Cons of Buying a Watch-Co Built Omega

nah. I leave you with pretty.

tom

So how would collectors view sourcing a pristine DON bezel to put on a Pre-moon Speedy with a busted up DON bezel?

It's not original to that particular watch but I doubt anyone would view that as anything but adding value to the piece, and certainly not as a Franken.

Actually yes, some may note that the bezel is not original to the watch Some may see it as a franken, but then again despite some here insisting a franken is not always seen as an untouchable watch or a bad watch, but value has to be at par with modifications.

But AGAIN, none of this applies to watchco, they don't modify watches, they make watches from spare parts. Who's different ball game.

As I said before, the problem is many actually don't know this before buying watchco watches.

And I am not saying they are bad. They are what they are for good and bad.

There is a clarification. One thing is what a collector or hobbyist may have on a watch in terms of wear, be it a strap, bracelet or bezel or even hands, the other is what it is sold as or with, which is why most people that modify their watch for personal use keep the original parts in case they want to sell it.

Which is exactly what Omega does really. The only difference is the assembler and a few decades.

I'd call that subcontracting. Just wish they kept better records.

Weren't they sourcing the 56x calibers from cheap Geneves?

i like the word "modifed" as opposed to "original condition". i would like to find a quarts mvt. to fit into an accutron case. - vinn

Yes, we established that already, any brand really does that, the difference is Omega assembles omega watches, but Watchco doesn't assemble watchco watches... They assemble watches from another brand and then impose a premium for that. Which is why I said they should stamp the dial with " omega by watchco" or something like that so Its clear that they are the assembly line and it's their watch, even if made from omega parts.

Omega may service watchco watches, but I'm sure these watches don't fall under Omega warranty.


Not IMO. but I guess it's a matter of perspective. If I build a car from scratch and then take the engine from an older car and place it in my "build from spare parts homemade car" I am not modyfing the car that had the original engine, I'm just taking the engine out and placing it on my new build, similarly, if I get a NOS case from an sm300, then I add hands and dial from another source and lastly I grab the movement from a "cosmic" and put it in there I'm not modifying a Cosmic, I am building an SM300 with a Cosmic movement. Further on this point Watchco is not selling a "Omega Cosmic in NOS SM case". They are selling a "SM300". So they themselves do not perceive their watches as modified but new built.

As you said their internal parts are actually not NOS, which is the cherry on top as people like TOM and many others are really not aware that not only they are not getting a genuine Omega, but they are getting a watch made with bits and pieces old and new. Forums are plagued by comments and surprised reactions from people that did not actually know they're getting a Franken. Yes, perhaps it's their fault as Archer stated, but I would want more transparency from Watchco and less brand hijacking.

In no Omega Archive will you see this serial of a watchco listed. The parts will be replacement parts and the movement , if they could track it down, would belong to an entirely different watch.

So, what do you call a watch made from parts by a third party with a movement borrowed from an older watch and made to replicate a model from Omega. A watch that is not archived nor given any warranty by Omega. A watch that did not exist until that third party assembled it? I call if a Franken.

I don't call it a genuine Omega
I don't see the reason for the premium prices
I don't even see the point . Why not just create your own brand? Like Tudor, for example, even if it uses Rolex parts it was still and is still Tudor.

But of course watchco would not sell as many watches of they didn't hijack another brand or definitely not at those prices, so there is that.

Do a search under Watchco and you will see many forums where people do not know what they're buying or what watchco is. Even in this thread Tom believed his movement was NOS.

And no, I don't ignore Omega knows about this or accepts it, but that doesn't change the point I'm trying to make regarding the Franken nature of the watches. Omega corporate policy doesn't really change the fact that it's a third party making watches from spare parts and then selling them at premium prices. Maybe Omega is happy with the exposure, maybe they like it, maybe they will change it....maybe not.

Anyway, to me they are not Genuine Factory Omega watches, and they should not be perceived as such.

Of course! It would be a custom built watch by Omega. I find it strange that if I called Omega and asked them to get my Cosmic movement and place it into a build NOS different model they would, but obviously you know better than me. All brands make custom changes of you pay for them

But I don't think it's that strange that if Omega made a watch and gave it to me it would be an Omega custom Built to specification while if someone other than Omega does it it would not.

No when it's a different brand and the watches are sold under a different merchant name. I would accept it if they where "omega by watchco" but not as genuine Omega, and definitely not sold as new Omega.

There is no 2014 Omega seamaster line with the specs of the watchco sm300 anywhere in the O what website, or catalogue, or archives. And your exception ( except the movement) is a big, BIG exception.

I would ask Omega, and I can tell you at least the NYC Boutique does not consider Watchco watches as genuine omegas, neither does any Omega Boutique sell watchco watches.

Ita a custom built watch, in this case they are mass produced custom built and the fact the use used parts makes them frankens IMO.

If Omega embraced them that much they would catalogue them, list them, and sell them at their boutiques.

But listen, you don't have to convince me, I just have an opinion. And you have yours. As you said before maybe a wrong opinion but I'm not going to change it really because it's quite clear to me what I would be buying and what I would not.

I don't have anything against custom watches, modified watches or Franken watches, I have a lot against deceptive marketing and profiteering.