The Breitling Watch Source Forums

We all know the pitfalls of watch winders, but Orbita seems to have come up with a sensible idea - they are now selling winder modules on their own. That means you don't have to shell out for an expensive wooden box, you can just get the technology and build your own case - sounds like a good idea to me!

Of course, being Orbita it's still a pricey undertkaing - $295 for regular, $395 for programmable. They are designed to be used with the new batteries that they have developed that claim to last for 5 years, but you can also buy a power supply to hook them up to home power ($150 for up to 20 modules).

I'm not sure I would go this route - the costs quickly add up, but if Orbita are doing it then I have to think that other players are going to start doing something similar.

Yes, actually these were mentioned in a thread a while back as one of the guys (I forget who) really wanted to make his own winder.

I like the idea too, but I think the prices are frankly ludicrous.

For my 6 Breitlings, that's $2520 (or £1680 at current exchange rates) and that's before you even start on the box to house it!

Laughable costs.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I agree. Orbita has been getting some grief recently - they have long had a 'Beta' program for the folks on TZ - basically they want to get real world results on new product with as many watch brands as possible so offer new product at discounted prices in return for feedback on the performance.

The problem is that even the lower prices are rather expensive and they are essentially still production units so it's really just a way to get product in market and build brand goodwill while still getting customers to pay for it.

The company definitely has quality product, but to my mind it goes too far - these new 5 year batteries that they built are all well and good, but did they really need to do full R&D and production on a whole new battery rather than partnering with Duracell? Sure they have a great product now, but it's $40 for a battery!

Interesting. I didn't know about the TZ connection.

To my mind they could easily knock these "DIY" kits out for something sensible like $100 a piece. Let's be honest, it's not like they'll lose business from their "ready-made" range as most people who buy winders probably wouldn't be turned on by the idea of spending a few days in a shed trying to build something classy enough to house their prize watch collection! However, for those of us with the inclination, it'd be a great opportunity to build something unique and cost effective.

Hell Orbita might even make more money by attracting people to the idea if the prices of the kits were in the realms of sanity!

(Mind you, if they "only" charged $100 a piece for the internals, a few people may start to raise questions as to why their ready-made winders are just so darn expensive! Yes they are very good...... but as with all things watch-winder-based, I struggle to say they are worth quite as much as they go for. )

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Driver8

Site Moderator

How are these that much better than any other winder on fleabay? I don't know much about winder internals but don't they all pretty much work on the same principles?

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So do Chinese and Swiss watch movements - same concept, broadly same execution, vastly different quality.

Orbita have great QC, and use quality materials, but there is definitely an element of paying for the name.