Horological Meandering

DonCorson
[AHCI]
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Soprod

Soprod is one of those companies that for many decades now have been taking the so-called ébauches from ETA, that is parts kits for a movement from ETA, which they then customize and assemble to a customers wishes.  The customization can be decoration, modification or addition of complications.  Another company in this business is Sellita.  Soprod produces something like 200k movements a year based on the ETA ébauches, if memory serves me correctly.

As ETA will soon be stopping the delivery of ébauches Soprod has designed and is producing their own calibers that are compatible with the ETA calibers they have been using, in particular calibers compatible with the ETA 2824-2 and the 2892-A2.  I have never opened one of these new Soprod movements, but as I understand it they are a drop-in replacement for an ETA movement, but internally not identical.

As Soprod has been in this business for ages and delivers to a lot of the major brands I do not think that they could get away with making new calibers that are not up to snuff.  We will be seeing more and more brands using these calibers as ETA has become more restrictive in its sales as their production can not keep up with demand.  With its new policies to no longer sell ébauches to 3rd party assemblers the Swatch Group has forced the Swiss watch industry to open up.  There will be more competition.  This can only be good.  The industry will no longer be running on variants of just two workhorses from ETA.

As MTF says in his post,  Soprod has recently been acquired by a Chinese company.  What ramifications that will have in the future is difficult to see.

As to the Sarpaneva Korona series, I really like them.  The pictures look good, but in person they look even better.
Don

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