# FC Group Bought By Citizen



## mitchjrj (Aug 30, 2014)

This just out, Frederique Constant Group bought by Citizen...

Frederique Constant Group bought by Citizen | WatchPro
Another semi-indepenendent swallowed up. Doubt this will be well received by fans of the brand (FC, Alpina). A shame, there's a certain caché and purity associated with standing alone. Will be interesting to watch and see if/how the brands change as a result.


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## Nokie (Jul 4, 2011)

Yup. FC will no longer be a niche brand. Too bad.


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## michael8238 (Sep 13, 2015)

I'm actually happy to see them now under the umbrella of a much bigger company, instead of being a niche and living on the edge of uncertainty. I'm guessing Citizen will keep Arnold & Sons as their flagship brand? and try to push FC as their mainstream volume brand? I don't know where Graham is going though


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## Laparoscopic Yoda (Nov 4, 2012)

It makes me sad that FC is no longer independent, but since Bulova has prospered under Citizen, hopefully FC will as well. At least FC hasn't been bought and dismantled by Swatch.


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## WorthTheWrist (Jan 1, 2015)

They seem to be taking an approach of finding well-thought-of, well-made but not necessarily well-publicized watches and adding them to their umbrella to give them wider distribution. 

It's smart.


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## BrentYYC (Feb 2, 2012)

Unfortunately, that's a fact of life with any privately owned company. Eventually you need to sell the company to somebody else if you don't have family to hand the reins over to. It's too bad the Stas children weren't interested in carrying on with the family business.


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## Bubbalouie (Mar 20, 2015)

Peter and his wife will remain with the FC Group, which will seem business as usual. However, time will tell if this was a good move.


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## Tokei Lover (Apr 30, 2014)

For f#%€s sake. That sucks. BIG time!


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## Tokei Lover (Apr 30, 2014)

It's not like they were bought by Richemont.


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

Tokei Lover said:


> It's not like they were bought by Richemont.


If they had, then it would not have been premature to write their eulogy.

Can you elaborate on your position in your first post?


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## KazeKei (Jan 11, 2012)

I rather they stay independent..
FC has been doing well and making a name for themselves, not sure how Citizen will grow FC.


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## Tokei Lover (Apr 30, 2014)

gangrel said:


> If they had, then it would not have been premature to write their eulogy.
> 
> Can you elaborate on your position in your first post?


Sure. I see a high risk of them being place under demand to focus purely on profits rather the pursuit of achieving beautiful manufacture timepieces.


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## nevada1995 (Dec 24, 2014)

I see this as a big plus for FC, more resources and technology. If anything, I see this moving FC and Alpina to the next level.


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## Jeep99dad (Sep 4, 2009)

I am a big Alpina fan. 
I am excited to see what happens next. With no family successor to take over, there had to be some sort of deal for the brands to live on. 
Citizen will give them access to huge resources, distribution and marketing in particular. I think they'll the designs be the original brand personality but allow them to expand in the way FC-Alpina never could before.


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## oak1971 (Aug 19, 2013)

Tokei Lover said:


> Sure. I see a high risk of them being place under demand to focus purely on profits rather the pursuit of achieving beautiful manufacture timepieces.


Citizen doesn't need to nickle and dime them to death. In fact, they can run them at a loss to generate more foot traffic and sales for the other brands.


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## mlankton (Mar 28, 2016)

nevada1995 said:


> I see this as a big plus for FC, more resources and technology. If anything, I see this moving FC and Alpina to the next level.


At no time, ever, did acquisition of a great product by a large corporation improve the product. The focus of large corporations is necessarily maximum profits.

Too bad, my Alpina is a lovely watch and I will never part with it. Maybe it's time to go find that Alpiner panda chrono I'd thought about.


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## mlankton (Mar 28, 2016)

mlankton said:


> At no time, ever, did acquisition of a great product by a large corporation improve the product.


some examples: 
Chaco sandals
Palm webOS under HP
Skype under Microsoft
Star Wars franchise under Disney
etc etc etc


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## Nokie (Jul 4, 2011)

Hope it works out for both companies.


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## DC guy (Jan 30, 2015)

So, will this forum get moved under the Seiko & Citizen Forum? (ducks)


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## dinexus (Nov 18, 2012)

Genuinely hope it'll work out for Alpina. See this sort of stuff happening all the itme, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Kinda sucks because I always thought Alpina's biggest selling point was their "little engine that could" mentality, and an independance which seemed pretty refreshing. Hopefully the new resources they get access to just helps grow the brand, and doesn't shake up the core products or dilute the overt "Swiss-ness" of the brand.


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## BigBoss0311 (Sep 16, 2015)

Hopefully the CS will improve with Alpina.


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## Mr. Orlando (Dec 24, 2012)

Now does this mean that Citizen takes over the manufacturing? Or does it stay the same and they only own the brand?


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## lkorso (Dec 4, 2014)

That was surprising I have to say. I hope it will be for the best, the brand is on a very good track!


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## BigBoss0311 (Sep 16, 2015)

From the release it says that Citizen won't interfere, but who knows.


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## Jeep99dad (Sep 4, 2009)

Mr. Orlando said:


> Now does this mean that Citizen takes over the manufacturing? Or does it stay the same and they only own the brand?


Doubt it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalkblahblahah


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## germy (Aug 30, 2014)

Mr. Orlando said:


> Now does this mean that Citizen takes over the manufacturing? Or does it stay the same and they only own the brand?


I think Citizen will leave everything untouched. Additional cash injection means that FC can probably develop and research better movements and design in the future.

Hopefully they can now make better and more sensible designs, with smaller cases, i.e. their In House Moonphases are very nice but size is too big, case could be improved. Fingers crossed.


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## mitchjrj (Aug 30, 2014)

Here's hoping Oris stays the course of independence!


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## BDIC (Jan 6, 2014)

Kind of bummed. I've been thinking of adding an Alpina to the watch box. I'm a very big fan of independent brands. Something gets lost when they are swallowed up by a Swatch or Richemont or whoever. Yes sometimes the movements, fit , finish all get better but to me they just seem soulless. 


Sent from my blah blah blah.


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## CM HUNTER (May 16, 2011)

Sometimes companies fall by the wayside through acquisition, sometimes they improve, sometimes they stay relatively unchanged. I've seen all 3 scenarios play out quite a number of times. All anybody has so far with this situation is guessing. I personally am now more interested in the brand (and taking them more seriously) than I ever was.


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## horolicious (May 31, 2015)

Here is the article from 3 plus years, where Citizen CEO talked about Swiss watch manufacturer acquisition. 
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...wiss-luxury-watch-brand-to-maintain-its-edge/


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

Mr. Orlando said:


> Now does this mean that Citizen takes over the manufacturing? Or does it stay the same and they only own the brand?


Blogs generally reported that Citizen has no intention to change the brand. And the founders are staying on for the next 5 years.

Citizen owns Arnold & Son...but you'd never know it.


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## captainmorbid (Mar 3, 2016)

Likely this will lead to more Swiss motivated Bulovas in the accuswiss line. Perhaps a Grand Citizen level luxury line...


Sent from my iPhone accidentally, due to the gate being left ajar


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## shelfcompact (Jul 28, 2014)

Was it true they were on the edge of bankruptcy?


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## KazeKei (Jan 11, 2012)

shelfcompact said:


> Was it true they were on the edge of bankruptcy?


FC? Never heard of that, why would they?


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

shelfcompact said:


> Was it true they were on the edge of bankruptcy?


Not that I heard. The owners wanted to ensure continuity; their heirs had no interest. Perhaps you are thinking of Maurice Lacroix?


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## shelfcompact (Jul 28, 2014)

KazeKei said:


> FC? Never heard of that, why would they?





gangrel said:


> Not that I heard. The owners wanted to ensure continuity; their heirs had no interest. Perhaps you are thinking of Maurice Lacroix?


No, looks like the person who stated it had no real source.
I can find no such new sources stating anything about possible financial issues with FC.


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## Stryder16 (Sep 11, 2016)

Interesting news


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## yankeexpress (Apr 7, 2013)

So both Alpina and Bulova are now owned by Citizen group.


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## Stryder16 (Sep 11, 2016)

I think it's reassuring to read that Citizen has no intention to change the brand


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## johnnmiller1 (Dec 2, 2011)

Actually, I echo JeepDad and don't think that FC being bought by Citizen is a bad thing. Judging purely by Bulova and Lange, Citizen seem to have a measure of respect for brands and brand independence that other European companies such as Swatch and Richemont tend to lack. That said, I hope they don't start putting big hex screws on Alpina Seastrong bezels any time soon.


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## KAW (Jul 15, 2012)

johnnmiller1 said:


> Actually, I echo JeepDad and don't think that FC being bought by Citizen is a bad thing. Judging purely by *Bulova and Lange*, Citizen seem to have a measure of respect for brands and brand independence that other European companies such as Swatch and Richemont tend to lack. That said, I hope they don't start putting big hex screws on Alpina Seastrong bezels any time soon.


Not sure if you're referring to A. Lange & Söhne, but they are owned by Richemont. IIRC, Citizen also owns Arnold & Son and the movement maker La Joux-Perret.


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