Omega brand awarness as a luxury brand

[Riviera Paradise]

Alex_TA

Regarding JLC, I understand their history, glory, watchmaker achievements etc. But I hear a lot - and I mean A LOT - complaints about different problems with their watches and the quality of their service.

Yup...internet forums are indeed littered with several JLC complaints...one of the reasons I chose a hand wound Reverso UT DuoFace...traditional hand wound calibre for them...should have ironed out the issues by now, fingers crossed😀

 

[Privateday7]

Archer

But having been through the JLC facilities in Le Sentier, they don't take this approach. What you see from them is what they do, not what some subcontractor has done for them, or what abilities they gained by buying out someone who was doing work substantially above their own level. So yes there is a prestige difference between Montblanc and JLC, but that difference is also in what they do, and how they got there.

Cheers, Al

@Archer I would love to hear your experience and impression on JLC facilities Sentier.
I heard they have two distinct facilities: One for higher grade JLC (such as Duometre or subcontracting for high complication for other brand) which maintained very high standard and the other for mass market grade, which with the latest Richemont cost cutting, declines in quality.

 

[Rahkshi007]

abrod520

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 😀

When I was having my lunch with my colleague during a company vacation in Bangkok, an early 30's white shirt gentleman sitting next table to me was wearing the DSOTM eating with her girlfriend / wife. In my mind was like "Damn, such a beautiful omega watch". Fast forward 1 year later and I got my DSOTM. As I am mid 20's, my surrounding friend do know Omega as a watch brand, but most of them do not know how much it worth.. So I was happily wear my DSOTM without any pressure. Sometime in a casual chat they did ask me how much is the watch on my wrist and I always try to divert the question to other topic. In their perception any watch above 500$ is very expensive and they only know Rolex as a luxury brand.

Edited: Mar 1, 2016

 

[Archer]

Privateday7

@Archer I would love to hear your experience and impression on JLC facilities Sentier.
I heard they have two distinct facilities: One for higher grade JLC (such as Duometre or subcontracting for high complication for other brand) which maintained very high standard and the other for mass market grade, which with the latest Richemont cost cutting, declines in quality.

Sorry I just saw this post. There is a separate building where the high complications are done, and the engraving and custom enamelling is also done in this area. It's not unusual for brands to have separate areas for this type of work. I believe in JLC's case it's the original farm house, and is small and somewhat isolated from the main factory (short walk outside required to get to it). It's far too small for any mass production or large production machinery...only two watchmakers were assembling the top end pieces, with the other rooms used for other artisanal work like the enameling. No real manufacturing of watch parts happens in this building that I saw, so all of the machine tools for making chips and turning raw stock into finished parts is done in the other buildings.

The larger factory is where everything else is done, as well as some base work required for the high complication pieces. Having been through several different factories producing high end watches (brands like PP, VC, Blancpain, and even Chopard) they are all very similar in how the components are produced. These are factories after all, just like factories that make any other product. I'm not sure what kind of cost cutting measures you are referring to, but if you can give specifics about what these are and how they contribute to this decline in quality you mention, I'll comment where I can.

I took the time in every factory I was in to speak with the production workers on the factory floor when possible. Coming from a production background (in the automotive parts manufacturing business, making precision components) I am always curious to observe various manufacturing techniques, and having put in many production lines in my career as a project engineer, I understand the challenges involved for the people who end up running that equipment. These are the people who you get the real story from, not the tour guides. The factory where the most discontent was expressed was actually at Patek Philippe. Speaking to one of the CNC operators I could sense his frustration. I arrived there at the start of his shift and the CNC machine that had been left to cycle overnight (they employ lights out machining there, as a cost cutting or efficiency measure) had not done well. The fixturing of the parts had not held, and he mentioned an ongoing problem with the glues they used for holding the parts in place during machining, and basically the whole batch was scrap. From what I saw it was the only watch factory I toured that employed statistical process control (or at least openly showed the data), and looking at the charts that had on the walls near each station, the numbers were pretty bad. I can't recall specifics, but I remember thinking that any company in the automotive world would not be in business long with the processes seemingly as out of control as these were. Having witnessed all that, if a particular PP appealed to me (not many do to be honest) I would not hesitate to buy one, because I know the company would stand behind it.

Back to JLC, I can speak for my own experience owning 2 modern JLC's that neither of them has ever given me a problem of any kind (I only have one remaining - other sold off but still never had a problem with it). The fact is every brand has problems and if you think a brand is immune to it you are mistaken. Problems with watches, and in particular after sales service. I have been quite critical of the Richemont service center here in Canada, because I have repaired some of their bad work. Work that I would not expect to see from any recent watch school graduate or apprentice it was that bad. But I doubt you could name any brand that hasn't had problems with after sales service, and if I go by what I see "littered on forums" Omega is one of the worst. But as we all know or should know, forums are probably not the best place to obtain reliable statistical data...😀

Cheers, Al

 

[rfortson]

J jaymyms

For starters - WEAR YOUR WATCHES! Don't hide em under clothing! People fought wars wearing these things, they can easily take daily wear. Each mark the watch encounters is character, and can be polished out at next service if it bothers you so much. Enjoy your hard-earned pieces to the fullest! There's no point owning a Porsche if it doesn't leave the driveway!

Thank you! I was going to say the same thing. Wear your watches, you own them, not the other way around.

And I've never had anyone notice my Speedmaster or any of my other watches. People really don't care, unless it's big/gaudy.

 

[E MAN]

Until i started looking at purchasing a nice watch for myself, I had never even considered Omega. I knew it existed and if you had asked me a couple years ago, I probably would have put Omega just above Timex because I had truly no clue about Omega. Oddly enough, I am a big golfer and they are constantly running adds for Omega with Rory Mcilroy and I never even put it together. Of course, a lot has changed in my mind since then and once i began actually looking into watches to own, I became "enlightened" as to what Omega really is.
I think it's nice have a watch that kind of goes unnoticed. It's also nice to have a watch that people that have a clue(which really isn't many) appreciate it. Anybody that asks about your Omega more than likely already has an appreciation for fine time pieces.
In my observations, people that scoff at luxury items from cars to watches, bags etc., either don't have the money to spend on these things so they take the stand that anything expensive is obnoxious as well as their owners, or they are simple pragmatists who've or don't have the money but are fine with the just getting by. For every luxury item out there, there is something far simpler/cheaper that will do the same basic thing. I am by no means a wealthy person, but I have a fine appreciation for well made things and I would rather save and invest my money in one or two great things as opposed to a dozen mediocre things.

E

 

[Nitzbar]

I have been asked a couple of times if my SMP was a Rolex. Which I get, because Rolex is the brand most average joes are going to be familiar with. But the one place I wouldn't never guessed, I had my watch recognized as an Omega. I was camping out in the infield of a NASCAR race last year. Not a NASCAR fan, but the owner of a company I do some work for invited me. Four days of living out of a RV while the race in going on all around you. Interesting crowd, to say the least. I was sitting there enjoying my midmorning cocktail, and a random stranger walked up to me and said "nice Omega". I was so caught off guard, I didn't know how to respond besides "thanks".

 

[Hands90]

Even if people don't know much about brands I know when I say Omega everyone goes "Oh James Bond."

Not to mention when I started working on 6th Ave I'd always see a huge billboard of George Clooney on a motorcycle with OMEGA over his head.

 

[SamQue]

I have had more people (strangers) comment on my Speedmaster than any of my Rolex watches. In fact, I was recently at a clothing store and the young male salesperson saw my Speedmaster and mentioned the watches history and that he was saving up for one. I told him it was a great "luxury" (not sure if current word) to start with.

 

[SamQue]

Hands90

Even if people don't know much about brands I know when I say Omega everyone goes "Oh James Bond."

Not to mention when I started working on 6th Ave I'd always see a huge billboard of George Clooney on a motorcycle with OMEGA over his head.

I know many people have this same reaction but many "Bonds" wore Submariners. Probably just because of the association between Omega and the Bond franchise these past many years.

 

[Jimos]

I recalled reading this thread a while back. What made me want to post a comment was I've had 3 separate comments on my SM300 in the last 2 months (nothing prior to that in the last year). Last week while trying to fly standby from Detroit going to Atlanta, the Delta gate agent left me at the gate, and while I was waiting to talk to her, the pilot was hovering around the gate talking to a flight attendant. I noticed the pilot had a Rolex, but I didn't know specifically what it was, so I didn't say anything. It was a diver, but that's all I knew. I got on the flight and even though I was way back in the bus, as I deplaned, the pilot commented as I walked past the cockpit "Nice watch". I responded with "Nice Rolex". Once back to the house spent some time learning to recognize the difference between a GMT and Submariner. Anyway, seems like I've run into quite a few watch enthusiasts lately. Pretty cool. Grateful to have inherited this Omega, and grateful for the watchmaker who brought it back to life.

 

[Owlsu]

I've had a handful of different remarks made on my Omega's in the last 3 years -

My 50's/60's dressy Seamaster got no comments at all other then when at work I took it off to handle some metal shelving and someone asked why I was taking it off, I said something along the lines of its really old and I don't want to damage it plus it cost like £300 (this was my first Omega) and they couldn't believe how much I'd spent or I'd wear such a watch to work.

After that I bought a 90's Bond Seamaster and the only comments I ever got were when I was in a jewelers buying it and a random customer in there said it was nice and he wanted to buy one someday, plus when I was wearing it in a different jewelers whilst purchasing a leather strap for a Seiko and they mentioned it was a nice watch. I noticed quite a few older men (40's/50's - I was mid 20's) looking at it on my wrist. They either owned a TAG, Seamaster or Planet Ocean but none of them ever said anything. Just a really obvious long look. My mother also commented on it and recognised it as the James Bond watch. Plus when walking past an AD that stocked Omega, a salesman came out and looked at my wrist then commented on it saying it was nice and asking from which era it was. This led me to going inside and eventually leaving with a Speedmaster.

With my Speedmaster I've received two comments from people telling me my watch has stopped because the big hand isn't moving and one female friend asking about why I was winding it and then she listened to me go on for about 10 minutes about how old it is and it's space history.

I took the "obvious Omega-looking" bracelet off the 2016 Speedmaster (with it's iconic to the brand polished and brushed links) and stuck a fully brushed 70's Omega bracelet on it. So I expect if anyone does properly comment on the watch someday they're going to be surprised when they think I'm wearing a 145.022-76 or something but I only bought it new last year.

Edited: Aug 26, 2017

 

[georgeszaslavsky]

Riviera Paradise

Agree with Rolex beating Omega in the US, not so sure about Canada. I would add South and Latin America = Rolex domination. Italians are also Rolex fan-boys in a big way. Not sure about Germany and France. I suspect Germany might be more of an Omega base. I agree with Omega having the upper hand for UK and certainly in Asia (especially China, though I would exclude Singapore). I think in Australia we might have a tie? This is all fun speculation...I would only actually bet money on Rolex beating Omega in the US, Italy & Latin/South America and Omega beating Rolex in China and other parts of Asia.

OMEGA is neck to neck with Rolex in the French and the German markets who have seen OMEGA market shares skyrocketing, on these Markets Omega is neck to neck with Rolex. Also the Russian market has been well covered by Omega.

 

[georgeszaslavsky]

Alex_TA

Regarding JLC, I understand their history, glory, watchmaker achievements etc. But I hear a lot - and I mean A LOT - complaints about different problems with their watches and the quality of their service.

The after sales and repair services have been terrible and going down the train since the last 5 years....

 

[georgeszaslavsky]

I have mostly worn vintage Omegas, one of the most surprising moment was 5 years ago when a 50 years old guy looked at my wrist and os my speedmaster 125. He was wearing a 1969 Universal Geneve Space Compax, we discussed each other during 15 minutes and then said good bye to each other. In the few facebook watchgroups I am a member of. There is an equal number of Omega and Rolex. Myself I wear a vintage Omega, so none know what it is and it doesn't draw intention. Omega is the sign of excellence and elegance.

 

[Df13]

My Rolex watches all garnered attention and comments in various ways over the years, but my AT 2500 never, ever has, and I'm cool with that (I sold all my Rolex,)