Omega Price Increase heads up

[kaiserphoenix]

Watch manufacturers can put their prices up 1,000% for all I care! My days of buying new watches at 'full reeeeeeetail' from AD's with often hugely overinflated ideas of their own importance are long gone. Not because I cannot afford them, I simply will not pay outrageously inflated prices for watches that are often still very very average and uninspiring. Some blue sky thinking bean counter who believes that the watch his company manufactures for £250/£300 should have a price tag of £5,000 with price increases to follow on a regular basis is living in a land that I have no wish to visit!

I would say to most watch manufacturers, keep on blowing into that price balloon, your belief that it will never burst will only end one way!

Ok but used prices are also increasing....


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[rossi46vr]

How do you see the prices? I can't see them on either the Omega site, or the Rolex site.

There is a box next to the watch that says "reveal the price" when you click on it the price is revealed.

[rossi46vr]

Goldsmiths website is showing the new prices

[djjuk]

Chronext still on pre rise prices.

[kultschar]

The hit one takes on selling a new Omega as soon as you walk out the shop was bad enough as it was.

I honestly think I'm done with the brand in terms of buying new, even with discount. Too many models churned out and now far too high price

[-Ally-]

I agree, theres no way I'd consider buying a new Omega now unless there was a significant discount. I like to try a variety of different watches and many often don't stay long so for me it's much safer to stick with SS Rolex.

[RAJEN]

I am not sure what the thinking is here.
What makes Swatch/Omega think that their current sales pattern will sustain this price rise?
As it is, it is kind of difficult to justify the pre-rise prices based on value retention and hiking the prices just makes it worse.
Looks like they are trying to be Rolex and while I don't think they make lesser watches, they don't quite have the cachet that Rolex has in terms of brand prestige.

[andrewcregan]

Aren't Omega doing the same as Rolex did, and just levelling the prices off with Euro-land?

[Padders]

I am not sure what the thinking is here.
What makes Swatch/Omega think that their current sales pattern will sustain this price rise?
As it is, it is kind of difficult to justify the pre-rise prices based on value retention and hiking the prices just makes it worse.
Looks like they are trying to be Rolex and while I don't think they make lesser watches, they don't quite have the cachet that Rolex has in terms of brand prestige.

One one level the rise is fully justified, under done in fact since the pound has weakened massively against the CHF and most other 1st world currencies since Brexit. 5% is probably the least they thought they needed to do to minimise arbitrage between the now cheap UK market vs Europe and USA when seen from abroad. The upcoming Speedy Tuesday brings this into stark relief, it is circa $7K in the USA (excluding any applicable sales tax) and the equivalent of circa $4200 (before VAT) here. This situation isnot really great for Omega's international sales, though we suffered the highest prices in Europe for many years so it is an interesting turn of events.

[Andrew S]

My Seamaster Regatta has gone up to £4000 from £3800. Increase might help as I'm looking to sell it and buy a Kermit.

[KavKav]

Ok but used prices are also increasing....

Fair point, some used prices are not far off new retail which I think is absurd given that 20% of a new price is VAT. However there are still 'value opportunities' in vintage watches (although not like it was a few years ago)and my interest lies there. I guess the market survives as long as buyers tolerance lasts.

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[RobDad]

I do wonder if the mechanical watch sector is rinsing as much money out of the market as it possibly can before their current buyers have moved on (or passed away!) and today's teenagers, for whom watches are irrelevant antiques, simply stop buying them. They'd be daft not to see the writing on the wall, perhaps they're ramping the prices so they become an ever more exclusive niche product for the 'discerning rich' whilst Joe Average wears a wafer thin smart watch!

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[andrewcregan]

They'd be daft not to see the writing on the wall, perhaps they're ramping the prices so they become an ever more exclusive niche product for the 'discerning rich' whilst Joe Average wears a wafer thin smart watch!

Are people buying these smart watches in vast numbers? The only people I know who have bought them have quickly ditched them.

[rossi46vr]

I think you reach a certain age where a beautiful mechanical watch becomes desirable, I didn't have any interest until I was about 28 and then the fun started !!! Up until then I'd only bought a couple
Of "fashion" quartz watches. I'm sure it will be the same for the smart watch wearing generation

[Andrew S]

My wife wears a Fitbit constantly, even though she has a nice Omega Constellation.

[Omegamanic]

There is a box next to the watch that says "reveal the price" when you click on it the price is revealed.

? Not for me there isn't.

[andrewcregan]

[Morning Wood]

? Not for me there isn't.

How about now?


https://www.omegawatches.com/watches...1130423001005/

[rossi46vr]

? Not for me there isn't.

If you are looking on your phone using the omega app it doesn't show, but it does on their website version

[Omegamanic]

Using the iPad. Maybe that's the problem.

[mtagrant]

Using the iPad. Maybe that's the problem.

I am looking at the website on the iPhone and shows ok

[RobDad]

Are people buying these smart watches in vast numbers? The only people I know who have bought them have quickly ditched them.

Not yet, but does anyone under 20 wear a watch at all? And do they aspire to own one when they are older? - I'm not talking about those who own multi-million pound internet start-ups, I mean the equivalent to those of us that had Casio digitals in the early 80's at school, just average kids - I have a couple of teenage sons and I can't remember ever seeing any of their mates wearing any watch at all (we are talking 16-20 year olds). I genuinely think the traditional wristwatch will become a really niche purchase quicker than we think. I'm not saying it's right, and I don't see the point of smart watches either - but pushing the prices higher and higher will surely speed the process?

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[-Ally-]

I'm a full time student and I'd say 90% of those in my classes don't wear a watch at all. Those that do are usually Armani or the likes,with a couple of Apple watches too.

[andrewcregan]

I mean the equivalent to those of us that had Casio digitals in the early 80's at school, just average kids

You must have been a rich kid Rob, my digital watch was £1 from the local Shell garage! Bizarelly I still have it.

I don't know kids of the age you refer to, but I guess most of them use the clock on their mobile phone?

[andrewcregan]

I'm a full time student and I'd say 90% of those in my classes don't wear a watch at all. Those that do are usually Armani or the likes,with a couple of Apple watches too.

Is the mobile phone used as a watch?

[Samcrow]

Glad I bought my SM600 on Saturday


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[andrewcregan]

Glad I bought my SM600 on Saturday

Good skills and enjoy