zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

I was home this afternoon as I wasn't feeling well and suspected I might be contagious. Telecommuting allowed me to still be productive.

But, I had a couple of minutes to update my "original cost" data inflation adjustment. As you know, the Omega Vintage Database often includes the retail cost of a watch at a certain date and in a certain currency. I have also grabbed original cost data from a few other sources.

But knowing what a watch cost in 1925 in French Francs is not particularly helpful. But if you know the exchange rate at that time into US Dollars (which I have captured) and you can make CPI-based inflation adjustments, then you have something meaningful, at least in theory. It's a simple calculation in my database.

I have data on 46 Omega watches. The data did not paste in well from my database and spreadsheet, but the layout is consistent

>>Description

>>Original cost year; Original cost currency (CHF Swiss Franks, FF French Francs, DM Deutchmarks, USD US Dollars); Original cost amount

>>Foreign currency/US Dollars exchange rate at the time

>>Inflation factor -- how much prices have increased per the CPI

>>Equivalent prices after currency translation in today's US dollars

Like comparing sports figures -- and sports figures salaires from different eras, it is hard to say what is a good comparison.

PRE WAR INNOCENCE and HARD TIMES OF WAR

Watches are cheap -- less than $500 in todays money.

1) 1924 Omega ladies OJ 716 AI manual, 14kYG/green lizard, gold aged (23.7 T2)

1925 FF 750.00

20.98 French francs per US dollar

11.90 US prices have increased this much since 1924

$426.00 equivalent price today

What would a ladies manual wind 14k gold watch cost today?

2) 1934 Omega Tank CK 891 AL manual, SS/leather, white face/subsecond (20F)

1933 FF 525.00

19.88

16.02

$423.00

Ten years later, a mens steel watch cost as much as the ladies gold watch did!

3) 1943 Omega 30 T2 CK 2902 manual, YGP14k/black leather, black redial/subsecond (30 T2)

1943 CHF 137.00

4.30

12.04

$384.00

Wartime prices were driven down, I suppose.

POST WAR ERA

Prices are driven up by automatic winding and date complications -- and especially by limited edition premium watches -- too modern levels in equivalent dollars.

4) 1947 Omega Cosmic Moonphase CO 2486 manual, 14kRGP/leather, silvered redial/1st year (27 DL PC)

1958 CHF 345.00

4.29

7.21

$580.00

A very complicated watch for Omega and for its day, Omega's first date watch -- they went for the complete calendar and moonphase, too! Relatively expensive compared to the 30 T2 of four years before.

5) 1947 Omega hybrid F 6212 bumper auto, 14kYGF/leather, Art Deco white/subsecond (28.1 RA PC)

1949 CHF 225.00

4.29

8.75

$459.00

Automatics were expensive, apparently, as this time only watch is in shouting distance of the Cosmic.

6) 1948 Omega Centenary OT 2500 auto 1, 18kYG/leather, gold face/Jubilee watch (30.10 RA PC AM JUB)

1948 USD 450.00

1.00

8.64

$3,889.00

Wow! This one makes me wonder about some of the other calculations. Omega really charged a premium for their first automatic chronometer, and their 100th anniversary watch. But consider that the Musuem Re-edition of this watch has a MSRP of about $8,000 . . ..

7) 1949 Omega Automatic Chronometre OT 2514 auto, 18kYG/leather, gold redial/gold indices index reg. (343)

1949 CHF 680.00

4.29

8.75

$1,387.00

One year later an automatic chronometer is one-third the cost? Smaller size and not the first one, and not an anniversary edition. I wonder if part of the difference is the huge duties the US charged at the time.

8) 1951 Omega bumper auto, 14kYG/leather, black face/sweep second (351)

1949 CHF 475.00

4.29

8.75

$969.00

Chronometer grade movement, but not certified. Automatic prices have declined.

INTO THE FIFTIES

Prices per watch remain generally above $500 each with premium pieces commanding large premiums, as in the Deluxe and Grand Luxe Connies.

9) 1952 Omega hybrid N 6555 manual, 14kYG/leather, black face/subsecond (302)

1961 USD 145.00

1.00

6.97

$1,010.00

Manual wind -- not sure why the premium price. Again, perhaps the differential is due to US duties.

10) 1952 Omega Seamaster Calendar CO 2627 auto,14kGP/SS, white face/date @ 6 (353)

1954 CHF 350.00

4.29

7.74

$632.00

Bumper auto #8 above was more money without a date in 1949, but it was 18k gold and this is gold capped. Prices seem to continue to drop.

11) 1953 Omega Seamaster Deluxe OT 14324 auto, 18kYG/leather, hooded lugs/chronometer (352)

1954 CHF 900.00

4.29

7.74

$1,625.00

Premium price for a premium watch . . . what would an 18k gold cased time only subsecond chronometer cost today. And remember, these are the MSRP prices, before bargaining.

12) 1954 Omega bumper F6266 auto, 14kYGF/leather, black face/subsecond (344)

1953 USD 71.50

1.00

7.80

$558.00

Average gold capped watch, average sort of price.

13) 1956 Omega Constellation De Luxe OT 2799 auto, 18kYG/18kYG mesh, mirrored gold/sterling box (354)

1954 CHF 2,690.00

4.29

7.74

$4,855.00

This is a price on an 18k bracelet for a Constellation Deluxe. By comparison, the Hour Vision on bracelet is $20,000 today.

14) 1957 Omega Ladymatic 2940 auto, SS/SS, white/1st ladies rotor auto (455)

1960 CHF 260.00

4.32

7.04

$424.00

Ladies watches seem to be cheaper than mens, or perhaps because this is steel.

15) 1958 Omega Constellation Grand Luxe OT 2930 auto, 18kYG/18kYG, mirrored stepped gold/brickworks (505)

1958 CHF 3300.00

4.29

7.0276

$5,544.00

The modern version of the brickworks bracelet in steel, which has 10 times fewer parts, is $2,000.

OMEGA's GOLDEN DECADE THE 1960s

Omega thrives and charges premium prices (for the day) for their watches

16) 1961 Omega Constellation CK 14393 auto, SS/SS grains of rice, black pie pan/date (561)

1960 CHF 395.00

4.32

7.04

$643.00

The extragance of the Grand Luxe is shown by the comparison with this steel Connie of only two years later.

17) 1964 Omega Seamaster De Ville KL 6610 auto, 14kYG/leather, white crosshair/date (560)

1967 USD 185.00

1.00

6.24

$1,154.00

A premium price for a non-chronometer 17 jewel watch

18) 1966 Omega Jewelry manual, 18kWG rectangular/18kWG, silver/backwinder 8 diamonds (690)

1966 CHF 3,090.00

4.33

6.43

$4,588.00

Jewelry and diamonds . . .

19) 1968 Omega Seamaster WG Day Date BC 168.0023 auto, 18kWG/18kWG, silver/chronometer expansion bracelet (751)

1971 CHF 1,335.00

4.11

5.14

$1,671.00

This price is for the watch head on a strap, not including the 18k WG bracelet. The bracelet would likely have doubled the price.

THE END OF AN ERA -- FASHION EXCESS AS MECHANICALS DIE -- THE 1970s

Prices slide a bit -- but chronographs are the high priced items, along with jewelry

20) 1970 Omega De Ville Ladymatic BA 751.0253 auto, 18kYG/18kYG textured, gold face (661)

1967 CHF 540.00

4.33

6.24

$778.00

No diamonds, much more reasonable price -- even with an automatic.

21) 1970 Omega Ladymatic auto, 14kYGF/leather, white face, sweep second/date (680)

1971 CHF 300.00

4.11

5.14

$375.00

No gold bracelet and case and the price drops more than half.

22) 1970 Omega Seamaster Memomatic ST 166.0072 auto, SS/leather, gray-black/minute alarm date (980)

1975 CHF 600.00

2.58

3.87

$900.00

Obsolete within a few years of introduction, Omega and Lemania perfected the mechanical alarm too late.

23) 1972 Omega F300hz 198.0045 tuning fork, 14kYGP/leather gold-brown/day-date chronometer (1260)

1972 CHF 550.00

3.82

4.98

$717.00

Tuning forks were adopted by Omega too late and they could not charge premium prices for soon to be outmoded technology.

24) 1973 Omega Jewelry AA 7874 R manual,14kYG/14kYG mesh, textured gold/ marquise 28 diamonds (485)

1974 USD 750.00

1.00

4.23

$3,169.00

Omega can still charge for diamonds & gold!

25) 1973 Omega Speedmaster 125 ST 378.0801 auto,SS/SS, black/Jubilee watch chronograph/chronometer (1041)

1975 CHF 820.00 or about USD 320

2.58

3.87

$1,231.00

125th anniversary watch of gargantuan dimensions, almost unwearable until today. Not an expensive watch in relative terms -- quartz was already hurting pricess

26) 1974 Omega Speedsonic 388.0800 tuning fork, SS/SS, mirror gray/tuning fork chrono (1255)

1977 CHF 980.00 or about USD 410

2.40

3.44

$1,404.00

Interesting that the tuning fork chrono was more than the Speedy 125.

EIGHTIES OMEGA GOES HIGH END QUARTZ, THEN BANKRUPT

Omega tries ridiculously expensive high end quartz and mechanicals while cutting prices of everything else to survive. It's not pretty.

27) 1981 Omega Equinoxe 386.0813 quartz, SS/SS, reversible chronograph/timer analog/digital (1655)

1982 CHF 1,500.00

2.03

2.16

$1,595.00

Cool quartz experiement watch -- two sided movement essentially a quartz Reverso with digital and analogue displays.

28) 1981 Omega La Magique 191.8523Z quartz, 18kYG/leather brown/mystery dial (1357)

1982 CHF 6,250.00 or about USD 3,100

2.03

2.16

$6,646.00

Premium price for a premium watch. Sells today for a fraction of the original cost.

29) 1983 Omega Phase de Lune Or BA 156.0002 auto, 18kYG/leather, engraved silvered/ moonphase triple date (715)

1987 CHF 6,590.00

1.49

1.83

$8,110.00

Omega's last gasp attempts at high end watches before the descent -- in house movements, limited editions, very high quality. Compare this to #4 Cosmic for USD 580 in today's dollars, a watch with the same functions, manual wind versus this automatic. Hard to pay $7,500 for automatic winding. It hasn't held its value at all.

30) 1985 Omega Speedmaster Mark V ST 376.0806 auto, SS/SS, black/Teutonic (1045)

1985 CHF 1,100.00

2.46

1.94

$866.00

Automatic chronographs are cheaper than the #25 Speedy 125 now, $900 versus $1200. Try finding a Mark V for this price! rarity of a desivable watch carries a premium.

31) 1986 Omega Speedmaster Teutonic Moon ST 345.081 manual, TT 18kYG/TT 18kYG brushed, white/moonphase (866)

1987 DM 4,950.00

1.80

1.83

$5,048.00

Rarity of a desirable watch carries a premium. This one would get this price today and then some.

32) 1988 Omega Seamaster Polaris 1/100th 382.1231/2493 quartz, 18kYGSS/18kYGSS, black/chronograph-date (1670)

1990 CHF 2,360.00

1.39

1.59

$2,706.00

A rarity in its day, this watch is not that unusual now.

OMEGA RE-EMERGES IN THE 1990s WITH HITS AND MISSES

Omega adapts to the premium mechanical wristwatch market with a few hits and many misses. Prices are astronomical in historical terms.

33) 1991 Omega Louis Brandt II 5331.30 chronograph auto, 18kYG/leather, white Clous de Paris guilloche/decorated mvmt (1158)

1991 CHF 9,200.00

1.44

1.53

$9,771.00

Louis Brandt watches of the second 1990s ETA-based collection don't command a premium, although they are fine and well executed watches. MISS

34) 1991 Omega Louis Brandt II Date 5311.30 auto, 18kYG/leather, white guilloche/21k rotor (1119)

1991 CHF 5,800.00

1.44

1.53

$6,160.00

Louis Brandt watches of the second 1990s ETA-based collection don't command a premium, although they are fine and well executed watches. MISS

35) 1991 Omega Louis Brandt II Perpetual 175.0200 auto, 18kYG/black leather, white Clous de Paris guilloche/decorated mvmt (1116)

1994 CHF 14,000.00

1.37

1.41

$14,363.00

Louis Brandt watches of the second 1990s ETA-based collection don't command a premium, although they are fine and well executed watches. MISS

36) 1997 Omega Seamaster Professional Chrono-Diver 2296.80.00 auto,TT RG/TT RG, blue wave/date-double chrono (1164)

2002 CHF 6600

1.56

1.157865

$4,900.00

Significant premium for the rose gold; compare #40 below. Three years after introduction and Watch of the Year award. HIT

37) 1998 Omega De Ville Prestige Tonneau 4653.31 auto, 18kYG/leather, white sunburst/jump hour (1221)

1998 CHF 5,100.00

1.45

1.28

$4,496.00

This one never caught on and can't get this price today. MISS

38) 2001 Omega Speedmaster Rattrapante ST 377.320/3540.30 auto, SS/SS, silver/X-33 case (3600)

2001 CHF 5,300.00

1.69

1.18

$3,689.00

This one never caught on and can't get this price today. MISS

THE NEW CENTURY -- TODAYS OMEGA -- MOONWATCHES, COAXIAL AND MUSEUM

Today, Omega's prices are high (very very high) in historical terms, but are appropriate relative to the market. Omega is still a good value.

Nonetheless, it is difficult to compare a Deville Coaxial cased in steel on a steel bracelet (albeit an expensive one) at $3,860 is today's dollar s with a 1960s Constellation cased in steel on a steel bracelet which cost the equivalent of $643, or 1/6th as much.

39) 2002 Omega Museum 1951 Cosmic 5701.80.03 auto, 18kRG/leather, blue/triple date-moonphase (2601)

2002 USD 7,850.00

1.00

1.16

$9,089.00

Five years later and Omega still has this limited edition available. Omega showed it could tastefully mine its heritage.

40) 2003 Omega Seamaster Professional Chrono-Diver 2298.80.00; TI 378.0504.400 auto,TT/TT, blue wave/date-double chrono (1164)

2003 CHF 4,100.00

1.35

1.13

$3,438.00

Worth the money.

41) 2003 Omega Speedmaster Professional 3578.51.00 manual, SS/SS, Snoopy dial/caseback (1861)

2005 USD 3,195.00

1.00

1.09

$3,484.00

Same price as the plain one today.

42) 2004 Omega Speedmaster Triple Date 3523.30 auto, SS/SS, silver/triple date-chronograph-24hr (1151)

2004 USD 2,235.00

1.00

1.10

$2,465.00

A relative bargain, now replaced by the significantly more expensive chronometer verison of the same movement, the calibre 3606. .

43) 2006 Omega De Ville coaxial 4531.31.00 auto, SS/SS silvered white/brickworks chronometer (2500)

2006 USD 3,760.00

1.00

1.03

$3,860.00

$2,000 bracelet on $1,900 watch? Seems a bargain, if you think the bracelet is worth it.

44) 2006 Omega De Ville coaxial GMT 4533.31.00 auto, SS/SS silvered white/brickworks GMT chronometer (2628)

2007 USD 5,700.00

1.00

1.00

$5,700.00

Seems a lot for the GMT, but the current MSRP on the date is now much larger -- $4,300?

45) 2006 Omega Seamaster GMT 2538.20 auto, SS/SS, white GMT (1128)

2006 USD 2,500.00

1.00

1.03

$2,567.00

The Great White -- is it worth an extra $3,100 for a bracelet and coaxial?

46) 2007 Omega Speedmaster 50th Anniversary Patch 311.30.42.30.01.001 manual, SS/SS, black w/patch/chronograph (1861)

2007 USD 4,000.00

1.00

1.00

$4,000.00

Seems steep -- good thing our AD discounts! MISSED OPPORTUNITY!

What are your comments on the scattering of prices over time? Watches today are more expensive than they have ever been in terms of purchasing power.