can speak on the quality. I've handled the gold ambassador and the platinum airboss as well and the quality is there. but if you like hamiltons better than by all means feel confident you're getting a quality product...


----------



## chanwengyan

lvt said:


> When you say "Casio" I probably will think about pocket calculator first, so is Casio a watch brand ?


hmm.. seems like my definition is incorrect at this time.

how could we define a brand is a fashion watch or not?

By History?
- The company started as a watch maker?
- Eg: Casio wasnt start as a watch maker at all.

By Core Business?
- Watch making is the core business / cash cow of the company?

By ... (any suggestion) ... ?


----------



## ecthelion

pistolero said:


> I'm wondering if this brand is considered as just another Fashion brand since they primarily make, and is known for their knives and travel gear . I have my eye on some of their higher end mechanical watches and i'm curious if they hold up their value as well as "proper" Swiss watchmakers like Oris and Tag Heuer, which also make entry level watches in the same price range as the high end Victorinox that I am looking at.


From what I understand, most fashion watches only bear the name of the label and have no other real relationship to that company; the brands do not design or at least have some say in choosing "the heart and soul" (i.e. the movements) of the watches that bear their name, nor do they put much expenditure on their manufacture (such that the brands are not perceived to put the kind of care into these watches as they put into other aspects of their business) - their name and design is merely licensed out to some third party watch manufacturer who then mass-produces these watches (sometimes with questionable quality) which are then sold at exorbitantly (horologically-speaking, unjustified) prices simply because they bear the name of and some design elements from a fashion label.

None of these is true of Victorinox. While their initial business may be utility knives, they seem to have diversified into outdoorsy gear (e.g. backpacks and watches) and appear to be putting in quite a bit of energy into their design and manufacture. So my verdict is no, VSA is not a fashion brand. While VSA doesn't actually design their movements in-house (yet), they do use ETA and Ronda movements (as these are the last remnants of large-scale movement manufacturing in the Swiss watch industry, and many high-quality watches use movements from one of these two manufacturers), so an exception can be made in this regard, in my opinion.


----------



## UnionBlue

okay with a discount


----------



## enjoisht

Love mine, Victorinox Infantry Vintage Chrono.. Has held up well and I have beat it pretty good... caught it on sale on Rue La La for 299!


----------



## john111

Did not know they had watches I only know about their swiss army knives and hiking gear like back packs and accessories.


----------



## //Napoleon//

Victorinox makes excellent watches. Especially their Airboss mechanical watches are of superb finish and quality.
Having owned the Airboss 241508, I'd say that it was better quality than Tissot, and similar to hamilton.


----------



## Travelller

//Napoleon// said:


> ...their Airboss mechanical watches are of superb finish and quality...


Agreed |> however the pricing scheme needs to be adjusted...:think: Mine was listed for €1050... that's simply too much, imo...


----------



## BrentYYC

ecthelion said:


> From what I understand, most fashion watches only bear the name of the label and have no other real relationship to that company; the brands do not design or at least have some say in choosing "the heart and soul" (i.e. the movements) of the watches that bear their name, nor do they put much expenditure on their manufacture (such that the brands are not perceived to put the kind of care into these watches as they put into other aspects of their business) - their name and design is merely licensed out to some third party watch manufacturer who then mass-produces these watches (sometimes with questionable quality) which are then sold at exorbitantly (horologically-speaking, unjustified) prices simply because they bear the name of and some design elements from a fashion label.
> 
> None of these is true of Victorinox.


I agree with this. To expand on it further, nobody in this thread has mentioned the fact that Victorinox Swiss Army not only designs their own watches and uses Swiss movements, but also manufactures all their own watches at their own factory in the Jura region of Switzerland since 2006. Designer brands never manufacture their own watches; they simply have a third party (Chinese) manufacturer make cheap watches that are branded for them. VSA is as real a watch manufacturer as the majority of 'big name' Swiss brands.

Another tidbit is that VSA is the third largest exporter of Swiss watches to the U.S.A. after Swatch and Rolex.


----------



## dinexus

+1, can attest to VSA's impressive quality. Love my Divemaster, and though it doesn't get worn as often as my autos, it's simply too damned nice to let go.


----------



## Negiking

dinexus said:


> +1, can attest to VSA's impressive quality. Love my Divemaster, and though it doesn't get worn as often as my autos, it's simply too damned nice to let go.


Agreed!! I have been looking high and low for an entry level swiss watch and stubled upon the Victorinox DM500 and luckily found one on WUS so I am currently waiting for it to be shipped to me!! I have been in a large number of watch stores from retail to wholesale and the DM500 caught my attention like no other entry-level swiss watch did for me. The construction looks and feels solid, swiss mvt, and my gawd its a looker.

I am so excited!! I cant contain myself


----------



## Luminated

I've had my Airboss Mach 6 for several years now and it's never missed a beat, in fact its one of my most accurate watches I currently own and with its blue sunburst dial is a stunner IMO.










I'm currently waiting for an Airboss automatic to arrive that I bought for a fellow member.










If I had one gripe with my current Airboss (Mach 6) is the lug width, 23mm does make it difficult to find a decent quality strap at a reasonable price but apart from that everything is good.


----------



## Luminated

Got my new (to me) Victorinox Airboss Auto. Stunning looking watch and a very happy bunny.


----------



## jlondono77

Great watch brand! Own 7 and all have great craftsmanship.


----------



## steve399

Victorinox is the lead "swiss army" badged watch, above wenger and swiss military.


----------



## lvt

jlondono77 said:


> View attachment 4613618


I have the same Officer with blue dial, I usually wear it on bracelet or nylon straps, it looks great on leather straps though.


----------



## imprezhouse

they make good watches....INOX is superb!


----------



## Mediocre

As has been stated.....VSA is no fashion brand


----------



## maccasvanquish

Victorinox is definitely NOT a fashion brand. I've had a few of the more expensive models and they have a great quality about them. They were great watches while I had them and the new owner is just as happy. They make superb watches. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## StufflerMike

Superb and Victorinox do not go together. They might offer great vfm but "superb" in this context is overestimating what you get for your money.


----------



## maccasvanquish

Well, I suppose the word 'superb' is subjective. I just know that I really liked them and I know other owners who also like them. The point is that they are 'serious' watches and not just a cheap watch with a fashion brand name slapped on them. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Beau8

Just to chime in on a re-thread. Just because it says Swiss Made doesn't mean it was entirely made in Switzerland. Under Swiss law, as long as the final or partial assembly is done in Switzerland, then it qualifies as a Swiss Made product. Some of the components may or may not be made in Switzerland.


----------



## KirS124

Good watches. In Russia it is not a fashion brand and almost like Tissot.


----------



## brandon\

stuffler said:


> Superb and Victorinox do not go together. They might offer great vfm but "superb" in this context is overestimating what you get for your money.


I'm just curious what watches you would describe as superb?

I'm not defending VSA. I own two VSAs and like them a lot. I would just like to hear what your definition of a superb watch is.

Thanks.


----------



## Hitlnao

Beau8 said:


> Just to chime in on a re-thread. Just because it says Swiss Made doesn't mean it was entirely made in Switzerland. Under Swiss law, as long as the final or partial assembly is done in Switzerland, then it qualifies as a Swiss Made product. Some of the components may or may not be made in Switzerland.


I thought it was if over 50% of the parts by cost was Swiss. I.e. a watch that's almost entirely Chinese, designed and assembled in China, could be Swiss Made if it has a Swiss mainspring.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk


----------



## StufflerMike

FH - Swiss made: the only true reference

quote: The new criteria vary according to categories of products or services. In this instance, Swissness sets a minimum rate of Swiss value of *60%* for industrial products, including watches.


----------



## pourmeone2

I am wearing my Victorinox Garrison watch From the early 90's I got with Marlboro Miles. It is one of my favorite watches and is still very accurate and the lume is excellent. I would put the lume against my Citizen promaster.


----------



## juanpam

I do not consider it fashion brand, makes real machines very resistant as the I.N.O.X. Professional Diver


----------



## jthole

pistolero said:


> I'm wondering if this brand is considered as just another Fashion brand since they primarily make, and is known for their knives and travel gear . I have my eye on some of their higher end mechanical watches and i'm curious if they hold up their value as well as "proper" Swiss watchmakers like Oris and Tag Heuer, which also make entry level watches in the same price range as the high end Victorinox that I am looking at.


They are frequently discounted, so there's your answer on holding value. Their quartz watches are a bit over-hyped, in my opinion, and I think there are better alternatives to their mechanical watches (e.g. Oris indeed).

The Victorinox INOX I bought was discounted 50% and looking at it, I still don't feel that I got a bargain. It's a good watch for the price I paid, but not extraordinary. No regrets at all, but I definitely would not have paid anything close to retail.


----------



## Rocket1991

I don't think of Victorinox as fashion brand. They more accessory brand with no ...t. about 300 years history which was started just two years ago after someone bought rights to this brand. I had several Victorinox quartz watches (historically speaking they been value proposition Swiss brand). They not perfect but by no means are bad. Inside you get standard caliber and outside rather quality watch with no high end thrills. Now brand moved (like many Swiss made) to more profitable mechanical watches. Don't think they going to hold fantastic resale value, but if you get them on sale you not going to loose much. If you like design and watch speaks to you in a away you can not refuse... buy it. I looked at Inox line in store and though it is not my cup of tea i find them more honest proposition than many other horologically renown Swiss brands with X2-X3 price tag. 
My personal favorite is Swiss Army...







spotted on the hand of agent Fox Mulder. It thin, comfortable, durable and legible. Plus it is recognizable.


----------



## Technarchy

In the Swiss sub-$1000 realm of Hamilton, Tissot, Certina and Glycine, Victorinox makes a comparable and competitive watch. They've been making rugged, field watches for 30 years that are known for their durability and reliability. 

Certainly not a fashion brand watch maker. They take their watch making seriously.


----------



## Wingman67

I got a used one of this exact model fairly cheap, I do like it very much, it's got a low profile, very legible being a field watch, steel bracelet is solid. I was curious about the INOX but it's quite chunky and a bit out of my range.


----------



## gto05z

solid watches and built like a tank


----------



## waynecastleman8

CrystalBall said:


> Memphis1, the VSA = Lexus, Seiko = Honda Civic analogy doesn't work for me. VSA is an entry-level Swiss watch, nothing more. They are decent watches, but Victorinox is a design, marketing and assembly operation, not a manufacture. Many of the components they use are imported from the Far East. Seiko design and make everything in-house, and it shows in the quality of their product. They make everything from affordable quartz watches to high-end mechanicals costing thousands of pounds. Regardless of price, VSA is not in the same league as Seiko.


I think the lower end uses Ronda and its not even close to Seiko or ETA. With any manufacturer it pays to do the homework!


----------

