So It's Come To This...

As the guy who literally wrote the book on the Watch of the Presidents, it was inevitable that folks would ask me for feedback about the new watches bearing the name of former President and full-time flim-flam man Donald J. Trump.

"Magnificent Trump Watches!"

Courtesy of Trump Watches

Okay, as my wife Wendy so aptly put it, this is the one time that I will go on record as being in agreement with Ariel Adams and Adam Craniotes -

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/trump-watch-likely-made-in-china-overpriced-1236013728/

While Mr. Adams is partially correct on what a white label company is and how the process operates, he was more than a wee disingenuous as to how the assembler (white label) business works writ large, very incorrect as to the "quality" of work performed as a whole, and while there are "off the shelf" options, there are several assemblers / white label companies that can create entirely unique options with quality at a very high level. And to that point? More than a few not-insignificant Swiss and Japanese high end brands utilize the services of third party operators. Just so that we are clear on that point.

As to the actual assembler of the higher end Trump Victory Tourbillon (or whatever this abomination to good taste and watchmaking credibility is called), there is more to it than the simple dismissiveness of Mr. Adams, but as the old saying goes - 

Those who will say don't know, and those who know won't say.

Now, back to the matter at hand - it does seem a fairly disparate collection - a tourbillon (with a dial that looks as if it was polished with a hot Hershey bar). The more affordable Fight, Fight, Fight models do not have dials with the made in Switzerland legend. If some of the insiders who have spoken are right, the movements of this less expensive model are Japanese with a fair amount of Chinese and Indian components and content. If and when the people behind the Trump watches decide to be more forthcoming on the actual origins of the contents of watch itself, well then we can have an informed conversation. Until then?

Well, I don't think any of these are going to supplant the Vulcain Cricket any time soon. But then again, if the folks in Le Locle keep half-assing it with unsellable limited editions and dozens of SKUs...