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What would you pay? The Shinola Runwell USA Built Watch

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Shinola Runwell 47mm – $550 | Shinola Runwell 40mm – $550 (Ships: July 2013)

Many thanks to Kishore for the heads up that these are now available for pre-order.

First mentioned in the Spring Temptation post from February (thanks for the tip Eric H.), Shinola is a new brand that’s building watches in Detroit.  Each watch is a bit of a global production, with Swiss parts in the movement, U.S. Steel for the case that has been fabricated in China, and a leather strap from Horween.  But they’re built and tested here in the States.  Detroit specifically.  And the very first model, the Runwell, is available for pre-order in two sizes.  Here’s some of the details:

  • It’s a quartz.  Specifically the “Argonite 1069 movement, which is hand-assembled in Detroit from nearly four-dozen Swiss made parts.“
  • Crystal is Sapphire
  • Water resistance is 5 ATM / 50 M
  • Strap is vegetable-tanned Horween leather.  20mm wide for the 40, 24mm for the 47.
  • The 40mm will have a limited run of 1500
  • The 47mm will have a limited run of 1000
  • Watch Movement, Hands, and Dial are covered by a 2-year warranty (pg 21 on this .pdf)


Shinola’s video on the process.

$550 is no small price for a quartz.  But they look incredible.  The brand also seems to be genuine about increasing the level of American Made bits and pieces in their watches over time.  That’s no small task by any stretch.  But this first model could be the start of something.  And if you look at the .pdf manual, they appear to have a chronograph in the works.

So what would you pay?  Pleased with the two size options?  Or do you prefer watches in the big but not enormous 42-45mm range?  Cast your vote and leave your thoughts in the comments.

What would you pay? Shinola Watches

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Comments

  3. Hardly. While the price is steep the watch is worth more then a Timex. The movement is well known and the strap alone is worth at least twice as much than a Weekender.

    Would I pay $520 for a quartz watch? No, but I can appreciate what they are doing.

  4. No. Not for a quartz. Better automatics out there to be had for same or even less (Seiko, Orient, Citizen to name only a few).

  5. Really REAAAAALLLY like what they are doing. Knock about $200 off and I’ll think about it.

  6. Agreed. I do enjoy the weekenders, but… just by looking at the photos, you can tell that this thing is going to be something else. A $550 something else? Not for most, but for some, yes.

  7. I will present the counterpoint that BenR often does, those movements will require service to the tune of a couple hundred dollars every 5-8 years. This watch will be on it’s first or second few dollar battery replacement…

  8. I think there’s something to be said about a company really trying to bring a high quality Made in America good back to the market. We enjoy the low prices/quality of Made in China goods and whisper support for better products from our own country. Well guys, such is the price, Lum-tec was another Made in America company with quartz movements and their prices are fairly similar.

    You pay thousands more for swiss made, if you have the extra couple hundred shell it out for Made in America with real passion, dignity, and pride in work.

  9. $550 for a quartz watch? Overpriced, but at least it looks pretty good. $550 for a quartz watch from a company I’ve never heard of and is new to the market? No thanks.

  10. It has been said before, if you don’t make the movement you are a casemaker, not a watchmaker.

  11. You know how many companies that makes a casemaker and not a watchmaker? The exceptions in the high end spectrum are Audemars, Breguet, Panerai, and JLC–I am pretty sure that’s it entirely.

  12. So be it. i would add to your list Seiko, Nomos, Rolex, Zenith, Mille, and RGM makes their own movements in Lancaster PA, USA. Those I know of. Perhaps there are other independents? Don’get me wrong there are great watches that I love (I’m looking at you IWC Poetuguese) that don’t use in-house movements. But they are not watchmakers. They make nice, often gorgeousness cases for movements like the very popular ETAs. JMHO

  13. I’m shocked by how many people actually believed a $150 model of this would be realistic. $550 seems expensive by today’s standards, but that’s what you get if you want to support a company that employs US workers on a livable wage to hand-build something. Reality check: if you want dirt cheap movements great, but they’re not going to be built by someone making a respectable wage and they certainly won’t be made here in the U.S.

  14. True, but $200 over 8 years is $25 a year. In perspective, that is a Grande Cappuccino every other month, or the amount one spends in tips for a decent night on the town.

  15. Damn you and your numbers. Yeah, I wouldn’t buy this watch but I do really like how it looks. Also, I have a couple autos and a couple quartzes. I figure, if the autos both need work at the same time, I can stagger it and wear my quartzes in the mean time. Gets pricey if you have a collection of only autos.

  16. I can’t get past the name. I guess now I can tell “Sh*t from Shinola”, I wouldn’t expect to ever hear the end of it, though. $500 is way too high, I’d say $200 if it had a better name.

  17. Two problem with this:
    1. Quartz
    2. Christopher Ward

    $200-250 is probably as high as I would go for this.
    Just because it’s assembled and tested in the states doesn’t mean it justifies half a grand. Fabricated in China is just… no. Styling is great but a too much branding. Case back is terrific though.

  18. Shocked might be the wrong word. Perpetually disappointed is what I would go for. Maybe it’s because I actually had set out to buy made in the USA products, including a watch a few years ago. It was a real eye opener on what things actually cost.

    You can still find a few watchmakers/assemblers made in the USA and $500 is pretty much the bare minimum.

    If I hadn’t bought a Wilson Watch Works…..watch, then I would be all over this. The shinola is actually probably what I really wanted at the time, but couldn’t bring my self to spend +1k on a more refined watch.

    If I can get over my aversion to selling things, I just might have me a shinola. But after the first run, there always seem to be problems with the first runs on any product.

  19. I’m wearing a weekender right now with a beautiful Horween chromexcel strap that’s about twice the price of the watch itself. It’s a beautiful combination, and keeps good time.

    I like the look of this dial slightly better, I guess the parts are likely of higher quality (whatever that ends up meaning in the actual functioning of the watch), and it’s assembled in the US, but it’s still a quartz movement. If it were $550 with an ETA movement and crystal backing assembled in the US, I’d be all over this thing.

    Also, 47 mm is enormous.

  20. With C.Ward, you are comparing a mass production manufacturer with a sort of ridiculous number of models–to a company that is hand assembling and doing less than 3000 units.

  21. I am going to present the counter-counter argument that a $200 Orient/Seiko/Citizen that costs $200 to service should be tossed in the bin and replaced with a new $200 Orient/Seiko/Citizen.

  22. It does look a bit Timex-ish, though. I’m sure it’s worth much more, I’m just agreeing that it *looks* a lot like a Timex model or two.

    I’m a Detroiter (well, *sorta* – Northern ‘burbs), so I really like the face that puts the city name out there. I also think that for as much turmoil as the city goes through (especially this week – ex-mayor, oh boy!), I’m happy to see things “made in .” That being said, I’m putting my vote at the $150 mark. Unless a watch really grabs me, and holds me, I’m not paying much more than $100. There are certainly watches out there worth more than that, but IMO, not this one.

  23. LOL – “you and your numbers” – I like that!

    As much as I dread any future service (maintenance, tunings, etc) on automatics, I’m also not so sure that a simple battery replacement would be the only cost for a nice quartz. I’m talking about new gaskets, pressure tests, etc. Isn’t that something to factor into the “cost” of owning a quartz? (at least a water resistant one – one you might like to take swimming, etc).

    Maybe not. I know I skimped on my ESQ quartz dress SS watch (my wedding day gift watch), when I replaced the battery in it last year. I don’t plan on wearing it in the pool, so I went the cheap route this time. I wear my auto divers in the pool, if anything.

  25. I don’t have a problem with a quartz watch, the price should reflect the materials cost + labor in some fashion. I’m not into buying Bentleys for people.

  27. Ditto, $200 tops. I’d go with a hamilton before this at that price point. Though I really dig the fact they are tested in the states.

  28. Nope. It looks like a great watch, and while I understand it’s built here (w/ parts outsourced), the fact of the matter remains that a quartz movement men’s watch over the $350 mark is pushing it. Especially, when there are other boutique watch makers of true swiss ETA movements (Steinhart, Christopher Ward, Benarus, Ocean7, Boschett) selling for the same price. That’s not including the other high volume players (Orient, Seiko, Citizen) that also sell automatic time pieces for less. It’s nothing against the company – I applaud them for taking the step forward to introduce their brand into the market, but as it’s asking a bit much to take a gamble on a company so new.

  31. Joe, good for you. I’m glad they’re off to a good start, and I hope they sell a bunch. I won’t be buying one until they can put a mechanical movement in it. When it’s a lower-cost, Detroit alternative to RGM? Done. It does look great, though.

  32. I’m going to present the counter-counter-counter argument that I don’t like to waste when I can avoid it. I’d prefer to not toss something and would rather pay to keep it going.

  33. I do wish them well, but just not my cup of tea. Price is a little high for me because of the quartz movement too.
    I have some friends who are interested (one just got invited to tour the factory.

  35. There are many competent watchmakers who will service a mechanical for less than $100 – I’ve had several Seiko chronographs (Pogues) serviced for that much recently. That being said, no $200 Seiko or Orient should need a service every “5-8 years”. I have several Seiko’s from the late sixties that have yet to be serviced (and they keep great time). If they are well taken care off by the owner they really don’t require much.

    I’d also much rather see them put a mechanical movement in place of the quartz movement. It’s no more a US movement than an ETA. Putting together pre-made parts is not manufacturing, it’s assembling.

  36. Nah, sell it on a watch forum or Ebay. That way a watch nerd like me will buy it and fettle with it.

  37. I love the video, but at the same time im thinking of all the other workers in the world who are making comparable products for half the pay

  38. Sure, but then some of those movement’s are $200. Now add in the fact that the entire movement is built piece-by-piece by hand and then wrap that up with the overhead for having to pay their employees more than $7.15 an hour (you know, because their employees probably want to be able to pay rent and stuff like that) and you’ve got yourself a $550 watch. I just think our society is too used to dirt-cheap pieces of poo now-a-days that we get completely blind-sided whenever we see expensive products.

  40. Exactly, I’ve never required service to any of my seikos. Nothing wrong with quartz, but not worth it in my opinion.

  41. I think we are used to too little value for our dollar.

    It’s not even out yet. We’ll see what the watch geeks say when they get their hands on one. I hope it is a good value, my gut tells me to be skeptical.

  42. I’d rather pay a premium for US-made than for brand prestige, but this might still be pricey for me.

  43. shinola was a poor choice of names imo, doesnt have a premium sound due to the old saying…like the band and case a lot though, wish it wasnt paired with a quartz and didnt have the silly logo

  44. You’re coming off as incredibly snarky, man. I think you are mistaken with the intended virtues of this company. They have no moral imperative to make sure American workers have a livable wage, nor do we as consumers. Sure… American made products cost more – no one is debating that – but its pretty obvious this company wants their product to be seen as a luxury good and priced it accordingly.

  45. Really interesting that when it comes to watches, assembling them here in the States adds cost. I work for a large manufacturer of Outdoor Power products, and we are saving money on pressure washers by assembling them here in the USA with parts from China.

  46. I almost want to get this right now, because if the company is a hit then having a first addition of this watch could pay off in the long run. However, for an older military style watch I would rather have a Hamilton with a swiss auto movement for $700.

  47. I think the cost factors in a lot of support for what they’re trying to do in Detroit. The bikes they hand manufacture also cost around $2k, which is quite a bit more than Linus charges for the same Dutch inspired city style bike.

    So much in the same mind as my buying from the store up the street instead of Amazon, I will likely be buying one as soon as they put a white model up for sale.

  49. There is usually another word before SHINOLA in most cases.

    This is a prime example of why the US is done. All the workers are blacks. By the price tags of this massively overpriced merchandise we must be supplying typical Detroit welfare benefits to these folks. This stuff is about 5 times the cost of similar merchandise and is just a bankruptcy waiting to happen. Who buys this garbage at these prices?

    Buying American is what I try to do. However when a black has robbed the country Im not paying top dollar just to put some of them to work to rip us off.

  51. Well get a Gshock and it lasts for 15 years plus. Another American rip off by phony flag waving profiteers. Detroit is toast. Turn the lights off. It they are not off already for good.

  52. Exactly why we are not supporting them. Living wage? Get an education, a life and the truth. Living wage my foot.

  55. I am an AVID (perhaps rabid) fan of watch movement and I can tell you with absolute certainty that a limited run watch movement that has actually undergone extensive testing, as it seems these movements have, is going to run in this range or higher. I would suggest that you look at the Tag Heuer or Jorg Grey or Tissot movements before jumping to the conclusion that this is overpriced.Also, breaking the iron lock that the Swiss and German’s have on the high end watch industry, even here in America, will be a daunting task. I didn’t know about this run, but I want to make sure that I am in on the next production run.

  56. Yes, and I assure, there aren’t PEOPLE assembling those movements. I would suggest that be a consideration for anyone purchasing any watch.

  57. Tom Kartsotis owns Bedrock Brands, which owns the Shinola Brand of bikes and watches. He put the production in Detroit, and is opening up retail space in the D and New York to sell the goods. To my knowledge, the Kilpatricks have nothing to do with this. However, investment in Detroit is something all of America should want…

  59. Love the watch, love the D, how can one resist. Its on my list of must haves. I really hope Detroit has a true rebirth. Its been years and years in the making.

  60. I’m betting the vast majority of posters drive a Hyundai, complain about gas prices, all the while buying $4 Starbucks while posing with their iPhone. Quality is just that. Some things are expensive. The effort of hand crafted in the U.S.A. is lost on deaf ears these days. Keep shopping at Walmart. Watches are fun, it’s posts like this that make people look at their Phone for the time. I don’t know if cheap watch snobs are worse than pricy watch snobs. And yes, I’m from Detroit and would say this to your face.

  61. I like the style and what they are doing, but I’d like to see at least 10 ATM Water Resistance.

  62. The company was started by the founder of Fossil. They bought the rights to use the name of a “classic” American company that made shoe polish.