If you like it buy it? Thats my MOTO:-!

 

+1

I've seen some very cool looking Nauticas on here and in stores recently. They've defintely picked their game up.

 

Casio, Seiko, and Citizen all have internal design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities. This doesn't mean they do all their own engineering, design, and manufacturing. But it means there are employees in the company with experience across those areas. It also means there has been a watch culture inside those companies for some time.

Nautica is a fashion or design brand. They likely modify the watches look and/or do a ground-up design in conjunction with outside watchmakers/engineers. The actual watch engineering and manufacture are outsourced to other companies.

I'm just providing this as information on the difference between those types of companies. Personally, I own a variety of "watch company" watches and "fashion/design company" watches. I agree that, "if you like it, buy it".

 

Timex makes some (all?) of Nautica's watches. Which is why you'll see some of them at the Timex outlet stores. I really don't see how they'd be any less reliable than Timex watches... which are pretty much as maintenance/trouble-free as anyone else at their price range.

 

Nautica is a Timex (I do think they have some watch designers, engineers and experience on hand, maybe not all in house, though :-s) owned brand, through the Callanen group. Although they have been in bed together for quite some time, they have officially consolidated. Here is a brief about the two companies consolidating from March of this year:

"Timex Group USA today announced that the Timex and Callanen International business units will consolidate operations in the Middlebury, Connecticut headquarters. Timex is currently located in Middlebury and Callanen International has been housed in Norwalk, Connecticut.

"Expanding Timex Group and developing our world-class brands requires an ongoing evaluation of our business structure and practices," said Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, President and Chief Executive Officer, Timex Group. "This move will maximize the use of available resources and leverage the strengths of the core Timex business as well as support further growth of the Nautica, Marc Ecko and TX brands."

The Timex business unit, which comprises brands including Timex, Timex Ironman, Expedition and Opex, continues to be led by Adam Gurian, president, reporting to Hoejsgaard.

Callanen International and its Nautica, Ecko and TX brands now become a division of Timex. Scott Wolfe, currently president, Callanen, will take on the dual role of senior vice president, international sales overseeing sales of Timex, Opex, Nautica, Ecko and TX and creative director of the TX brand. Wolfe will report to Gurian. Kapil Kapoor in his capacity as senior vice president, Asia Pacific, will continue to report directly to Hoejsgaard. For more information visit www.timexgroup.com

Anyway the Nautica line is far and away better than Timex in fit and finish and overall materials and quality. We have compared them here before, do a search on Nautica. I own a Swiss made Nautica and a Japanese one as well and find them to be great watches. If you can get them at the Timex Store or Time Factory outlet the prices are very good and they compare well with other watches of the same cost. gloster's post is right on...(Just filling in the who makes 'em part) and in the end I have the same advise...If you like it, buy it!!

 

Nautica is a Timex (I do think they have some watch designers, engineers and experience on hand, maybe not all in house, though :-s) owned brand, through the Callanen group. Although they have been in bed together for quite some time, they have officially consolidated. Here is a brief about the two companies consolidating from March of this year:

Very interesting. I have a Nautica watch and it's got a Seiko quartz inside.

 

Comparing a Nautica to a Timex is like comparing a Toyota to a Lexus. The Nautica's fit and finish are much better than Timex's. I have a couple of Nauticas and they are both very solid watches with solid movements. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them, especially if you can get a deal on them at the Time factory outlets.

 

I've always assumed that designers working for Nautica Enterprises (the company that owns the brand "Nautica" were involved in the watch designs even though Callanen (now Timex) handled the engineering, production, and distribution duties. I've made the same assumption for Tommy Hilfinger and other designer watches. Can anyone comfirm or deny?

 

I'm pretty sure that's typical of the fashion industry. Companies like Timex buy the rights to produce the designer's accessories. There's probably some consultation about looks, color schemes etc.

As far as engineering goes, most of the Nauticas I've seen have Swiss or Japanese movements rather than Timex's in-house (made in the Philippines) modules. Now that Timex is producing higher-grade movements for their T and TX lines, there might be some that have Timex movements, but I don't know.

 

They must have had some Nautica duds at the Time Factory store I visited a few months ago. I looked at 3 of them, and they seemed right at about the same level of fit and finish as the similar-priced Timex watches. :think::think::think:

 

One huge advantage of Nautica watch is they offer a variety of big diameter case(48mm and above). If u got a thick wrist, u shall seriously consider Nautica watch.

http://www.dexclusive.com/Nautica_NAU-N19509G.html

 

I think Nautica got some nice models, whatever it´s a fashion brand or not they are probably not that bad. Never handled one in real life though but price seems okey...

I specially like these ones:

and strangely like this one a little bit too...

 

I've seen this and it's really nice. Has a nice price tag too. Need to wait for it to go on clearance.;-)

 

Not my style although I do like a few of them. ;-)

 

That's my new nautica...
https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=265867

 

Decent watches for not a lot of money, I've had this one for a few years now.

 

Having owned several Nautica watches, I can say that I love their look and functionality, but I have not had good experiences as far as durability/quality control. I currently have a Nautica Yachtimer with some manner of 'Swiss Movt' (quartz) and after about a year and a half the chronograph and alarm functions no longer work. I used the chrono function daily. The nautica watch I had before that had a very poor s/s bracelet that I replaced three times, and a month and a half after I replaced it the third time, the chrono stopped working.

 

I have had a couple over the past few years. I still have this one. Nice and light titanium. The ones I bought were all on clearance at a Timex outlet. Great watch for the money I spent. I am not sure they are worth the MSRP though. :think:

 

I have a Nautica pilot's style watch-- very classy and functional. Wore it through eighth grade, when I replaced it with a Fossil. In retrospect, the Nautica was a better watch. I'm going to clean it, get a new battery and put it on a different strap, and wear it as a "beater."