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Old 6 May 2011, 06:04 AM   #1
Mac-Apple
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Invicta Watches Really?

I was up late last night ,and decided to turn the tv on ,and was flipping through the channels to end up on CNBC , where I see a couple guys peddling Invicta watches. I had never really paid any attention to the brand til last night. This brand is a total knockoff of every classic watch brand/design.. I only watched for about 30 mins ,and I saw about 10 diff designs ,and they all were ripoffs of Rolex ,Sub,Dj,Daytona,Gmt , Breitling , Superocean,Bentley Gt,Navitimer, I even saw a couple that looked like some Tag's

My question is how can this company still be in business? I would of thought they would of been sued by now with all there blatant borrowed watch designs. The wings on the Invicta are awfully close to Breitling. The reviews of Invicta are less than stellar online ,and there service is apparently terrible. The watches looked pretty good from Tv , but I am shocked to see how much they look like every other iconic brand.
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Old 6 May 2011, 06:16 AM   #2
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Most are no good. They do put Swiss movements in few of their watches, and charge tripple at least for them. The Swiss versions are the only worth buying, better quality.

On one hand I agree, BUT everyone who manufactures a chair doesn't owe money to the guy who invented the chair design. Plus there no absoulty no comparison in quality. they are not fooling anyone who knows.

They are not claiming to be Rolex. Their symbol is not a crown, or a shield, etc. They do not sell at the price a Tag sells at, a Rolex sells at, etc.
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Old 6 May 2011, 06:17 AM   #3
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design patents expired long time ago ... not everyone can afford the real thing ... Invicta sales are booming
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Old 6 May 2011, 06:29 AM   #4
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I know most people cant afford the real thing , but didn't realize how much these Invicta's looked like every other iconic design.
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Old 6 May 2011, 06:36 AM   #5
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If my intent of buying a watch was that it "resembles" the real thing, I guess I would wear an Invicta 1000x's over before buying and wearing the f-word.
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Old 6 May 2011, 06:37 AM   #6
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I think many people are okay with it - as long as there are no Rolex and/or "insert other name here" on their watches... myself included
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Old 6 May 2011, 08:01 AM   #7
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They've been doing that for many years.
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Old 6 May 2011, 08:09 AM   #8
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I have the Invicta 8926C because I don't have the money for a Submariner. I love my Invicta, it's fantastic! Well because I'm 15. I will purchase a real Submariner one day!
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Old 6 May 2011, 08:35 AM   #9
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I'm gonna buy a Daytona! I mean...an Invicta "Speedway"...
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Old 6 May 2011, 10:11 AM   #10
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Defiantly buy the Speedway! Which model would you buy?
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Old 6 May 2011, 11:32 AM   #11
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I second Adam with the 8926C. I picked one up and love it. I *know* it's not a sub, but for me it's a perfect "pre" sub until I can afford one.

Plus, the wife may not even notice when i do get a sub.

Cheers,
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Old 6 May 2011, 11:35 AM   #12
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You must have been watching ShopNBC. They have Invicta on all the time. Personally, I think they're cheap pieces of crap and I wouldn't be caught dead wearing one. They're just ripoffs of luxury watches, but just different enough not to be sued for copyright infringement...I think they should be banned on here too!
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Old 6 May 2011, 11:43 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ibrando View Post
I second Adam with the 8926C. I picked one up and love it. I *know* it's not a sub, but for me it's a perfect "pre" sub until I can afford one.

Plus, the wife may not even notice when i do get a sub.

Cheers,
B.
You're giving us ideas, here.
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Old 6 May 2011, 11:44 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StarSovereign View Post
Personally, I think they're cheap pieces of crap and I wouldn't be caught dead wearing one.
Different strokes for different folks.

My "cheap piece of crap" automatic currently runs +3sec/day. Good enough for me.

Cheers,
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Old 6 May 2011, 11:46 AM   #15
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Different strokes for different folks.

My "cheap piece of crap" automatic currently runs +3sec/day. Good enough for me.

Cheers,
B.
But it's nothing but a glorified knockoff! I can't believe you feel ok owning one if you also own and wear a Rolex...
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Old 6 May 2011, 12:00 PM   #16
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But it's nothing but a glorified knockoff! I can't believe you feel ok owning one if you also own and wear a Rolex...
I prefer to think of it as a homage instead of a knockoff. It gives me a great sense of what to expect when I do get a sub in terms of size, knocks, dings, etc.

Like I said, I know it's not a sub, and it certainly doesn't come close to the quality and build of my Precision, but I like it and that's what counts to me.

My Rolex is vintage, it's an entirely different experience of a watch. A 1952 manual wind masterpiece with exquisite history. Someday I hope to have a sub with similar attributes.

I'm sure there are things that you like that others may think are glorified items also.

Be well...

Cheers,
B.
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Old 6 May 2011, 12:34 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by StarSovereign View Post
But it's nothing but a glorified knockoff! I can't believe you feel ok owning one if you also own and wear a Rolex...
What difference does it make if some Invicta models are based on Rolex designs? OK, heavily based. OK, clones even. There are watch brands all over the world that do this; some even more closely than Invicta (at least Invicta conspicuously engraves its name on the side of the pro diver case and has a unique second hand design). Rolex designs are classic. There are even Seiko "copies" of Rolex designs out there that would fool many. Invictas are an excellent value for what they cost. If the movement craps out, you buy another Invicta for the cost of a single link on an oyster bracelet. I'd have no problem owning an Invicta as a beater watch even though I own several Rolexes. Meanwhile, you can feel secure with the superior quality of your Rolex that you pay dearly for, and let those with Invictas enjoy their watches!
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Old 6 May 2011, 12:35 PM   #18
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What difference does it make if some Invicta models are based on Rolex designs? OK, [I]heavily[I] based. OK, clones even. There are watch brands all over the world that do this; some even more closely than Invicta (at least Invicta conspicuously engraves its name on the side of the pro diver case and has a unique second hand design). Rolex designs are classic. There are even Seiko "copies" out there that would fool many. Invictas are an excellent value for what they cost. If the movement craps out, you buy another Invicta for the cost of a single link on an oyster bracelet. I'd have no problem owning an Invicta as a beater watch even though I own several Rolexes. Meanwhile, you can feel secure with the superior quality of your Rolex and let those with Invictas enjoy their watches!
Well put
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Old 6 May 2011, 12:59 PM   #19
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What difference does it make if some Invicta models are based on Rolex designs? OK, heavily based. OK, clones even. There are watch brands all over the world that do this; some even more closely than Invicta (at least Invicta conspicuously engraves its name on the side of the pro diver case and has a unique second hand design). Rolex designs are classic. There are even Seiko "copies" of Rolex designs out there that would fool many. Invictas are an excellent value for what they cost. If the movement craps out, you buy another Invicta for the cost of a single link on an oyster bracelet. I'd have no problem owning an Invicta as a beater watch even though I own several Rolexes. Meanwhile, you can feel secure with the superior quality of your Rolex that you pay dearly for, and let those with Invictas enjoy their watches!
Here here, well put indeed.

Cheers,
B.
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Old 7 May 2011, 06:29 PM   #20
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Right, except for one thing

Quote:
Originally Posted by usbzoso View Post
design patents expired long time ago ... not everyone can afford the real thing ... Invicta sales are booming
Everything you say is absolutely true, except for the expiration thing. Whether it's patent or a copyright or something else that one gets for a design (my bet would be copyright, but I could easily be wrong), although they do expire, they can be, and often are, renewed. I know of one case recently where someone had a Mickey Mouse watch on eBay, and the title was something like "Mickey Mouse Tank Watch by..". After the "by" was whoever had made it, there are several makers of legit Disney watches, even the ones made in the '50s. He was just using "tank", as many people do with rectangular watches, to describe the watch's shape. Within a day of posting it, he got an email from Cartier demanding that he cease and desist from using the word "tank" as it was Cartier property. And while I'm not sure when Cartier first made a tank watch, I do know it was many decades ago. Evidently, their trademark is still in force.

I'd think that some of the makers, if not all, still have enforceable rights regarding at least their most popular designs. I suspect that nobody goes after them because they don't think it is hurting their own sales enough to spend the money to do it.

Invicta Watch Group is in itself something of a ripoff, trading on the Invicta name. Invicta was founded in the 1830s by Raphael Picard in Switzerland, with the stated purpose of bringing quality Swiss watches to the public at reasonable prices. Then along came the "quartz invasion" and real Swiss made Invicta watches pretty much went down the drain, just like a whole lot of other good watches. In the US, for instance, they killed off Bulova's tuning fork Accutrons. In the early 1990s some US investment firm bought Invicta from the Picard family.

They do use some decent movements, ETA, Sellita, RONDA, ISASWISS and also Citizen/Miyota, but a lot of their stuff uses only some Swiss parts and the movements are assembled in other places. Not everything they label as "hand assembled in Switzerland" really is, and short of taking one apart to see who really made the entire movement, I don't yet know of any way to tell which ones really are Swiss and which ones just have some Swiss made parts in them.

They're based in Florida, so they're eminently sueable (is that really a word?), unlike a watch company in someplace like China, but nobody seems to have pursued it yet. Realistically, nobody who could even afford a Rolex, Breitling, etc. would buy an Invicta, so there isn't really any competition there. Maybe the makers even look at it as a long term sales developer. Someone just starting out, in his 20s or so, might buy an Invicta "Rolex", then, when he's made something of himself later on, go ahead and finally buy the real thing that it was copied from.

If there was some sure way to tell which ones have actual Swiss movements in them, they'd probably be very buyable, especially since they're available all over the place for prices a lot lower than you'll see on TV, if you just wanted a good looking watch for not much money.
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Old 8 May 2011, 10:37 PM   #21
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Has anyone seen an Orient Diver? They copy the Rolex Sub
even closer than Invicta, Seiko owns a large portion of
Orient.
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Old 9 May 2011, 01:06 AM   #22
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The Rolex sub is classic and old enough to be copied without me caring too much.

This however is more unacceptable IMO.

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Old 9 May 2011, 04:15 AM   #23
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I once bought one of those lupah watches from overstock, but sent it back when it didn't work properly.
The invictas are advertised as swiss, and look overpriced. But they seem to be popular in the mainstream market.

I prefer the bulova and elgin antique watches you can find on ebay. Deco styling and gold filled cases. Small watches by todays standards. Mechanical, not water resistant. Nice collector pieces if you can find one in good shape. Well made watches and pretty good value. They have held up well.
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Old 9 May 2011, 04:17 AM   #24
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My Daytonas .... haha
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Old 9 May 2011, 02:03 PM   #25
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I bought my father an Invicta watch about 2 years ago. It's a quartz movement watch, with a HUGE face. has the chrono pushers, and the crown on the left side of the watch, instead of the right, and a brown strap. Since my father is into all sorts of crazy looking watches, I thought "why not ? ". He loves it, and it's been keeping excellent time (hell, it IS a quartz after all :) ), and has never had any issues with it.
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Old 10 May 2011, 02:46 AM   #26
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Invicta has a huge following. I even seen people get "addicted" to buying invictas due to its low entry price point. Most end up selling their collection after a while. I have only 1 invicta, and honestly, its not the worst watch in the world but def not quality made.
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Old 10 May 2011, 03:06 AM   #27
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My Daytonas .... haha
I was at a book store last weekend and a guy asked me if my watch was an Invicta. I looked down at my Daytona and politely said "No its not"
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Old 10 May 2011, 11:05 AM   #28
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I own some high end watches and some not so high end watches. I am not a watch snob and I have no problem with people wearing an invicta. Whatever floats your boat, why do we care? Rolex doesn't. There are probibly 100 watch makers that make a Submariner "homage" I dont wear a Rolex to shove it in peoples faces so who cares if it looks like an invicta I know what it is and thats what matters to me. I also have no problem wearing a cheap watch. I get a lot of enjoyment out of some watches I own that are cheap. I do own one Invicta its a Cartier Pasha "homage" I have had it for close to ten years and it works just fine. This forum has made me more knowlegable on watches esp. Rolex watches and I was able to detect a customer of mine's Fake Rolex the other day. I have a lot more respect for someone wearing an Invicta than someone who makes pretend they have something else.
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Old 10 May 2011, 01:52 PM   #29
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Well, you could pay 20g for a Daytona, or 100$ for an Invicta. Alright, one doesn't have as high a re-sale value but still...

Looking at the difference, you would EXPECT the 100$ package to be some cheap sh!t from China already non-functioning right out the box. But instead you get something that LOOKS to the average person just as nice, and it comes with what... a 5-year warranty at least.

Well, it's very hard to find such a lop-sided purchase savings in the real world that doesn't end up as a disaster at your feet.

I still remember when I was planning to buy my first thousand-dollar watch, and my mom started to panick that something was the matter with me...
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Old 10 May 2011, 03:41 PM   #30
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About Fakes

I have a thing about fake stuff, I won't buy one, because I actually know of a small company where an individual, after several years of work and investment, invented and started producing something really innovative, then someone else bought a couple, sent them off to China to be copied and manufactured, and killed the sales of the originator by selling the stuff for a fraction of what the real thing went for. Because of that, I refuse to personally contribute to the market for fakes, watches, motorcycle accessories, jeans, CDs, software, and almost everything under the sun nowadays, by buying one.

But if the real maker of something doesn't care, and if they're large enough to have the resources to do it but don't sue, then they obviously don't, why should anyone get upset over someone else wearing a fake watch? The only reason I can come up with is that some people wear Rolexes, Breitlings, Cartiers, etc. more to show they have the bucks to buy one than they do because they appreciate the watch. With such folks, the very idea that someone who can only afford a couple hundred bucks for a watch is able to go around wearing what everyone is going to think is, say, a Rolex is terribly disturbing. It's cutting into their exclusivity.

I once bought a box full of watches, watch parts, and a few watchmaker tools for about $25, I mainly wanted to see what was in there. And I did find some interesting stuff, like a really old universal case back opener, some NOS Accutron parts, a Litronix LED (NOT LCD) (Litronix was also the source for most, if not all, of those red LED movements in other watch brands back in the day), and a few mechanical movements from the '40s and '50s. I also found a fake Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day Date. It had a dial that I think Rolex never used in a Day Date, so it would have been obvious to someone who knows Rolexes, had a quartz movement, and didn't weigh anything close to what a Day Date really would, but that would only be apparent if one really examined the watch.

Not only a fake, but a cheap fake. I'd just taken off my normal wear watch because the crystal was getting a bit too scratched up and it has a fairly hard to find crystal, the fake was nice looking, so I started wearing it. Wore it for about 5 months until I broke the bracelet chainsawing wood one day, then threw it in a drawer. Just now, about 6 months after that, I dug it out, and it's still within one second of being absolutely accurate.

If someone thinks some fake looks nice and it keeps good time, why not use it? Who cares, if the real maker doesn't? Yeah, I know some people wear fakes just to make people think they have the real thing, and those guys have even a bigger problem than people who get bent over them doing it. But it's their problem, not mine.
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