I've had my one (hesalite) coming up to almost it's first year now and have worn it daily since I bought it. I love it even more than the day I got it and am happy to have found a watch that I feel passionate about owning.

The thing I can't get over though, is that at practically no point has it ever felt like a luxury watch that actually costs £3,500. I don't think this watch is in the same league as the Seamaster, Planet Ocean, Aqua Terra, or even anything else Omega really make.

It's the lack of applied markers, the matte dial, hesalite, non-cosc accuracy, no real ability to micro-adjust the clasp or the fact the majority of these are worn on leather or even £10 NATO's too rather than expensive bracelets just further cheapens the look of it to a degree.

I don't dislike anything about it - I actually love it all and think it's practically perfect, but for the price it is when you ignore it's history the watch doesn't seem like it's playing alongside everything else these days and I can see why people feel it's dated for the cost.

I got a 1171 bracelet ironically because the current one looks too expensive to me and I want it to have a cheaper look and more tool like appearance, so I'm guilty of what I'm complaining about. In my mind this is like a sub-£1000 or so functional tool watch. I completely forget the actual value of it most of the time and wear it in places or doing things I really probably shouldn't.

It's not a critisicim of the watch or Omega, but moreso I can't help but feel at times they're charging a lot for a very old and dated watch simply because of its incredible history rather than for the quality of it.

Rolex charge a lot for the Sub too because of its history but they're also updating it and putting very modern materials to use in it while still keeping it a living legend...but I guess that's what the Co-Axial Speedmaster is.

 

Hi,
Personally I do hope Omega does not do a "Rolex" on the Speedmaster and keeps it as close as the original as possible. As you said the Co-Axial Speedmaster is there for that (currently rocking a DSOTM).

The speed pro might be a little bit overpriced, but I can't really be rational there.

 

If wearing it makes you feel special, then, yes, it is a luxury watch. Anyone who recognizes it also knows it is special. I am proud to wear mine to any formal occasion.

 

It's fair to say that it is a high quality watch.

It's also fair to say that they're milking this cow for all it's worth.

In 2002 my Speedmaster Professional Hesalite on Bracelet was a little under £1400 new... not entirely sure how that convert to nearly £4000 in 2017.

Is it worth it? Well... is any non essential item worth it? There's a big fat philosophical question for you.

<Sarcasm> Oh yeah, and not forgetting how rare Rolexes are, and how their steel is the best steel in the world, no seriously, there's no better steel, just ask anyone, and we're going to build a wall out of it...</Sarcasm>.


Are these watches Luxurious?

Not always.

Are they luxury items (non essentials)?

Yup.

 

It's odd to see a watch owned by so many different demographic,s
It's odd to see some like the NASA link, some the racing link others just like the fact that it's black, a Omega or a chronograph

Have seen many here take photos as it's their pride and joy and the most expensive thing they have ever bought and the very next picture someone has 10 of them laying around.

If Omega is a luxury brand then they must sell luxury products. So if you bought something off them.

 

Where do I start... There's a counter argument for everything you have said. Think about it.

 

A real shocker especially when you use this calculator to account for inflation: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/education/Pages/resources/inflationtools/calculator/default.aspx

Of course there are plenty of other factors such as exchange rates, cost of raw materials, transportation, taxes etc., but it's still quite a hike!

 

A few interesting articles from ablogtowatch.com on some points for this thread:

Why Are Watches So Expensive?: http://www.ablogtowatch.com/why-are-watches-so-expensive/
From A Swiss Perspective, US Watch Prices Haven’t Increased That Much: http://www.ablogtowatch.com/swiss-perspective-usa-watch-prices-increase/
Watch Pricing Series Part 2: How Did Watch Prices Get So Seemingly High?: http://www.ablogtowatch.com/watch-pricing-series-part-2-watch-prices-high/

Coming back to a Speedy Pro being a luxury watch. There will be arguments on how one defines 'luxury', no doubt Veblen will be thrown into the mix somewhere, as well artisanal approaches, brand value and the use of precious metals.

Personally, I would say: Yes (though on the lower side of the luxury scale)

 

Marketing... Profits... expensive marketing... really expensive marketing...

 

If Omega blinged-up the ordinary one they'd have nowhere to go with the "special" ones. Want applied markers and a glossy dial you could always spend even more on a limited edition...and true to form, the ordinary one is on a $20 strap.

 

It is all about your perspective.

To me they are a higher end watch, but by no means a luxury watch. Is Omega a luxury brand? They, along side so many companies are positioning themselves as one.

But their history doesn't point to that. They have always been the more affordable, lower-high end Swiss brand that made a killer watch at a decent price.

That is why my grand father, who owned a Rolex, bought my dad an Omega when he graduated from college.

I am the wrong person to ask, as they are just old tool watches to me.

 

If you've felt modern Omega in-house watches and can't/won't call them luxury watches, it's not really a fair reflection on the fit and finish.

And while I agree with most people in this thread, the Speedmaster Pro is priced as an entry-level Omega with hesalite. Try telling me that the XSOTM series isn't a luxury watch, though. Or the Aqua Terra. Or 8900 PO. Etc.

 

Interesting discussion thread by the OP. I think it all depends on your definition of a luxury watch. Some would argue a very tough / reliable chronograph Lemenia derived movement , iconic design, and incredible pedigree / history all qualify the Speedy as a luxury watch. Ref. COSC, you can certainly regulate the Speedy to be within the COSC specification.

I don't own the standard hesalite Speedy...but my Speedy XI-45 LE below (I got lucky it runs at -3 / +2 ), the Soyuz Meteorite or the new Speedy Tuesday certainly look way above high end watch category in my definition and would qualify as a luxury watch. I would certainly not trade my Speedy XI-45 for a Rolex Sub.

 

Well if your not going to call a Speedy a luxury watch I don't mind. But given that the top end of lux is well north of 20K, then the trusty Speedy is pretty close on price to Rolex. Then try telling one of the Fanboys that their watch isn't lux.

Given that you can walk into a department store and buy a nice looking watch for 50 dollars then I think any watch costing thousands is considered lux. Not as lux as others but lux nevertheless.

 

I agree in many respects to the OP and that is why I would never even consider buying a regular Speedmaster at retail (exception: special editions), which is probably somewhere between double and triple what I consider it to be be worth. Rolex charges a lot not only because of marketing but the intense R&D costs in developing new (even minor) updates. New clasps, bezels, movement upgrades, lume, etc. There is no reason a Speedmaster should be close to the price of a Submariner.

 

Not sure where I stand on this one but here's my experience. For my 21st birthday my parents wanted to buy me a watch and gave me the choice with a price limit of £65, quite a bit of money in the dark ages! I whittled it down to a choice between a Speedmaster and a Rolex Submariner at that time both were about the same price, on that basis if you consider the Sub a luxury watch then the Speedy should be too. I choose the Speedmaster because at that time I went to a lot of motor race meetings and wanted to use it for timing. It is a 105.003-65 which then meant nothing to me. I used it as my everyday watch for forty years including going dingy sailing which inevitably led to the occasional soaking, so it was certainly treated as a tool watch.
For my 60th birthday my wife bought me a gold Seamaster Aqua Terra which I would definitely class as a luxury watch and it is treated as such, although ironically at today's values it is not worth anything like as much as the Speedmaster.
What does this prove? No idea!

 

FTFY.

Look, let's all be honest here.

50% (and often more) of the retail price of any watch out there is Advertising, Marketing, and profit margin.

Why do these brands charge the prices they do?

Because people will pay them, happily, and then come back, begging bowl in hand and say "Please Sir, Can I have some More?"

As a marketer, I beg you, buy this stuff because you like it, you can afford it, and you like the way it makes you feel - not because you believe any of the spurious bullshit that these brands spout.

 

Exactly. Someone's luxury is someone else's entry level - and vice-versa...

To the average Chav', a Speedy is Luxury. To the average Cheikh, it isn't

 

They go together

Hence the interest of many of us for vintage watches... devoid of pretentious and polluting marketing influence!

(vintage speedies aside, it's a bit more complex for them it seems!)