Unaffordable Aqua Terra?

Omega is trying to move brand perception up market - but likely you will see the secondary used market see a bigger decline from retail for the resale price they are able to command. Seems to me getting used Omega models in near mint is not too difficult, so going used for Omega is increasingly the better route.

Seems everything is moving up-market these days, not only adjusting for the wild inflation.

I'd love to get a Speedy. But I don't feel comfortable with that much money ony wrist. And even the pre-loved models are going up...

Hoping there will be a crash in a couple years 😂

A Casio is like 200 bucks. Highly recommended.

And I'm not even being funny. This titanium one is awesome.

I bought my Seamaster 300 and Speedmaster (the one with the huge box)4 years ago ….wouldn’t be buying them now ….

I’ve stated this on other posts too. My SMP was rrp at £4.1 when I bout it. Now over 25% up. That’s crazy.

I absolutely agree with your point & it is the preferred option for me going forward. I rarely buy at the point of release, the exceptions in recent times has been the Summer Blue & the monochrome Tudor Black Bay.

I'd love a white dial Speedmaster but I'll be waiting until there is a second hand market for the watch before that becoming realistic.

Ditto. I'll have to patient for the white dial Speedy.

They are, but I find with Omega ADs you can still negotiate a discount, typically between 10% and 20%. I got mine at 10% under retail while it was still a popular model. That helps a bit.

But I am also glad I got mine when I did, and that I still like it a lot.

I suspect Omega is following the same marketing routine of Rolex boutiques, stiff prices and suppressing availability of in demand models or just bumping the msrp of certain watches that are iconic but do not sell well such as their various DSOM Speedys. I special ordered a ceramic Speedy without checking the current price with my regular ad, by the time it arrived in his shop watch was almost 20k with taxes. I could have walked away but decided the watch would continue to cost more in the future if I still wanted to own one.

I agree with the attempt to move upmarket, it's obvious (and I own an Omega).

I also think that as always in a free market economy, there will be an adjustment.

In this current environment it will be sooner than later.

The secondary market value gives us an fair indication where they are. Unfortunately and fortunately. Love AT but too expensive in my view. Would love to own one as daily beater. Won’t buy new.

It's 💯% worth owning when the time is right for you - it's my favorite watch, period.

Yes there has been a covid inflation increase among omega and GS by about,$2000. The breitling AD in-store told me they are soon to adjust their msrps to account for inflation too. So I would get a grey market model from jomashop, an older model that doesn't have the newer inflation pricing. I wouldn't get any of the new release it's too much for me. The internal omega movement is probably worth 500-600$. So you are paying like 6000$ for external looks and brand name. Is it really worth that much to you to have an Omega brand name for 3k? and are the cosmetics and dial and external factors worth the other 3k$? If so then go for it. But personally it's not important enough to pay that much. If it had some sort of handcrafted internal movement that was worth 2k$..but the internals are not that much cost

Very nice though

Yes! But I think copying what most other big brands are doing. It is Rich- mont 😜

Going couple years old used is definitely how I’d do it!

You can get a Certina Small Seconds for a fraction of what Omega is asking for these….and they’re coming from the same Swatch Group…. You’ll get an 80 hour power reserve, easily regulated and reliable movement and Certina’s legendary water residence (DS case). Just saying, unless the whole name on the dial thing is what you want, then look pre-owned, because once those polished it’s get scuffed up, value renting is out the window ;)

Agree entirely on the price hikes for Omega. I bought my 1861 Speedy for <£4000 in late 2018. The price has shot up by over 60% since then.

I’d buy the Aqua Terra 38mm on rubber at £4000, but not the retail price of £5700 (even the grey market price is rarely below £4500).

Swatch Group want Omega to compete with Rolex, pitching Longines as the alternative to Tudor. Outside of the watch hobbyists, I’m afraid most people just don’t see the equivalence. Rolex is viewed by many as aspirational luxury. Omega appeals to an entirely different, and much smaller, segment of the market that views Rolex as a bit “obvious” .

But all of this is just further evidence of watch brands pushing ever further up the luxury curve, leaving us “normal” watch lovers in the cold. While I have my doubts it’s sustainable for most brands outside of Rolex and Patek, the likes of Omega and JLC just can’t help themselves. My only hope is that the slump in watch sales means discounts will ever bigger over the next 12-24 months.

I wonder why people do not get interest in the Seamaster 300m from the end of the 90s, early 2000s. They are the best and still well priced !

But yes this small second in white and blue is so great - but even at 4.2k I would not have bought it...

I might be looking at this differently but if I had the watch and the company pushed prices up then I’d see what I have as being fortunate. Funny thing is I told my wife that on my birthday receiving 3 watches that I’m done for the year…but in Japan the yen to dollar ratio (I’m retired US civical servant) and my wondering eye spotted a watch that I could not say no to, so I got it (thanks Father’s Day). Long story short Momma hates me so for now I got to kiss her butt yet so worth it.

I would concur with that view but I have already paid on the high side for my Aqua Terra last August. The limited edition 75th anniversary Aqua Terra was priced at £5,800, it's now at £6,000 in less than a year. Unfortunately the used market valuations of the watch are showing this watch as losing well over £1,000. Irrelevant to me just now as I'm still very much taken with the beauty of it.

My point should probably be equally as weighted to is the price now sitting at a level people will choose to say no to, rather than an affordability issue?

I feel the same way as you about the creep that all of the “luxury brands” have done. I own 2 seamasters that I purchased new in the early 2000’s. I still have both of those watches with me today. I have a hard time seeing AT’s and seamasters starting at $6000+ when I paid less than $2000 for each of mine.

I've come to the conclusion that if there's a new Omega release, I won't be buying one until enough time has passed for a used market to form.

I know we can't halt the free market & capitalism dictates price increases. I just find it sad that a lot of people that previously could have owned these watches, or equivalent, no longer see that as realistic.

Solid breakdown and I agree with you 100% go grey

I think I like the old omega 300m in 2010’s. Proper tool watch look and feel!!

Every thing is going up world wide and mostly we are not receiving pay rises to pay for the cost increases

Something has to give at some point. If you like them nothing will scratch that itch

Tudor isn’t omega from design to history through quality. Every comparable watch in omegas class has gone up at the same rate and people are still buying them. We have lived through an era where prices were fairly static and this feels like a shock to the system. It also feels more expensive as you now are paying more of your income on the basics. I feel like I have fallen away from the ability to pay for the watches I’d like to get more than the brands have pushed up prices any more than everyone else

I’ve lusted after a blue dial AT for some time (and then I switched my attention to a blue dial Railmaster). I recently picked up a Formex Essence (beautifully finished, lovely bracelet with tooless extension clasp, COSC, interesting dial) which has somehow stopped me think about the AT.

Yes, I agree with your point. There is price inflation taking the RRP up & there is the buying power of our income going down. The 2 right now are happening concurrently at a greater rate than we've seen in many, many years.

I wished I'd titled this thread differently. For me, this is more about Omega watches that I desire, reaching new price points that I'm not prepared to pay when they have new models released. I've spent more on watches than the current AT prices, I'm just now prepared to do so now.

I'll happily continue to buy in the used, grey market as I have done before. I just find it sad that the price increases in number, frequency & vslue see a lot of people priced out of the market. The AT is a beautiful watch & many will continue to buy them, increasing numbers will do so pre-worn.

They are moving up and Swatch is placing Longines in 3-5k segment. Only time will tell if decision was right.

I have recently retired and I am probably priced out of getting any more omegas which is a shame I bought my first watch with my own money back in 1987 and have been buying them ever since and have been lucky enough to have owned 10. I’m down to my last one now and will keep it for ever but even the second hand prices are too much for me to splash out on. I would have liked another Aqua Tera to go with my speedmaster but I doubt I will so I totally understand how you feel.I still think you get good value for the money compaired to their obvious competitors if you don’t plan on selling it on

That's a heartwarming but sad history to your experience over the years with Omega. I really like Omega watches, moreso than any other brand. Part of this love was the quality for the money asked, that doesn't feel so valid anymore. There's definitely value in the pre-owned market & if you're careful in the vintage market. These are where I shall be pursuing future purchases.