Hi Guys,
I find this an interesting question. I don't have an answer. If I did, I'd be able to read the future & would be filling out my entries for next months Lottery :-)
This is "My" take on what may happen.
It has been documented often enough that Omega is "Moving upmarket". This means that prices WILL increase. They may try to reduce availability via fewer, more exclusive dealers or via stricter controls on discounts etc etc.
I don't think there is any doubt that in 5 years, you will be looking at prices & saying "I should have bought that 5 years ago".
I'm sure most of you know that I am NOT a "modern" Omega man. I'm much more into the vintage stuff ( mid 60's - mid 80's ) That doesn't mean that there are no current Omegas that I like. But if the choice is between an Omega for $4000 & at least 6 classics for $4000..... it's a no-brainer for me.
So to be honest, I have relatively little interest in current Omega pricing. EXCEPT
1, It may affect the value & therfore purchase price of vintage watches ( yipee for those I own, Ouch for those I want to own )
2, The people that own or want to own an Omega today are proabaly not the same as those in 5 years.. I LIKE the owners / forum participents from today.
I'm intrigued by the thought/statement that Omega will be producing a range based on earlier classic designs ( everyone start chanting flightmaster, flightmaster..., flightmaster...... )
Going back to earlier sucessful designs & modernising them can & has worked for many many firms from cars, to stereos, to coffee machines, etc etc ( the Chrysler PT cruiser is a GREAT example )
I have read many of Georges posts where he openly & vigourously states his dislike of the Hayek period. I would like to THANK Mr Hayek ( especially if he is reading this ). "Thanks Nick". Without him, his leadership, decisions, support, backup & money, Omega would have gone bankrupt. The name would have possibly been sold to someone else ( not necessarily a Swiss firm ) & who knows what Omega would have been making nowadays.
SO from where I stand, I see a firm that is making a concious decision to regain its "in-house" movement status, will be drawing from it's rich & glorious past ( & don't forget very sucessful past ) & has decided to move back "up-market".
I wasn't around ( or interested in watches ) when Omega was in its "hey-day" ( lets say 40's - 70's ). But I get the impresion that if you owned / wore an Omega in that time, you had an expensive & exclusive watch. Nowadays almost any James Bond / Michael Schumacher / Cindy Lauper Crawford fan can buy an Omega ( no offence meant here )
I wish Omega luck for the future. ( assuming they can get their quality & customer/partner relationships in order )
Steve
