# Gino Milano



## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Today's watch is a rather intriguing design with a quartz movement, but it would not have been an expensive watch when new. In fact Gino Milano watches seem to hover around the Â£15 mark, and are therefore in the cheap and cheerful bracket. The company has been on Facebook since 2013, and if one goes to the facebook site, without even logging on, a number of Gino Milano watches are available for view, although not with any prices. There is also a little piece of information about Gino Milano, giving the company motto as ""Enough time for everyone" which I think is quite catchy. As for the Gino Milano company website, my computer comes up a blank with the message that this site cannot be found.

So we are left with a cheap quartz lady's watch - the basic "bread and butter" of the watch market - yet as is my way, I still find this watch is of interest, and has its own place and story to tell. The textured black strap has a leather upper and a faux leather lining, and the machine-tooled pattern on the strap links in well with the shape of the case. The case itself reminds me of a diagram of the orbiting planets, and, like the buckle, is made of a silver-metal plated alloy and measures 40 mm across. Hands, markers and numbers are all in a silver metal and the face is black.










The circular case back to the watch is stainless steel, and in the centre is the legend, "GINO MILANO" above "ITALY MODA" and then the "NO.2218" In the bottom portion of the case back is the number "2005" with the letters"CO" and 2005 may well be a date. Italy Moda basically means "In the Italian fashion" rather than, "Designed in Italy."

Earlier today, I read a very interesting Forum post by PC-Magician in which he was asking for some advice on a rare early quartz movement, and I mentioned to him that I had now started to read up on the history and technical details of quartz watch movements, as I widen my fascination with all types of watch movement. And it was therefore with a bit of interest that I read the markings on the movement in my Gino Milano lady's watch. Instead of a no-name Chinese/Eastern movement, or a typical Miyota or Epsom product commonly found in cheaper quartz watches, there was a different metal movement marked, "682-11", "SWISSEBAUCHESLTD", "MOVT. CHINA" and "NO 0 JEWELS".

Having failed to be able to get up the Gino Milano website, you can imagine my disappointment when I was also unable to display the Swiss Ebauches Ltd. website either. The website does exist but my computer merely decided to produce a lot of "gobbledygook" that was indecipherable. However, an American website from a watch component wholesaler called Cas-Ker Company provided a picture, specifications and a price for the Swiss Ebauches 682-11 quartz watch movement. And I am pleased to be able to tell you that this Chinese-made movement, which is sweep-hand enabled (as with my Gino Milano watch) will cost you $8.95 from Cas-Ker (who have been trading since 1927, and under their current name since 1937). Offhand, I don't know exactly what the rules are about the use of the word "Swiss" in the company title, and I therefore don't know if a certain number of Swiss components are required to be used. I must look into this, where it applies to quartz watch movements.

Before I sign off on this little post, I cannot resist quoting the neat little bit of marketing blurb composed by some copywriter at Gino Milano and showing you the blingiest Gino Milano watch I could find online. The blurb goes:

"Welcome to Gino Milano, we have precisely molded the perfect timepiece integrating flawless function and superior style. Life's too busy. Here, we have enough time for everyone."

And the watch shown here is described by the seller as: LADIES FASHION HIP HOP BEYONCE PLATINUM SILVER TONE GINO MILANO WATCH, and yes, you've guessed it, the chronograph function doesn't work; it's purely decorative:










(Picture from ebay.co.uk)


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## BRL (Mar 4, 2014)

I clicked on this thread thinking it might be a thread about the georgeous lady UFC fighter but then remembered she was called Gina Carano. It was an interesting read anyway, many thanks for taking my mind off the strange thoughts of sexy women who could beat you up with ease.


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Dear BRL, I am just reading a thriller by David Baldacci called "Split Second", and in it there are TWO such females. One is Michelle Maxwell - definitely on the good side - and then there is a woman called Joan, who we are not quite sure of. Great Book - and I hope my topic did not distract too much from such "delicious" thoughts. Oh well, back to watches, and quickly I think.


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