INVICTA

First, I want to be clear about myself and this review.  I am not associated, affiliated or employed by any manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler within the Horology industry.  In fact,  I build custom guitars and amplifiers for a living, and as an Artisan, I am amazed and intrigued by the mechanical complications of automatic winding watch movements.  Simply put, I am one of those people who sees the marvels of technology that went into designing and engineering the mechanical automatic watch movement. 

In the past, I have purchased watches specifically touting such movements, simply for the advertised "sweep" of the second hand--it mesmerizes me.  I find it one of man's engineering amazements.  So amazed am I, that quite frankly, I thought to educate myself into these movements, and for fun, I recently purchased many a tool and books to begin playing around with them (this is my wife's eBay account--check out our history).  But, I quickly had to give up the quest--too complicated for me--hence the term "complications".  What was worse though.................the people in the industry are quite possibly the most snobbish and horrible human beings with pseudo-Aristocratic attitudes.  The truth is, they are "Peasants" working for the Bourgoise, with inherited egos, far beyond useful--they are called,  "Horologists/Gemologists".  Almost all that I met or conversed with, with the exception of Caswell, Inc (a watch parts seller in Ohio), were so repulsive, that I soon lost interest in trying to learn the art and science of "Horology".  First, when you can actually find parts to purchase, or those to seek advice from, no-one is helpful or even acts interested in what you are attempting.  After all, learning the parts that go into anything assembled, is a must if you are trying to self-educate--the universal language of any industry is found within the verbs and pronouns of its sentences. Unfortunately, most of those parts within the Horology industry, are made in Switzerland or Germany, and trying to communicate with Hanz and Franz (remember Saturday Night?) is impossible.  Then, when you find a North American Horological Supply company, most are rude, uninterested and act as if they are Euro-Aristocrats.  It was like calling Andy Griffith to order parts, only to find, he had developed a French accent.  I imagined myself as a rodent asking a snake (Horologists) not to eat me, because I had come of my free will, to learn the snake's ways.  Instead, even with sincerety on my side, I found most snakes could care less, and as such, opted to eat me!  Although, I hear rumors that snakes will eat anything--even thier young.  So..............make no mistake about it..............I neither care for nor consider most people in the Horology industry, either entertaining nor interesting as far as truly quality people deserving of my time or money--the Peasant refuses to pay the King's Cousin. The gist.............this review is written freely and without prejudice or enticements or endorsements of any kind.

INVICTA WATCHES

When I first found Invicta, they were doing some Shop MSNBC thing on my local  cable TV--one of those late night deals where the Host is some annoying phony Used Car saleman type--very loud and obnoxious--although in-touch with his femanine side.  Anyway, as I watched, I am thinking to myself, "gee I get to pay my cable provider for the luxury of these "in your face" Infomercials"?  Wow, what a great racket!  Anyway, just before changing the channel (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer was better than an Infomercial) they showed an Invicta watch--a 9937 26 Jewel with observation case back--by the way, why have an observation back if the movement is not of "Skeletin Quality?".  That kinda hits me like paying for a peep show, only to find a beautiful woman with no breasts.  Anyway, the watch was all stainless with a Black face--a Submariner looking thing, like gobs of others hanging out on eBay. Okay, so I hesitated watching Buffy, and took another look at the Invicta watch.  And, finally they got to the price--wow................$300.00 and some change for a Swiss automatic Diver with Saphire Crystal, Date and Stainless case, blah, blah, blah.......?  It really sounded too good to be true and you know what they say about those kinda deals.  Okay, so I am reminded that back in 1990 while living another life (so to speak) I wrote a proposal which suggested Sears acquire The Home Shopping Network--back then Sears was going broke fast, with inventory they couldn't move.  Anyway...............they laughed me out of the Board Room claiming, "Son............nobody is going to buy stuff from a TV show".  Okay, so I was young and naive--trying to make points as a wanna-bee Investment Banker.  Who was I, anyway?  Okay, so I am hooked on this Invicta show case of mechanical movement watches for thousands less--compared to a Rolex.  Being able to see past the oohhs and ahhhs of the Host (clearly paid to sell these watches), I found the specifications pretty hard to believe....................stuff like (again), Solid 316 Stainless Steel cases, Saphire Crystals, 26 jewel Swiss automatic movement, Solid link Stainless band, and Tritnite Superluminova markers--by the way, if you have never seen these things glow in the dark.................they are amazing!  Anyway...........................so I am thinking, how can Invicta build such a watch, which looks almost Identicle to a Rolex Submariner--in my industry, (Musical Instruments) if you build a guitar that even resembles a Big Corporation's, they sick the PTO on you, who then uses electronic terrorism to destroy your web site and business--ahem--sorry....................that is a topic for another review.  Anyway, I suppose, could it be, that since Invicta does not install a fake Rolex logo on its watches, that alone, allows them to make a watch that looks just like a Rolex?  Cool--a company that exists without Big Business or Big Brother's interferences--USPTO!  I like companies that are not Monopolists or rulers of Industry, and furthermore.....................the guy that seems to be the head cheese for Invicta, was not like his Host/Counterpart.................he was quiet, informative and confident about his watches--a believer in his company's products?  Okay, so for me..........................someone who buys based on specifications and not so much the personality of the Salesman......................I ordered the watch.  Was I skeptical--you bet.  Was I expecting some cheesy, flimsy Rolex-wanna-bee knock off watch, that weighed like a feather and had some Chinese movement I cannot even pronounce--yep!  C'mon, for $300.00 and some change..............................that barely buys groceries for two per-month--that didn't even pay for the catalytic converter I had to put on my New Jersey failed emmissions Jeep--another topic for later!  So.......................what did I get in the mail? 

I got an incredible watch that first, came packaged in a nice icky Yellow box--Invicta should consider power colors or something other than Urine Yellow.  Okay, but still keeping an open mind, I got past that and the warranty info and poof--the watch!  It was presented--yes.  It had protective film that was thick--not scotch tape thin--excellent touch!  Although if you are an impatient type (how would I know) and you want to quickly remove the protective film.............as Tony Soprano would say, "Fuh getta-bout it".  But, it is nice to see the protective stuff on there--shows the company cares about thier product.  Anyway....................immediately you get the sensation that the watch is heavy weighted--why--because by now, you have been fighting the shrink wrapping for ten minutes and aside from the blow torch needed to melt the stuff off the band, you can feel how heavy the watch really is.  It just feels totally solid.  One would think the protective shrink wrap plastic icky stuff were there to make the band feel more solid--you know how cheap watches have those center links that are tin-foil thin--not here--not Invicta's band!  The band is thick, heavy, tight and solid--just excellent!  Then, after you find the edges of the static plastic Crystal protective pieces, and get them removed, the Invicta dial truly reveals itself and its detail is just perfectly done--nice markers, Invicta logo jumps out and it is really a quality dial.  In fact........................other than the bazel being just slightly off from the 12:00 dial marker, the hands, the Tritnite, the cyclopse and quality of movement is just excellent.  It is just amazing that one gets this much watch for the money!  The hack feature works perfectly, the quick date is crisp when it snaps from day to day.  And the sweep of the second hand is just as good as any Rolex I have owned--maybe just a few beats less--Rolex I think is 19,200 or so and the Invicta is 28,800--hardly noticable.  The counterweight is NOT Miyota zip,zip, zip sounding--it is dead quiet other than the counterweight thingy spinning around and winding the movement!  The crown is large, sealed and accurately installed--really....................there is no wobby stem due to inner donut gaskets that are much larger than the winding stem!  The hands are tight when you set the time--not loose or cheap feeling.  One of the neat feature about the Invicta, is they use solid band end links with screws not springs, attaching the band to the case!  The only thing I did not like, is the pinned links--scews for this quality of a watch should have found thier way into the model.  But again.....................for $300.00 plus some change--who cares?  The pins by the way, were not like cheaply made bands which requires a pneumatic Jack Hammer to push them out, so links could be removed.  I had a Jewelers pin removal tool, which required little to no force to push the pins out or to reinstall them.  In fact, Invicta even marks the direction for reinserting the pins, right on the links, so you know which side to reinstall the pins--you can actually feel them hit a stopping point once reinstalled.  So, eventhough the band did not come with scew attached links, the pins came out and went in flawelessly and effortlessly!

Conclusion 

Okay......................so Invicta blew me away--truly!  So much so, was I impressed, that I purchased a 9938--Two tone Blue/Gold with all stainless and Blue rotor--26 Jewel.  I wanted one of their COSC models, some eBayer was unloading for a rediculous cheap price of $749.00.  But, quite honestly..................I have a small business and times have been tough thanks to the USPTO--Patent and Trademark Office--again.............another review for later!  So, I could only afford the 9938.  But, I will tell you this...............................both watches keep perfect time!  Perfect to me is within say 1.0 minute per-24 hours!  I set the 9938 to my computer's clock which is set to the National whatever time thingy, and weekly, not daily, my Invicta 9938 has been running within seconds per-week!!  I am not kidding!  I hate to admit this, but my Invicta watches, keep better time than my 8-year old Rolex--ouch.  Of course in fairness to Rolex..................I can't afford the $350.00 cleaning costs or stomach "Hans" my local Jeweler's Euro-transplant Horologist, who treats me like a second rate citizen, because I drive a Jeep and usually wear wood dust due to being a Lutheir--although we both work with our hands, but somehow I am an inferior being.  If I were still an Investment Banker (without morals or born ethicly bi-passed), I would invest in Invicta!  First................it is rare today, that a company boasting product details, delivers on their claims--one need only buy an American made car to find that out.  In fact, if Invicta began making cars, I would most likely buy one.  Maybe they could build a Ferrari looking thing, with thier logo and ornaments and mass produce it?  It would most likely outperform the Ferrari while looking every bit as good and mechanically, it would run without the expensive maintainance or parts costs.  A disposable sports car?  Okay......................well you get the point.  At less than the cost of oiling a Rolex, one can own an Invicta, look every bit as good and get the same quality functions.  Invicta's head cheese, that appears routinely on Shop MSNBC, tends to push Invicta watches as being those, which you can wear everyday and leave your expensive Rolex-type ones for special occassions.  And, I tell ya...................I have not put on my Rolex for months now.  Ha!  So.....................both the 9937 and 9938 combined, costs less than a used, and beaten to death Rolex.  And so far, neither watch has failed to work flawelessly.  If you are looking for a great watch for a steal of a price....................Invicta simply rules the marketplace.  If you have to have a really high end watch or feel you have to spend allot of dough to feel important about yourself, then Invicta has thier COSC models--which quite honestly is a waste of money, as thier other watches are so accurate, that you will not notice a loss of seconds per-week.  If you are that needy of a watch that keeps time to that level--hehehehe--change careers like I did--you will live longer as money means less.  One last point....................Invicta does offer other higher end watches like the newer 9938 with the Sellitas (sp?) movement.  They also have other models with precious stones and all Gold, blah, blah, blah...................  For me, the $300.00 prices I paid, would have been four times that of the Invicta, with other brands, offering the same specifications.  So..................check out Invicta if you are looking for a great watch. If you are an Investor (assuming you are the norm and don't buy into small emerging companies like mine) buy Invicta stock--they are going places--are they listed yet--hmmmm.............If not, maybe they should go Public? 

Good luck, and I hope this helps with the confusion you maybe feeling, or if you are on the sidelines about Invicta and wondering how the hell they offer such a great watch for such little out of pocket mullah......................maybe you are thinking like I used to.................it is just hype or B.S?  Nope--it is real and they deliver on what they promise!  "Namaste" everyone!  Here's to Invicta--cheers!