# Anyone heard of the brand Eichmuller?



## russr1123 (Mar 30, 2012)

Hi, I'm new here and in my recent quest to find a skeleton watch, I came across the German brand Eichmuller. Just curious if any of you have heard of it.

Heres a link to the watch that I'm interested in Eichmller Skelettuhr Handaufzug 8218-02 vergolded - Ref.Nr.: 8218-02 - AVIATOR Watches Uhren-Shop: Armbanduhr, Fliegeruhren, Taucheruhren und Schmuck

Thanks!


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## rationaltime (May 1, 2008)

Hello,

Welcome to watchuseek.

That brand seems to belong to Richard‎ Eichmüller who also sells Riedenshild.
I think those watches are made in China. You might get more information
asking about them on the forum for Chinese mechanical watches.

If I were searching for a cost effective skeleton watch I would look to
Kemmner, who makes watches with ETA and Seagull movements. I think
he makes skeleton watches with Seagull movements. People seem to
have the best luck contacting Kemmner through his eBay account.

Thanks,
rationaltime


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

The price already indicates it is made in China. A swiss or german movement for 159 would be to good to be true. Just another mushroom brand. Some like it, some do not. I remember that there has been a review of the Eichmüller German Army Diver somewhere on Watchuseek which - of course - has never ever been officialy issued to German military staff.


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## russr1123 (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks, I figured as much that it was Asian based on the look and price. That's fine with me, however international warranty is a concern. Since this is not a true German movement, I'm continuing this discussion in the Chinese mechanical section.


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## brummyjon (Jan 27, 2010)

Any connection with the company that makes watch straps? I have a watch strap that I always assumed was German. It says Eichmuller since 1950, and 'Echt Leder' (real leather). 

It's a clip on strap for a fixed bar watch, and is nice quality.


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## Lencoth (Apr 29, 2008)

brummyjon said:


> Any connection with the company that makes watch straps?


Same company:

=8&cHash=ffee0fea2d]Uhrarmbänder : Produkte: Eichmüller.de

When looking at the prices of the straps and bracelets:

WATCH BAND SPECIALIST - Watch Bands From Eichmueller - WATCHBANDCENTER.COM

I'm not too sure that it would be feasible to actually produce these in Germany at that price-level.


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Eichmüller seem to be involved in a lot of watch-related-enterprises lately.


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## russr1123 (Mar 30, 2012)

I don't know if all their watches are Germanasian, but at least the one I looked at and pasted in my OP was. I think they are similar to the other German brand Constantin Weisz. They claim German heritage and design, but the movements are Chinese and the watches are Chinese. That is the only way they can offer things at these lower prices.


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## Gareth Soper (Dec 3, 2015)

Interesting that some of you appear to be putting down Asian manufacturers when several articles on your site recommend Eco Drive watches made by Citizen and Bulova watches owned by Citizen. There does seem to be a recent fad for Asian companies buying out companies of Swiss heritage and it's something that's quite misleading. A good example are the Stuhrling watches floating around Amazon claiming huge price reductions. You can read about that at stuhrlingwatchesreview (I can't post the full link because I'm new apparently)

Which makes me wonder why they are still sold with "swiss made" on the face (although most have now been altered to read "swiss quartz")


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## Somewhere else (Feb 17, 2006)

Gareth Soper said:


> Interesting that some of you appear to be putting down Asian manufacturers when several articles on your site recommend Eco Drive watches made by Citizen and Bulova watches owned by Citizen. There does seem to be a recent fad for Asian companies buying out companies of Swiss heritage and it's something that's quite misleading. A good example are the Stuhrling watches floating around Amazon claiming huge price reductions. You can read about that at stuhrlingwatchesreview (I can't post the full link because I'm new apparently)
> 
> Which makes me wonder why they are still sold with "swiss made" on the face (although most have now been altered to read "swiss quartz")


You're talking about apples and oranges. Citizen is a company nearly 100 years old with a proud history of manufacturing its' own movements which are world class. Bulova is now own by Citizen, as a result of Bulova trying to get under the protective wing of Citizen for many years. Bulova isn't a "mushroom brand either". It's been with us since the 1920s. Japanese brands a totallydifferent level of quality and originality to "Asian brands".


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## Captain Spalding (Mar 1, 2017)

Somewhere else said:


> You're talking about apples and oranges. Citizen is a company nearly 100 years old with a proud history of manufacturing its' own movements which are world class. Bulova is now own by Citizen, as a result of Bulova trying to get under the protective wing of Citizen for many years. Bulova isn't a "mushroom brand either". It's been with us since the 1920s. Japanese brands a totallydifferent level of quality and originality to "Asian brands".


On the other hand, many is the time I've witnessed "quality brands" selling out to larger, lesser companies only to see quality suffer. I think one really must judge on a case by case basis.

That said, I have an Eichmüller 7700 (Miyota 0s60) aviator that has gained a little under 2 seconds since being reset to standard time last November 6th. 6 seconds a year is pretty good for any movement. And much better than the ± 20 sec. per month stated in the specifications for the movement. 

Cheers!


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

All this does not make an Eichmüller a German watch. Same valid for Eichmüller sub brands like "Army Watch"' "Riedenschild" and "Thunderbirds".


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## Captain Spalding (Mar 1, 2017)

I'm not new to watches by any means, but perhaps new to watch culture. So what makes a German watch? The movement is made in Germany? The case made in Germany? The whole thing made in Germany? I'm not trying to be contentious or sarcastic. But I have a Ford that was made in Mexico, but anyone would call it an American car rather than a Mexican car.


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## rationaltime (May 1, 2008)

Captain Spalding said:


> I'm not new to watches by any means, but perhaps new to watch culture. So what makes a German watch? The movement is made in Germany? The case made in Germany? The whole thing made in Germany? I'm not trying to be contentious or sarcastic. But I have a Ford that was made in Mexico, but anyone would call it an American car rather than a Mexican car.


Ford has factories around the world. They build Fords in Köln, Germany.
Those cars are not "American" cars. If your car were made in China 
would you still call it "American"?

It is good you are happy with your Eichmüller brand watch. Where
do you think it was made?

Thanks,
rationaltime


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

In Germany “Made in Germany” is a designation of origin which the manufacturer voluntarily applies to his products himself, on his own responsibility. Since “Made in Germany” is a form of product advertising, this description must be consistent with the truth. If a product wrongly bears the information “Made in Germany”, this can result in high claims for damages from the competition and confiscation of the goods by the Customs.

Requirements for „Made in Germany“ 

A product “Made in Germany” must fulfil the following requirements: 

+ Those services and components which are crucial to the quality and valuation of the goods must have been performed or manufactured in Germany. 
+ The description “Made in Germany” is not justified by simply assembling parts that have been prefabricated abroad, carrying out a final inspection or labelling the goods in Germany. 
+ On the other hand, some parts or components of an industrial product may certainly be supplied from abroad, but the essential parts of the final product must always originate in Germany.
+ A significant refinement may justify the description “Made in Germany”, but here too the above statement still applies: the refinement must be crucial to the quality and valuation of the product.

This is a very brief explanation. For more info please check the guidelines published by the German Chamber of Commerce or the IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce).

In a nutshell: The creation of value in Germany has to be +50% which isn't realized by Eichmüller.


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## Captain Spalding (Mar 1, 2017)

rationaltime said:


> Ford has factories around the world. They build Fords in Köln, Germany.
> Those cars are not "American" cars. If your car were made in China
> would you still call it "American"?


Do millions of iPhone users consider their phones to be Chinese phones? I suppose that folks with BMW's built in South Carolina, or Mercedes built in Alabama, would still consider their cars to be German cars. I own a 1973 Volkswagen Thing that was made in Mexico. I consider it to be a German car. Why then wouldn't someone with a Ford built in Germany consider it to be an American car?

I bought my watch because it fit a list of physical parameters (and price), without consideration for brand name or origin. Before I bought it I'd never heard of Eichmüller. I don't mean to rattle any cages. I'm just suggesting that if one doesn't consider his iPhone to be a Chinese phone, and without being acquainted with the convention in watch "culture", it is a rather easy mistake to make to consider an Eichmüller watch to be a German watch rather than a Chinese watch. Truly, I don't care one way or another. I do, however, disagree with the perception that a Chinese watch movement is less worthy based on it's origin. Only after having participated in this thread did I learn that the movement in my watch was made in China, and only after that did I check its accuracy and found it to be remarkable.

I'm sorry that I'm not getting off to a very good start in this forum. If I have not communicated clearly, or with enough respect, then I apologize.


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

> Do millions of iPhone users consider their phones to be Chinese phones?


Don't know what millions do. I know my iPhone is made in China, it does say so on the back btw. If the Eichmüller tick all your boxes - fine; but don't say it is German.


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## Captain Spalding (Mar 1, 2017)

Well. Alrightee then.


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## Ed Jogg (Mar 18, 2018)

To finally remove this thread from its original subject: I now have 6 GuanQin watches, all automatic, all with Seagulls ticking away inside them. They are all attractively made, no visible horrors through a 40x loupe, with good timekeeping for value-for-money automatics. The prices are ridiculously low from the manufacturer, less so from one of their principal distributors, Golong Watch Store, whose manager's customer service ethos seems to be unbeatable. (Jacky Cheung, gender unknown, so I just write Jacky...)

Big drawbacks? Two: you get dragged into the crazy communications system of Alibaba, and you get dragged into the tortuous and torturous delivery of .........s. (Express? Only if there is a language somewhere in which "ali" means "not", or even "opposite of".) Try: Guangzhou to Singapore, then Singapore to Beijing, then Beijing to LAL, somewhere in Florida, then from somewhere in Florida to London in 9 days of direct flight, according to a clearly dysfunctional or deliberately deceiving tracking system. With enough medical assistance a certain cyclist could have pedalled, cycle or pedalo according to the surface to cross, directly from Guangzhou to London in less time. Then the watch arrives, you set it in a winder, then put it on, use it for a day or two. Then stare at it while reminding yourself of what you paid for it, and assaulting yourself to be sure you are not dreaming. (That does not work for anyone who has sweet dreams of being assaulted, who will have to find their own tired-out, tiresome, cliche for this circumstance.)

They look good in the winders, but I have kept them segregated from the Muhle Glashuttes, who might take offence. I only have doubts about one, an automatic "full-date chronograph", as often found with Chinese watches, (as well as with Chinese fakes of European watches...). It's a mechanical with a steel case, and it has a quite effective magnetic clasp on its steel mesh bracelet. That rather got my attention. My watchmaker has already demagnetised a similar counter-intuitive assembly, so my heart is back down to 102 beats a minute while I am wearing such a suicidal assembly.

Otherwise I have a group of good looking, well-made and sufficiently faithful automatic watches at such low prices I barely care about exposing them to the risks of being on the wrist of a clumsy old man pushing his wheelchair along recklessly. (Wreck-lessly? I can dream, can't I?)

Ah yes, Eichmuller! (What happened to this thread? You are lucky I am here, sticking valiantly to the subject...) They are advertised as having Miyota quartz movements, so Miyota quartz plus sub-bargain basement prices = Chinese.

(Sorry, this is going to slip off-topic again.

But do not take Chinese watches too lightly for too long. When another brand similar to GuanQin starts up, preferably also in Guangdong Province, or, better still, in Guangzhou City, to maxi-enhance the local rivalry, Chinese watchmakers, (Those which, like GuanQin, do their genuine best to produce legitimate designs being the only ones of interest, sure), will vastly improve their quality and Quality Control, areas where GuanQin are already average to good, and the lower end of Euro-American watchmaking might have a massive price problem to deal with. With proof of consistent quality and Quality Control across the range, a manager of Jacky Cheung's standard could easily sign-up European dealers with watches and prices which would make many established brands feel like they are being kicked in the swan-neck escapement, or some similar part of the body, (your guess...).


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

You should have posted this on our Chinese Watches Forum. Thanks for reviving a dormant thread.


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