Post by Rusty on Oct 2, 2007 19:23:34 GMT -5
Jim Skelton Interview with members of the Original Invicta Forum
From MacDaddy, who suggested we do this interview:
"HOW DID YOU GET THE JOB WITH SHOPNBC?
Was it an open call that your agent answered (did you have one?) or did you previously know EL? You've said you were a WIS before, etc. People like to know the details of how one of us WIS went on to become an icon for us all.
Let's go back to the beginning...
A couple of years before coming to ShopNBC I was a moderator for another watch forum, which at the time was the largest and most active on the internet. During that time Invicta was the most prolific brand and had a huge following, but alas... no direct contact with the company had been properly established. I wanted to do a public interview with Eyal for the benefit of the members and while Eyal typically does not grant any interviews he for some reason agreed to it with me. Over the course of about a year we did 2 interviews, the second of which we did by phone. After speaking for a while we hit it off.
Back then I used to do full reviews on watches just because I loved to do it to pass the time, and to benefit the forum. I spent a great deal of time photographing my watches, and taught myself how to shoot at the level I now shoot at. Adding the reviews to the images only seemed like a natural progression at the time and they were fun to do. Eyal had seen some of my reviews and offered me the opportunity to review upcoming models long before their release so that members of this forum could get a sneak peek, and he would be getting direct feedback from me as to any pro's or con's of the product being reviewed. A day or two before the initial watches showed up at my door (Russian Diver I, COSC SPeedway, and COSC Dragon Lupah) Eyal calls my cellphone out of the blue. At the time random hosts were placed in the watch shows and the watch collectors (as you know) are very unique and specific customers who want to know the most intimate details of a watch. It is very difficult to throw someone who is not a "watch person" into these shows because it's really tough to know a lot of detail, and project that on the shows. Just as I could NEVER bounce from department to department like many of our hosts do (apparel, jewelry, electronics, home furnishings), it can be difficult to ask a host who is proficient in those categories to all of a sudden take over the watch shows. Also Shawn Wilsie could not be expected to do EVERY watch show either. ShopNBC asked Eyal if he knew anyone with a lot of watch knowledge that could step in, and he told me that I was the one person that came to his mind.
He asks me if I was aware that the former watch host had left the company, and I replied that yes... I always watched the shows, and was aware. After a few minutes of talking he asked me to speak with ShopNBC about taking the position at the network. At first I declined having absolutely no interest in being on television (having no prior TV experience, and enjoying having a personal life), but Eyal is the type who does not take no for an answer. A few days later I was contacted by the network and they arranged a flight for me from VA to MN for my interviews. Before I could go however I needed to send them a video. This was nerve-wracking to be honest.... I set up my camcorder in my dining room and by their request sold just one random item for ten solid minutes. Try this yourself and see how tough it really is!! Ten minutes on one watch (I had chosen my Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra chronometer) without overly repeating anything, and non-stop talking... I had a feeling I would never hear back from them, I was awful!
I went to MN for 3 days of intense interviews, and all went very well as is obvious. They asked me to begin immediately and I packed up a few things and moved out here within 5 days. My wife (then-fiance) stayed back in VA for 3 weeks to pack up the house and then came over to join me.
From cofetym:
What are your thoughts on QC and CS in the watch industry ?
QA is a really tough subject because there are so many variables. It is very difficult to produce any product and maintain high levels of QA unless everything is all hand made honestly. Whether it be a watch, car, refrigerator whatever... mass produced items can and will have flaws. The important thing is to make sure that this happens as infrequently as humanly possible, and to take care of any issues that do arise as promptly as possible. I think that we are seeing a few companies that have grown incredibly fast over a short period of time and have to constantly re-adjust for this growth, and customer service is always the slowest to adapt because of the volume of production units that are being shipped. I think that we as customers have the greatest amount of selection nowadays with so many fantastic brands out there, and so many exciting new models to choose from.
Do you think the watch manufacturers are really listening to what the consumer wants and needs are?
I can't speak for the entire industry, but I can tell you that the vendors at ShopNBC are constantly aware of forum chatter and they do pay attention to issues, requests, and other hot topics. You do have to realize however that if 30 guys on a forum ask for something that it may not be what the public in general may want, and the goal of any large manufacturer is to satisfy "the masses" in order to make sales. While we as WIS may always want a particular type of movement (say an ETA 2824-2 in all of our divers) the general public still buys mostly quartz. Quartz makes up for over 60% of all watch sales in the industry... plus manufacturers do have to cater to trends as well. Some may protest the trend of large cases that are over 42mm, but that is exactly what sells the most. When you walk the halls of Baselworld you will find very few watches that are as small as they were 4 or 5 years ago. So the influence of the WIS community is certainly a factor for our brands, they must also focus on everyone's needs. I think that they do a great job of finding that middle ground.
From wautersjr:
Living in Europe, it's certainly not easy to get hold of Invicta watches at a reasonable price. It took me months to get hold of a LE carbon fiber diver. And when I eventually found a dealer who was willing to ship to Belgium, the price wasn't great, but I had no choice than taking it.
I'm probably going to order a 8926 in the coming days, and I want to order it from our sponsor Discount Watch Store. That being said they ask $120 for the watch (minus a discount for WTF members) which is not the cheapest, but it's good enough. But they also charge shipping costs of $49. Even at that price I'll buy, since I like the watch, and I think it's good value. But still it makes 50% of its value.
That being said, and since ShopNBC doesn't ship overseas either,
has Invicta any plans to distribute their watches in Europe anytime soon?
I cannot speak for Invicta, but I'm certain they must have distribution in Europe. Have you contacted Invicta to find this out? If it were me and there were no other way... I would simply have a friend or family member (or forum member) in the states order the item for you, then ship it directly over. It might be the best route for you.
Why has Invicta stopped making the 40mm Pro Divers?
They haven't actually. All of the 40mm divers are still in production. They have ADDED the 43mm divers as an enhancement to their line, not as direct replacements. You can still buy an 8926 as readily as you could have a year ago.
From revolution:
I know there are many great Invictas out there; some are practical, unusual, luxurious, complicated, or exhibit a combination of traits. It's great to have choices that match the occasion and the mood you are in, particularly when you have a big collection. But let's throw all that out the window and distill this down to the very essence of watch collecting. Out of all your Invictas, which one are you most passionate about and what about it moves you the way it does?
I am like you... I own a LOT of Invictas and do so for the reasons you list. You never know what 'mood' you'll be in, and Invictas can certainly adapt well into any environment. That being said I do have my favorites of course! My most valued is my COSC Ruby/Sapphire/Meteorite Pro Diver. This is a special watch for many reasons. One was that it was something that I requested Eyal make, and he offered it as one of my Host Pick items. Only 100 were ever made. Also they were the predecessor to the Reserve Collection. They are actually RC watches but the watch was made before the RC line was approved so it does not share the same markings, but it was made by hand in the same factories, and was the "original". I also wear my black MOP 1.52cttw diamond Swiss Pro Diver quite often as it was another that I influenced Invicta on (that has since become a signature look for me.. black MOP/diamonds), and another favorite is my Russian Diver (original) that I put on the one-time offered Alligator strap. With all of these they are conversation starters. When people see any of these on my wrist they are always blown away.
From koimaster:
Mention was made one time by you that Swiss Made applied only to watch companies in Switzerland. Is it not somewhat deceptive to infer that watches sold by companies outside of Switzerland do not have to adhere to the Swiss Federation rules?
Many non-Swiss brands do actually make their watches to the same standards, but since they are not IN Switzerland, they cannot be governed by Swiss laws. Now as far as flagrant abuse.... well, I'm not any kind of lawman, but I'm sure the Swiss have ways of persuing severe violators.
I am glad that they are looking at narrowing down the procedures in the future and enforcing it more stongly. You have no idea (and I'm not going to tell you) how many "prestigious" Swiss brands there are out there that are about as "Swiss made" as a Fossil. I'll just tell you that I would think long and hard about buying into some of those dreamy $10,000, $20,000 grail watches!
What is your opinion on Swatch making ETA & Valjoux movements available only to Swatch companies and will this help the industry rather then hurt it?
Personally it disturbs me. Swatch Group buys ETA, Valjoux, Lemania, and Unitas only to later restrict access to these movements... the most prominent movements in the watch making industry. If this were done by an American company, I'm sure you know what would happen. For the time being and going forward to the next 3-5 years it will hurt the industry as a whole because there really is no other manufacturer to take up the slack. We all just sit back and wait for 2 year delivery times, and pay much higher prices. It was once rumored that Ronda would go mechanical... well as recently as a few weeks ago Ronda has said that they will NOT due to many factors including the high cost of trying to convert over to making mechanical parts. Sellita cannot pick up the slack because they do not produce in the quantities that ETA can, and right now people are literally beating down Claro's door trying to get their movements. A lot of shifts are going on in China as we speak and we may have to look to them as an option. IWG just merged with Seagull and we will be seeing a lot of higher quality (and higher priced) mechanicals and autos from there, but still... "Swiss brands" will be left out in the cold. This will take a few years to stabilize. It's funny you know... I was talking about this 2 years ago and people called me crazy like this day would never come. Even other hosts on other networks would slip in comments to that effect. Well... you can't say I didn't warn everyone a LONG time ago!
What are your top 5 personal favorite watches which you own?
That is a really tough one! My favorites list constantly changes, but here is my most current in NO particular order:
Formex DS2000 auto GMT
Invicta COSC ruby/sapphire/meteorite Pro Diver
Renato Wildebeast black MOP/2.45cttw diamond case
Chase-Durer Cloud Chaser XL auto (custom)
SWI Limited Edition with ETA 2834 on Alligator
and I have one "safe queen" that never gets worn but is a prize. I have one custom Breguet that will never leave the box.
This list changes CONSTANTLY.
Of the vendors, which do you enjoy working with most and why. ( this is not a question related to personal friendships)
That's hard to answer because I am close with all of them really. We are all great friends, and most were either at my wedding or IN my wedding party! They each have such unique personalities, and I do my best to conform to each personality on-air.. so it's like a dance really. I love David's energy, Eyal's enthusiasm, Lior's wit, Wing's ingenuity, and the list goes on. I'd say that the most fun would probably have to be "Watch Daddy" Paul Woods right now. If you recall he was kind of laid back in the beginning, but as we got to know each other he has really opened up. He has gotten so loose now that he almost gets ME into trouble! I like it because just as you never know what I'm going to say next... Paul is just as unpredictable.
Do you ever watch Tim at SAH and what is your opinion?
I cannot answer this except to say that Tim's shows are structured differently than mine are. ALL hosts will have different ways of presenting, and that's what makes us unique. I have met Tim a few times, and we always greet each other with a smile and a firm handshake.
From James13:
I would like to know how many times a presentation with Eyal Jim winces on average? We can see that Jim loves Invicta as a whole, as do I, but it is clear he is uncomfortable with the way Eyal takes liberties.
I love working with Eyal... his enthusiasm over his brand brings an energy to the shows that is impossible to fake. We all say things in the heat of the moment that we would probably have rephrased if we had the opportunity, and this especially happens on live TV. I have gone off on tangients of my own and I'm sure Eyal was wondering "WTH is he talking about??" but we are good friends and have yet to quabble over things said on any show.
From sluggo:
Will Invicta be making improvements to the enclosed service manual with each watch? And will the manual be more dedicated to that particular model and its operation?
It was just recently updated, and will be continually updated. Not all watch companies make dedicated manuals for every model, and especially brands that produce a few thousand different models. This would be extremely expensive to do, and that expense would unfortunately raise the price of the watches.
Many complaints have been about regarding the customer service department. Are efforts being made to provide a better working relationship with Invictas customers.
Last year Invicta invested MILLIONS into their customer service, and the effects do take some time to be noticed. They added an entirely seperate staff for ShopNBC customers, and contracted the leading customer service training company in the world to visit each of their locations and train all of their staff. Many efforts have been made, and it gets a little better all the time. Where Invicta is now is light years from where they were just 3 or 4 years ago!
CONTINUED-SEE PART 2 OF THE JIM SKELTON INTERVIEW.
From MacDaddy, who suggested we do this interview:
"HOW DID YOU GET THE JOB WITH SHOPNBC?
Was it an open call that your agent answered (did you have one?) or did you previously know EL? You've said you were a WIS before, etc. People like to know the details of how one of us WIS went on to become an icon for us all.
Let's go back to the beginning...
A couple of years before coming to ShopNBC I was a moderator for another watch forum, which at the time was the largest and most active on the internet. During that time Invicta was the most prolific brand and had a huge following, but alas... no direct contact with the company had been properly established. I wanted to do a public interview with Eyal for the benefit of the members and while Eyal typically does not grant any interviews he for some reason agreed to it with me. Over the course of about a year we did 2 interviews, the second of which we did by phone. After speaking for a while we hit it off.
Back then I used to do full reviews on watches just because I loved to do it to pass the time, and to benefit the forum. I spent a great deal of time photographing my watches, and taught myself how to shoot at the level I now shoot at. Adding the reviews to the images only seemed like a natural progression at the time and they were fun to do. Eyal had seen some of my reviews and offered me the opportunity to review upcoming models long before their release so that members of this forum could get a sneak peek, and he would be getting direct feedback from me as to any pro's or con's of the product being reviewed. A day or two before the initial watches showed up at my door (Russian Diver I, COSC SPeedway, and COSC Dragon Lupah) Eyal calls my cellphone out of the blue. At the time random hosts were placed in the watch shows and the watch collectors (as you know) are very unique and specific customers who want to know the most intimate details of a watch. It is very difficult to throw someone who is not a "watch person" into these shows because it's really tough to know a lot of detail, and project that on the shows. Just as I could NEVER bounce from department to department like many of our hosts do (apparel, jewelry, electronics, home furnishings), it can be difficult to ask a host who is proficient in those categories to all of a sudden take over the watch shows. Also Shawn Wilsie could not be expected to do EVERY watch show either. ShopNBC asked Eyal if he knew anyone with a lot of watch knowledge that could step in, and he told me that I was the one person that came to his mind.
He asks me if I was aware that the former watch host had left the company, and I replied that yes... I always watched the shows, and was aware. After a few minutes of talking he asked me to speak with ShopNBC about taking the position at the network. At first I declined having absolutely no interest in being on television (having no prior TV experience, and enjoying having a personal life), but Eyal is the type who does not take no for an answer. A few days later I was contacted by the network and they arranged a flight for me from VA to MN for my interviews. Before I could go however I needed to send them a video. This was nerve-wracking to be honest.... I set up my camcorder in my dining room and by their request sold just one random item for ten solid minutes. Try this yourself and see how tough it really is!! Ten minutes on one watch (I had chosen my Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra chronometer) without overly repeating anything, and non-stop talking... I had a feeling I would never hear back from them, I was awful!
I went to MN for 3 days of intense interviews, and all went very well as is obvious. They asked me to begin immediately and I packed up a few things and moved out here within 5 days. My wife (then-fiance) stayed back in VA for 3 weeks to pack up the house and then came over to join me.
From cofetym:
What are your thoughts on QC and CS in the watch industry ?
QA is a really tough subject because there are so many variables. It is very difficult to produce any product and maintain high levels of QA unless everything is all hand made honestly. Whether it be a watch, car, refrigerator whatever... mass produced items can and will have flaws. The important thing is to make sure that this happens as infrequently as humanly possible, and to take care of any issues that do arise as promptly as possible. I think that we are seeing a few companies that have grown incredibly fast over a short period of time and have to constantly re-adjust for this growth, and customer service is always the slowest to adapt because of the volume of production units that are being shipped. I think that we as customers have the greatest amount of selection nowadays with so many fantastic brands out there, and so many exciting new models to choose from.
Do you think the watch manufacturers are really listening to what the consumer wants and needs are?
I can't speak for the entire industry, but I can tell you that the vendors at ShopNBC are constantly aware of forum chatter and they do pay attention to issues, requests, and other hot topics. You do have to realize however that if 30 guys on a forum ask for something that it may not be what the public in general may want, and the goal of any large manufacturer is to satisfy "the masses" in order to make sales. While we as WIS may always want a particular type of movement (say an ETA 2824-2 in all of our divers) the general public still buys mostly quartz. Quartz makes up for over 60% of all watch sales in the industry... plus manufacturers do have to cater to trends as well. Some may protest the trend of large cases that are over 42mm, but that is exactly what sells the most. When you walk the halls of Baselworld you will find very few watches that are as small as they were 4 or 5 years ago. So the influence of the WIS community is certainly a factor for our brands, they must also focus on everyone's needs. I think that they do a great job of finding that middle ground.
From wautersjr:
Living in Europe, it's certainly not easy to get hold of Invicta watches at a reasonable price. It took me months to get hold of a LE carbon fiber diver. And when I eventually found a dealer who was willing to ship to Belgium, the price wasn't great, but I had no choice than taking it.
I'm probably going to order a 8926 in the coming days, and I want to order it from our sponsor Discount Watch Store. That being said they ask $120 for the watch (minus a discount for WTF members) which is not the cheapest, but it's good enough. But they also charge shipping costs of $49. Even at that price I'll buy, since I like the watch, and I think it's good value. But still it makes 50% of its value.
That being said, and since ShopNBC doesn't ship overseas either,
has Invicta any plans to distribute their watches in Europe anytime soon?
I cannot speak for Invicta, but I'm certain they must have distribution in Europe. Have you contacted Invicta to find this out? If it were me and there were no other way... I would simply have a friend or family member (or forum member) in the states order the item for you, then ship it directly over. It might be the best route for you.
Why has Invicta stopped making the 40mm Pro Divers?
They haven't actually. All of the 40mm divers are still in production. They have ADDED the 43mm divers as an enhancement to their line, not as direct replacements. You can still buy an 8926 as readily as you could have a year ago.
From revolution:
I know there are many great Invictas out there; some are practical, unusual, luxurious, complicated, or exhibit a combination of traits. It's great to have choices that match the occasion and the mood you are in, particularly when you have a big collection. But let's throw all that out the window and distill this down to the very essence of watch collecting. Out of all your Invictas, which one are you most passionate about and what about it moves you the way it does?
I am like you... I own a LOT of Invictas and do so for the reasons you list. You never know what 'mood' you'll be in, and Invictas can certainly adapt well into any environment. That being said I do have my favorites of course! My most valued is my COSC Ruby/Sapphire/Meteorite Pro Diver. This is a special watch for many reasons. One was that it was something that I requested Eyal make, and he offered it as one of my Host Pick items. Only 100 were ever made. Also they were the predecessor to the Reserve Collection. They are actually RC watches but the watch was made before the RC line was approved so it does not share the same markings, but it was made by hand in the same factories, and was the "original". I also wear my black MOP 1.52cttw diamond Swiss Pro Diver quite often as it was another that I influenced Invicta on (that has since become a signature look for me.. black MOP/diamonds), and another favorite is my Russian Diver (original) that I put on the one-time offered Alligator strap. With all of these they are conversation starters. When people see any of these on my wrist they are always blown away.
From koimaster:
Mention was made one time by you that Swiss Made applied only to watch companies in Switzerland. Is it not somewhat deceptive to infer that watches sold by companies outside of Switzerland do not have to adhere to the Swiss Federation rules?
Many non-Swiss brands do actually make their watches to the same standards, but since they are not IN Switzerland, they cannot be governed by Swiss laws. Now as far as flagrant abuse.... well, I'm not any kind of lawman, but I'm sure the Swiss have ways of persuing severe violators.
I am glad that they are looking at narrowing down the procedures in the future and enforcing it more stongly. You have no idea (and I'm not going to tell you) how many "prestigious" Swiss brands there are out there that are about as "Swiss made" as a Fossil. I'll just tell you that I would think long and hard about buying into some of those dreamy $10,000, $20,000 grail watches!
What is your opinion on Swatch making ETA & Valjoux movements available only to Swatch companies and will this help the industry rather then hurt it?
Personally it disturbs me. Swatch Group buys ETA, Valjoux, Lemania, and Unitas only to later restrict access to these movements... the most prominent movements in the watch making industry. If this were done by an American company, I'm sure you know what would happen. For the time being and going forward to the next 3-5 years it will hurt the industry as a whole because there really is no other manufacturer to take up the slack. We all just sit back and wait for 2 year delivery times, and pay much higher prices. It was once rumored that Ronda would go mechanical... well as recently as a few weeks ago Ronda has said that they will NOT due to many factors including the high cost of trying to convert over to making mechanical parts. Sellita cannot pick up the slack because they do not produce in the quantities that ETA can, and right now people are literally beating down Claro's door trying to get their movements. A lot of shifts are going on in China as we speak and we may have to look to them as an option. IWG just merged with Seagull and we will be seeing a lot of higher quality (and higher priced) mechanicals and autos from there, but still... "Swiss brands" will be left out in the cold. This will take a few years to stabilize. It's funny you know... I was talking about this 2 years ago and people called me crazy like this day would never come. Even other hosts on other networks would slip in comments to that effect. Well... you can't say I didn't warn everyone a LONG time ago!
What are your top 5 personal favorite watches which you own?
That is a really tough one! My favorites list constantly changes, but here is my most current in NO particular order:
Formex DS2000 auto GMT
Invicta COSC ruby/sapphire/meteorite Pro Diver
Renato Wildebeast black MOP/2.45cttw diamond case
Chase-Durer Cloud Chaser XL auto (custom)
SWI Limited Edition with ETA 2834 on Alligator
and I have one "safe queen" that never gets worn but is a prize. I have one custom Breguet that will never leave the box.
This list changes CONSTANTLY.
Of the vendors, which do you enjoy working with most and why. ( this is not a question related to personal friendships)
That's hard to answer because I am close with all of them really. We are all great friends, and most were either at my wedding or IN my wedding party! They each have such unique personalities, and I do my best to conform to each personality on-air.. so it's like a dance really. I love David's energy, Eyal's enthusiasm, Lior's wit, Wing's ingenuity, and the list goes on. I'd say that the most fun would probably have to be "Watch Daddy" Paul Woods right now. If you recall he was kind of laid back in the beginning, but as we got to know each other he has really opened up. He has gotten so loose now that he almost gets ME into trouble! I like it because just as you never know what I'm going to say next... Paul is just as unpredictable.
Do you ever watch Tim at SAH and what is your opinion?
I cannot answer this except to say that Tim's shows are structured differently than mine are. ALL hosts will have different ways of presenting, and that's what makes us unique. I have met Tim a few times, and we always greet each other with a smile and a firm handshake.
From James13:
I would like to know how many times a presentation with Eyal Jim winces on average? We can see that Jim loves Invicta as a whole, as do I, but it is clear he is uncomfortable with the way Eyal takes liberties.
I love working with Eyal... his enthusiasm over his brand brings an energy to the shows that is impossible to fake. We all say things in the heat of the moment that we would probably have rephrased if we had the opportunity, and this especially happens on live TV. I have gone off on tangients of my own and I'm sure Eyal was wondering "WTH is he talking about??" but we are good friends and have yet to quabble over things said on any show.
From sluggo:
Will Invicta be making improvements to the enclosed service manual with each watch? And will the manual be more dedicated to that particular model and its operation?
It was just recently updated, and will be continually updated. Not all watch companies make dedicated manuals for every model, and especially brands that produce a few thousand different models. This would be extremely expensive to do, and that expense would unfortunately raise the price of the watches.
Many complaints have been about regarding the customer service department. Are efforts being made to provide a better working relationship with Invictas customers.
Last year Invicta invested MILLIONS into their customer service, and the effects do take some time to be noticed. They added an entirely seperate staff for ShopNBC customers, and contracted the leading customer service training company in the world to visit each of their locations and train all of their staff. Many efforts have been made, and it gets a little better all the time. Where Invicta is now is light years from where they were just 3 or 4 years ago!
CONTINUED-SEE PART 2 OF THE JIM SKELTON INTERVIEW.