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Nobel Prize
··Spell Master!consultant I just can't wear Rolex, it will arise questions about my feeOmega is OK.
Omega brand awarness as a luxury brand
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tyrantlizardrex
·I work within the City of London... And whilst I notice a lot of interesting watches, I'm left with a distinct impression that a lot of their owners aren't interested in watches as such, but in owning an expensive luxury item they can show off.
The scruffy guy with the beard, who does IT marketing doesn't even register.
Although I do get questions about the Seamaster Polaris Titane XL.
Possibly because it's weird looking.
The scruffy guy with the beard, who does IT marketing doesn't even register.
Although I do get questions about the Seamaster Polaris Titane XL.
Possibly because it's weird looking.
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PatrickJ
·I work within the City of London... And whilst I notice a lot of interesting watches, I'm left with a distinct impression that a lot of their owners aren't interested in watches as such, but in owning an expensive luxury item they can show off.
The scruffy guy with the beard, who does IT marketing doesn't even register.
Although I do get questions about the Seamaster Polaris Titane XL.
Possibly because it's weird looking.
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Syed117
·I don't think I've seen a person who knows anything about watches dismiss the quality of a Rolex.
They are extremely well made watches and many of their models are icons. More so than any other brand.
The problem with popularity is that it draws mainstream attention from people who have no knowledge or respect for something like a Rolex. More often than not, you have someone who just wants an expensive watch and as far as the general public goes, as expensive watch IS a Rolex.
On top of that, you have the ridiculous amounts of marketing that Rolex does. Then you get the guy who knows nothing about the movement or the model he is wearing, but he insists that 904L steel is the best thing ever and that it took a year to manufacture the sub he is wearing. I've found way too many of those guys. Way more than for any other brand.
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tyrantlizardrex
·I call in to the Royal Exchange Omega boutique, maybe once a month... So know the guys quite well... And they say a lot of people have no idea what they're buying, but have a bonus burning a hole.
Young guys buy orange PO's... Because Orange?
Bond LEs sell... Because marketing.
Young guys buy orange PO's... Because Orange?
Bond LEs sell... Because marketing.
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Riviera Paradise
·To be completely honest before I made my first luxury watch purchase in mid 2013, I was aware of Patek, Omega, Cartier, Rolex, Breitling and Longines, but I had no idea about JLC, Nomos, Vacheron, Ulysse Nardin, Grand Seiko
Here is a quick overview of brand recognition per watch in my collection. The only Rolex I have is a Polar Explorer II 42mm and I love the fact that it never seems to be noticed when I go for my daily walk/run next to the beach (same with my Seamaster 300 MCoaxial on the Bond NATO, which alternates with the Polar as my casual sportswatch).
Both my Omega XI-45 and Omega Orbis Hour Vision have been praised for their looks. The XI-45 has received praise from my mother and sister-in-law and checking in at Seatac recently I heard someone say, "is that an Apollo 11, looks really nice" to someone else in the queue.
One WIS who owned a Milgauss once asked to look my Omega AT 15000 Gauss and loved it with its new Barenia leather strap.
A security guard in Buddy Guy´s Legends/Chicago loved my Breitling SuperOcean Heritage (at the time worn with a rather blingy mesh bracelet)...the funny thing was he thought it was a Breitling for Bentley😀
My JLC Reverso UT DuoFace is completely unknown/under the radar to the general public and my recently purchased Tresor likewise, though the yellow gold does get some glances.
On a more general note I think we should perhaps take into account that most of the WIS forums are currently dominated by Western posters. After reading a few luxury watch global brand reports, I was surprised to discover that Omega has significantly higher brand recognition in Asia, superior to Rolex and Cartier, for example, in that tiny little market called China😀. I also think Omega has a stronger brand in the UK compared to the US. So I would propose that location, location, location does indeed play a major factor in brand recognition, despite all the marketing $$ spent by these companies trying to develop a global brand awareness.
Here is a quick overview of brand recognition per watch in my collection. The only Rolex I have is a Polar Explorer II 42mm and I love the fact that it never seems to be noticed when I go for my daily walk/run next to the beach (same with my Seamaster 300 MCoaxial on the Bond NATO, which alternates with the Polar as my casual sportswatch).
Both my Omega XI-45 and Omega Orbis Hour Vision have been praised for their looks. The XI-45 has received praise from my mother and sister-in-law and checking in at Seatac recently I heard someone say, "is that an Apollo 11, looks really nice" to someone else in the queue.
One WIS who owned a Milgauss once asked to look my Omega AT 15000 Gauss and loved it with its new Barenia leather strap.
A security guard in Buddy Guy´s Legends/Chicago loved my Breitling SuperOcean Heritage (at the time worn with a rather blingy mesh bracelet)...the funny thing was he thought it was a Breitling for Bentley😀
My JLC Reverso UT DuoFace is completely unknown/under the radar to the general public and my recently purchased Tresor likewise, though the yellow gold does get some glances.
On a more general note I think we should perhaps take into account that most of the WIS forums are currently dominated by Western posters. After reading a few luxury watch global brand reports, I was surprised to discover that Omega has significantly higher brand recognition in Asia, superior to Rolex and Cartier, for example, in that tiny little market called China😀. I also think Omega has a stronger brand in the UK compared to the US. So I would propose that location, location, location does indeed play a major factor in brand recognition, despite all the marketing $$ spent by these companies trying to develop a global brand awareness.
Edited:
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UncleBuck
··understands the decision making hierarchyIn this region of Texas folks wouldn't know an Omega from a Casio purchased at Wal Mart so I'm not bothered with any watch admirers at all.
I'm with you, Tex, if I wore a Rolex on one wrist and a Richard Mille or PP on the other, they'd steal the Rolex.
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abrod520
·I live in Florida, and I wore my Darkside of the moon almost every day for over a year, most of the time in short sleeve shirts. No one has ever said a thing. Not that I mind, I'm just saying I think most people only see a watch.
As in, "oh that guy is wearing a black watch. Whatever."
Yeah, I figure I'll find the same. It's just those days where the only spot to hang onto the subway pole is right in the face of some dude.... Then again maybe if I was so afraid to "show off" I shouldn't have gotten into watches in the first place 😁
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NT931
·I find that friends and colleagues (esp doctors / lawyers) notice what I wear now and then (like 10% of the time) but in the general public, hardly ever. And that Rolex gets the most noticed, Omega & JLC rarely. It also means I don't wear my Rolex when I travel, but my AT8500 is fine, as are my JLCs.
Like my wife says, "most people can see you're wearing a nice watch, but they can't really be bothered what kind of nice watch it is" 😗
On the flipside, I have started conversations with other people when I notice what they wear - a vintage Connie, a GO PanoDate, a JLC Master Moon, an Aquanaut, and memorably, an FPJ Resonance. That Journe led to a fascinating conversation with a fellow WIS, and he even let me try his FPJ... an uber-geek moment of delirious pleasure.
Like my wife says, "most people can see you're wearing a nice watch, but they can't really be bothered what kind of nice watch it is" 😗
On the flipside, I have started conversations with other people when I notice what they wear - a vintage Connie, a GO PanoDate, a JLC Master Moon, an Aquanaut, and memorably, an FPJ Resonance. That Journe led to a fascinating conversation with a fellow WIS, and he even let me try his FPJ... an uber-geek moment of delirious pleasure.
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npthaiduong
·My grandfather is used to a Navy surface officer, and he had an Omega watch that he always had with him during the Vietnam War. It was not widely popular at that time (1960's-1970's), but it was a magnificent watch. This impression from the long old past is now seducing me to get myself a first-ever Omega watch.
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rbob99
·As a lawyer with a lot of middle class clients and living in the Pacific Northwest where, for the most part, wealth is not flaunted. I am uncomfortable wearing a Rolex to the office. It would definitely turn some people off and have them questioning my fees. Same reason I wouldn't drive a Porsche to work. But no one objects to my 3570.50 or my Grand Seiko.
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hugo
·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.
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Alex_TA
·As a lawyer with a lot of middle class clients and living in the Pacific Northwest where, for the most part, wealth is not flaunted. I am uncomfortable wearing a Rolex to the office. It would definitely turn some people off and have them questioning my fees. Same reason I wouldn't drive a Porsche to work. But no one objects to my 3570.50 or my Grand Seiko.
Essentially we are saying the same thing, despite the fact that you are living in Pacific Northwest and I am in the Middle East 😀
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CanberraOmega
·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.
"It's not a Pepsi. It's a Rolex"
👎
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CanberraOmega
·Essentially we are saying the same thing, despite the fact that you are living in Pacific Northwest and I am in the Middle East 😀
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lillatroll
·No one has commented on any of my watches, but I get some funny looks from people when I am staring at their wrists. It doesn't help that I have long hair, big beard and 20mm holes in my ears. The biggest problem is trying to get close enough to see what someone is wearing.
While on holiday in Hungary there was an American gentleman wearing what seemed to be an omega 320 from the late 50s. I was trying to get a closer look and he noticed me, he then nudged his wife and they both speeded up to get away from me.
While on holiday in Hungary there was an American gentleman wearing what seemed to be an omega 320 from the late 50s. I was trying to get a closer look and he noticed me, he then nudged his wife and they both speeded up to get away from me.
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Dombo63
·The greatest trick Rolex ever pulled was convincing the world 904L steel is a precious metal
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obstando
·I wear a variety of vintage watches (I'm not a brand whore) and in the past two years the only watch that has elicited any response is a Hanhart Cal.40 (dating to 1939/40). Three separate people stated that they really liked it and asked me what make it was (I think they left none the wiser!)
I assume that if I wear my Rolex sub most strangers would recognise it as a Rolex but maybe assume it was a fake and most others I would wear just look like old watches to the average man on the street.
I assume that if I wear my Rolex sub most strangers would recognise it as a Rolex but maybe assume it was a fake and most others I would wear just look like old watches to the average man on the street.
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SirMaximilian
·22 year old "average" lad here.
I think it's hit and miss as to who recognizes the watch you're wearing.
One of my professors wears a Speedy - he was working with the overhead projector, projecting it onto the screen on the board. One of the students puts his hands up, gets picked by the professor, and asks, "Sir, is your watch broken? How come the second hand is stuck at 12?". The prof explained to him (and the class) the concept of a chronograph watch, and the history of the watch itself - everyone was blown away.
I think most of my friends and acquaintances could identify a Sub, a Daytona, and an Explorer II, as well as watches features in bond movies - the 300m, 300, Planet Ocean, and Aqua Terra. Breitlings.....I'd recon they'd recognize the Navitimer and the infamous 'Bentley for Breitling' fakes. However, I think most of them don't quite grasp the differences between an quartz/automatic/mechanical watch.
For myself, I recognize most Rolex watches, and I usually always comment on them - and the owners are mostly always happy to chat about them.
I recognize most modern-ish Omegas (not vintage as I have no interest in those [sorry guys/gals]), but their owners somehow seem to shy away from conversation about their timepieces as if they want to keep them a secret.
Besides that, I recognize watches here and there to a limited extent. Especially if it's a watch that's either rare or with a steep price tag.
I think it's hit and miss as to who recognizes the watch you're wearing.
One of my professors wears a Speedy - he was working with the overhead projector, projecting it onto the screen on the board. One of the students puts his hands up, gets picked by the professor, and asks, "Sir, is your watch broken? How come the second hand is stuck at 12?". The prof explained to him (and the class) the concept of a chronograph watch, and the history of the watch itself - everyone was blown away.
I think most of my friends and acquaintances could identify a Sub, a Daytona, and an Explorer II, as well as watches features in bond movies - the 300m, 300, Planet Ocean, and Aqua Terra. Breitlings.....I'd recon they'd recognize the Navitimer and the infamous 'Bentley for Breitling' fakes. However, I think most of them don't quite grasp the differences between an quartz/automatic/mechanical watch.
For myself, I recognize most Rolex watches, and I usually always comment on them - and the owners are mostly always happy to chat about them.
I recognize most modern-ish Omegas (not vintage as I have no interest in those [sorry guys/gals]), but their owners somehow seem to shy away from conversation about their timepieces as if they want to keep them a secret.
Besides that, I recognize watches here and there to a limited extent. Especially if it's a watch that's either rare or with a steep price tag.
