Thomas Earnshaw watch? Quality?

Couldn't find a website for this so called quality "Thomas Earnshaw" watch. Mike Mason trying to associate this unqualified timepiece with the horologist although he has nothing to do with it. For all we know these watches are worth a tenner. There is no provenance of this product to justify the £150 price-tag.

You're a spiv, Mike. Del Boy would be proud of you! You have gone right down in my estimation.

Greg said:

You're a spiv, Mike. Del Boy would be proud of you! You have gone right down in my estimation.

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To be fair, it isn't mike who wants to tell the lies. The producer tells him what to say. Mike wouldn't say half the stuff he does if he didn't have to. At the end of the day, bid will make their presenters say anything to bring in more money without being in trouble by it. The same watch was even on bid's own site for £59.99 lol

Although nobody has officially confirmed such a policy, it's likely there's a policy at the channels of "Say this or you'll get the sack", hence at least three different presenters at completely different times telling exactly the same story about how a £30 Vivitar camera is allegedly better quality than several thousand pounds' worth of studio equipment. There's evidence to suggest that Bid Towers management directly dictate what appears on screen in the form of product descriptions, and by definition also the words that come out of the presenters' mouths for some of the time, though of course there's (a) a lot of ad-libbing going on as well, and (b) additional pressure not to come bottom of the sales ladder for this month even if they're not earning commission, hence even the most honest presenter at the channels ends up spouting bullcrap before very long. It goes with the dodgy territory, unfortunately.

So if you want to pay off that mortgage instead of claiming Jobseeker's Allowance next week, you'd better get telling the viewers that this here watch is literally worth thousands on the open market and is easily the equvalent of a £10000 Rolex

Price Plunge said:

(b) additional pressure not to come bottom of the sales ladder for this month even if they're not earning commission, hence even the most honest presenter at the channels ends up spouting bullcrap before very long.

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The Sit-Up Sales Ladder would be an interesting thing to view. I know there are some knowledgeable folk on here, so was wondering if anyone knows who the better presenters are when it comes to making sales for the channels?

My guess is it would be those who are working from 17:00 onwards, and those who do those hours regularly, tend to be some of the worst liars, exaggerators and bullsh*tters on the channels.

I caught a bit of Steve McDonald the other day, and he is very careful with his words and what he says when he is on. I've seen a couple of threads about Mike Mason recently, and he very quickly has risen to James Russell and McDonald levels of being everything that is wrong with these channels, and 'love cuddles' and stupid dances wont change the fact.

Gray said:

T Mike Mason recently, and he very quickly has risen to James Russell and McDonald levels of being everything that is wrong with these channels, and 'love cuddles' and stupid dances wont change the fact.

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I'd say 'fallen' rather than 'risen' ....:cheeky:

Price Plunge said:

Although nobody has officially confirmed such a policy, it's likely there's a policy at the channels of "Say this or you'll get the sack", hence at least three different presenters at completely different times telling exactly the same story about how a £30 Vivitar camera is allegedly better quality than several thousand pounds' worth of studio equipment. There's evidence to suggest that Bid Towers management directly dictate what appears on screen in the form of product descriptions, and by definition also the words that come out of the presenters' mouths for some of the time, though of course there's (a) a lot of ad-libbing going on as well, and (b) additional pressure not to come bottom of the sales ladder for this month even if they're not earning commission, hence even the most honest presenter at the channels ends up spouting bullcrap before very long. It goes with the dodgy territory, unfortunately.

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I caught a bit of Ben Hull presenting yesterday, and he was selling the vivitar cameras, and claimed that the £24.99 ones that they were selling were better than the £40,000 ones that were filming in the studio. This coming from a guy who had been an actor for 15 years or so, and clearly wouldn't believe it. With out doubt, the presenters are told what they have to say when it comes to some of the lines and BS they spin.

Mike Mason was spinning the "These Nautica and Thomas Earnshaw are as good as Omega & Rolex" bullsh*t line again. The only people who must be taken in by this must either be the elderly or the very simple. It's really very dishonest of the Sit-up network to be doing this. It's all very well saying the presenters are being told what to say, but if they had any professional integrity and a conscience they would not allow themselves to be used in such a deception.

Gray said:

I caught a bit of Ben Hull presenting yesterday, and he was selling the vivitar cameras, and claimed that the £24.99 ones that they were selling were better than the £40,000 ones that were filming in the studio. This coming from a guy who had been an actor for 15 years or so, and clearly wouldn't believe it. With out doubt, the presenters are told what they have to say when it comes to some of the lines and BS they spin.

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and worst of all the camerman sits there saying nothing! Obviously it must be the truth! :angel:

Greg said:

if they had any professional integrity and a conscience they would not allow themselves to be used in such a deception.

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Thats the thing, they have neither.

They are just sheep following direction.

There is nothing wrong with a cheap copy watch so why don't they be honest and call them what they are.

PJ. said:

There is nothing wrong with a cheap copy watch so why don't they be honest and call them what they are.

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One presenter did say that if you liked the look of expensive watches but didn't want to pay premium prices then they could be for you, which is the honest and correct way of selling such watches. (Mike Mason said this I think?)

Of course similar cheap copies can be found even cheaper elsewhere, and there are still too many claims on these channels that Gianni Sabatini/Diamond & Co/Legacy/Nautical Time/Thomas Earnshaw/whatever novel Bid brand they can come up with next is somehow equivalent to a £10000 Rolex in some small way. They might conceivably have a similar look to them - and have some moving parts (!) - but that's about it! :smile:

A few of these obscure watch brands may be genuine independent watch makers that are relatively unpopular; I think that Aquaswiss (?) and Stuhrling fit into this category.

I've never seen this presenter before and if I don't see him again I shan't need counselling. He's what my old grandma would have called a 'wide boy'. Also, I can't remember ever seeing Earnshaw watches on the delux shelf in a jewellers. I don't watch TV much because, like you all, I have a life, but when I swich over to the 'shoppers' its a real eye opener to just how poor they are

PJ. said:

There is nothing wrong with a cheap copy watch so why don't they be honest and call them what they are.

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Well said P.J
And price them accordingly.
Then no one is going to be "ripped off" and the presenters can keep their integrity

Price Plunge said:

One presenter did say that if you liked the look of expensive watches but didn't want to pay premium prices then they could be for you, which is the honest and correct way of selling such watches. (Mike Mason said this I think?)

Of course similar cheap copies can be found even cheaper elsewhere, and there are still too many claims on these channels that Gianni Sabatini/Diamond & Co/Legacy/Nautical Time/Thomas Earnshaw/whatever novel Bid brand they can come up with next is somehow equivalent to a £10000 Rolex in some small way. They might conceivably have a similar look to them - and have some moving parts (!) - but that's about it! :smile:

A few of these obscure watch brands may be genuine independent watch makers that are relatively unpopular; I think that Aquaswiss (?) and Stuhrling fit into this category.

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A while back I saw a website which had listed most of the brands above being owned by a single manufucturer (from China?). It would probably make sense of these obscure watch brands. Sit-up marketing involves incredible hyping up of these brands with wild unsubstantial claims of how "high-end" and "exclusive" these watches are.

I would suggest presenters who are willing to participate in this sales deception have little conscience and integrity themselves. It's all a very dodgy business. :bandit:

Lisa just said to google this watch and ermmm this is thread is what I found.:dull:

Here's the lowdown on the Thomas Earnshaw watch.
It's made by Solar Time Ltd.of Guandong Province China.
The name 'Thomas Earnshaw' was registered last year.
Neither the brand nor the manufacturer has any connection with the 19th century clockmaker-they have just used his name.
So far from being a 'British watch from a company that has been around since 1803' (Nicola George) or 'the forerunner of Rolex and Breitling' and 'an Earnshaw original' (Peter Simon) it's a mass produced budget watch with none of the claimed historical heritage.
Bid TV should be much more careful in monitoring the claims that the presenters make.

I bought a TE watch end of last year. Cost £59 and it's been excellent. Is it up there with a watch costing hundreds, possibly thousands? Of course not. But for £59 it's a damn good watch and has turned into my go-to day-to-day wear. It's all the bollox that goes with the selling that does me in. Really doesn't need it.

itfc1959 said:

I bought a TE watch end of last year. Cost £59 and it's been excellent. Is it up there with a watch costing hundreds, possibly thousands? Of course not. But for £59 it's a damn good watch and has turned into my go-to day-to-day wear. It's all the bollox that goes with the selling that does me in. Really doesn't need it.

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I know we joke about the Earnshaw watches, but I too think they look an OK buy if you can get one for £59. It's just all of the nonsense that the presenters come out with to sell them that winds most people up. I just wish they would sell them as a decent chinese made watch and not try to make them out to be something they are not. In that way, they would earn some kind of respect. The sit-up web site even says that the watches are inspired by Thomas Earnshaw, while presenters try to make out that they are made by a company called Thomas Earnshaw.

radio_dayz said:

I know we joke about the Earnshaw watches, but I too think they look an OK buy if you can get one for £59. It's just all of the nonsense that the presenters come out with to sell them that winds most people up.

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Basically it's pretending that something has heritage when it clearly hasn't apart from an 'inspired' design, and the implication of quality over and above what the product actually is, especially when it applies to claims made about the inner workings.

Probably the best idea is to go into a place like Aldi and take a look at the stainless steel watch they're currently selling for £10. Then judge for yourself exactly how much more money the watches sold by the Bid Shopping channels are actually worth, not forgetting to also include the p&p charge as well. Don't forget to assume that something is "gold tone" if it looks gold and gold plate/solid gold isn't specifically mentioned (always assume the worst), and diamonds/other jewels may be just tiny fragments if a carat weight isn't mentioned.

Also check to see if Bid themselves aren't selling exactly the same watch on their website for an even lower price, and search online for the brand name to double check the brand's provenance. Something anonymous isn't necessarily a bad thing, but (for example) James Russell openly and specifically stating that Christin Lars is one of the world's top tier watchmakers (like he did earlier this evening) is a downright fraudulent claim.

I think this could be one for the ASA ...

PJ