- Posts
- 677
- Likes
- 1,274
LeonDeBayonne
·To make a quick introduction, I have been collecting, buying and selling watches (mostly vintage) over the last 20 years. Through time, I got bored with most brands (starting with Rolex) and all the fuss about vintage. As a consequence, the only watches I have kept and keep on buying are Omegas (mostly, if not all, new). As I guess many would agree, Omega, as a brand, has something special that goes beyond the products it sells. Of course, some will also critize the over-abundance of LEs - and they're quite right - but this is not my topic here.
The reason why I write here is that, in my opinion, a few events have started damaging Omega's brand image and cutting into the probability of me continuing buying Omegas and watches in general.
- The first is the management of boutiques. It used to be places where you could get a decent level of relatively basic range of services (polishing, changing crown...) for a reasonable price without being forced to send the watch at a service center. Now, with their recent decision to let their repair staff go or move into sales (exclusively), this kind of service is now almost limited to bracelet adjustment and battery replacement.
- The second is the disconnect between the firm's policy and environmental matters. Like a few people here, I got invited by Omega to attend in May a dinner party in Florida (Cape Canaveral). While I should have feeled blessed by this invitation, I found it disgraceful. Living in Europe, this would have meant flying 20 hours in total just to attend a 3-hour party! What a poor use of money and resources! In which world are these guys living to ignore the negative message that is conveyed here? Aren't local teams supposed and able to do the entertaining job by themselves? Sure they are! So why do they need to fly over clients, bloggers and marketing guys at such an expensive environmental and financial cost?
- The third is the product availability. Long has been said about the so-called scarcity for the 60th trilogy and the 50th moon landing watches. But when you get told that you won't be able to buy a Japan Olympics' speedy even though quite a few are available and nothing legally prevents a shipping from the manufacture in Switzerland to where you live, you just feel that these guys have really lost their focus on customer.
Anyway, I sincerely hope for Omega that the next generation will enjoy wearing watches, will not renege on paying a few hundred bills to get their watch serviced even when it works fine, will not care at all about global warming and will enjoy being treated like a supplier. If not, good luck!
My 2 cents of course.
The reason why I write here is that, in my opinion, a few events have started damaging Omega's brand image and cutting into the probability of me continuing buying Omegas and watches in general.
- The first is the management of boutiques. It used to be places where you could get a decent level of relatively basic range of services (polishing, changing crown...) for a reasonable price without being forced to send the watch at a service center. Now, with their recent decision to let their repair staff go or move into sales (exclusively), this kind of service is now almost limited to bracelet adjustment and battery replacement.
- The second is the disconnect between the firm's policy and environmental matters. Like a few people here, I got invited by Omega to attend in May a dinner party in Florida (Cape Canaveral). While I should have feeled blessed by this invitation, I found it disgraceful. Living in Europe, this would have meant flying 20 hours in total just to attend a 3-hour party! What a poor use of money and resources! In which world are these guys living to ignore the negative message that is conveyed here? Aren't local teams supposed and able to do the entertaining job by themselves? Sure they are! So why do they need to fly over clients, bloggers and marketing guys at such an expensive environmental and financial cost?
- The third is the product availability. Long has been said about the so-called scarcity for the 60th trilogy and the 50th moon landing watches. But when you get told that you won't be able to buy a Japan Olympics' speedy even though quite a few are available and nothing legally prevents a shipping from the manufacture in Switzerland to where you live, you just feel that these guys have really lost their focus on customer.
Anyway, I sincerely hope for Omega that the next generation will enjoy wearing watches, will not renege on paying a few hundred bills to get their watch serviced even when it works fine, will not care at all about global warming and will enjoy being treated like a supplier. If not, good luck!
My 2 cents of course.
