Real cost of Chinese made export watches

Excellent post at WTW on a very common question - what is the real cost of those Chinese made export watches?

http://watchtalkworld.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=watchtalk&action=display&thread=18189

very interesting read.
the reality, as we all know, is that these watches, almost all watches, cost WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY LESS then we pay for them.

WOW, good read and it's amazing what a good house can build! When you're getting to 90% of swiis quality at the low pay scales i would be more worried if i was Switzerland than the USA! We dont make anything anymore, we are a country of consumers! Dont want to get all political on you but the golden gate bridge and Shasta lake dam were built during the depression, seems we cant even keep pot holes out of are city streets (at least in California)

VERY interesting article here ! I guess it shows why many watch companies,
big and small don't build their own watches. They can have a quality made
watch built for less, and charge enough to make a BIG profit. It's extremely
interesting trying to figure out how things work behind the scenes in the
watch industry. Whether it be how watches are built, where watches are
built, where the designs come from, or in this case, the costs. Thanks for
this link Doc !

interesting article, but honestly nothing new. For example Armani watches, cost around 600 - 700 USD here, but chinese case, japanese quartz movement...and there is really no difference between "original" and fake ones. Most of my friends here are looking me like an idiot, if I wear my Black Monster and always some smarta## finally says, that I should get a decent watch Lot of hate for Sunday morning

I read that article yesterday and had read about Mr. Leung last year in a Time article...
Form/and or function...what do we buy our watches according to? The market dictates this, and fashion watches are the rage. Of course we WISs have the choice to buy what we consider collectible/like no matter if it is Invicta, Alpha or Omega etc.
Mr. Leung does not make original watches but does have world clients who want the lowest cost, have their logos on the dials and accordingly charge their marketup....all's fair in love and watches haha! He did survive the recent world economic downturn when other midsize Chinese factories folded their tents and slipped away. He laid off workers and upgraded his quality control systems, thereby still turning out quality items and keeping his clientele happy.
No watch company is safe from the China watch juggernaut! I have collected now 3 Seagull watches and several vintage 1980s chinese models just to add to my Seiko etc models....