Invicta watches hit the spotlight a few years in the Los Angeles downtown jewelry district. A place I would frequent for supplies, trading, and general business. My initial though was what are these big bright watches? At first glance I assumed they were Chinese or even Japanese made at best. I later found out they are a Swiss company. It took many years before I would actually deal in these secondhand.

I initially would make a loan against these watches as a courtesy to my well known customers; as I was not interested in them. Well the customer foreclosed on the Invicta's and now I had a wide variety of 12 Invicta watches for my case in a nice display I might add. A couple of years latter after shuffling them around from counter to counter, we gave the watches away to a family friend to dispose of. The watches were auctioned off at eBay for a whopping $.99 no reserve. These watches were a hit at that price and while their was nothing to loose because of the items after all, were "FREE" to our friend. The ending price was around $50.00 each on the average for these generic Invicta watches (Rolex look alikes).

It would seem that I had my fill of yet another loosing product. I am but forced by economic trends in the business to venture out and try Invicta watches once again. Invicta's professional marketing is one of the best I have seen in the business, contracting with major retailers, marketing huge ad campaigns and you can even purchase them through the Home Shopping Network. It seems if you do not own a Invicta watch you must live in a cave! The problem isn't even in the quality of the watches but the quantity. Market prices reflect supply and demand. Too much supply = less demand and drives pricing down. The offset Invicta has been know for is the overwhelming model varities, but is it enough to stop the downward spiral for their watch prices. I think it is not. Invicta should take a lesson from Rolex "Less is More" keep the quality, keep the price, keep the business.

My assessment of Invicta watches in the secondhand market; they are over produced, do not hold their value, and are a bad investment.

 

Thought so

 

Went to their website. Banner was this:

'nuff said.

 

To Invicta's credit, one design element of this beauty is absolutely spot on -



this watch belongs behind bars.

 

Invicta is just as much Swiss as I am tall.

 

In Australia, Invicta make lawn mowers. Oh, wait, that's Victa! But I'm sure they are related.

 

I bought an Invivcta from the mall several years back, my first watch in 20 years. I got a smokin deal. Like 90% off retail. How could I pass that up?

 

I don't know too many people who take these watches very seriously...I think "supply and demand" are the least of their problems...

 

I will say that pretty much any new watch is a poor investment, not just a quartz one. Unless you have a time machine to travel forward in time to know what is going to be valuable in the future, it's quite difficult to find a "good" investment when buying a new watch. You might not lose as much on one watch compared to another, and you might even make a little on a watch sometimes, but as the market for Panerai has shown, things can change quickly and nothing is really guaranteed.

But really I don't think the primary knock against Invicta has anything to do with what you posted about. There are lots of brands that make watches that look like other watches for much cheaper than the original company that they are copying does, and they don't get the same sort of reaction that Invicta does.

For me at least, the real issue is their shady marketing practices. Now pretty much all major watch companies are marketing to get you to buy into a very specific dream (usually far from reality) but Invicta takes this to another level.

Cheers, Al

 

I know this is not an Invicta, but in the same camp. I am not sure how big it is, but it dwarfs my Skyfall.

Sale person told me the new models do not get discounted, and they are selling ~$300 each. The one in the pic is listed at $279. The "best selling" ones are solid gold color and smoke metal grey. Also, when sales person was pulling this out of the case, she dropped it and it fell 5 feet with a loud thug onto the tile floor. No damage done.

 

I agree that the new Invicta watches, post 1991, are hideous. The original Swiss company founded in 1837 made some attractive watches. From what I gather the company floundered after the quartz kill off. In 1991 some descendants reestablished the brand and made it what it is today.

 

...is that supposed to be a watch you wear around your wirst, or your forearm?

 

Isn't this what the police put on your ankle during house arrest!

 

I have an Invicta that I use for knocking around when I don't want to risk damaging a real watch.

 

That is funny. You need a few more Omega watches.

 

There's a fairly new Invicta booth inside terminal A at BWI's airport - it seems every time I walk by the booth there is always a crowd trying shinny, 48-50mm case watches..

 

Actually I need less watches overall.