2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

The sixth Forum LE
Sold out

With the published specification and pricing estimates, are you likely to buy the 2015 FLE?

Poll ended at Thu Jan 01, 2015 9:11 am

Yes
57
50%
No
57
50%
 
Total votes: 114

theaub
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 3241
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 3:47 pm
CW-watches: 0

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by theaub »

Paul Drawmer wrote:In my opinion there should be 50 produced.

Keeping supply tight will encourage people to place their orders, prevent remainder sell off, and establish a proper value for a limited piece.

Keeping the FLE numbers below the expressed demand will help maintain the price over the next few years.


Keep it special!
Agreed, it keeps the FLE special.
Soulspawn
Expert
Expert
Posts: 245
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:14 pm
CW-watches: 0
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by Soulspawn »

To elaborate on my point where I said I would participate in a FLE of 50, my intention is not to exclude people by restricting the numbers, but rather to say that I'm happy to go ahead even if the number of participants are low and costs are slightly higher.
It's not about making money due to exclusivity from resale, but rather to make this FLE a reality.
User avatar
asqwerth
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 3540
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2010 5:47 am
CW-watches: 8

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by asqwerth »

I think there should be enough for everyone who said yes to the poll. Since 57 said yes, keep it simple and make 60. I don't think you can second guess and say, "oh, but some will drop out", etc etc.

If a number less than 57 were made, there would be a first come first served rush and some will find themselves excluded. Think about the unhappiness and unpleasantness that would ensue. Remember that with different time zones, some might get the notification to place their orders later than others.
C5As~FLE12R~W61~C60GMT~FLE15~SC
Orion33/Tetra2~BallEH~Montblanc~Tudor BB36~Archimede36~Damasko~Revue T~BremontSolo37~MJW
Vintage~Bulova23~Polerouter~Wittnauer~Longines~Omega~Soumar~Eterna~Gruen

Quartz~Matisse~FLE17~Ebel~Citizen
User avatar
scooter
Trusted Seller
Trusted Seller
Posts: 15249
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:14 pm
CW-watches: 1
LE-two: yes
LE-foura: yes
Location: UK

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by scooter »

I agree with asqwerth and think that 60 would be a pretty good number to pitch it at.

scooter
#1 scooter blue 2012 FLE (50 made)
User avatar
akirk
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 3422
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:59 pm
CW-watches: 0

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by akirk »

If CWL are happy to make 100 then I would go with 100 - price is lower for those buying and CWL are the ones taking the risk, not the forum. If they feel, based on the process, that it should be a lower number then that is also their decision. The danger with reducing the number is that the price possibly increases - meaning that some people who would buy at a lower price now won't - do you carry on then reducing the number and creating a process that just gets more expensive... As mentioned above it would be sad to see a decision made to only make e.g. 60 and then find that some involved in the process can't buy one...

The process has always been amazing in CWL taking the full commercial risk with no deposits required - yet letting a bunch of amateurs design the watch they will make - at e.g. £500, 100 watches have a RRP of £50K - that is a high risk for a small company... they seem confident though that enough will be bought to cover the actual cost, and that the profit margin will come eventually and all will at some point sell - though as we have seen with the last FLE that might be in the sales...

may be worth getting the CWL view?

Alasdair
Tracking Christopher Ward watch prices on ebay globally at Watchroll
Tracking Bremont watch prices on ebay globally at Watchtrace
Berkshire

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by Berkshire »

Thinking further, it's not unheard of to announce an edition of 100 and make only 50. If the orders exceed the initial make number it's not impossible to make a few more to accommodate the 'extra'. If the total edition is not met nobody but CWL will be the wiser and everyone's orders will be fulfilled. This practice is well know in limited edition books but it's important to fix a price and stick to it for the whole edition.

The LE C900SP was made and released in batches.
User avatar
mabotham
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2909
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:10 am
CW-watches: 5
LE-two: yes
Location: Chesterfield

2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by mabotham »

I think to have a limited open ordering time would be better as mentioned above.
Say 2 weeks to place an order and then close production at that. There will be the odd return so if someone wants one bit missed out they could be on a reserve list.
The c10 fle market price is a lesson to be learnt for a le piece as recently shown.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
scooter
Trusted Seller
Trusted Seller
Posts: 15249
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:14 pm
CW-watches: 1
LE-two: yes
LE-foura: yes
Location: UK

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by scooter »

Obviously we know that CW will ultimately decide how many watches they are prepared to produce from a financial perspective.

Purely from a Forum point of view there is little worse than seeing a Forum Limited Edition that does not sell out quickly and ends up being touted in a year later sale.

That certainly does not add to the special FLE Experience.

scooter
#1 scooter blue 2012 FLE (50 made)
User avatar
Tomsolo
Senior Guru
Senior Guru
Posts: 423
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:04 pm
CW-watches: 6
LE-three: yes
LE-fourb: yes
Location: Midlands

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by Tomsolo »

Why not simply produce 100, allow forum members first dibs for say a month, then list any remaining stock immediately in the ltd edition section of the CW website? Just because it was designed by the forum doesn't mean in need remain exclusively for them? If anything it might just peak someone's interest to join the forum and get involved next time :thumbup:
User avatar
mabotham
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2909
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:10 am
CW-watches: 5
LE-two: yes
Location: Chesterfield

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by mabotham »

That's fine but it doesn't solve the problem of it being under sold leading to CW offering them much cheaper in future sales




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
Amor Vincit Omnia
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 33788
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:34 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: Norfolk, UK

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

My own feelings are very much betwixt and between. I would be gutted to miss out and would certainly hope that the supply will be sufficient for those who have expressed more than an interest. On the other hand, it does tarnish the image of a LE somewhat if they are flogging it off cheap a year later.
I would be very surprised if anyone was contemplating buying one of these in order to sell it on in mint condition if and when the price and demand get higher. I would hope not. I shall want to wear mine for sure!
I think we will have to trust CWL and the admin team to get it right. As several people have said, it's the company's risk. It is also, as has been stated, a lovely privilege, not a divine right.
Steve
Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time


Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
User avatar
DEV.Woulf
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2257
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:53 pm
CW-watches: 10
Location: Rhode Island

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by DEV.Woulf »

I personally think CW should do this: Announce that people will have one week to send their orders in, and one week only. Whatever number of orders they get, round off and make a little extra or a little less. Don't stray too far from the number requested. How can they know some of those people may drop out? Everyone who sends an email could truly want one, we don't know.

CW should not produce 100 though, because this is an expensive dress watch and you WILL see excess stock being sold on the website, and most likely later discounted like the 2013 FLE was recently. There is no point when interest is already so low. Let us pay the extra money for our pieces and keep this FLE respectable.

I also don't think any sort of pay & reserve system should be brought in. It's asking for trouble, and getting into MK II territory like that. Potential problems and people asking for refunds if it gets delayed. I don't think CW would want to do that anyway. Simpler and better off to just make 50 watches instead.
Christopher Ward | LORIER | MONTA | SEIKO

Joseph.
User avatar
Tomsolo
Senior Guru
Senior Guru
Posts: 423
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:04 pm
CW-watches: 6
LE-three: yes
LE-fourb: yes
Location: Midlands

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by Tomsolo »

mabotham wrote:That's fine but it doesn't solve the problem of it being under sold leading to CW offering them much cheaper in future sales




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I guess my thinking here is that if any unsold to forum members hit the website straight away at full price, then they could be bought by non forum members now, potential avoiding them then turning up heavily discounted in the next sale"
User avatar
gbbird
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2849
Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 8:53 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: Milton Keynes, UK

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by gbbird »

I am for keeping the number as low as possible. Everyone who voted 'yes' should be offered a guaranteed watch order and any surplus left over (after CW round up the production numbers) is then opened up for pre orders on a first come first served basis.

G
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day

CW - C60 blue, C60 black orange, C600 tit, FLE13
Gerlach - Orp Sokol, P50, LuxSport. Ball Engineer
Omega Speedmaster. Oris Aquis
Longines Hydroconquest
Magrette - Regattare, DualTime, Moana
fissionu235
Guru
Guru
Posts: 345
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 4:09 am
CW-watches: 1
Location: The Great Lakes State USA

Re: 2015 FLE - Buying Intentions?

Post by fissionu235 »

Hey, Hey.... I didn't vote and I WANT ONE and am letting the "Powers that be" that I am in...... so, whatever the number that voted yes, please add +1.............
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post