Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/27

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon
From: bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Wed Oct 27 09:15:18 2004

You may well know more about this than I, Bob, but I thought the
"atomic" watches and clocks are continually being reset by satellite,
and thus can be reached, and remain accurate, no matter how remote the
area.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
animal
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2004 12:02 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon


What you want is a clock with a known error.
One that gains 12 hours a day is more desirable then one that wanders a 
minute a month in a random manner.
Those radio controlled clocks are very nice but don,t work in remote
areas. Obviously today there is hardly a need for chronometers with all
the aids 
available .
Still it remains one of the desired properties of a super watch.


> The basic point is correct, Simon - The Swiss pissed on the quartz 
> watches, gave them away to the Japanese, and the Swiss watch industry 
> headed for extinction.
>
> Yes, many of the old brands are still around - mostly as play toys for

> the idle rich. As for the accuracy of chronometers... ...This is 
> something you would know far more about than I, but aren't the most 
> accurate watches and clocks available those that are directly linked 
> to the "atomic clock" in Boulder, CO, watches and clocks that can be 
> had for under $150. Granted, they sure don't look as cool as some 
> Rolexes etc. But as we've discussed here before, many of us have had 
> trouble with getting those beauties to keep time.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf 
> Of animal
> Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2004 11:18 AM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon
>
>
> That,s not how it went.
> They were not happy merely to produce an accurate quartz watch. They 
> wanted to make one that would qualify as a chronometre. For a watch to

> be certified like that means among other things that the drift is 
> known. So one can use it for navigation by noting the time and 
> applying the drift
> times the interval after the last setting.
> That was very hard and indeed the japanese conquered the market witch
> watches that with their random nature of drift were amazingly accurate
> over
> time but no chronometers.
> They eventually succeeded with watches like the first dual time chrono
> quartz and the constellation series.
> One could argue that their aim for excellence was their downfall
> somewhat. Still many of the old brands are still around and they make
> the most
> desirable watches.Don,t they?
> best
> simon jessurun
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
> To: "'Leica Users Group'" <lug@leica-users.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2004 4:30 PM
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon
>
>
>> Oh, one last thing - The Swiss watch story is one of the greatest 
>> examples of all times of an unbelievably stupid marketing decision: 
>> for those who may be unaware of it - a Swiss company invented the 
>> quartz watch - and the Swiss, distaining the idea of non-traditional 
>> watches, sold/gave/licensed? it to the Japanese, resulting in the 
>> precipitous decline and near extinction of the Swiss watch industry.
>>
>> And in the story of that disaster are far better parallels to Leica's

>> marketing practices and views of itself and the rest of the photo 
>> world, than are in the Lego story. ;-)
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
>> [mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf 
>> Of Emanuel Lowi
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2004 10:12 AM
>> To: lug@leica-users.org
>> Subject: [Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon
>>
>>
>> Didier Ludwig wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Comparing Leica vs. digital (today) to swiss watch manufacturers vs.

>>> quartz
>>> (70ies) makes quite sense. Only the top swiss brands
>>> with the upperclass
>>> mechanical watches have survived this battle.
>>>
>>> Meanwhile, many things have changed. Most of these
>>> brands (not IWC) and
>>> especially the heart of this industry, the clockwork manufactury 
>>> ETA,
>
>>> are today owned by the Swatch group - a swiss company,
>>> too, but making it's
>>> money with - quartz watches!
>>>
>>> So the analogy could be Swatch = Cosina?...
>>>
>>
>> Here's another analogy from the local paper's business section the 
>> other day.
>>
>> "Danish toymaker Lego Co. said yesterday it has yet to recover from a

>> financial crisis and expects to record a loss this year despite an 
>> elaborate recovery plan that included increased focus on its classic 
>> products. The company, whose coloured plastic building blocks have 
>> been a  favourite children's toy for decades, also said that 18-year 
>> chief executive Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen resigned and was replaced by 
>> Joergen Vig Kundstorp, a former senior vice-president for
>> corporate affairs.
>> CUT
>> Lego said it had laid off 1000 workers worldwide this
>> year, leaving it with 7400 employees.
>> The company said early this year it hoped to break
>> even in 2004, and said two months ago it was on track
>> to do so. However, sales in North America and Japan
>> were poor, and increased competition from companies
>> like Montreal-based Mega Bloks and price pressure in
>> the toy business has taken its toll, Lego said.
>> Overall, sales in Europe have also been disappointing,
>> although sales grew in southern and eastern Europe as
>> markets opened up.
>> As part of its cost-cutting moves, Lego said it would
>> spin off its four amusement parks into a separate
>> company with an eye towards selling the division
>> completely.
>> CUT
>> The company isn't publicly traded, but has published
>> earning reports since 1997.
>> Founded in 1932, Lego's name was invented by combining
>> the first two letters of the Danish word Leg godt
>> (play well) without knowing that the word in latin
>> means "I assemble."
>>
>> Lego = Leica
>> Mega Bloks = Cosina
>>
>> Emanuel Lowi
>> Montreal
>>
>>
>>
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>> _
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>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
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Replies: Reply from bladman99 at yahoo.ca (Dan C) ([Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon)
Reply from frank.dernie at btinternet.com (FRANK DERNIE) ([Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon)
Reply from alaxsxaq at gmail.com (Glen Staufer) ([Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon)
In reply to: Message from s.jessurun95 at chello.nl (animal) ([Leica] Re: Interview on Zeiss Ikon)