# Completley Random Facts About Watch Companys



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

I have a mind full of completeley useless and random facts that most people dont give a toss about but one fact I thought I would share is does anyone have any idea who owns Timex watches.

well think about it for a secoiand and then read the rest.

It is actually owned by a norwegain comany you may or may not have heard of Fred Olsen Ltd you may have heard of Fred Olsen Cruises and its the same company I worked on a Fred Olsen cruise ship in early 1998 for about a year,I met him a couple of times and he came accross as a bit of a knob he would randomly sack people without warning whilst on board if he didnt like the look of them and I thought that was a bit of a knobbish thing to do playing god over peoples lives and that.

His father bought him the company as a bithday present to teach him buisness (I think it was an 18th present).

Does anyone lese have any interesting facts about owners of watch companys or stuff like that or meeting a famous person in the watch indusrty.or which companys own watch companys.


----------



## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

roy taylor who owns and runs this site, is the master of the universe, and wears a loincloth whilst simultaneously fighting alien invaders, and allowing us to talk complete and utter sh!t on his forum, and produce the odd watch now and again....

interesting enough for you????


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

mrteatime said:


> roy taylor who owns and runs this site, is the master of the universe, and wears a loincloth whilst simultaneously fighting alien invaders, and allowing us to talk complete and utter sh!t on his forum, and produce the odd watch now and again....
> 
> interesting enough for you????


Not really the sort of facts I was looking for bit fair enough I have to belive everything you tell me


----------



## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Yes some of us knew that about Timex. In fact one or two members are very knowledgeable indeed!


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

pg tips said:


> Yes some of us knew that about Timex. In fact one or two members are very knowledgeable indeed!


about Timex or just worldly wise?

I dont really think his ownership has changed anything he didnt pump loads of dosh in and certanly dosent need to take much out his father Fred Senior is one of the three richest men in norway in fact I have met two of the three richest norwegians the other is Atle Brynestad who used to own Seabourn Cruise Line until he sold it to Carnival Corp now he owns Seadream (used to be Sea Goddess 1 & 2) although we are getting slightly off the subject here.


----------



## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

"I have a mind full of completeley useless and random facts"

Sorry, your facts are a little nonfactual.

Don't know which company you are referring to his father buying for his birthday, but Fred Olsen Shipping was started by Petter Olsen in 1848 and was later named for his son Fred in the 1800s.

Fred Olsens son, Thomas Olsen, bought the Waterbury Clock Co. in 1942 after escaping from the German invasion of Norway. It became US Time and later changed it's name to Timex. Thomas Olsen had a son Fred who became Chairman of the shipping company and Timex. He was 13 years old (not 18) when his father bought the company that became Timex. Both companies have been owned by Annette Olsen since 1995. She is the daughter of Fred ( whose real name is Thomas Fredrick Olsen). He just retained the Chairmans title at the time you worked there which is now held by her also.

"about Timex or just worldly wise?"

Enough Timex knowledge?


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

watchnutz said:


> "I have a mind full of completeley useless and random facts"
> 
> Sorry, your facts are a little nonfactual.
> 
> ...


OK that sounds mostly true But what I heard at that time was that Fred Snr had bought the company in 1940s and had kept it for his son until it he was 18 it then went under his ownership,Since Fred Jnr was only 26 in 1998 ish that only makes him 36 now or about that,as far as I am aware he owns the Cruise Line completely with no shareholders He has 4 ships shortly down to 3 as one will be scrapped in 2009,I didnt say I was an expert I was mearly passing comments about what I had heard If I saw him in the street I would remeber him but he deffo will not have a clue who I was around the time of meeting him I dod know he married a girl from either tenerife or lanzarotte or somewhere like that,She wa very beautifull and as far as I am aware was also from a very wealthy family.

just found this by searching the web Timex is owned by the family of chairman Annette Olsen, whose grandfather bought the company in 1942.

I dont want to have an argument about it either was just stating something people might not have know Who cares if fred owns it or Anette al we all know is its in the Olsen famaily thats it.


----------



## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

Wikipedia says Fred was born in 1929 and became a director in 1955 at the age of 26. That Fred was about 69 in 1998. Is this another Fred?


----------



## Stuart Davies (Jan 13, 2008)

Oh goodie! - A topic about Timex and an excuse to post a picture of my 1922 Kelton and still be 'on-topic'...just! :lol:

Rebuilt and now working perfectly Bill


----------



## ujjwaldey (Mar 3, 2008)

God, Stuart thats beautiful.

If I may ask; how much can one expect to pay for such a beauty

P.S : your Tudor is much worned and much loved around this household


----------



## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

"OK that sounds mostly true"

What part is not true?

"Since Fred Jnr was only 26 in 1998 ish that only makes him 36 now"

You must have met an imposter!

As Robert said , Fred was born in 1939 which would have made him 13 at the time his father bought the company and 80 years old now. Just as I said. Btw his father (whose name was not Fred Sr. but Thomas), had another gentleman from Norway, Joakim Lehmkuhl, as a partner. Lehmkuhl became the Chairman and was the one who controlled the operation of the company until he retired in 1973.

BTW do a search and see who is listed as the owner and Chairman of Fred Olsen shipping.

I must add that I used to be a volunteer at the Timex museum in Connecticut. I am not trying to argue but merely trying to straighten out what you presented as "facts".


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

watchnutz said:


> "OK that sounds mostly true"
> 
> What part is not true?
> 
> ...


To be quite honnest with you mate I am a bit confused the guy we met was called fred he was 26 and by the way everyone was so scared of he he was the owner Now he may very well be Annettes son but he was Deffo called Fred jnr,Is it possible Annette has a brother as Fred snr is listed as having died in 1993 but there is a director still called Fred so there mustr be someone called Fred still in the company,I wish I were still there and then we could ask someone on the inside But they are a very private family and dont like to be in the public eye,I will look into it more and get back to you but I agree with everything you said.Its a strange one isnt it.


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

ok read this

http://www.marinereport.com.sg/nov2004/marine_news.php

you see the captian on the far left the guy standing next to him is the guy we met Fred Olsen Jnr it says he is the chariman so who is he then.

The plot thickens as they say

this story is from 2004.

The newest and most significant vessel yet to arrive on the world fast ferry scene was christened "Benchijigua Express" in a ceremony at the yard of high speed ship builder Austal in Henderson, Western Australia on 5 November.

Godmother of the vessel Mrs Juana HernÃ¡ndez Cabrera, wife of Fred. Olsen, S.A. Managing Director Mr Guillermo Van de Waal, cut the ribbon to christen the trimaran with a magnum of champagne across her bow.

Also in attendance from Fred. Olsen, S.A. were Mr Fred Olsen Jnr, Chairman, the vessel's senior officers and management from the company's European offices.

Powered by four diesel engines driving three waterjets the Auto Express 127 trimaran will be able to maintain Fred. Olsen S.A.'s projected service speed in excess of 40 knots providing capacity to carry 1,350 passengers, 341 cars or 400 truck lane metres and 123 cars.

"Benchijigua Express" has departed Fremantle, Western Australia at the end of November on her 9,500 nautical miles delivery voyage to the Canary Islands. Once in home waters the vessel will join "Bocayna Express", also built for Fred. Olsen, S.A. by Austal

http://www.bibik.net/story.aspx?sid=12759

and this story says

Mr Fred Olsen Jnr, Executive Chairman of Fred. Olsen, SA said he was delighted with the new addition to his fleet.

also here same picture same guy I met

http://www.fredolsencruises.com/dynamic/ne...es_38_final.pdf


----------



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I do love a thickening plot.

In a good way of course.


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

Stan said:


> I do love a thickening plot.
> 
> In a good way of course.


So do I mate so do I

to be honnest I have a bit off a bee in my bonnet about this now,I kenw I wasnt stupid and one of the things we were told on board was that Fred owned a lot of hotels and land in and around the canaries but no metion of that on the other sites but at

http://www.fredolsen.es/PublicSite/index.aspx

you get this

About us

The Olsen Family's business activities in the Canary Islands stretch back over a century.

To be precise, it was in1904 when Thomas Olsen, grandfather to the current president of the company Fred.Olsen, S.A., set up an important agricultural centre in the south of the island of La Gomera.

From then on, the family launched a maritime route as a means of exporting to the rest of Europe the tomato and banana crops produced in the La Lomada de Tecina and Playa de Santiago.

With the passing of time, Fred. Olsen has upheld his commitment to the local people to invest profits made back into the Canary Islands, thus boosting the economy and allowing the local community to obtain direct benefits from his success.

With this in mind, Fred.Olsen, S.A. has created more than 1,000 jobs in the islands and has invested vast sums of money into developing a modern, efficient network of maritime transport between the seven Canary Isles, as well as in other areas such as tourism and leisure.The prestigious Hotel Jardin Tecina, the Tecina Golf course and the residential estate, Pueblo Don Thomas, form part of the most advanced, exclusive tourist attractions in the Canary Islands.

So from that I guess that The Fred we are talking about is in fact Annettes son not Fred snr so mystery solved

We were also told his wifes family (Fred Jnr) owned a lot of hotels and that's why she was independantley weathy before they met.


----------



## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

:lol: Got to give you credit. Next!


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

MarkF said:


> :lol: Got to give you credit. Next!


I am in IT mate and there is always a way to find what you wnat you kind find anything out about anybody if you just know where to look all that information is out there its quite scary really.


----------



## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

"there is always a way to find what you wnat you kind find anything out about anybody if you just know where to look all that information is out there "

True that, but you must read carefully. Now find a link that shows Fred Olson of the age you claim.

Here is what the site you linked says:

"To be precise, it was in1904 when Thomas Olsen, grandfather to the current president of the company Fred.Olsen, S.A., set up an important agricultural centre in the south of the island of La Gomera."

Read more carefully *grandfather* to the current president.

Succession of Olsen Family: Thomas Fredrick Olsen 1857-1933 (*grandfather *referred to in your article) Thomas Olsen (died in 1969 father to Fred Olsen), Fred Olsen ( father of Annette) and the one referred to in your article. BTW Annette also has a sister Kristina and her husband, Jose (Joe) Santana was President and CEO of Timex until he resigned in June 2007. I really don't know if Annette has any children but I know Kristina has young ones.

Again find me a reference to this young Fred Olsen and I will bow to you. The problem is that search results are usually not dated nor updated and contain old data. Notice your article says current president. Find me a Company profile that shows a Fred Olsen as the current president. Search for officers of Timex and you will still find many results referring to Joe Santana as pres even though he left a year and a half ago. Wikipedia relies on readers to update info! BTW find me info on Annette Olsens marriage status and children.


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

watchnutz said:


> "there is always a way to find what you wnat you kind find anything out about anybody if you just know where to look all that information is out there "
> 
> True that, but you must read carefully. Now find a link that shows Fred Olson of the age you claim.
> 
> ...


Look I have provided the information already its just you are not seeing it in the pictures taken in 2007 in the pdf document

http://www.fredolsencruises.com/dynamic/ne...es_38_final.pdf

look half way down where it says

Balmoral, the latest ship to join the Fred. Olsen fleet, is now in Hamburg at the Blohm + Voss Repair shipyard, where a newly constructed mid-section will be inserted and a major refit undertaken before she begins her cruise programme from Dover in late January 2008.

The ship entered dry dock on 16th November, and the work formally started by Fred. Olsen Jnr. (pictured)

FRED. OLSEN JUNIOR (LEFT) STARTS WORK ON BALMORAL that is a pic taken in 2007 for gods sake

Does he look dead or 80 years old NO he looks like he is around 36 which is what I said.

also here http://www.bibik.net/story.aspx?sid=12759

Visiting Austalâ€™s Henderson shipyard in the early part of September for the final trials of the vessel, Mr Fred Olsen Jnr, Executive Chairman of Fred. Olsen, SA

I dont care if you dont want to face the facts but I have proved to myself that what I have said is the truth If you dont belive it fair enough I really dont care but I met the man and worked for him for nearly a year I know I am right if you cant except it so be it. Just to clarify I am not saying Fred Olsen Jnr has anything to do with the Timex part of the buisness that might still be owned by another part of the family or he might be involved I dont know what I have proved is he is chairman of the cruise line,ferry and hotel buisness which I was part of,If you dont except that fair enough but that is what I now belive to be fact. OK


----------



## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

oooookkkaaay! 2b honest, im not sure that im that bothered dude!, or many others, leave it & move on. Just wasted 45secs downloading this on my phone coz i thought there was something interesting 2read, guess i was wrong.


----------



## Livius de Balzac (Oct 6, 2006)

Fred. Olsen has four children:

Anette S. Olsen

Merete Eleanor Nergaard

Kristine Edle Olsen

Fred. Olsen jnr.

Anette is the chairman of Fred. Olsen & Co, but the other children also own parts of the company and are directors for some of the companies owned by Fred. Olsen & Co.

Fred. Olsen also has a half brother, Petter Olsen, but they only talk together in court, fighting for ownership of the fortune and the collection of Munch paintings.

Nobody seems to know how much money they have or what they own, but most of the Olsen companies are owned by a trust in Lichtenstein controlled by Anette S. Olsen.


----------



## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

Livius de Balzac said:


> Fred. Olsen has four children:
> 
> Anette S. Olsen
> 
> ...


thanks for that let's leave it at that then and move on.Ever wish you had never started anything.

Whilst trawling the net i did find company figures they were very interesting reading.


----------

