KOLBER's re-entry to local market with RONDA and affordable price tag!
Let's see... when was the last time i ended the purchase of SWISS QUARTZ Chronograph watches... Hmm...
If i'm not wrong, should be roughly 12years ago, with a SWATCH IRONY Chrono, after close to 22 or so with different dial designs. Don't we love SWATCH then? With a relatively affordable price(erm... roughly about USD$80~100 10+ years ago...) and wide range of designs, compared to those Quartz Chronographs from several other timepiece producers using Japanese movements from either Seiko or Citizen's MIYOTA, or even on their own branded produce, the SWATCH Group managed to overturn the Japanese dominating markets then and captured lots of attention and sales from the consumers who're after non conventional conservative deigns as the world was in the stage of design transitions.
So... 12yrs had passed, and i had noticed the trend of people going after bigger watches. So as the trend of cosmetic look simplicity and sportiness kicks in along with big sized watches, the Japanese bites back with more bigger watches, complex movements, as well as competitive prices where SWISS makes, especially the budget friendly labels such as SWATCH or TISSOT cannot beat in the last 5yrs.
Even with more complex movement and bigger sized watches, the SWISS still cannot beat the Japanese with... bigger and complex movements and competitive pricing.
And with the movements supplies as well as developments coming down to a slower pace from one of Switzerland's biggest and oldest maker in the trade, Swatch Group's ETA, movements price and cost are soaring up north that alternate movements from small makers like ISA and RONDA of Switzerland are now being sought after by other SWISS and EUROPEAN marques.
Movements from RONDA and ISA can be found in most new brands in the market as well as high-end marques. Yep... no mistake here. Mid-High-end labels like RAYMOND WEIL Edox, as well as TAG HEUER, so as MICHEL HERBELIN, LUMINOX, MONDAINE, and other mid-end marques are using RONDA Quartz Chronograph movements as well in their entry level models.
Why the sudden popularity of RONDA movements?
As previously mentioned, supplies goes down and price goes up on ETA movements, which was once most sought after by multiple brands in the European Quartz Watch world. RONDA comes in with lower cost, and perhaps better specification score compare to what ETA may offer.
RONDA's entry in such time, also brought back some of the long forgotten names such as MICHEL HERBELIN,
as well as KOLBER, which had taken a long bow off the local market in the last 5yrs or so!
KOLBER, 5yrs ago still does not improve on their timepiece cosmetic design. Their watches still look... very much middle eastern, with lots of outdated looks that were too Oriental with lots of lines and carvings, and Arabic looks with gold decorations all over. These factors were probably the few that caused the poor response and low attention from the consumers to the brand, even though their watches could be fitted with reliable ETA movements.
In this return, some of KOLBER watches may look outdated, but injected with elements of current trend. Such as, less Oriental or Middle Eastern influence, but more stream lines and contours as well as simple yet avant-garde European flavors, and not to forget, slightly larger sized.
Is this a sports watch? Or a dress watch?
A glance onto this piece i got today, get me confused. The simplistic contours and lines, as well as with the addition of the ROSE GOLD case, makes a very good dress piece.
Yet the silver silky dial with noticeable looks of different finishes composition, with the sporty bezel, all flat mineral hardened crystal glass and the modern hand and the stereo dimensional hour indices, makes it a sporty time teller.
A RONDA Quartz Chronograph movement, calibre 3540D is in this piece here. From far, with the subdials located @ 6, 9 and 12 position, could easily be mistaken as 7750 mechanical chronograph... especially when or if i tell another WIS that this is a SWISS movement. Look closer, the markers on the subdials are totally different.
The subdial @ 6, is the ticking seconds of regular time.
The subdial @ 9, is the 30mins counter.
The subdial @ 12, is the 1/10th second counter, which after 30mins of run, turns into 10hrs counter. While the large needle in the center, is the chronographs 60 seconds timer.
While the overall looks gives classy and feel of mid-end impression, one part that bugs me is the "pusher guard" that doesn't move at all and seems to be for decoration only.
So... what is it about this watch or it's movement that is so attenton catching? Is it the look? Or the long.............54months battery life specification that even surpass the ETA Quartz Chronograph that cannot meet?
I would say both of the above.
Worth buying?
Personally, i'm more interested to the marvels of mechanical movements. Which are mostly autos. To date, i have and coming close to 10 watches with ETA/Valjoux 775x movements. I would like to own other calibres such as those from RUSSIA as well as those from CHINA which are base off the good old architecture of the VENUS movements, but often take a step back, considering the future serviceability of these movements due to the lack of such watchmakers who may posses good supplies of parts as well as the skills to deal with... But @ SGD$270, banded with 2yrs warranty, (which most of the labels in the market will tag on the movements they employed)... this sporty yet classy timepiece is not easy to come by... lets see can i get the bigger calibre the next round used by the High-Ends...?
Without further ado... more pics!
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Classy "leather" box package, feels much durable than those in the market with soft and velvety surface.
"Classy" interior as well... for such a budget piece.
Sporty... yet Dressy...
Close up on dial
Brand engraving on case and butterfly clasp... on a budget make?
1/10th counter in action.
Comparison to another sport dresser, and the end to first impression
3rd day update... with more pics!
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