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bill5959
·Actually you can get a discount at a boutique, but no reason for them to do it on the new SM. Regards, Bill
Bad Omega Boutique Experience and no SM300 for me
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ctime3
·Yes I am one of those saps too. But with how I can't fix anything and break everything I will take it
I am sorry to hear that because I have had an excellent experience at the King of Prussia Boutique. I would say if you still want to do business with them I would contact corporate an email letter and a follow up. If you need me to help at all please PM me.
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Waynepjr
·To be very honest, like it or not we all better get used to the Boutiques as they are the way of the future. ( Easy Howard!! ) If you are not aware of the boutique concept I will enlighten you.
The watch industry as a whole is moving to the boutique concept as a way to slowly take away their watches from jewelers and slumping AD's to consolidate them in a more streamlined, controlled atmosphere. This will also slowly eliminate the a major extent the grey market watch industry in the process. Being able to control the lines and as we are seeing now with are beloved, parts, they will slowly make even the watchmaker dependent on them to obtain parts, I.E., if you are not a licensed watchmaker you will not be able to get parts per the Rolex model.
Very soon, very soon, you will walk into your favorite AD whom has provided you with great service and they will not have your Omega, Breitling, Hublot, Tag, Rolex..... Most of these are large and small jewelers and this will put a good portion of the smaller out of business. I have one small AD in my town whom was told the writing on the wall a few years ago and he took proactive steps. He dropped all his major lines and now only carries independent brands.... And is doing better then before. Go figure.
So start to love those boutiques, they are the way of the future.....
The watch industry as a whole is moving to the boutique concept as a way to slowly take away their watches from jewelers and slumping AD's to consolidate them in a more streamlined, controlled atmosphere. This will also slowly eliminate the a major extent the grey market watch industry in the process. Being able to control the lines and as we are seeing now with are beloved, parts, they will slowly make even the watchmaker dependent on them to obtain parts, I.E., if you are not a licensed watchmaker you will not be able to get parts per the Rolex model.
Very soon, very soon, you will walk into your favorite AD whom has provided you with great service and they will not have your Omega, Breitling, Hublot, Tag, Rolex..... Most of these are large and small jewelers and this will put a good portion of the smaller out of business. I have one small AD in my town whom was told the writing on the wall a few years ago and he took proactive steps. He dropped all his major lines and now only carries independent brands.... And is doing better then before. Go figure.
So start to love those boutiques, they are the way of the future.....
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ctime3
·That was an excellent post. I agree.
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OrangeSport
·If you get the bug again and want the name of a great Omega dealer in London let me know.
I was able to negotiate a discount on the phone, and the watch was put away in the safe for me until I could get to them. No deposit, and they understood I needed to see, touch and try on the watch before committing.
The day of the purchase was great, and I spent about an hour generally talking watches and being shown pieces from the owner's private collection.
I was able to negotiate a discount on the phone, and the watch was put away in the safe for me until I could get to them. No deposit, and they understood I needed to see, touch and try on the watch before committing.
The day of the purchase was great, and I spent about an hour generally talking watches and being shown pieces from the owner's private collection.
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bmickdewey
·To be very honest, like it or not we all better get used to the Boutiques as they are the way of the future. ( Easy Howard!! ) If you are not aware of the boutique concept I will enlighten you.
The watch industry as a whole is moving to the boutique concept as a way to slowly take away their watches from jewelers and slumping AD's to consolidate them in a more streamlined, controlled atmosphere. This will also slowly eliminate the a major extent the grey market watch industry in the process. Being able to control the lines and as we are seeing now with are beloved, parts, they will slowly make even the watchmaker dependent on them to obtain parts, I.E., if you are not a licensed watchmaker you will not be able to get parts per the Rolex model.
Very soon, very soon, you will walk into your favorite AD whom has provided you with great service and they will not have your Omega, Breitling, Hublot, Tag, Rolex..... Most of these are large and small jewelers and this will put a good portion of the smaller out of business. I have one small AD in my town whom was told the writing on the wall a few years ago and he took proactive steps. He dropped all his major lines and now only carries independent brands.... And is doing better then before. Go figure.
So start to love those boutiques, they are the way of the future.....
I think it will continue to be a blend. Some of the ADs sell much more inventory than even the boutiques. Also, not every city will have a boutique. Maybe some low performing stores will go away, but sales are sales. Also, some brands are over exposed and sold in lower tier stores.
There are also more strict operating procedures and rules in place for ADs now. i.e. Limited price reductions, watch part audits, minimum service charges.
Where will continue to drastic changes are like you said, in the service and parts. Since the major brands have moved to the assembly line of watch servicing they can make a lot of money on servicing...and do it really well. You don't have to hire and train a fleet of watch makers. You train an individual to be an expert at watch case refinishing, the next at replacing a crystal, the next at disassembling a watch...etc.
I don't honestly know if the big service centers hire all watchmakers or not...but I do know the same person does not complete a watch overhaul or service in an "end-to-end" process.
Personally, I like to use both the big service centers for my "modern" watches. Your watch is brand new when you get it back! When buying I have sought out pre-owned watches serviced buy some of the well-known independent experts like Archer and Jack at IWW (I know there are others). I also have Pil Mil watch collector friends that know of the true experts in a specific service. i.e best fixed bar expert, older movements, etc.
BUT...we will always have our pre-owned market!! No one can take that away! I'm a pre-owned buyer 99%!of the time. Only watches like the SM 300 cause me to do stupid things like pay full retail AND taxes.
But, I love her.
(Shameless watch photo)
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Kringkily
··Omega Collector / HunterI mean I don't want to get into details too much but Omega actually creates the very market they try to limit. Their store contracts and demand on AD's to sell at increasing levels yet not wanting to open up boutiques in less than higher traffic areas creates this necessary "evil".
But hey let's just all enjoy watches!
But hey let's just all enjoy watches!
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerI don't honestly know if the big service centers hire all watchmakers or not...but I do know the same person does not complete a watch overhaul or service in an "end-to-end" process.
No they do not hire all watchmakers, but a mix of watchmakers and people off the street with in-house training. Many people who work on the watch have no formal horology education from a school, just training on the job after they are hired.
Typically these "trained workers" will do the initial disassembly of the watch, so they remove the movement from the case, remove the dial and hands, and disassemble the case, which is sent for refinishing to a department specifically for that. The movement is sent to the department that has the watchmakers. In NJ, there are 2 sides of the watchmaker areas, one where those who work on Omega and below (Longines, Tissot, Hamilton, etc.) service movements, and then area where those Swatch brands above Omega (GO, Blancpain, Breguet, etc.) are serviced.
Once the movement is done, it then returns to the "trained workers" who install the dial, hands, assemble the case, final assembly, pressure testing, winding tests, final inspection...
Cheers, Al
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bmickdewey
·I mean I don't want to get into details too much but Omega actually creates the very market they try to limit. Their store contracts and demand on AD's to sell at increasing levels yet not wanting to open up boutiques in less than higher traffic areas creates this necessary "evil".
But hey let's just all enjoy watches!
We all know of one truth in the Omega buying/selling world:
Speedmaster = Kringkily
Kringkily = Speedmaster....therefore:
Buy Speedmasters from Kringkily!
The rest of my purchases come from you. The SM 300 was the rare exception.
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cicindela
··Steve @ ΩFNo they do not hire all watchmakers, but a mix of watchmakers and people off the street with in-house training. Many people who work on the watch have no formal horology education from a school, just training on the job after they are hired.
Typically these "trained workers" will do the initial disassembly of the watch, so they remove the movement from the case, remove the dial and hands, and disassemble the case, which is sent for refinishing to a department specifically for that. The movement is sent to the department that has the watchmakers. In NJ, there are 2 sides of the watchmaker areas, one where those who work on Omega and below (Longines, Tissot, Hamilton, etc.) service movements, and then area where those Swatch brands above Omega (GO, Blancpain, Breguet, etc.) are serviced.
Once the movement is done, it then returns to the "trained workers" who install the dial, hands, assemble the case, final assembly, pressure testing, winding tests, final inspection...
Cheers, Al
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DJP
·If you get the bug again and want the name of a great Omega dealer in London let me know.
I was able to negotiate a discount on the phone, and the watch was put away in the safe for me until I could get to them. No deposit, and they understood I needed to see, touch and try on the watch before committing.
The day of the purchase was great, and I spent about an hour generally talking watches and being shown pieces from the owner's private collection.
I'd be very interested to know who you used, thanks.
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Fusion
·lol that was hard to read 📖
i'm sorry 😉
bummer about your experience.
i'm sorry 😉
bummer about your experience.
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Dogmann
·@Gaz6263 & OrangeSport
Many thanks for both of your offers for better contacts for new Omega's it's appreciated and if and when I want to find a new Omega I will be in touch but doubt it will be any time soon having already just made a major purchase but never say never. But I have concluded a new SM 300 isn't on the cards for me now or in the future as its just not for me.
Marc
Many thanks for both of your offers for better contacts for new Omega's it's appreciated and if and when I want to find a new Omega I will be in touch but doubt it will be any time soon having already just made a major purchase but never say never. But I have concluded a new SM 300 isn't on the cards for me now or in the future as its just not for me.
Marc
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omega man
·Sorry to read about your bad experiences with an Omega boutique in England. Now I read a comment from someone else in England that a number of Omega's boutiques are privately owned, rather than under the actual operating control of Omega. I live in Las Vegas, Nevada and several major casino/resorts on the strip host an abundance of watch manufacturers. My experience with Omega's boutique has always been first class. One reason I imagine that Omega as well as others derive a large volume of clients who are vacationing. Also big winners. The boutique has an amazing display of collectables and limited versions as well as the full line of traditional Omegas. Rolex of course is located, up the street, in another resort on the Strip. My understanding of all the boutiques located on Las Vegas boulevard, none provide any servicing other than bracelet sizing. I asked about some scratches on the crystal of my reissue 1957. Was told it would have to be sent out to an Omega service center. Makes sense from a business standpoint. Though I can imagine owners want it serviced at the boutique, which is sales remember, not service. The two times I've been in the Las Vegas boutique to get a bracelet sizing, I've been asked if I purchased my Speedmaster Racing last year and this year, my new Aqua Terra 150, date, cal 8500, from the boutique. I say no and tell them I purchased the pieces from another authorized source and then produce my warranty cards. Never a charge. Friendly and cooperative. My next purchase, next year, is the day/date.
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