Why pay $500 to $850 for a Chinese made watch? Alot of silly Shop NBC shoppers do.
For the past four years, alot of hype has been generated from the sales of Renato watches on Shop NBC and, to his credit, co-owner Daniel Mink has managed to sell alot of watches and make millions of dollars in the process.
Most of these watches (bizarely named Beast, Wilde-Beast, Jakal, Stallion, T-Rex, Sporgenza, Vulcan and Cyclops) feature a Swiss ETA G-10 movement - average cost $35. So why the hefty $500-$850 (or more) price tag for a watch made in China? You tell me.
Daniel Mink was quoted in Haute Living Magazine as saying, "There is too much demand for our watches, We can't keep up, because not only are they hand made, they are hand assembled too."
Hand assembled? Sure.
Handmade? Hog wash!
Are we supposded to believe that the case and each link is handmade from a solid piece of stainless steel? Come on now, how ludicrous!
I would like to challenge Renato Watches to prove once and for all that their watches are all handmade. Perhaps you could show us on a Youtube video. But that's right, you don't want buyers out there to know your watches are made in China.
Daniel Mink, although a seriously great watch designer and a very likeable salesman, has gotten himself and his company into trouble before by exagerating the features of his watches. Back in the Spring of 2008 a Renato & ShopNBC customer took Renato to task on the quality of the diamonds used in some watch models (See: ripoffreport.com/Jewelry-Stores/ShopNBC-And-Renato-W/shopnbc-and-renato-watchesshop-d87d8.html).
In that particular complaint, a veteran diamond expert reported that the diamonds claimed to be G color and VS clarity, were actually far short of that quality - more like Si2 or I1. Renato was taken to court and since then Mr. Mink has had to be very careful whenever describing the color and quality of the diamonds used in his watch brand.
Its a brand new year Mr. Mink. Why not be completely honest with the watch-buying public and curtail some of the ridiculous claims you've been using about your collezioni?
Note: “It is not generally known that quite a few Swiss companies have watches assembled in China for export to North America, Asia and even Europe, where the brand name is more important that the “Swiss made” label. Such watches may consist of a Chinese case and a Chinese crystal, a Taiwan-made dial and metal bracelet and Japanese hands. If the movement is to be considered Swiss, 51% of its value must be Swiss and at least the last wheel must be added in Switzerland. Swiss watch brands without the “Swiss made” label are usually equipped with a Japanese movement. The “Swiss parts” label means that the movement is assembled in Asia using kits consisting at least partially of Swiss made components.”
Renato doesn't claim to make to sell Swiss-made watches, just watches with Swiss movements.
