# Read this Review. Is Steinhart a Chinese Made Watch?



## punk (Apr 13, 2010)

I Happened to find this link from google:

http://www.wristwatchreview.com/2007/01/23/steinhart-im-just-not-into-you/

The reviewer and many members gave bad comments to Steinhart which I tried not to believe.

Any comments from you guys?


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## shawnp (Feb 12, 2010)

I hope not. I'm about to order a Triton....


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## pontz (Mar 10, 2009)

Well, there's alot of other members setting things right!
Speaking of me, my three Steinharts are well, good looking and ticking fine...

In an other point of view (most common here in Greece, BIG time...), a quote from a member:
"My first thought when I see someone wearing Swiss Made brand that sells for less than $750: Real Swiss Made watch; no question. My first thought when I see someone wearing a Rolex Submariner, Omega SMP or Speedmaster, Breitling Navitimer, or Panerai: Is it real or is it a Chinese fake? That’s because the overwhelming majority of them are fakes."

No worries on this "value for money" brand!

Shawnp: DO order your Triton...


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## Ozy (Aug 10, 2009)

punk said:


> I Happened to find this link from google:
> 
> http://www.wristwatchreview.com/2007/01/23/steinhart-im-just-not-into-you/
> 
> ...


No, Steinhart is not a Chinese made watch, Steinhausen is though.

The internet is a wonderful place full of mistique, information (both false and true) and entertainment, but you need take things like this Wrist watch review with a grain of salt.

People will always blindly hate success. Gunter (not a chinese name) looks after his customers, you could base your choice on opinionated, misguided 'reviews' like this, or you could put your hand in your pocket and experience it first hand.

At what price point do you want stunningly great fan boy reviews? obviously if you had 5k to spend on a watch, you'd probably look elsewhere - but I'm guessing you dont, so you rely on Private labels to bring out interesting things, to pique your interest with design and tried / true components (Eta Movement / Superluminova)


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## safetypro79 (Feb 15, 2006)

Best to ignore these types of sites and form your own opinion based on customer feedback, warranty.

As we all know very well Steinhart is a great watch and company.


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## Tony A.H (Aug 2, 2009)

i would not worry about it.. 
Steinhart Watches are great and MADE IN SWITZERLAND.

Cheers
Tony


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## Tony A.H (Aug 2, 2009)

i agree with you Ozy.
it's all about JEALOUSY !. some people hate to see others succeed. !!
so sad but true.

Cheers
Tony


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## exxondus (Sep 10, 2007)

Guys, that article was posted in 2007 when Steinhart is not that well known yet. you peeps should be happy that with Steinhart's hardwork, they managed to beat such rumors of it being chinese made, and to-date gained the cult status it has today.

that article kinda gives u an idea how much Steinhart had grown with just a span of 2+ years and managed to segregate themselves as 'just another homage maker'.

*Avoid the below if you are a Steinhart fanboy who cant look at things subjectively*
On a side note, I do not blame the writer for *mistaking* that Steinhart is just another homage maker in the year 2007 when little is known about this company. He probably does not understand the quality of Steinhart products and was just pissed off by the 'homage-like' designs from popular brands.

There are lots of Steinhart models that look like some other brands out there already. Ocean series, aka Rolex sub or GMTII depending on the bezel colours and insert., Nav series, looks like one of the pilot watches made by the original big 5, aviator series that looks like B&R. They even use Le Mans, which is a favourite tagline of tag heuer for their monaco series!. Even the watch shown in the link has an uncanny resemlence to Rolex Daytona! You even have peeps who added in the wishlist thread that Steinhart follow the Rolex DSSD design! 

Granted that those designs might not have been original to the brands mentioned in the first place, but those were the brands that kinda brought greater awareness and popularity to those designs, which led to many homage makers following suit on the success. The main thing that IMO differentiated Steinhart.from the 'other' homage makers was that it proved to be of a higher quality product for affordable prices (prices seem to be gg up too tho), as well as it dared to venture to original designs after its success (e.g triton and , erhm, ya triton!).


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## punk (Apr 13, 2010)

Thank you all for your positive comments. I'm also a big fan of Steinhart. Gunter treated me very well. I don't expect this kind of service elsewhere. I currently having one Steinhart on hand. 2 more watches on delivery and more to come in the future. :-!

Will post my newly arrived watches here soon.


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## Riker (Mar 31, 2007)

This question again...I guess this is a question that every watch brand has to deal with, every now & then. This time, is it back here.....

Steinhart watches or the parts that make a Steinhart watch are produced by affilliates of Steinhart in Switzerland. These parts, designed by Steinhart & then made specifically for Steinhart, are produced & put together by these affilliates & then sent to Germany where the final assembly is done by Steinhart. This includes straps buckles & other small bits & pieces.

Gunter has on many, many occassions, the last a few weeks ago been to Switzerland to visit these affilliate companies to check on the production processes. I can assure you, the watches are all above board & definitely Swiss made... 

The raw materials used to make the watches ie: steel, etc may be Chinese produced & sourced. This would be the case for just about all watch companies. The raw product must be sourced from somewhere. I know here in Australia we sell alot of raw metals worldwide. Infact, we are one of the biggest miners of raw metals but not as big as China who mine & export the most... 

You can buy a Steinhart watch without any need to wonder. Swiss made means just that.. :-!


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## Triton (Oct 17, 2006)

@exxondus: I really respect your comments here at the Steinhart forum, as they are usually very thought out and show, that you really stand by your personal opinion.

It does hurt me a bit, that you think, that the Aviation (not Aviator) series is a Bell & Ross look-a-like. :-( When I designed the case for the LeMans trilogy, I most certainly did not have B&R's square case in mind. If I, or Günter, would have wanted to make a B&R look-a-like, we could've easily done so! That would have also been much easier then investing the time and money into developing a case as challenging and complicated as the Aviation's. The Debaufre Airforce, which was in fact ordered by them to mimic a B&R, was the reason why I was comissioned by Steinhart to design the Aviation. It was also Günter who dropped the Aircraft 8 from the Steinhart collection years ago, in favor of something more original.










Yes, both watches share the same theme, aircraft instrument inspired wristwatch, but that's pretty much it. Bell & Ross did not invent the square watch and they where also not the first to make an instrument inspired wristwatch. But they where the first with the balls to combine the two, with success, for which I have great respect! BTW, here's another theme for you: Dive watches ... ;-)

The Ocean series is the most popular in the Steinhart collection, followed by the Nav.Bs. The vast majority prefers a watch with well known design over something completely new and original. The haters are a tiny minority, usually unaware of the true reasons for their hatred. I love it when they post publicly though, as I usually get a real good laugh out of it. So thanks to the TS for posting the link! :-!


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## emmanuelgoldstein (Dec 26, 2009)

I have to say Triton that Steinhart's Aviation collection is much better looking then the B & R Instrument collection in my personal opinion. B&R's Instrument collection looks more to be a fashion watch then a tool watch such as Steinhart's. Also for the price point the Steinhart is a much better value then the B&R overpriced collection.

Just my two cents.


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## punk (Apr 13, 2010)

emmanuelgoldstein said:


> I have to say Triton that Steinhart's Aviation collection is much better looking then the B & R Instrument collection in my personal opinion. B&R's Instrument collection looks more to be a fashion watch then a tool watch such as Steinhart's. Also for the price point the Steinhart is a much better value then the B&R overpriced collection.
> 
> Just my two cents.


Totally agree. Just ordered a SAWLE from Gunter. Can't wait to see the real watch.


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## emmanuelgoldstein (Dec 26, 2009)

punk said:


> Totally agree. Just ordered a SAWLE from Gunter. Can't wait to see the real watch.


I purchased the same exact watch from a forum member. Unfortunately, my watch is still stuck in customs. The wait is killing me I should have ordered directly from Steinhart.


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## sheepsteeth (Dec 13, 2009)

so, swiss made.

does this mean the individual parts are assembled in switzerland but the parts themselves have been made in the far east?


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## Startime (Nov 7, 2009)

sheepsteeth said:


> so, swiss made.
> 
> does this mean the individual parts are assembled in switzerland but the parts themselves have been made in the far east?


The label "swiss made" can be used if the most part (more than 50% in every case) of the "added value" was done in Switzerland. Dial and movement are from Switzerland. The housing maybe is built "somewhere else".


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## kendall (Jan 30, 2010)

So clearly this is a dumb piece with basic facts incorrect. But let's ask another question... What if Steinhart watches were made from parts sourced in China? Or assembled in China?

They are objectively very, very fine watches. Wouldn't the reasonable conclusion to draw, in this counterfactual case, be that Chinese-made goods, in at least once instance, could be very high quality?

I like Swiss & German watches as well as the next person, but Seiko makes obviously very fine pieces in Japan; and while I don't know of any great watches made from Chinese sourced parts, that doesn't mean there aren't any or that there never could be.

Some of WUS snootiness about Chinese made goods seems kind of dumb sometimes.

Just something to think about...


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## nuovorecord (Nov 27, 2007)

kendall said:


> So clearly this is a dumb piece with basic facts incorrect. But let's ask another question... What if Steinhart watches were made from parts sourced in China? Or assembled in China?
> 
> They are objectively very, very fine watches. Wouldn't the reasonable conclusion to draw, in this counterfactual case, be that Chinese-made goods, in at least once instance, could be very high quality?
> 
> ...


You wrote what I was thinking. Steinhart's are great watches for the money. I'm not going to get to hung up on where the parts are manufactured. Years ago, people thought "Made in Japan" = crap. Now, it's a sign of quality (Toyota's current woes excepted). I have plenty of quality items made in China - my Motorola Droid phone, for example.


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## CzechMate (Sep 11, 2009)

That 2007 review shows a Daytona knock-off with Steinhart logo. Did Steinhart realy produce Daytona copy? If yes, what quality it was, what movement?
Thanks!


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## Luhnk (Dec 27, 2008)

As "Dear Playstation" himself Kevin Butler once said
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet, that's how World War I got started"


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## link2derek (Jul 8, 2008)

Just to be clear, that "reviewer" on WWR has no idea of what he speaks.


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## exxondus (Sep 10, 2007)

Triton said:


> @exxondus: I really respect your comments here at the Steinhart forum, as they are usually very thought out and show, that you really stand by your personal opinion.
> 
> It does hurt me a bit, that you think, that the Aviation (not Aviator) series is a Bell & Ross look-a-like. :-( When I designed the case for the LeMans trilogy, I most certainly did not have B&R's square case in mind. If I, or Günter, would have wanted to make a B&R look-a-like, we could've easily done so! That would have also been much easier then investing the time and money into developing a case as challenging and complicated as the Aviation's. The Debaufre Airforce, which was in fact ordered by them to mimic a B&R, was the reason why I was comissioned by Steinhart to design the Aviation. It was also Günter who dropped the Aircraft 8 from the Steinhart collection years ago, in favor of something more original.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the clarifications :-!


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## skype88 (May 5, 2012)

exxondus said:


> Thanks for the clarifications :-!


I have made a decision to resurrect this forum. My motivation is very clear, my previous watch was a Br 01-92 Phantom from Bell and Ross. Excellent watch and extremely well made. Side by side with the Steinhart aviation which I now own, which was dipped in Rhodium by a gentleman named James (( Who does excellent work BTW )) I can't say which one is better quality.. In an attempt to say one is better than the other I think that's not exactly fair to neither brand--- Both have excellent reputations in the watch world. The Bell and Ross instrument watches have been flavor of the month for years here in Atlanta. You can't pass threw Lennox Mall without running into a Bell and Ross sign. Due to the existence of Bell and Ross as a company they have been on the block much longer than Steinhart. But in terms of quality, its unfair to say Bell and Ross is superior. I can honestly say without question, Between both brands, I have received more compliments from strangers about my watch when I wear a Steinhart than I had ever received in the 4 years I sported Bell and Ross..

At the end of the day fellas its a matter of preference---- In my opinion I prefer Steinhart, does that mean their better than Bell and Ross? No---- But is it a smarter purchase? Absolutely! Gunter Steinhart not only a proud owner, but a guy who likes to interact with his customers--- For that consumers on my level, should be grateful in my personal opinion.


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## Riker (Mar 31, 2007)

WOW, talk about old thread revivals.......:-d

skype, spot on. As it is with just about everything, seeing & feeling what constitutes quality is entirely in the eye of the beholder...!


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## CzechMate (Sep 11, 2009)

Hahaha... Until the last few replies I thought this is a new thread... I was about to flame the reviewer with some sharp witty biting remark (which would take me several hours to assemble) and then I read my own reply back from 2010 and I realized this is a very old thread resurrected... 
Well, Steinhart has proven himself what a company they are, no need to say anything else... And that reviewer has had his own opinion, which is absolutely OK, although he was wrong, so wrong...


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