zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

"I paid around $2,600 (pre-tax) for the

Seamaster" "My submariner set me back

5,175.00 (pre-tax)"

And, this is one of the reasons that us here on this and other Omega forums have a "beef" with Rolex. Does it really suprise you that you THINK you have a better watch on your wrist? You paid twice as much for the Sub. Considering that most people have the illusion that if they pay MORE for something, then it has to be a better product. This has been debated here endlessley, and indeed, this site's purpose was to educate people on the whole range of watches and their pros and cons so that we could make informed VALUE decisions, not impulse or decisions based on MARKETING hype.

"i think that is hard for the people on this
: post to comprehend because MOST of you on
: this forum want to say negative things about
: rolex everytime you get the chance-or at
: least try to agree with someone who has.
: this is the only forum i frequent where
: omega owners never want to admit the quality
: of a rolex. i am on rolex forums where the
: members have said in several posts that
: omegas are also great watches-but FEW of the
: members on this forum will ever say that
: about a rolex"

Ok, umm, look at the forum Title - OMEGA forum. WE are a little biased here, but nonetheless for the most part we agree that Rolex makes VERY FINE TIMEPIECES, and give them kudos for making most everyone in the world THINK that Rolex is the best watch in the world. Clearly this is not the case. I too and others here are frequenters on other Omega Formus where usually there is open and intelligent debate about the quality of both brands, in fact, one of the "other" Omega forum moderators swears by his Sea Dweller, and we are ok with that.

Now, to your assertion that you "feel" that your Rolex is just made better. I have an Omega Planet Ocean, that I consider one of the finest dive watches on the market today. Every time I look at it, I am just stunned by the quality of the watch, from the case, to the dial, to the accuaracy of the movement, to the bracelet. Top to bottom, an OUTSTANDING timepiece. In my opinion, throw out the movement of each timepiece, and you have a watch that is EQUAL in all aspects to the quality of the Submariner, with a much greater depth rating. I do not own a Sub, but tried one on Many, Many times before I bought my first Omega. I personally did not feel that there was enough of a quality difference to justify the exorbitant price of the Sub. In fact my realization, as other Omega Owners have come to realize also, is that when buying a Rolex, its like you are buying cash. It is THE most widely recognized watch in the world, and buyers are willing to pay for that notoriaty.

Now, when you make a comment like, most people here bash Rolex and refuse to admit that they make great watches, I feel is simply wrong. What you see is more that Omega owners appreciate the VALUE of their watches more and really see that Rolex's are overpriced and don't mind pointing out that fact (not that Rolex watches are not fine timepieces). I mean, come on, even you have to admit that the Rolex commercial that boasts that each one takes a year to make is simply false advertising, as they are just another mass produced product.

Ok, now to the "movement" issue that I did not address earlier. I think one of the major perceived differences between Omega and Rolex is the quality and robustness of the movements, and the "in-house" build. F. Piguet aside, I personally feel that the Modified ETA 2892-A2 coaxial movement of my Planet Ocean is a very high quality movement. Is it a Rolex 3135? Nope, but a high quality movement. The PO retails for $3400, the sub for $5175, a $1775 difference(Much greater difference with 15-30% discounts offered on the PO). IT DOES NOT COST THAT MUCH MORE TO MFG a 3135 movement, nor is the movement, or the watch, or the company $2000 better. Does "in house" mean anything more? Not to me personally, and if this is such an issue to get hung up on, then why don't SEIKO watches command the same prices as ROLEX? They are all made "in house" too.

By all means, please enjoy both of your watches, and we welcome your comments on your ownership experiences of both, either negative or positive. I just wanted you to know MY opinion on some of your comments, and some of the issues surrounding the Omega v Rolex debate. Personally, I would love to own a Submariner, but for the price of one, I could get a Planet Ocean and a Speedmaster professional(after readily available 20% discounts). I consider the Sub a VERY FINE ICONIC timepiece, but it is NOT better than a Planet Ocean, nor is it better than the equally iconic Speedy Pro, and I would much rather have both of those over one Sub. But thats just my personal opinion.