Any opinions on the "Stauer" watch sold by NextTen?

[Alex G]

Every other week or so, a full page ad for a "Stauer 1922"
replica comes out on the NY Times Sunday magazine. The ad, by
a firm called nextten.com, features what seems to be a complication
movement (month/day-of-month/day-of-week etc), all for under $150.

There are a few red flags that I see in the offering:
1. The gold-tone of the enlarged magazine picture looks
nothing like the stainless-looking picture in nextten.com

2. They use weird terms like a "movement with kinetic power",
which seems to me like they're trying to fool would-be
buyers into thinking that the movement is mechanical and
automatic.

3. The magazine ad is enlarged, and features a "gold-tone"
watch bathed in brown/yellow lighting and surroundings.
(Heck, even a tarnished silver watch may look like gold in
this lighting).

4. Too good to be true.


Has anyone seen this watch? If so, please post your opinions.

Thanks

/AL

[Thore Karlsen]

Post by Alex G
Every other week or so, a full page ad for a "Stauer 1922"
replica comes out on the NY Times Sunday magazine. The ad, by
a firm called nextten.com, features what seems to be a complication
movement (month/day-of-month/day-of-week etc), all for under $150.
1. The gold-tone of the enlarged magazine picture looks
nothing like the stainless-looking picture in nextten.com
2. They use weird terms like a "movement with kinetic power",
which seems to me like they're trying to fool would-be
buyers into thinking that the movement is mechanical and
automatic.
3. The magazine ad is enlarged, and features a "gold-tone"
watch bathed in brown/yellow lighting and surroundings.
(Heck, even a tarnished silver watch may look like gold in
this lighting).
4. Too good to be true.
Has anyone seen this watch? If so, please post your opinions.

Looks like utter garbage, completely uninteresting. Misleading
advertising to generate interest for some cheap piece of junk. Not even
worth discussing.

[Jack Denver]

What Thore said.

But, the movement really is a mechanical automatic - I'm guessing a cheap
Chinese piece of junk, but a mechanical watch nonetheless. And the
"complications" aren't that complex - basically a calendar watch. Dunno
whether the case finish is silver tone or gold tone - it really makes no
difference. Avoid at all costs.

Post by Alex G
Every other week or so, a full page ad for a "Stauer 1922"
replica comes out on the NY Times Sunday magazine. The ad, by
a firm called nextten.com, features what seems to be a complication
movement (month/day-of-month/day-of-week etc), all for under $150.
1. The gold-tone of the enlarged magazine picture looks
nothing like the stainless-looking picture in nextten.com
2. They use weird terms like a "movement with kinetic power",
which seems to me like they're trying to fool would-be
buyers into thinking that the movement is mechanical and
automatic.
3. The magazine ad is enlarged, and features a "gold-tone"
watch bathed in brown/yellow lighting and surroundings.
(Heck, even a tarnished silver watch may look like gold in
this lighting).
4. Too good to be true.
Has anyone seen this watch? If so, please post your opinions.
Thanks
/AL

[Alex G]

AL: Any opinions on the "Stauer" watch sold by NextTen?
Thore: Junk
Jack: Cheap junk.

Thanks everyone. I thought as much.

/AL

[Bruce Bowen]

Post by Alex G
Every other week or so, a full page ad for a "Stauer 1922"
replica comes out on the NY Times Sunday magazine. The ad, by
a firm called nextten.com, features what seems to be a complication
movement (month/day-of-month/day-of-week etc), all for under $150.
1. The gold-tone of the enlarged magazine picture looks
nothing like the stainless-looking picture in nextten.com
2. They use weird terms like a "movement with kinetic power",
which seems to me like they're trying to fool would-be
buyers into thinking that the movement is mechanical and
automatic.
3. The magazine ad is enlarged, and features a "gold-tone"
watch bathed in brown/yellow lighting and surroundings.
(Heck, even a tarnished silver watch may look like gold in
this lighting).
4. Too good to be true.
Has anyone seen this watch? If so, please post your opinions.

Interesting that you would take advice from people who haven't seen
one. I got one as a Christmas present. Next Ten is a company similar
to the "Shaper Image".

1. It is mechanical and automatic.

2. As well as the standard clock dial it has a month dial, day dial,
hour dial and a day of the month number display. The day of the month
display can be set independently by pulling out the time adjustment
knob halfway and turning it backwards.

3. The case is stainless steel.

4. It appears to be well made. The time adjustment knob screws down
when not in use.

5. The movement is made in China. (For the record, in case you
haven't noticed, the US is going to hell (economically). Do you know
of any manufactured consumer item that is NOT made in China? Even
Japanese stuff is now being made in China. My company (American) is
outsourcing all its manufacturing to China. One wonders how long
before the employees are outsourced too?)

5. Given the above, for only $140 it appears to be a good deal.

6. If the watch misbehaves or malfunctions in the near future I'll
post an update here.



-Bruce ***@pppppppppppppppppppacbell.net

[Dragan Cvetkovic]

Post by Bruce Bowen
5. The movement is made in China. (For the record, in case you
haven't noticed, the US is going to hell (economically). Do you know
of any manufactured consumer item that is NOT made in China? Even
Japanese stuff is now being made in China.

I am sure that the above claims are true for electronics and IT related
staff and stuff, but does it also holds true for watches and their
movements? E.g. does Rolex (or Omega, or Tag, or <any respectable swiss
watch company>) uses Chinese (or other Asian) manufacturing forces?

Bye, Dragan

[Jack Denver]

Depends what you mean by respectable. Swiss law allows a certain percentage
of components to be imported and still allow the watch to be labeled "Swiss
made". AFAIK, the top end brands still do most of their manufacturing in
Switz. but some brands such as Hamilton import less critical components
(e.g. the case and bracelet or components thereof ) from the Far East. Also,
there have been rumors that some very high end brands (Frank Muller) have
been importing movements from Russia.

Personally, I think there is a distinction between Swiss movements and the
rest of the watch. If I were shopping for a Swiss watch, it really wouldn't
bother me where the rest of the watch was made as long as the movement was
really made in Switzerland.

Post by Dragan Cvetkovic

Post by Bruce Bowen
5. The movement is made in China. (For the record, in case you
haven't noticed, the US is going to hell (economically). Do you know
of any manufactured consumer item that is NOT made in China? Even
Japanese stuff is now being made in China.

I am sure that the above claims are true for electronics and IT related
staff and stuff, but does it also holds true for watches and their
movements? E.g. does Rolex (or Omega, or Tag, or <any respectable swiss
watch company>) uses Chinese (or other Asian) manufacturing forces?
Bye, Dragan
--
Dragan Cvetkovic,
To be or not to be is true. G. Boole No it isn't. L. E. J. Brouwer
!!! Sender/From address is bogus. Use reply-to one !!!

[Dragan Cvetkovic]

Post by Jack Denver

Post by Dragan Cvetkovic

Post by Bruce Bowen
5. The movement is made in China. (For the record, in case you
haven't noticed, the US is going to hell (economically). Do you know
of any manufactured consumer item that is NOT made in China?

I am sure that the above claims are true for electronics and IT related
staff and stuff, but does it also holds true for watches and their
movements? E.g. does Rolex (or Omega, or Tag, or <any respectable swiss
watch company>) uses Chinese (or other Asian) manufacturing forces?

Depends what you mean by respectable. Swiss law allows a certain percentage
of components to be imported and still allow the watch to be labeled "Swiss
made". AFAIK, the top end brands still do most of their manufacturing in
Switz. but some brands such as Hamilton import less critical components
(e.g. the case and bracelet or components thereof ) from the Far East.

Thanks. Of course, Hamilton is not a Swiss company (being established in
1892 in Lancaster, PA, USA), but I see your point.

Bye, Dragan

[Jack Denver]

It is now. Hamilton name now owned by Swatch Gp. of Switzerland and
current watches are labeld Swiss Made.

This is a better fate than befell Waltham, Gruen, Elgin, etc. - these once
proud names go on $10 Chinese quartz drugstore watches.

Post by Dragan Cvetkovic
Thanks. Of course, Hamilton is not a Swiss company (being established in
1892 in Lancaster, PA, USA), but I see your point.

[Jack Denver]

Post by Bruce Bowen

Post by Alex G
Every other week or so, a full page ad for a "Stauer 1922"
replica comes out on the NY Times Sunday magazine. The ad, by
a firm called nextten.com, features what seems to be a complication
movement (month/day-of-month/day-of-week etc), all for under $150.
1. The gold-tone of the enlarged magazine picture looks
nothing like the stainless-looking picture in nextten.com
2. They use weird terms like a "movement with kinetic power",
which seems to me like they're trying to fool would-be
buyers into thinking that the movement is mechanical and
automatic.
3. The magazine ad is enlarged, and features a "gold-tone"
watch bathed in brown/yellow lighting and surroundings.
(Heck, even a tarnished silver watch may look like gold in
this lighting).
4. Too good to be true.
Has anyone seen this watch? If so, please post your opinions.

Interesting that you would take advice from people who haven't seen
one. I got one as a Christmas present. Next Ten is a company similar
to the "Shaper Image".
1. It is mechanical and automatic.
2. As well as the standard clock dial it has a month dial, day dial,
hour dial and a day of the month number display. The day of the month
display can be set independently by pulling out the time adjustment
knob halfway and turning it backwards.

In other words, a calendar watch. Ho-hum.

Post by Bruce Bowen
3. The case is stainless steel.
4. It appears to be well made. The time adjustment knob screws down
when not in use.
5. The movement is made in China. (For the record, in case you
haven't noticed, the US is going to hell (economically). Do you know
of any manufactured consumer item that is NOT made in China? Even
Japanese stuff is now being made in China. My company (American) is
outsourcing all its manufacturing to China. One wonders how long
before the employees are outsourced too?)

It's true that a lot of stuff is being made in China. It's not true (yet)
that a lot of top quality stuff is being made in China. A lot of the stuff
coming out of China is junk. This includes almost all Chinese watches. I'm
not saying this won't change in 5 or 10 years, but for now, Chinese
movements are almost always cheap junk. If a manufacturer wants to make a
cheap but respectable automatic watch, he buys a Miyota 8215 or Seiko 7S26
movement for $20 or so and has the case and rest of the watch made in China.
If he wants to foist junk on the unsuspecting public, he puts a $5 Chinese
movement in the watch and then spends a lot of money on misleading full page
ads in the NY Times.

Post by Bruce Bowen
5. Given the above, for only $140 it appears to be a good deal.

Given all the above, the watch probably cost Nexten under $10 to source.
This is what Chinese automatic watches wholesale for. You can buy similar
watches (with Patek Phillipe or some other phoney name on the dial) in any
street market in most of Asia for under $20. So you decide whether it was a
good deal.

Post by Bruce Bowen
6. If the watch misbehaves or malfunctions in the near future I'll
post an update here.

We'll be waiting. How many seconds does the watch gain/lose each day vs. a
time signal?

[Bruce Bowen]

Post by Jack Denver

Post by Bruce Bowen
6. If the watch misbehaves or malfunctions in the near future I'll
post an update here.

We'll be waiting. How many seconds does the watch gain/lose each day vs. a
time signal?

Will check. I have an "atomic" wall clock that syncs to a broadcast
time signal. Will let the watch error accumulate for a week or two and
post a review.

-Bruce

[omniscient idiot]

Will be very interesting to see a somewhat longer term evaluation as
well, in addition to some evaluation on the ruggedness of operation.
IMHO one week is not long enough - I have a sneaky suspicion that how
accurate a watch is in one week is not enough info, there are other
info which would be nice to have, such as longevity, ruggedness, QA
issues, and (actually IMHO also a form of ruggedness) how the
timekeeping will vary depending on what the watch is to be used for
(for instance, does it get erratic if worn when playing tennis - on
the hand that is used for playing?).

That said, I wonder if I am a bit too critical regarding the current
quality of Chinese goods. In PMWF's shop (Reto Castelazzi's shop, I
suppose), Reto once mentioned that for at least one Chinese brand
(Double Rhomb), there are apparently dramatic difference in quality
between the domestic version and the export version. Who knows that
something like that is true here as well (or maybe the domestic
version is also very good, I wonder? Or both very bad?). Either way, I
won't hold my (sort of) precious breath - I am not about to buy a new
watch anytime soon anyway, as already exceeding my spending quota ;)
Regards, oi

Post by Bruce Bowen

Post by Jack Denver

Post by Bruce Bowen
6. If the watch misbehaves or malfunctions in the near future I'll
post an update here.

We'll be waiting. How many seconds does the watch gain/lose each day vs. a
time signal?

Will check. I have an "atomic" wall clock that syncs to a broadcast
time signal. Will let the watch error accumulate for a week or two and
post a review.
-Bruce

[Wing C Ng]

Post by omniscient idiot
That said, I wonder if I am a bit too critical regarding the current
quality of Chinese goods. In PMWF's shop (Reto Castelazzi's shop, I
suppose), Reto once mentioned that for at least one Chinese brand
(Double Rhomb), there are apparently dramatic difference in quality
between the domestic version and the export version. Who knows that
something like that is true here as well (or maybe the domestic
version is also very good, I wonder? Or both very bad?). Either way, I
won't hold my (sort of) precious breath - I am not about to buy a new
watch anytime soon anyway, as already exceeding my spending quota ;)
Regards, oi

I just went to Hong Kong and spoke to some watch people who have
experience with watches made in China mainland. The story is that
in the last 2-3 years, lots of previous employees went out and
started new factories, with poor quality control, but by now there
is shakeout and maybe only the ones with better quality control
will survive. The mainland Chinese had lots of experience with
mechanical watchmaking for many years, they have always had indigenously
produced mechanical watches for the last fifty years.

Wing

[Jack Denver]

Yes, they've been making mechanical watches (mostly handwinds) for some
time, but most of them were no good. There were a few made for government
leaders to give as diplomatic gifts that were well crafted, but most were
not. They were not capitalist style, make-a-quick-buck type junk. Instead
they were communist style nobody-owns-the-factory-so-we-don't-give-a-damn
type junk, which is just as bad.

Post by Wing C Ng

Post by omniscient idiot
That said, I wonder if I am a bit too critical regarding the current
quality of Chinese goods. In PMWF's shop (Reto Castelazzi's shop, I
suppose), Reto once mentioned that for at least one Chinese brand
(Double Rhomb), there are apparently dramatic difference in quality
between the domestic version and the export version. Who knows that
something like that is true here as well (or maybe the domestic
version is also very good, I wonder? Or both very bad?). Either way, I
won't hold my (sort of) precious breath - I am not about to buy a new
watch anytime soon anyway, as already exceeding my spending quota ;)
Regards, oi

I just went to Hong Kong and spoke to some watch people who have
experience with watches made in China mainland. The story is that
in the last 2-3 years, lots of previous employees went out and
started new factories, with poor quality control, but by now there
is shakeout and maybe only the ones with better quality control
will survive. The mainland Chinese had lots of experience with
mechanical watchmaking for many years, they have always had indigenously
produced mechanical watches for the last fifty years.
Wing

[Bruce Bowen]

Post by Bruce Bowen

Post by Jack Denver

Post by Bruce Bowen
6. If the watch misbehaves or malfunctions in the near future I'll
post an update here.

We'll be waiting. How many seconds does the watch gain/lose each day vs. a
time signal?

Will check. I have an "atomic" wall clock that syncs to a broadcast
time signal. Will let the watch error accumulate for a week or two and
post a review.
-Bruce

Preliminary results after a day and a half.

Started at 7 PM Thursday. The watch initially was 37 seconds behind
atomic time. Wore watch during day but not at night.

Thu 7 PM Lagged atomic time by 37 sec
Fri 7 AM Lagged atomic time by 35 sec
Fri 8 PM Lagged atomic time by 38 sec
Sat 8 AM Lagged atomic time by 41 sec

-Bruce

[Jack Denver]

So far so good, but try storing it in each of the six possible cube face
orientations, different one every night and see if you detect a pattern.
Better yet, stop wearing it, wind from the crown once/ day (if it winds
from the crown, if not shake to wind) and leave in different positions as
above round the clock . Also leave it in the fridge overnight and see how
that affects performance. Another night in a slightly warm place (around
100F). This is roughly what COSC does when they test watches. None of this
should damage the watch. The reason is that wearing the watch on the wrist
is not a "stress test" that brings out weaknesses in a movement - on the
wrist the watch stays fully wound, even in temp and rotates between the
positions. Even cheap watches may give good results on the wrist as long as
you maintain a regular routine, but when you put them under "stress" the
performance breaks down. Good watches will keep good time under stress as
well as on the wrist. You may say, "but I only wear my watch on my wrist",
but in fact you will stress it similarly when your routine breaks - a day
when you don't wear the watch, a very cold day spend outdoors, a day at the
beach, etc.

Post by Bruce Bowen

Post by Bruce Bowen

Post by Jack Denver

Post by Bruce Bowen
6. If the watch misbehaves or malfunctions in the near future I'll
post an update here.

We'll be waiting. How many seconds does the watch gain/lose each day vs. a
time signal?

Will check. I have an "atomic" wall clock that syncs to a broadcast
time signal. Will let the watch error accumulate for a week or two and
post a review.
-Bruce

Preliminary results after a day and a half.
Started at 7 PM Thursday. The watch initially was 37 seconds behind
atomic time. Wore watch during day but not at night.
Thu 7 PM Lagged atomic time by 37 sec
Fri 7 AM Lagged atomic time by 35 sec
Fri 8 PM Lagged atomic time by 38 sec
Sat 8 AM Lagged atomic time by 41 sec
-Bruce

[Rob Smith]

Recived one of these watches as a gift when I got home from Iraq.
Wore it for three days before the time stopped advancing past 2:02.
Tried to advance it manualy and the knob came off.

Will post a follow up on the NextTen return service and refund of
payment to my fathers card.

Rob

PS..

Anyone know a nice looking watch that will sell for around $200.00 and
be more "worth the money"?

***@us.army.mil

[Rob Smith]

The thing that really makes me mad is I loved the look of this watch.
Anyone know of a similar looking style?

Post by Rob Smith
Recived one of these watches as a gift when I got home from Iraq.
Wore it for three days before the time stopped advancing past 2:02.
Tried to advance it manualy and the knob came off.
Will post a follow up on the NextTen return service and refund of
payment to my fathers card.
Rob
PS..
Anyone know a nice looking watch that will sell for around $200.00 and
be more "worth the money"?

[Jack Denver]

Forget about the Stauer , not only the watch itself, which is crap as you
found out, but the styling too. That kind of styling does not grow on you
the way a classic face does - rather you get sick of those overly busy dials
very quickly. I know there's no accounting for taste, but trust me on this.

I suggest you contact Howard Marx of Westcoasttime (no commercial connection
with me) http://www.westcoastime.com/


He also sells a lot on ebay.

a very respected dealer who sells a lot of miitary watches mostly the
Ollech & Wajs that were very popular in the Vietnam era.

For around $200 he will sell you a very rugged automatic watch that you will
get many years of service out of.

Post by Rob Smith
Recived one of these watches as a gift when I got home from Iraq.
Wore it for three days before the time stopped advancing past 2:02.
Tried to advance it manualy and the knob came off.
Will post a follow up on the NextTen return service and refund of
payment to my fathers card.
Rob
PS..
Anyone know a nice looking watch that will sell for around $200.00 and
be more "worth the money"?

[Rob Smith]

Thanks for the suggestion. I still think I am interested in the style of
the Stauer more than the "classic" face watches. I really prefer a watch
that catches the eye. I could get four timex watches in plain jane style
that will last me a few years each for $200.00.

Still... I am going to check the website as you never know.

As for NextTen and thier return policy. So far I have no responce to my
e-mail. Surprise surprise. I will call on Wednesday. Lets see how the
rest of this plays out.

Rob Smith

[Rob Smith]

Called NextTen about the watch today. They gave me a return control number.
I have to pay to returne the watch and then wait about 2 weeks to see the
refund on my father's VISA.

Best bet is to avoid the Stauer brand of watches and NextTen.

Rob

[husky]

Post by Rob Smith
Recived one of these watches as a gift when I got home from Iraq.
Wore it for three days before the time stopped advancing past 2:02.
Tried to advance it manualy and the knob came off.
Will post a follow up on the NextTen return service and refund of
payment to my fathers card.
Rob
PS..
Anyone know a nice looking watch that will sell for around $200.00 and
be more "worth the money"?

I would highly recommend Seiko or Citizen watches. They are beautifully
made and very reliable. I don't know if they offer the style you're
looking for, but you can get a great watch for $200.

[Salmonella]

Not to put too fine a point on the question:

Go to www.google.com ,select Google groups, join if you have not already
done so, subscribe to alt.horology (it's an archive of the postings in this
group going back approximately forever). Then search for messages in the
group containing the word "stauer." (It's the search box on the right, not
the one on the left.) You should get about eight messages containing
"stauer" in them. Stauers and Steinhausens do not have a good reputation,
as you will see, but rehashing the whole sorry story here would be tedious.

God bless you, and take no wooden nickels.

Salmonella

Post by husky

Post by Rob Smith
Recived one of these watches as a gift when I got home from Iraq.
Wore it for three days before the time stopped advancing past 2:02.
Tried to advance it manualy and the knob came off.
Will post a follow up on the NextTen return service and refund of
payment to my fathers card.
Rob
PS..
Anyone know a nice looking watch that will sell for around $200.00

and

Post by Rob Smith
be more "worth the money"?

I would highly recommend Seiko or Citizen watches. They are beautifully
made and very reliable. I don't know if they offer the style you're
looking for, but you can get a great watch for $200.

[husky]

Post by Rob Smith
Recived one of these watches as a gift when I got home from Iraq.
Wore it for three days before the time stopped advancing past 2:02.
Tried to advance it manualy and the knob came off.
Will post a follow up on the NextTen return service and refund of
payment to my fathers card.
Rob
PS..
Anyone know a nice looking watch that will sell for around $200.00 and
be more "worth the money"?

I would highly recommend Seiko or Citizen watches. They are beautifully
made and very reliable. I don't know if they offer the style you're
looking for, but you can get a great watch for $200.