Can You Recommend an Invicta for Under $250?

 

I'm not allowed to buy any more Invictas. If I bring an Invicta for a bracelet adjustment to my watch dealer, whether it be Raffi, Sean or Matt, they will slap me. That's an exaggeration. They'll shrug in disappoint and sulk at me with contempt because they'll see me as an alcoholic going back on the bottle.

But while I'm not allowed to buy Invictas, I can recommend some, for example, this Invicta Pro Diver Reserve 12109, which is Swiss made and if the ShopNBC presentation was accurate, it has Superluminova (I cannot attest to that).

Still in gunmetal with a modest 47mm bezel, it seems like a good watch at its price point.

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Comments

[jonnybardo]

That's actually pretty nice looking.

Did someone ask for a recommendation? For under $250 there are some great Seikos, even the cheaper Orients.

[Angelo]

Actually, I think Invicta offers a hell of a lot at the lower price range. I think if I were going to spend over $200.00 on a watch, I might find options I like better than Invicta. But for under $100.00, Invicta has some Pro Divers and other models that look nice, feel very nice and are great values. I saw Amazon having a sale the other night on a few Pro Divers----it was a one day sale---$49.99 and free shipping and a few different metal options. That's encroaching on drugstore watch territory and these had the look of $150.00 watches. Invicta has their place----I'm just not sure that place is watches with "suggested retails" of $1695.00, selling for $259.00.

[Gary]

At this price point there are some very nice Seiko Solar and Citizen Eco-Drive watches that I'd prefer over a super-sized Invicta.

[jonnybardo]

I think this is Jeff's way of telling us that he's getting an inkling of an Invicta tickle, sort of like that first tickle in the back of your throat before you get a full-blown cold.

We might have to stage an intervention soon, guys.

[herculodge]

Jonny, your comment will be collected in my notes for my novel Watch Me.

[Angelo]

Think back to some ex-girlfriend you had----you were so excited when you asked her out and she said yes. She looked great and the two of you really hit it off. As good as some of those intimate moments were...she became sort of annoying and a bit shallow. And you were surprised at her over the top behavior that was inappropriate at times. The little things about her that you were thrilled with when you first met----were now the very things that drove you crazy. You broke things off. But maybe a year later----you ran into her in a bar, and wow, she looked great. And all you could think about was the things she was really good at. She leaned over and told you she was in the mood to leave the bar and go find someplace quiet. Admit it---you went for it. Jeff----your ex, Ms. Invicta, is going to come calling at some point.

[jonnybardo]

Ha ha, true Angelo.

Feel free to use my words, Jeff. We're all here for you.

[Angelo]

In all seriousness, if Invicta has proven anything over the last decade----it's that they have a good pulse on the marketplace and the ability to move product. My personal experience with Invicta timepieces is positive. I've given a couple as gifts and own two of them (Ocean Reef from Jeff and Sea Spider I bought for myself). My Invicta watches are accurate, well made, and I feel I got good deals on both of them---value for the dollar. I do know one person who had fit/finish issues as his bezel trim fell off and was lost. All in all though---Invicta has grown remarkably through a very successful marketing campaign/sales and cutting edge styles that you might either love or hate----but enough lovers are out there to make this a really fast growing brand. Point is----as tastes change, I think they will be ahead of the curve and not playing catch up. This watch is very conservative by Invicta standards and I think really nice. If they find a way to retool their line to have a lot of strong choices like this---and price them right---they'll stay in a very strong position. And among the similarly priced brands like Croton, Swiss Legend, etc.----I still like what Invicta is doing much better than their competitors.

[jonnybardo]

I actually agree, Angelo. Invicta is only offensive if one looks at them as possibly more than what they are: blingish (and fun) fashion watches.

I think where some more reasonable types have gotten annoyed (I'm not talking about the lunatics at Watchlords) is that A) Invicta does little things to falsely advertise as something more than a fashion watch company; e.g. their fake MSRPs and "Swiss Made" (which isn't actually true), and B) Their customary service is legendarily bad, or at least sub-par.

In a way its kind of analogous to Ebay seller ratings. Upscale Swiss and German brands shoot for 100%, anything below which is a problem. Japanese brands shoot for the same, but they offer a wider range, so more realistically are like 97-99%. Invicta is more like a 90% seller that pretends its a 98% seller.