If you go online and google the best-selling watches, Invicta will surely pop out as one of those watches. It is recognized for being able to design quality Swiss watches and sell to people at affordable rates. This is why it is loved by many. However, you might wonder “why are so Invicta watches today?” especially because of the quality materials that go into making them.
History Of Invicta Watches
Invicta is a Swiss watch company that was initially founded in 1837 by Raphael Picard. The company was inspired by Raphael’s discovery back then in Switzerland that only the wealthy could wear the beautiful time-pieces. So, he decided to set up a brand that could create quality and luxury wristwatches to be sold to everyone regardless of status, so Invicta watches were sold at a discount.
The company drew the love and attention of many because of this incentive and it continued to be successful until the early 1970s when the quartz invasion crisis happened. Then, the Japanese introduced a new technology of quartz watches that became the new watch standard. The quartz was loved because it was easier to manage than the manual winding watches. This made Invicta go into what was almost an extinction.
About 20 years later, the Invicta group came back to light. The company was bought by a US-based set of owners but the image was re-branded. However, the new owners decided to hold true to the philosophy of the founder, so they did not let go of the founding principles. They used this as an advantage to penetrate the market again. All they had to was give the public access to Swiss watches at a price that had been beat down to an affordable rate.
Invicta today, has created a brand that makes use of cutting-edge technology using the best possible materials. The current headquarters of the Invicta Watch Group is in Hollywood, Florida.
We did a really exhaustive research into the Invicta Watch Group. Click here to read our findings in the article: Where Are Invicta Watches Made?
The Changes In The New Invicta Watch
The strategy of the Invicta group was to sell in bulk which means offering discounts to the price of watches as well as having lower margins. So, when any company does this, it looks for ways to cut costs so as to maintain its profitability.
Now, one of the major changes in the brand was the switch from producing completely Swiss-made watches to other kinds of watches. Modern Invicta is known to adopt phrases like “Swiss-made” or “Swiss parts” on their products.
The reason for this is not far-fetched. Switzerland has built a reputation in the craftsmanship that comes with its production of watches when compared to regions like China and Asia. So, the subtle changes are to indicate that the movement of the watch is still of Swiss reputation but, in actual fact, the watches are assembled in other places like Hong Kong because labor is cheaper in those regions.
Also, some of the Invicta watches were switched to Japanese quartz movement that is much more accurate and cheaper than Swiss mechanical movements. In fact, the way it works today is that Swiss-made watches combine features of parts made in China but they’re not totally Swiss-made.
Why Are Invicta Watches So Cheap?
The reason Invicta watches are so cheap is because some of the watches have been transferred to large scale manufacturing practices which are just like other low-priced watch brands.
No, we’re not saying the qualities of Invicta watches have suffered, we’re only saying that it has features different from what watch lovers knew the old and Swiss-made Invicta watches to be. So, purely Swiss-made Invicta watches are hard to come by. It is the price that shows the quality of the watch and most of the really expensive Invicta watches are either the same or surpass the qualities of a Rolex.
Why Does Amazon Sell Invicta Watches At The Cheapest Prices?
Amazon is notable for having the lowest prices of Invicta watches. Although, no one has really been to decipher why but many believe that it is because Amazon has so many customers and Invicta is trying to sell as many of their watches as possible. So, the easy way out is to use Invicta’s reputation for online sales to make its way into the hearts of people.
Does Invicta Make Good Watches?
This is one question we know is on the hearts of many people especially when they think of how cheap Invicta watches sell for. So, you’ll want to know if Invicta is holding true to its promise of fulfilling both ends of the bargain (affordable and quality watches).
If we’re to judge in terms of the value of their watches, they have fulfilled the promise of producing some of the most affordable watches in the market that won’t be shoved aside when compared to a Rolex or an Omega watch.
However, if we’re to ask the question of the quality of the watches, it’ll be quite vague. This is because Invicta presents itself as a Swiss watch-making industry but not all the watches produced have Swiss time-keeping functions. This doesn’t mean they’re not quality watches judging from the fact that the quartz movement is more accurate and reliable than the Swiss mechanical time-keeping.
However, in terms of the price range, Invicta offers a good deal of getting Swiss-made watches for as low as $500. You’ll definitely not find an Omega or Rolex for less than four figures. So, Invicta is the go-to watch if you’ve been longing for an affordable Swiss watch or a high-quality quartz watch.
Nonetheless, as much as Invicta makes good watches to suit their prices, many watch collectors have so many reasons to criticize the brand. One of the popular complaints is that the watches always dance at the $200 to $250 price range. Invariably, if you pay more than that for an Invicta watch, you’re not getting any higher quality. So, you cannot get any more comments from people than “the watch is good for the price”.
Some other critics believe that the price list for Invicta watches is higher than their actual worth. This is why they’re, most times, on sale or at discounted prices either in stores or online platforms. So, the wisest thing to do if you want to buy an Invicta watch is to make sure it’s on sale so you won’t have to spend so much.
Reasons For Criticisms
1. Quality Control
This encompasses everything we have earlier discussed and it is one of the reasons for the disparity of opinions when it comes to the brand. While some owners of old models claim that it is of good quality, some have complained about the recent models. Some watches have even had to be returned for a refund. This explains some of the low reviews the watches get.
2. Inflated Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)
This is also a major reason many people hate the Invicta brand. The brand gives a watch an MSRP that’s three to five times higher than what the retail price should be. For instance, a $100 Invicta watch can be accompanied by a $459 MSRP so you’ll think you have the best deal. However, this only works on uninformed buyers and it gives off a too-good-to-be-true vibe.
3. Depreciation
When you buy a watch with a great history of good repute, you expect that it is able to maintain some value when you use it for a number of years.
However, unlike most brands, it is certain you’ll lose most of the value of your Invicta watch once you wear it on your wrist. This is because Invicta just churns out a large number of new models each year. The number of watches it produces each year makes it hard to market each one to the public. So, it gives them off as focusing more on quantity than quality.
4. Misleading Names
The many misleading names of every watch model is one of the questionable marketing strategies Invicta uses. For example, many Invicta watches are branded with “flame fusion crystal” that is claimed to be the resistant hybrid between mineral and sapphire. However, it is just a mineral crystal with a really thin sapphire film on top.
What about the “Trinite Lume”? Tritium is a high-quality lume that is used by luxury watch brands like Rolex. But that of the Invicta watch does not even come close in terms of quality.
4. Customer Service
While some people have no complaints about Invicta’s customer service, many are quite unsatisfied. Common complaints from individuals include slow response time or no response, uncooperative attitude from staff and several issues regarding their policies. So, we can see that it is beyond the watch problem, there are many other things that go into being a brand.
5. Warranty
Invicta offers a warranty program between three to five years on all their watches and this sounds really good for anyone that wants to buy. However, the reality is that the warranty is one of the poorest when compared to other brands in the watchmaking industry.
This three to five-year warranty is only designed to cover the dial, hands, and the movement excluding issues related to the battery, the case strap or the crystal. If you are lucky to have your problem covered, then you still have to go through the stress of getting a replacement or your money back.
One of the demerits is having to pay the shipping costs and service fees even when the fault is from the manufacturers. Also, you might be ineligible for warranty if some minor maintenance has been covered.
6. Image
One of the problems this brand is facing is having so many replicas of famous watch models out there. For instance, many believe that Rolex owns Invicta and this confusion comes up because Invicta produces so many watches that resemble Rolex watches. Invicta found a way to present the same aesthetic features of Rolex, making them more affordable.
Notwithstanding all of these, Invicta’s strength is in selling watches that have many features at cheap prices and so far, no brand has been able to beat them in this game. Despite the quality materials like stainless steel case and mineral glass, they are still able to give you at a price that won’t drain your bank account. Little wonder Invicta is seen as a business not only focused on making profits.
Have you heard of the Invicta Foundation? It was established to support people who have served or are serving in the armed forces. They help provide homes for these people. In terms of making people happy with the quality of watches and impacting lives, Invicta might just keep staying relevant.
Are Invicta Watches Worth Buying?
Honestly, it depends on what you want. Invicta is one of the watches that don’t have a status tag or significance to it, so if you are the type of person that wants your watch to represent to people the caliber of person you are, then, this watch cannot be for you. Invicta is not one of those luxury brands that draw attention to you.
The only thing keeping the brand going is its long-standing history in watchmaking. It is respected by many for staying relevant in the watchmaking industry for over 180 years. So, if you love the look and its features, then you could go for an Invicta watch. Here are some positive reasons you should:
- There are several collections so it will be easy to find your choice.
- It could pass for a luxury watch without the high-end price.
- It has built a reputation of over a century so you can trust the brand.
- If you love big wristwatches, then you should go for an Invicta watch.
In the end, it really depends on your tastes in watches. If you don’t care about ostentation and just need something that’s good quality and works, you can go with Invicta. It has its flaws but what watch doesn’t?
