Tokyo 2020 Olympics Speedmasters

abrod520 · Jul 24, 2018

Mouse_at_Large
As far as I can discern, this is being done for sound (or at least credible) business reasons, not simply to piss off owners of previous SEs and LEs

Of course it's not being done to piss people off, that's just silly. What is being done is chasing short-term profits at the expense of long-term customer relationships. Why should I buy the next $7,000 LE Speedmaster at MSRP from an Omega Boutique when I know it'll be trading for $5500 on the gray market after they re-release it?

eugeneandresson · Jul 24, 2018

I think @Adri (who was making jokes) and @Mouse_at_Large (who was making sense) are onto something ...
Where is that pink LE speedy?!
They can take the 28k snoopy and subtly tweak it to the 'kitty :

It can be a LE of 10000 pieces.
Make it Japan-only ( because https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44613633 ).
Pretty certain it will do very well...130million hello kitty fans ...

whitewolf777 · Jul 24, 2018

I cannot blame Omega for not caring too much about the value of the watches in the after market. Nor can. Blame them for providing customers with what they want (panda models, etc...)
However, I believe that releasing too many models so close to one each other will make it difficult in the long run to price these LE’s so far from the « classic » model.
What will justify spending several additional thousands of dollars for an LE model when you have 7 or 8 LE’s per year? Not mentioning different models flooding the market, and sitting unsold next to one another in shops?

sgrossma · Jul 24, 2018

My take is that while it will likely hurt resale value for certain editions, I don't think Omega's goal is for collector's to make money.

R rohnin
What’s wrong with giving people access to watches they want? If you own an old one, great. Omega doesn’t owe you investment value on your watch.

While I am personally disappointed, this is very true.
The flip side is making it impossible to get watches people want (Rolex, Patek).... who wants to pay 50k for a basic time only steel watch?
I guess that is what makes collecting interesting, you never know what will come next or what the future will hold. Nobody complains that their steel 5513 has gone up 400% in 5 years.

Mouse_at_Large · Jul 24, 2018

abrod520
Of course it's not being done to piss people off, that's just silly. What is being done is chasing short-term profits at the expense of long-term customer relationships. Why should I buy the next $7,000 LE Speedmaster at MSRP from an Omega Boutique when I know it'll be trading for $5500 on the gray market after they re-release it?

From what I can see, some LE prices go up, some go down. The market will decide. As for chasing short-term profits, that gives the share price and cashflow an immediate boost. Swatch can take that to the bank. What it may (or may not do) to long-term customer relationships is moot. I suppose it could be argued that they would rather like to have more new, first time entrants to Omega ownership that they can then sell additional product to. I don't have the answers, but I do try to understand why they might go down this route. After all, they have been doing it for years.

Mouse_at_Large · Jul 24, 2018

eugeneandresson
I think @Adri (who was making jokes) and @Mouse_at_Large (who was making sense) are onto something ...
Where is that pink LE speedy?!
They can take the 28k snoopy and subtly tweak it to the 'kitty :

It can be a LE of 10000 pieces.
Make it Japan-only ( because https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44613633 ).
Pretty certain it will do very well...130million hello kitty fans ...

Not so far fetched. After all, the Flik Flak design team are part of the Swatch Group and are probably champing at the bit to get into it 😲

flik-flak-hello-kitty-watch-40th-anniversary-red-flnp014-std-.jpg

(I have now stopped making sense 😁)

LeonDeBayonne · Jul 24, 2018

I do not mind seeing new releases - LE or not LE - every year. I do mind seeing multiple new releases every couple of months. It just kills the idea of scarcity and must-own for the collector. Just for the sake of the Olympics, how many speedies and seamasters has Omega released over the last 12 months? And now, they do not even bother releasing them one by one. It is five by five. Why don't they release one new speedy for each country being at the Olympics then? Or one for each competition? Why don't they start producing new Speedy Tuesdays every 6 months instead of 12 months? It looks like it is just a matter of time. And wait... 2019 is around the corner. Of course these all are desirable items but if you know Omega will produce nearly the same watches at multiple times in the future, then price really matters, on both the primary and secondary markets.

Joshes · Jul 24, 2018

Are they sold in set? I wonder how to place an order. I guess not for a commoners like me 🙄🙄

guelerct · Jul 24, 2018

Why all the speculation? These are not investments, they are timepieces. Relax...
The Omega Forums is starting to sound a lot like the Rolex Forum. This is supposed to be a pleasant hobby.

Riviera Paradise · Jul 24, 2018

Agreed that we need to relax....all we need to do as collectors is adjust our future state perception that Speedy LE's will retain retail value significantly above the current 30-40% drop you see we see in the grey and pre-owned market for most Omega watches.

I think Omega will indeed continue to increase the release rate of new Speedy LEs until they start seeing sales dip and LE's get stuck in boutiques for a long time. Luxury watch sales follow economic boom-bust cycles, so perhaps the temptation to overfeed and gorge sales is inevitable😀

However, I would say that Omega do seem to be going against the wider industry trend of trying to control more effectively the pre-owned and grey market pricing. We have seen Richemont purchasing Watchfinder UK and destroying stock, AP starting a program of pre-owned certified watches and Rolex is clearly choking supply of SS sports models.

In the short term Omega should not care about what happens to their watches downstream, But it does affect brand image in the long term. IF they are OK with being perceived at the same level as Tudor and Breitling, well this should not be a problem. Indeed perhaps they should just abandon once and for all their apparent continuous and exhaustive attempts to reach the end of the Rolex rainbow from a branding perspective. Focus on delivering very good mid-range luxury watch products at competitive pricing, with good caliber technology and service intervals.

For example, if they sold the XSOTM range at their boutiques for US$8K retail, I think they would probably quicky run into a supply-demand issue.

gemini4 · Jul 24, 2018

Time for the next episode of

sdre · Jul 24, 2018

I have no interest in this release, however, I do find the panda version to be rather attractive.

That said, I can understand both camps (or there might be more schools of thought),

1) I own previous LE versions and what Omega is doing; its diluting the "collectivity" and perhaps "value" of my timepiece.
Maybe just move on with it? I mean for the past couple of years now, Omega has been re-releasing speedmasters over and over, if you don't like it, then perhaps, don't collect speedmasters anymore?

2) People who missed out, and didn't get the chance to own one, now they get to do it.
Congratulations on your chance to own a timepiece that you have been eyeing.

repoman · Jul 24, 2018

LeonDeBayonne
I do not mind seeing new releases - LE or not LE - every year. I do mind seeing multiple new releases every couple of months. It just kills the idea of scarcity and must-own for the collector. Just for the sake of the Olympics, how many speedies and seamasters has Omega released over the last 12 months? And now, they do not even bother releasing them one by one. It is five by five. Why don't they release one new speedy for each country being at the Olympics then? Or one for each competition? Why don't they start producing new Speedy Tuesdays every 6 months instead of 12 months? It looks like it is just a matter of time. And wait... 2019 is around the corner. Of course these all are desirable items but if you know Omega will produce nearly the same watches at multiple times in the future, then price really matters, on both the primary and secondary markets.

Please don't give them any more ideas.... although I would definitely buy a Pole Vault Limited Edition Speedy. (love pole vaulting).

Pythonos41 · Jul 24, 2018

I really want this Panda Speedmaster (without the 2020 olympics engravings). Would everyone be super mad if Omega put it in regular production? Or would everyone not care because you can get a super awesome watch without having to jump through hoops.........expensive hoops?

arcadelt · Jul 25, 2018

dennisthemenace
And while I'm here, am I the only one that doesn't see a stepped dial on any of these?

Yep, not seeing a step either.

eugeneandresson · Jul 25, 2018

Mouse_at_Large
Not so far fetched. After all, the Flik Flak design team are part of the Swatch Group and are probably champing at the bit to get into it 😲

(I have now stopped making sense 😁)

...but...speedmaster...

Riviera Paradise · Jul 25, 2018

ACE jewelers have put together a good collage of modern Speedy LEs released during the last decade 2008-2018. Although some LE designs are repeated (they do include both the single and collection set versions), when you look at the image below I think you do get a good idea as to how Omega have dramatically accelerated Speedy LE releases since 2017.😁

36967883_437706523373534_5969649742781612032_n(1).jpg

jhross98 · Jul 25, 2018

Riviera Paradise
ACE jewelers have put together a good collage of modern Speedy LEs released during the last decade 2008-2018. Although some LE designs are repeated (they do include both the single and collection set versions), when you look at the image below I think you do get a good idea as to how Omega have dramatically accelerated Speedy LE releases since 2017.😁

i really think its as simple as . . they are cool watches but there's no way they will hold value over time now. if you like to wear 'em buy 'em.

Riviera Paradise · Jul 25, 2018

jhross98
i really think its as simple as . . they are cool watches but there's no way they will hold value over time now. if you like to wear 'em buy 'em.

Spot on mate. My viewpoint as well.

I currently have the Apollo XI-45th and ST#1 LE's. Pretty sure that next year's Apollo 11 50th will be the last Speedy Pro in my collection, ever...and even then it would have to be pretty compelling from a design POV to make me pull the trigger.

When I look at the LE collage I do think the Apollo XI-45th might be one of the more unique designs that they will not repeat in future LEs...probably the 2012 LE will also be a one off as it was a bomb from a sales perspective.

blokk · Jul 25, 2018

Riviera Paradise
ACE jewelers have put together a good collage of modern Speedy LEs released during the last decade 2008-2018. Although some LE designs are repeated (they do include both the single and collection set versions), when you look at the image below I think you do get a good idea as to how Omega have dramatically accelerated Speedy LE releases since 2017.😁

2018 seems over exaggerated with the Olympic Speedmaster. It's after all the same design?

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Speedmasters

abrod520

eugeneandresson

whitewolf777

sgrossma

Mouse_at_Large

Mouse_at_Large

LeonDeBayonne

Joshes

guelerct

Riviera Paradise

gemini4

sdre

repoman

Pythonos41

arcadelt

eugeneandresson

Riviera Paradise

jhross98

Riviera Paradise

blokk

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