Anyone know much about them? It is a new name to me. I have the opportunity to purchase a new piece that is part of a limited edition (limited to 199 pieces). It is based on the Engineer Master II Sportsman model. It has an automatic movement, internal bezel (for sunrise/sunset adjustment), stainless steel bracelet, and of course is water resistant. The suggested price new from the company is $ 1,299. My question is, what can you say about them? Are they decent? For the price, it isn't much, but is interesting for such a small limited edition. I see they had a similar "limited edition" for Ducks Unlimited with a canvas strap, but it was limited to 1,999 pieces. Here is the link for those interested: http://www.ballwatchusa.us/igfa_limited_edition/ I am thinking of pulling the trigger on this, but torn between this and a WatchCo SM300. Your thoughts are always appreciated. -Andy
http://www.ballwatch.com/global/en/home.html Here is their worldwide site, the US site only has that limited edition watch on it for some reason. FYI the movement is a ETA 2836-2 . Never heard anything bad about them and they have been around for awhile and are decently well respected. The styling except on some of the more classic railroad watches has always left me a little MEH.
Great middle of the road watch brand. building a great reputation internationally. However, a watch co m300 is just amazing!
The company has been around in one form or another for ages, and they've always used somebody else's movements. Hamilton, Waltham, Record, Eta....... 100 plus years of tough tool watches based on hotrodded movements in good cases. Here's a '48 Hamilton powered 999B and a 1915 Seth Thomas made Ball Clock
Ball watches I enjoy watches based on their history. A great deal is made of Ball in the late 1800's through the early 1900's. After that, all quiet. American owned until the 1990's then sold to a Swiss holding company who rely on the railroad affiliation for making decent watches. I doubt if you buy a Ball new, it would hold the value compared to other makers.
Last of the 992B Hamilton based railway Balls sold about 1955..... after that there wasn't much until *POOF*.... recent tool watches! I agree with redpcar.... they likely won't hold their value well. If you buy one its to keep because you like it, because you'd likely take a bath selling it.
I've only had one in the shop for repairs, and it was faulty from the factory (misaligned hands). Revival of an old name and little to do with the original company. Watches seem...mediocre at best...an emphatic pass for me...
Thank you for all the replies. I generally buy watches to keep them. I have never sold one, but without seeing this one in person, I may just pass and move on to something else.
I would pass, much better watches out there for the money, and ones that will appreciate in value vs. drop like a rock and be hard to sell in the future.
To me they've always been a bit like an expensive mechanical Luminox, the tritium tubes were really their main draw or gimmick, and that's kind of novel, but they're not the only ones that do it.
Honestly...Its a brand not a watch company. There is no connection to the tool watches of the past. There are lots of independent watchmakers out there. If you want USA made try RGM (with 3 in house and swiss movement) or Kobold great cases with swiss movements).
Glad I thought to do some research. Ball's new Engineer King III with the glowing tubes caught my eye but I knew nothing about the company.
I have a Fireman Racer, build quality is outstanding. Everything about it is smooooth. Very comfortable wearer...bracelet is like buttah. Checked statically in 6 different positions on my Timegrapher, -1 secs best to -5secs at worst position. Many/most top brands can't do that. Real world wearing accuracy is basically dead even (+-1secs/day). The tritium markers are not as bright as something energy absorbent like superlume, but they get the job done in the dark. For example, the pic in post above is WAY brighter than in real life. I bought this one on ebay for $600(used) from a japan dealer. Not a scratch on it. I'd go used for sure. A Ball is my daily wearer. Rolex and Omega mostly stay in the safe (heresy!). Nice bonus is that volume is so low and not much brand cache', so you won't see many on this side of the world. Oddly enough, much more common in Asia.
I had an Engineer2 Marvelight....sold to fund something else and lost a ton! Not bad watches (fantastic lume), scarce in Europe and seems to be popular in Asia. HK- company owned, with assembly in Suisse to achieve the Swiss Made. A lot of hype on their history, and now not relevant, but guess this is a sign of the times. Despite all this, I'm looking at the Raimaster Titanium!