zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: isn't an extra $450 savings worth buying it from Ashford,
: or should I buy it from a proper dealer?

Therein lies the great dillema. While there are a number of advantages to buying from an authorized dealer, it gets hard to say that those advantages are worth $450. That's where Omega and the authorized dealers need to ante up to the bar and offer some REAL and TANGIBLE differences for the premium you pay over the unauthorized dealers that Omega is unable or unwilling to shut down.

But there is still hope for going through the authorized dealer channel! Try this, print out the Ashford.com listing with the price and take that to the authorized dealer. Tell them this is their competition. Ask them what they can do to win your business away from this large, publicly traded, nationally advertised watch dealer who offers a warranty that far exceeds the Omega manufacturer's warranty. If the salesman does not give you a satisfactory answer, speak to the store manager.

Ultimately, either they will offer a deal you find worthwhile, or they lose your business to Ashford. Its that simple.

While I do not endorse unauthorized dealers, neither can I deny the realities of the current state of the watch industry. Manufacturers like Omega have three choices to handle the survival of the authorized dealer network in the current environment:
1. kill the gray market by aggressively cutting off their sources,
2. kill the gray market by offering REAL and TANGIBLE benefits to buying from authorized dealers that the unauthorized dealers cannot reproduce or match,
3. or simply fall victim to their failure to do either #1 or #2.

I would very much like to see Omega come out on top by doing #2. This way, the value of the premium watch brands, the prestige of ownership of a finer watch, the confidence of the watch buying public, and the stability of the luxury watch industry will all be protected. And that benefits all concerned -- Omega and all current and future Omega watch owners.