: Snobs might say "if you can't develop
: your own manufacture movement you have no business making
: watches" but that over simplified POV means that the watch
: industry will be further dominated by a few luxury conglomerates
: (basically 3 companies Swatch, LVMH and Richemont)and basically
: turn into the Auto Industry, where you have virtually no small
: or independent companies left, and all the design dictated by
: uncreative brand managers. Who wants that future for the watch
: world? I certainly don't.

If there is a demand for lower priced mechanical chronographs someone....somewhere will start making movements and will make them available. I think the bigger question is whether there will be a demand. I think it is more than possible that there is/will be a dwindling market for mechanical time keeping devices. It may not be the .05% of income earners but lesser percentage of the entire population who appreciate old fashioned mechanical devices enough to shell out the money for one. I can't be sad or glad about this really. There will always be enough mechanical watches out there for me.....and if my son likes his cell phone better....far be it from me to impose my values.

JohnCote