I was showing a friend this vintage Omega ad I have, and they saw the footnote (lower left) and asked "What Omega cost $10,000 back then??"



And I realized I had no idea! I always just thought "oh, some bespoke complication stuff or something". But friend is right that it would actually be super interesting to know what Omega watches were considered top of the top high horology back then.

Tried to do some light digging online but of course, none of the vintage price lists such as on old-omegas.com go up that high (or even in the four digits!) Figured if anyone knew, they'd be in OF.

Excited to learn more if anyone has has any insight! Not even just on the $10k watch-- curious to explore any watches that sold into the thousands back then

Cheers

 

Perhaps a solid gold Constellation Deluxe, but I frankly can't think of any Omega that would have been priced at 10k plus back then. If there was, it would likely have had a solid gold case, bracelet and/or dial and a diamond encrusted bezel. There are certainly a number of Omega models from that period that would fetch multiples of 10k now.

 

Not sure $10k, but probably a deluxe Constellation or a solid gold Cosmic moonphase?

 

That would be $100k now and some costs (like houses) have not been linear either. Probably more like $500k in some respects back then. A lot of money. Interesting to see what it was - maybe some jewels involved or perhaps a special device for time measurement/not a watch as such.

 

A heavily jewelled, gold or platinum watch, every maker made them for the very high end clientele. Often ladies models back then. These are usually 'one off' productions and not in any catalogue.

 

I assumed he was referring to $10k buying power, adjusted for inflation..

Edit: now that I’ve read the footnote in the first image.. I realize that’s not the case.

 

There were some special order platinum and white gold Constellations, including with diamond accents.. that’s the closest I can think of

 

How much was the original MSRP of the Marine Chronometers? Right about 1970 -73 if I remember right.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a solid gold Omega custom made Cloisonné Enamel Dial? perhaps

 

This ad (from The New Yorker, June 4, 1960, p21) indicates that $10K watches have "diamond set cases".

 

Did omega ever make grand complications with repeater, perpetual calendar (moonphase) split seconds chronograph and tourbilon?
Actually the latter would be most likely. Not sure when tourbilon's got popular.
There were also some really precise chronographs. Which I think still hold the record for mechanical accuracy.
I do not think I have ever seen a repeater listed. Omega seems to be more about precision than show (apart from some really flashy ladies jewelry.)

This one has always caught my fancy. It seems to be a concept watch from 1925 Exposition des arts decoratifs in Paris.





This is from the Schiffer 'art' book ISBN 0-7643-0058-X Omega Design (100 years of Omega watches.) This book also features a "Fair Market value" price guide in the appendix (Such coffee table books were popular in the 1990s before the internet.) The most expensive watch was a skelotonized Speedmaster professional with a retail price of 29,000USD. (I think I might have seen this at the Basil fair.) The cheapest 50USD were digital (LCD) watches from the 1980s.
-j

 

By 74 they were around £800. A pint was 22p back then although it was still a bit early for me. Not sure about the launch/ prototype price but I don’t think it topped £3k? I recall someone said it was similar to a Porsche in price when they launched if that gives a clue.

 

The clear answer is the diamond embellishments drove the price of any omega into potentially the 10kk range.

 

Which is ironic since the value of the diamonds used in at most $250 USD.

 

True, but gold and diamonds always increase the price of jewelry and watches far more than the inherent value of those materials, that is why manufacturers like to use them. I've visited various factories over the years and have seen some gaudy, awful stuff, even on watches by top line makers like AP. When asked why they make such stuff we were told "those watches fund the R&D to produce the watches YOU like".

 

Oh I know, it was ever thus and is why today a precious metal Omega such as a platinum Speedy can have an RRP nearly 10x the price of the steel model. And that is before they add a few nasty diamonds.

 

Elegant and practical!

"Yeah, she flipped me the bird at 10:27."

 

I had Canadian Rolex price sheets from 1959 and a 18kt date model with 18kt bracelet was $1000 Canadian

The only watch I could think at that price would be a mans or woman's covered in diamonds end to end

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DON

 

Now I’m curious can you elaborate a bit on the significance of a Stern Freres dial? I will do some searching in the meantime Thank you