I have a speedy and one vintage. My speedy is worn at home for a few hours a day under my fleece and pullover (the only way to keep the clasp and watch free of dings and scratches) my Boctok Russian diver is the every day wearer and the Omega Geneve vintage. I would like to ask other members who wear their Moonwatch, SMP, DEVille, PO, AT's outside a question. Do people recognise your Omega's? We all know Rolex's are noticed as luxury watches instantly but can the same be said for Omega?

 

No, and that's what I like about Omega!

 

I think 99.95% of the real world don't know what a watch is.

I wear my Speedie, and other recognisable Omega or Rolex icons quite often, hardly anybody knows what they are.

A nice story for you.

I was in a queue in Paris recently and noticed the man in front of me had a very nice vintage JLC Reverso. I caught his eye, pointed to his watch and said "nice one Monsieur".

We spent the next five minutes discussing watches in broken French/English until he got swallowed up by the French postal service.

It was a nice moment in my life.

 

The problem with recognisable luxury items is that they are also recognised by people you might not want to.
Chatting to a fellow owner about the suitability of wearing a Moonwatch on the beach or showing off your Silver Snoopy to a colleague is one thing; having your Rolex spotted by some feral thug as you walk home late at night is quite another.

 

Fantastic.

 

True I hide my moonwatch under my shirt on the odd occasion I venture outside the house with it.

 

Interesting question ... I've actually had more people comment on my SMP than on my Rolex. On several occasions, people have recognized it as an Omega and complimented me on it. (In both cases they were former owners who regretted letting their own Omegas go.)

I haven't yet had anyone comment to me on my Rolex ... But you never know ...

 

That is great to know, thanks for sharing. I like the fact people are recognising Omega and respect the brand, it is reassuring to know when you spend so much money on the watch people like the brand and respect it. I make a point of having mine under my shirt when it leaves the house with me. It is less likely to attract the thief element and also I know I have something good without the world knowing about it.

 

Omega is well known but has no perception of luxury, unlike Rolex which is not luxury brand either.

 

Top luxury to non watch enthusiasts and mid their luxury to a watch enthusiast.

 

True that ... When you think about it, the popular perception of Rolex as a luxury brand is a little off - based purely on the price of their product. However, if you look at their lineup, Rolex doesn't actually make an extensive line of dress watches. The Cellini line is pretty limited ... It's mostly in the realm of sport and tool watches that Rolex pushes its strength. (I know, try convincing someone wearing a platinum Day-Date with diamonds.)

Omega, though, has an extensive dress watch line for both men and women. I'm recently married, and I offered to buy my wife her choice of a Rolex or an Omega for a wedding gift. She now has a Ladymatic as her daily wearer.

 

I agree. No one has ever commented on either Rolex that I wear often, and only once did someone ask about my Seamaster Pro 300M.

 

To be fair I purchased the Moonwatch new recently even though it comes with that awful suitcase instead of the new wooden box. Why? I am a moon fan and an Omega fan, Omega is a quality brand and my uncle showed me his when I was in school and loved it. I also love Rolex as a quality brand and as one that does not change its models much. My next watch will be a date just 2 or sub, my aim for it to be purchased new from an AD within the next three years. It will live under my shirt and pullover/fleece/jacket in order to protect it from clasp scratches and dings, it will therefore not be seen but the quality remains. Sadly a new Patek or Lange is out of my reach. Congratulations on the wedding.

 

Thank you!! It was a reunion of sorts ... She and I were engaged in college, nearly thirty years ago. We went our separate ways, lost touch, married other people, and so forth ... Then she got in touch by email after we hadn't heard from each other for over 25 years. We were both already divorced at the time, and the rest is history.

Oddly enough, it was her family that first got me interested in watches ... My in-laws wear Rolex, but my dad had a Constellation from the early '70s that got me thinking about an Omega.

And I totally understand about keeping it under the cuff ... I try to do that too.

 

I counsel/tutor/help a group of high school/university-bound students on the weekends and one time asked them if they knew what watch I was wearing (they know I'm a watch nerd). Their first guess was Rolex, followed by Omega.

So if a bunch of kids in their late teens that are glued to their smartphones are aware of Rolex and Omega, then yes, both brands have succeeded in making the masses aware of their respective brands.

 

People who know me and know what I do for a living will often comment or ask about whatever watch I'm wearing, but it's rare for a complete stranger to do so.

The only time it's happened with an Omega was in New Orleans, while walking down by the river and wearing my Speedmaster, a younger guy (maybe 16 or so) walked past and said "Nice Speedy!" When I turned to acknowledge him he held up his left arm, and he was wearing one also.

On that same trip at the airport on the way home, I saw a guy in line ahead of me wearing a Panerai, so I said "Nice PAM." Then a whole family that I hadn't noticed said "Hey we all have them too!" and they held up their arms to show me the watches.

Those 2 encounters over a couple of days pretty much equal all others I've had over the last decade...

People might be aware of these brands, but recognizing them unprompted in the wild is another thing.

Cheers, Al

 

There are very few watches out there that can be recognized from more than 5 feet away - maybe a Rolex GMT / Sub (though could be an "homage"), any Panerai, a TAG / Heuer Monaco etc. During the summer here in New York, I wear my shirt-sleeves rolled up with my watch for all to see - and so far, no problems. I'm a bit self-conscious about it if the subway is crowded and I'm holding the pole with my watch right in front of someone's face, but that's very very rare, and only bothers me with the more extroverted, modern LE Speedmasters I own. I'm not worried about my vintage pieces being recognized by the wrong types...

That said, I've been planning a purchase of a Dark Side for some time now, but worry about how noticeable it is on the wrist

 

No worries. Just wear it under clothing. No one notices it and it does not get damaged.