zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

The past few years, Omega has been on the course of raising prices. Going Upmarket so to say. To support this, they've released new movements, added new models, improved quality and discontinued lower end models. This has happened over the past 3 or 4 years. At one point, they actually caught themselves offguard by raising prices too much. This can be seen in the $1200 price difference between the Speedmaster Broad Arrow and the Seamaster America's Cup Chronograph. Both with the same movement, with the Seamaster ACC being 300 meters Water Resistant rather than 100 meters for the Broad Arrow. The Seamaster America's Cup Chronograph was originally set to come out with a much higher price. Then they realized it was a bad strategy with the downturn of the economy. A large disparity can also be seen between the DeVille Co-Axial Chronometer and the Seamaster Aqua Terra Chronometer. The later having more water resistance and a Sapphire Caseback.

I've not heard anything about the Aqua Terra prices going up, and I doubt it will happen in January. It could be a bluff by the sales person.

Currently, the Seamaster Professional finds itself situated as the least expensive mechanical model in the entire Omega line-up. I'm guessing Omega will revamp the model in the next year or two, probably with the Co-Axial Esacapement. If so, I would expect the price to rise $900 - $1000. I think it is rare that Omega actually raises the price on a set model. What we've seen from them in the past four years or more is higher prices on new models. Occassionally they will raise the price on an existing model, but usually find some modification to justify it, such as the latest bracelet on the Speedmaster Pro, mostly cosmetic changes on the Speedmaster Pro X-33, or the addition of the Sapphire Crystal for the Speedmaster Pro w/Display Back model 3573.50.00. Each of those rose in increments of $300 over the past few years. The Aqua Terra was just released last year, and I don't expect them to make any changes to justify a price increase. In fact, they've added new models to the line, and the prices have remained the same. Those models are the Railmaster, the Silver Dial - Blue Hands, and the Silver Dial - 18k Rose Gold Hands (which would have been justification enough to jack up the price a couple hundred dollars).

I'm guessing prices are safe on the Aqua Terra for now. If they do raise in January, they won't all go up overnight. There will still be stock at the older prices in the Distribution Network. Omega does not decide to raise it's prices, then call all the Dealers and have them change the sticker prices in their display cases. It doesn't work that way. You should have time to find what you want at the lower price.

I'll post if I hear anything from my Dealer about prices going up.