Just made an order of parts from Cousins only to find that for Omega's parts you can only order one piece of many of their parts, this includes gaskets, crowns, hands etc. On the invoice it says "Restricted for Repair Purposes" for the items I had ordered more than one.

Not sure when this came in but pretty frustrating when you live a long way from the UK and will mean multiple orders instead of combining everything into one order.

Just something to be aware of if it hasnt already been discussed.

 

Been there done that. I had to order two times when i needed a movement screw for my speedy . I am not sure why but i think it's to stop people buying up lots of parts and selling on Ebay or other places .

 

Same for me. As they only have six months of parts supply left, I think they are protecting their stock levels. I had not realised they would limit you to just one case screw or clamp, for example. That would be annoying as the postage charges are not cheap to Europe. Might be time to use a UK address and then post three or four parcels from there in one go.

 

This makes sense - I was told by one owner of a parts supply business who will be cut off at the end of this year that they would only be allowed to order in quantities that were based on their prior orders, so it's not like they can load up with thousands upon thousands of parts that would last years after they get cut off...

 

Case clamps and screws seem to be ok as they have provided more than one of these but I had ordered 2 Speedmaster crowns, 3 case back gaskets, 2 sets of hands and only got one of each - these are actually all for different watches I'm working on so not being stocked by me. The gaskets are annoying as they are for different models of watch but the part number is the same.
Postage isnt at all bad for me at about £10 which is a lot less than the VAT but it takes around 2 weeks for the package to get here

 

I apologize for my ignorance - is Omega currently in some kind of transitional state of parts accessibility?

 

Authorised Independent watchmakers will no longer be, well, authorised as I understand it, and parts will no longer be available to mortals. Omega will then have a monopoly on the service of its watches.

 

Omega will not be selling parts to parts suppliers, like CousinsUK and Ofrei. Certified Omega watchmakers (like Al/Archer) will still be able to buy them, but the independent watchmakers who are not certified by Omega will not be able to get parts.

 

I suppose all the Cousins customers will be getting this mail which didn't seem to want to paste here. Anyway, this is where they are going and mentions the changes in supply but really is about the lack of new people in the industry. If they'd sent me the correct mainspring for a Slava 1601, I'd be a bit happier with them

Breaking News: 27/05/15
We all must Contribute to the Future of the Industry - An open letter from Anthony Cousins
The British Watch and Clock Makers Guild has set up an Industry Action Fund, and I am asking all of Cousins customers to contribute whatever they can to it.

The fund is to initially be used to pay for a data gathering and research project on the current size of the UK industry, and its views and requirements on critical issues such as the forthcoming ETA Parts Embargo, along with Training and Apprenticeships. Once the research is complete, the fund will then be used to approach relevant bodies to obtain Government support for our industry’s needs.

The recent Guild Conference (www.cousinsuk.com/page/news) demonstrated a strong desire to grow the UK industry, and a willingness to work together in a manner that has not been seen for many years. However it also revealed how the lack of basic data is preventing us from putting a credible case before the relevant bodies for the support we need in developing the next generation of Watch and Clock Makers, and from effectively tackling the anti-competitive practices that the Swiss are now imposing. The Conference was an event for talk, and it was a valuable first stepping stone in developing proper cross industry communication, but if it is not followed up with some serious action, then it will have been for nothing.

Gathering that information is the vital first step, but equally important is the ability to demonstrate that those of us who work in the industry believe in a vibrant future. That is why it is so important for all of us to contribute something. If you are a self-employed out worker, I am sure you could afford to contribute £50, and if you are a large Corporate it should be many times more than that.

We must all remember that it is the end consumer who ultimately pays our wages, and they are already suffering. The practices being imposed by the Swiss on the watch servicing market are drastically reducing customer choice, and pushing up prices to artificially high levels. The shortage of trained staff is resulting in unacceptably long repair times, with the resulting frustration that this delivers.

It is the people who work in the Industry that are the Industry, and if we individually take the attitude that contributing to the future is someone else’s responsibility, then there is no future to be had. If it isn’t our collective responsibility to tackle these issues, then whose is it?

We all take great pride in delivering high quality service and value for money to our customers, but are we really doing the best for them if, by our collective inactivity, we fail to counter the threats that we face, or ensure that there is a new generation of trained professionals to carry on our craft?

Please take two minutes out of your day to send an email to [email protected] enclosing your contact details and how much you would like to donate, and the Guild will respond with how to pay in and obtain a receipt.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kind Regards

Anthony Cousins

 

I see.

Unfortunate...

 

At the risk of being repetitive… can you imagine the uproar if the car companies started this crap? I know there are some out there who agree with Swatch Group's actions in this, but I don't. Why does the vintage/independent watch community not rise up against this restriction of trade (which is what it is, ultimately)? We've discussed this here before and there are as many opinions as participants, but nothing really changes the fact that this is shabby stuff indeed.

 

Car companies are trying it actually, and have been withholding error codes, diagnostic equipment etc. on and off for years. Thanks to the regular review of the DMCA in the US, proposed changes to copyrights may have a huge impact on the ability of people to work on their own cars, or to go to a mechanic that they trust:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news...work-on-their-own-cars/ar-BBjqs5S?ocid=OIE8HP

Sure it's restraint of trade, and it's illegal in many countries. But no one outside a relatively small group of people cares. From that MSN article one person who wrote in with their comments to the copyright office said this:
"This has to be one of the dumbest things I've heard," he wrote to the Copyright Office. "I can't believe this is even a discussion. If I purchase a car, I own it. The freedom to do whatever I want to it is provided by my constitutional rights. Simple as that."

I think pretty much every car owner in the world can relate to this (even if you only take your car to a dealer you can still relate), and it can be seen as a noble fight against big corporations. Public opinion will certainly be on your side in that fight. But when you substitute "If I purchase a car" with "If I purchase an expensive luxury watch that only a fraction of the population can afford" and then start screaming about your rights being trampled on, well it just doesn't have the same ring to it I'm afraid. I can assure you that there are people trying to get the US government involved in this fight, but it is an uphill battle - lawmakers are too busy going after companies that are really creating havoc like these cases that show how corrupt the auto industry can be:

Japanese Manufacturer of Steering Columns Pleads Guilty, Agrees to $2.5 Million Fine
The DOJ announced on April 28 that Yamada Manufacturing Co. agreed to plead guilty in the Southern District of Ohio to a single Sherman Act count and pay a $2.5 million fine. The criminal information charges that Yamada and its coconspirators fixed prices and rigged bids in the sale of steering columns for use in Honda vehicles from 2007 to 2012. United States v. Yamada Mfg. Co., No. 15-cr-00047-SJD (S.D. Oh. Apr. 28, 2015).

Hitachi Automotive Executive Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to 15 Months
A Hitachi Automotive executive, Takashi Toyokuni, pleaded guilty on April 23, 2015 in the Eastern District of Michigan to a single count of Sherman Act conspiracy. Toyokuni admitted participating in a conspiracy from 2000 to 2010 to rig bids and prices for a wide range of automotive parts, including starter motors and fuel injection systems, for vehicles made by Nissan, Honda, GM, Ford, Toyota, and Chrysler. Toyokuni was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, a significant variance from the federal guidelines sentence of 37-46 months. United States v. Toyokuni, No. 14-cr-20559 (E.D. Mich. Apr. 23, 2015). The DOJ press release is here.

Bosch Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $57.8 Million Fine
The DOJ announced on March 31 that German auto parts giant Robert Bosch GmbH agreed to plead guilty in the Eastern District of Michigan to a single count of Sherman Act conspiracy. The DOJ charged Bosch with participating in a scheme to manipulate prices, bids, and supply for spark plugs and oxygen sensors sold to the big three U.S. automakers, as well as starter motors sold to Volkswagen for use in VWs sold in the U.S. The DOJ reports that Bosch has agreed to pay a $57.8 million fine. United States v. Robert Bosch GmbH, No. 15-cr-20197 (E.D. Mich. Mar. 31, 2015).

Parking Heater Company Pleads Guilty, Agrees to $15 Million Fine
Espar, Inc., the Illinois-based subsidiary of a German manufacturer, agreed on January 19 to plead guilty in the Eastern District of New York to a single count of Sherman Act Conspiracy and pay a $14.97 million fine. According to the agreement, Espar conspired between 2007 and 2012 to fix prices in the market for parking heaters, which are used to heat engine compartments independent of a vehicle’s engine. United States v. Espar, Inc., No. 15-cr-00028-JG (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 12, 2015). The DOJ’s press release is here.

Air Conditioner Compressor Manufacturer Pleads Guilty, Agrees to $3.2 Million Fine
The Japanese auto parts manufacturer Sanden Corp. pleaded guilty on March 30 in the Eastern District of Michigan to a single count of Sherman Act conspiracy and agreed to pay a $3.2 million fine. The criminal information charges Sanden with manipulating bids and prices on air conditioner compressors sold to Nissan between August 2008 and April 2009. United States v. Sanden Corp., No. 15-cr-20033-GCS-APP (E.D. Mich. Mar. 30, 2015). The DOJ’s press release is here.

Former Toyoda Gosei Exec Pleads Guilty, Agrees to a Year and a Day in Prison
Makoto Horie, a former executive of Toyoda Gosei Co., was sentenced on February 26, 2015 in the Northern District of Ohio to a year and a day in prison and a $20,000 fine in connection with a Sherman Act conspiracy charge. The criminal information charges Horie with conspiring to manipulate prices, rig bids, and allocate sales of automotive hoses for Toyota vehicles between 2007 and 2010. United States. v. Horie, No. 15-cr-00003-JZ (N.D. Oh. Jan. 6, 2015). The DOJ’s press release is here.

One Former Mitsuba Executive Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to Prison, Two More Former Execs Indicted
On December 10, 2014, Kazumi Umahashi, a former executive of Japanese auto parts manufacturer Mitsuba Corp., pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Michigan to a single Sherman Act conspiracy count and was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment. According to his plea agreement with the DOJ, Umahashi conspired between 2005 and 2009 to manipulate bids, prices, and supply for windshield wiper parts and starter motors sold to Honda. United States v. Umahashi, No. 14-cr-20760-GFCS-DRG (E.D. Mich. Dec. 9, 2014). On February 5 of this year, two additional former Mitsuba executives, Hiroyuki Komiya and Hirofumi Nakayama, were indicted on similar grounds, along with an additional count for obstruction of justice. The indictment charges Komiya and Nakayama with persuading Mitsuba employees to delete or electronic data and destroy documents that might contain evidence of antitrust crimes. United States v. Komiya, No. 15-cr-20059-GCS-EAS (E.D. Mich. Feb. 5, 2015). The DOJ’s press releases are here and here.

Takata Executive Indicted for Seatbelt Price-Fixing Conspiracy
On January 22, Hiromu Usuda, an executive of Japanese manufacturer Takata Corp., was indicted in the Eastern District of Michigan on a single count of Sherman Act conspiracy. The indictment charges Usuda with conspiring to rig bids, prices, and supply of seatbelts sold to Honda, Subaru, and Mazda between 2005 and 2011. United States v. Usuda, No. 15-cr-20029-GCS-MKM (E.D. Mich. Jan. 22, 2015). The DOJ’s press release is here.

T.RAD Executive Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to a Year and a Day
Kosei Tamura, a former general manager of Japan-based T.RAD, pleaded guilty on December 9, 2014 in the Eastern District of Michigan to a Sherman Act conspiracy count and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. According to the plea agreement with the DOJ, Tamura conspired to rig bids and fix prices for radiators sold to Honda between 2002 and 2010. United States v. Tamura, No. 14-cr-20759-GCS-MKM (E.D. Mich. Dec. 9, 2014). The DOJ’s press release is here.

Executives of Two Manufacturers Indicted for Price-Fixing Conspiracy in Bearings Market
On November 13, 2014, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Kentucky returned an indictment charging a single count of Sherman Act conspiracy against executives of two Japanese manufacturers. The indictment charges Hiroya Hirose, an NSK, Ltd. sales manager, and Masakazu Iwami, a Jtekt Corp. section manager, with conspiring between 2001 and 2011 to allocate markets, rig bids, and manipulate prices for bearings sold for use in Toyota vehicles. United States. v. Hirose, No. 14-cr-00049-DLB-CJS (E.D. Ky. Nov. 13, 2014). The DOJ’s press release is here.

Aisin Seiki Pleads Guilty, Agrees to $35.8 Million Fine
Japan-based Aisin Seiki Co. pleaded guilty on February 5 in the Southern District of Indiana to a single Sherman Act conspiracy count and agreed to pay a $35.8 million fine. According to a plea agreement, Aisin Seiki conspired between 2000 and 2010 to fix prices and rig bids for variable valve timing devices sold for use in vehicles made by GM, Nissan, Volvo, and BMW. United States v. Aisin Seiki Co., No. 14-cr-00229-JMS-MJD (S.D. Ind. Dec. 1, 2014). The DOJ’s press release is here.

Continental Automotive Divisions Plead Guilty, Agree to $4 Million Fine
Two Korea-based divisions of the Continental conglomerate, Continental Automotive Electronics LLC and Continental Automotive Korea Ltd, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2015 in the Northern District of Georgia to a single Sherman Act conspiracy count. The companies agreed to pay a $4 million fine. According to their plea agreement with the government, the two companies conspired between 2004 and 2012 to allocate and rig bids for instrument panel clusters made for Hyundai and Kia vehicles. United States v. Continental Auto. Elecs., LLC, No. 14-cr-00019-TCB (N.D. Ga. Apr. 1, 2015). The DOJ’s press release is here.

In light of what the DOJ is working on with the above cases in the US, how far up the priority ladder will luxury watches and watchmakers be? Not very far IMO. Getting justice for watchmakers and luxury watch owners is not likely going to get people elected or get corporate contributions towards the campaigns of elected officials.

Cousins can ask for money all they want in this fight, but they are appealing to the wrong people in my view. The only group smaller than the watch collectors is the watch repair industry, so if they are looking for a big impact, it's not going to come from the few repair people who bother to respond and send money. The only hope in this battle (and it's a slim hope) is that the consumer gets involved, because only then will the companies take notice....maybe.

The problem is, how to get the message out? Even some seasoned collectors here aren't aware of these actions, and they have been talked about before here. None of the "watch media" will tackle this, because they would be biting the hands that feed them, attacking the companies that give them watches to review and pay ad revenue that they need.

No easy answers, and people just keep buying new watches from the companies who pull this stuff...

Cheers, Al

 

A good essay, Al. Thanks. Of course, Swatch own an awful lot of the business, so they have the plan (op cit) and the rest of us can just whinge and watch.

 

Someone is going to get rich on after market parts.... maybe.

 

This is the one reason I am having seconds thoughts on being OmegaFanBoy#1. I am fine with certified ADs that can service, but I do wonder if this is the first step to a point where only Omega can service an Omega watch. If they are definitely going in this direction then this would certainly cause me to look at other watch manufactures.

I will add that I got a first hand experience of what may come when I took my Omega Seamaster 1200 (Ploprof) for service to Omega. They are actually servicing it now, but I passed on getting the crystal replaced due to the price of $698. It has a very small scratch that is not very noticeable (it took the tech about 10 seconds to find it when I took my watch in for service).

 

In China…

 

The problem is, most manufacturers have such policies. Swatch is currently one of the most open of the major manufacturing conglomerates.

 

gatorcpa makes a couple of good points. It occurs to me that there is, as well, considerable consolidation in the watch business, which means that Swatch's position relative to their industry is pretty dominant. I am wilfully ignoring Japanese companies in this comment. Consumer choice in absolute terms (ie to buy or not buy from a Swatch Group company) is limited. And of course their dominance of the supply of parts for their watches is pretty much unchallenged – plenty of generic parts out there made for, say, VW Group cars, for example. Are there generic Omega parts, aside from some odd incidental bits? We are not discussing the unfettered free market here. Blah, blah, blah a tiny market, specialist not worth it for someone to tool up; although it doesn't stop the many franken factories out there from knocking out just about every watch ever sold as a 'replica.'

But you gotta love the insanity of it. I have a Tissot cal 2481 that I needed a new date jumper spring for. Omega make the same movement as their cal 1481. I compared the prices: £7.55 for the Tissot one. £8.84 for the Omega one. A 14% increase for a part that I have a fairly good idea started out in the same factory on the same day. But it's an Omega spring, dude, not a Tissot one.

Funny how much the Omega parts have gone up the past few months, isn't it?

 

And once again Al, you make an important point. As Mr Getty used to say, the man who controls the pipeline controls the market. And nowadays, the pipeline is the media, too.

And the only reason we know about the various car industry cases you listed is because there was enough money involved for the Justice Department to get interested. That isn't going to happen here, is it? It's a noble cause, but as legal costs have risen over the decades, 'justice' more often belongs to those who can pay for it. And it's cheaper to defend a legal argument than it is to start it.