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Movement sharing between IWC and Baume & Mercier?

  • forum 4 replies
  • last reply by orcl 4 Oct 2014
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    Master
    4 Oct 2014, 12:56 p.m.
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    I saw somewhere else pictures of the new Baume & Mercier Clifton 8 Day Power Reserve. The picture of the movement showed quite a resemblance with the movement used in the IWC Portofino 8 Days Handwound. Both companies being part of Richemont, some cooperation is to be expected, but should movement sharing be one of these topics? Both claim the movement to be in-house. I must say, I don't care very much about it, if any emotion, it is that the movement must be quite good. But it makes you wonder whether the price difference is about the name on the dial only.

    Kind regards,
    Paul

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    Graduate
    4 Oct 2014, 2:26 p.m.
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    Indeed, I compared the movements and the resemblance is uncanny. If that is Richemont's strategy to enhance its weaker brands, by using the movements of others and labelling them as in-house "again", I'm truly disappointed.

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    Graduate
    4 Oct 2014, 2:37 p.m.
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    The Baume & Mercier Clifton 1892 Flying Tourbillon and Portuguese Tourbillon Hand Wound have similar movements too.

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    Moderator
    4 Oct 2014, 2:38 p.m.
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    Alain Zimmermann, Baume & Mercier's CEO, was formerly head of marketing at IWC. He's a good guy and also a close associate of Georges Kern.

    I hadn't heard of movement sharing here, but I do know that Baume & Mercier wanted to upgrade some of its models with manufacture movements. I wouldn't be surprised if Georges Kern supported that, since he also s responsible for that company (he's no longer taking that role also with Roger Dubuis, since that company is fully back on its feet).

    Here's a photo of the new Baume & Mercier 8-day movement:
    i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/michaelfriedberg/b1111d16aae7804012171f1b493c9dd9_zpsc3546722.jpg

    Here's an image of IWC 8-day Calibre 59210:
    i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/michaelfriedberg/e1c797a28f5cc5711481d59ead44eea8_zpse0238552.jpg

    By the way, I wouldn't cynically conclude that the price difference is simply the name on the dual (Ralph Lauren uses IWC movements in some models, IWC has used JLC. In the past, plus ETA of course). There's nothing to be disappointed about.

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    Graduate
    4 Oct 2014, 2:43 p.m.
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    Thanks Michael for the information. I guess I wanted IWC to be more exclusive. Been a fan since forever.