Re: Overpriced...
: The problem with the DeVille line is that it is
: generally considered to be overpriced. For
: example, the standard DeVille model has the
: exact same 2500 movement that is in the Aqua
: Terra (which also looks great as a dress
: watch). The Aqua Terra is $2850 on a
: bracelet, while the DeVille is $3580 on a
: strap. The Aqua Terra has a screw-down crown
: with 150 meters of water resistance and a
: sapphire caseback, both of which are lacking
: on the DeVille. So, what do you really get
: from the DeVille for that extra $700? Some
: feel the dial is nicer, but I think it's
: really a matter of personal preference.
: The DeVille line was the first to use the
: co-axial escapement. When it was first
: launched, Omega overpriced the line, as they
: were promoting the benefits of the co-axial.
: Two years later they released the Aqua Terra
: line at a much lower price, and that line
: quickly became a big seller for Omega. You
: get far more "bang for the buck"
: from an Aqua Terra than you do from a
: DeVille.
: To this day, Omega's behavior regarding the
: DeVille line really confuses me. It is
: already their most pricey line, yet every
: year when prices go up, the DeVilles
: increase in price more than any other line.
: As an example, the base DeVille went up $385
: this year, while the Aqua Terra went up $55.
: If Omega isn't selling tons of DeVilles at
: the current prices, why do they keep raising
: the prices so much year after year? Clearly
: there isn't a great demand for DeVilles in
: the marketplace (at least not here in the
: US). Whenever I walk into an AD, I'm lucky
: to see one or two DeVilles among all the
: Seamasters, Speedmasters, and
: Constellations. If Omega is selling lots of
: DeVilles, I'd like to know who's buying
: them.
: In a long-winded way I'm trying to say that the
: DeVilles don't offer the great value for the
: money that many other Omega models do.
Price differentials can make the difference and you are right that the DeVille line is more money. For some strange reason I didn't pay much attention to this important fact when I was looking at the DeVille--I just didn't compare it's prices to what you get with the also attractive Aqua Terra which has the exact same movement. The difference in prices between the Yellow Gold seems about $200.00 (leather strap)and with the ss more than that. Guess that I should have compared the two lines but I didn't. Great answer--thanks for pointing this out for me. That was certainly a huge gaping hole in my analysis!
