That is really interesting how some of the OBs are telling you that none of the OB can give a discount and then you learn there are certain places they will even go to double digit... assuming that they are real OBs not mono branded ADs

 

Im not quite sure how to tell if a store is a mono branded AD, however checking on the Omega website they list Dubai as having 10 Omega Boutiques and 25 retailers of its products..

 

If they are stated as OBs on Omega site then that is the status

 

We need to be clear what kind of boutique it is. OBs only sell Omega, and no other brands. They are owned by Omega. I think a lot of you are confusing OBs with ADs. No real OB will give a discount

 

You go to boutique not for the discount but for something else, like free Champagne
Oh... maybe it is not free, you actually pay for it

 

I can understand that ad may offer discounts but it really bothers me when OB offers them as it common policy not to do so...
It actually diminishes the value of the brand....
Besides OB offer othe4 gifts an$ special relationship
Cheers

 

What are the perks you're mentioning ? Stuff like free straps or first on the list for limited edition ?

 

Well technically tourbillion is also a company owned Boutique but has some Omega and other higher end Swatch brands.

 

The Omega boutiques in Hong Kong in Dec 2018 were giving a 2% and 5% discounts depending on the price of the model. I don’t completely remember, but I believe models under around $5000usd got 2% and models above got 5%... Hong Kong has no sales tax, so the discount is on the sticker price, and these discounts were offered without asking for them.

 

The key and correct point is your first one - OBs sell only Omegas, no other watch brands.

You second point is incorrect - all OBs are not all owned by Omega. Some OBs are franchised just like McDonalds - McDonalds do not own every McDonalds restaurant. For example, in separate physical locations within the Wynn hotel complex in Las Vegas you will find a Watches of Switzerland Store (an AD) and an Omega boutique (an OB). However, the Watches of Switzerland company actually operate both of them.

EDIT: Here's a link to an article to support the point I’m making above about WoS operating a stand-alone OB (see first paragraph, and also scroll down the article to the photo of the OB itself - it’s the second to last photo in the article): https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthon...tores-in-new-york-and-las-vegas/#40dedc77bff9

Your third point is also incorrect. Real OBs will give discounts in some situations, I know because I got one. And to show that I really do know what an OB is: https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/store/storedetails/8232

 

I recently obtained 10% discount from an official boutique in the uk on a seamaster and also got an omega pen chucked in

 

I bought my first Omega (Speedmaster with Moonphase) at an OB in September 2018 while traveling in Sydney.

While I paid more than I would have in the gray market, the price before VAT at the Sydney OB was about 17% less than MSRP at OBs in the United States. That's taking tax out of the equation. If I include the tax comparison, the discount was even greater. Since I didn't have to pay the state sales tax in my state, and since I received the VAT refund from Australia, the discount really became 23%.

I asked for a discount at the OB in Sydney. They politely said, "No discount."

The point is this: if you're traveling, exchange rates, tax differences, and/or variation in Omega market pricing can be used to your advantage.

(Since then I've purchased two more Omegas on ebay. One a new Ultraman from an OF member, and one a used Seamaster ETNZ. See below.)

Incidentally, my wife and kids and I are going back to Sydney again in a few weeks for Spring Break. My wife says I'm not allowed in the Omega Boutique. We'll see.

 

Got 5% off from the 2018 Diver 300m at my local OB

 

The OB did call me and ask if I wanted to buy a Snoopy. I passed and called my friend to let him know. He bought it.

There are other perks, like trips to various locations, first class travel, nice hotels, etc.

 

Having done a bit of digging I would concur with all of your points above re the OB's in Dubai.

The OB's here are Omega only product boutiques, they even have their own dedicated Omega service centre.

The OB's are linked up with a local jeweller (Rivoli) who also sell Omegas in a number of their outlets but the Boutiques are solely branded Omega and purely sell Omega products. This is probably due to the fact that in years gone by you used to have to have a local partner in order to set up any business in the UAE.

The OB here definitely offer discounts on the list prices, which in line with most watch companies are pretty standard across the globe these days as they react to exchange rates and the fact that people travel to take advantage, let alone the power of the internet and the ability to shop and ship. I guess this policy is also influenced by the sheer volume of watches that are shifted here due to natural affluence of residents coupled with a large volume of tourists who move through the Emirate, particularly Chinese who are hungry purchasers of luxury goods presumably to avoid taxes at home. Each time i visit the Rolex Boutique here i have to queue behind a wall of Chinese for 15 minutes before i get any attention.

 

The Birmingham UK Omega Boutique is owned and operated by Signet group (Ernest Jones, Leslie Davies etc) so no they are not all Omega owned as correctly noted above.

 

Here in Vancouver, one may get 5% off at the local OB. Maybe. Yesterday, I popped into a suburban AD looking to scratch that nagging Speedy itch OF tends to enable. After a recent re-seller experience with a dodgy Pro (seller was a champ, btw), I thought I’d suss out the straight route.

Anyway, I was offered 15% off on either the Pro in the case or, if preferred ( I do!) an FOIS that requires ordering. (Pro 2019 retail is CDN $6200; FOIS is $5950). We pay 12% tax here so at the end of the day I save +/-$300. Too rich for my blood in any case.

Back to OF for a used FOIS puppy....

 

Thanks. I didn't know that Omega boutiques were inviting their customers to trips and stuff like that. It's only reserved to the important buyers I guess.

 

I had the experience of an OB offering a 10% discount on the Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz meteorite LE back in 2013. In retrospect, I should have jumped on that opportunity, but did not realize what watch I was looking at back then and it was still a lot of money.

 

I got a 10% discount (give or take) on a Railmaster 1957 Trilogy at an AD.