How is panerai pricing? (and others too)

[RogerF]

It seems to me that the entire WIS world seems to cry bloody murder everytime Rolex has a price increase. But from what I have heard from my Panerai friends (yes I have a lot of them that want me to convert), Panerai prices have risen at an alarming rate over the past 3 years as well.

What about other brands?

[JJ Irani]

I've known Omega to have the occasional price hike, but maybe not as high as Rolex went up this time.

The problem is we concentrate so much on Rolex, Rolex and Rolex all the time, that we miss out on other brands. Wonder why we go on with this Rolex business all the time....perhaps we should diversify!! Is this me talking? Hang on, I'll just get some of my electronics checked!!

[madformac]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

The problem is we concentrate so much on Rolex, Rolex and Rolex all the time

You mean "you" and not "we"

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Wonder why we go on with this Rolex business all the time

"You" again...

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Hang on, I'll just get some of my electronics checked!!

YES!!!!!!!!

[madformac]

I've not been a Panerai customer long enough to know but I do know that I paid the equivilent of a Sub Date for my first PAM. Obviously this is a recent thing as I'm guessing as the PAM name grows so does the list price..

[mike]

I believe Omega pricing has increased quite a bit on the newer models with the co-axial movement.
It's my understanding Omega has made no seceret about going "upscale"--what ever that means--in an effort to go after Rolex territory.
I believe I saw an MSRP of the Planet Ocean Chrono in the $5700 USD range.

I looked at several Maurice Lacroix examples over $5500 USD with one LE in the $28,000 range.

[haakon59]

I think just about all mechanical watches have risen in price quite a bit the last three years or so. My guess is that it's a combination of pressures at work:
1. If you are in US, the dollar has sunk quite a bit relative to the Euro and many other currencies.
2. Mechanical watches are enjoying a revival in demand, so manufacturers, seeing a bit of strengthening in their market, have decided to charge more.
3. Quite a few quality/technical improvements have been made the last few years and these things usually signify a price rise.
4. Swatch, announcing they planned to restrict the use of ETA movements to their own companies have started a trend towards manufacture movements and with the research and design of just one movement averaging around $1,000,000.00, I would guess that the industry as a whole feels the need to recoop their investment while they can.

It isn't just Rolex who is raising prices either--I think all mechanical watch brands have made pretty hefty price changes. Rolex, I would think, would have a chance to increase their profitability margins since they have been using their own movements (pretty much) all along.

Originally Posted by madformac

You mean "you" and not "we"



"You" again...

Thanks for saying it so I don't have to...

Originally Posted by RogerF

It seems to me that the entire WIS world seems to cry bloody murder everytime Rolex has a price increase. But from what I have heard from my Panerai friends (yes I have a lot of them that want me to convert), Panerai prices have risen at an alarming rate over the past 3 years as well.

What about other brands?

Not the entire WIS world Roger.......I couldn't care less what the price of a Rolex is.

[dman]

Originally Posted by RogerF

It seems to me that the entire WIS world seems to cry bloody murder everytime Rolex has a price increase. But from what I have heard from my Panerai friends (yes I have a lot of them that want me to convert), Panerai prices have risen at an alarming rate over the past 3 years as well.

What about other brands?

Good and fair question Roger. Panerai prices have been on the rise in the year and a half since I went to only owning PAMs. The price increases have not been double digit percents, or even accross the board on all models.

This year the historic line was not majorly effected by the increase, more of the contemporary models.

Alot of people think they are overpriced since they use a "pedestrian" base movement. That is their opinion and a fair statement.

Others, myself included love the look, relative limited quanities and unique community that goes along with the Panerai brand.

I am saddened to say that most of these brands are pricing me out of new models. But I guess that is what the secondary market is for.

[dman]

Originally Posted by Avalon

Not the entire WIS world Roger.......I couldn't care less what the price of a Rolex is.

Consider that about five years ago a Panerai 111 was priced at about CDN$3500 BNIB plus 15% tax and you could get a decent discount.

Now a 111 goes for (I think) $5300 plus tax, no discount. Almost a $2K jump in five years on one of their most popular models.

To be fair, other models have seem smaller increases, but it seems to me Panny increases are about the same as inflation, at least over the past 1.5 to 2 years.

Since I only buy on the secondary market, the affects on me have been minimal.