Explorer vs. OP 39 pricing policy

[Robbyman]

Originally Posted by SearChart

Hmm, I really like the basic clasp of the OP with the engraved crown.

I have watches with both clasps including the OP39 and I have to say I think the OP clasp is really cool. Although well built and solid it has an old school design about it that I really like.

So to answer the the question I don’t think the Explorer is really with the extra and it is just product positioning.

Remember the OP went up Everest and the Explorer did not. The OP also leads in waterproof case etc and general history. Even the Subs and GMTs etc have OP on the dial.

OP is a cool thing and with such history i prefer it to the usurper.

[Robbyman]

Originally Posted by Dalton121

A lot of it comes down to the Explorer name. It's an iconic Rolex model and there is value attached to that DNA.

OP is more iconic name, nobody apart from watch people have really heard of the Explorer.

The OP name on the other hand is everywhere. Just look on your Sub or GMT....you will find the Oyster Perpetual name.

[mickeymousewatch]

both are 39mm but are the lug-to-lug sizes the same for both?
do they wear the same on one's wrist?

wish they'd update the movement as on the dj 41 - higher power reserve... that would be the ideal watch for me.

[zengineer]

Originally Posted by Robbyman

OP is more iconic name, nobody apart from watch people have really heard of the Explorer.

The OP name on the other hand is everywhere. Just look on your Sub or GMT....you will find the Oyster Perpetual name.

Nobody buys a new Submariner and starts a thread titled "Incoming, pictures of my new Oyster Perpetual"

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[037]

Originally Posted by mickeymousewatch

both are 39mm but are the lug-to-lug sizes the same for both?
do they wear the same on one's wrist?

The Explorer and OP39 share the same case. Dimensions are therefore identical and they wear the same.

[myporsche]

Originally Posted by accountank2000

Forget that we are talking about two specific Rolex models and that you are on a enthusiast's forum where everyone is a nerd about model numbers and history etc.

Here's your question:

A company sells two 39mm watches.

One is the most basic and cheapest 39mm model they make.

The other has a better clasp on its bracelet, has a different dial and hands design (Mercedes and some Arabic numbers, more lume, less basic-looking) and a different bezelwhich you might or might not prefer.

The company chooses to charge two different prices for the two different watches it offers, though they are broadly similar (one is 15% higher than the other, not an order of magnitude different). An individual dealer might offer a discount on one, the other, both, or neither, based on supply and demand factors from time to time.

Now the big question:
[drum roll]

Are they "justified" in having an RRP of two different (but similar) prices for two different (but similar) products?

?

Yes, of course they are.

The most obvious point is that they are luxury goods - and luxury goods are often priced at prices that can seem irrational but are broadly to do with whatever the market will bear in either the short term or long term depending on the brand's strategy.

There are probably more subtle (perhaps less relevant) points too.

If you think you would rather pay x for one than y for the other, you'll likely vote with your wallet. There are plenty of other companies who have one product at price x and another similar-but-different product at price y. Do you want this one at 20k or that one at 23k, do you want this one at 50k or the other at 58k, this house at 200k or that similar one on a different plot at 230k. Anything can be justified, but especially in luxury goods.

Well said. If you are looking for most value for your money and buying with your wallet you probably shouldn't be shopping for a Rolex.

[Robbyman]

Originally Posted by zengineer

Nobody buys a new Submariner and starts a thread titled "Incoming, pictures of my new Oyster Perpetual"

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You missed the point by a mile there.

[GradyPhilpott]

As a side-note, I think that it should be pointed out that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summited Everest with Oyster Perpetuals, not Explorers, as many have come to believe, although the Explorer was based on the specially built OPs.

The Explorer was introduced the same year as a tribute to the men and their achievement.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/fo...e-pics-details

https://blog.crownandcaliber.com/mount-everest-watches/

https://www.thehourglass.com/news/3-...mount-everest/

[zengineer]

Originally Posted by Robbyman

You missed the point by a mile there.

That's entirely possible. I thought you were suggesting that OP was an iconic name. My point was that I don't really think it is that widely known or used except for the basic OP referances.

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[R G]

Doesn’t really matter about the pricing and what’s justifiable.

It’s a ‘luxury’ product and in reality, Rolex will continually sell overpriced (yes, my opinion) watches to those who’ll keep buying.

[SimonUK82]

Originally Posted by Robbyman

I have watches with both clasps including the OP39 and I have to say I think the OP clasp is really cool. Although well built and solid it has an old school design about it that I really like.

So to answer the the question I don’t think the Explorer is really with the extra and it is just product positioning.

Remember the OP went up Everest and the Explorer did not. The OP also leads in waterproof case etc and general history. Even the Subs and GMTs etc have OP on the dial.

OP is a cool thing and with such history i prefer it to the usurper.

I am viewing this watch at an AD in two days (when it arrives) and this picture has just made me drool .



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[Nadster]

It's all marketeers playing up what's hot right now. The OP is marketed as a lower price point watch with the classic stick indices. The Explorer is marketed with the sport watches that command a higher price nowadays. The hot watches today are just about anything with a rotating bezel. A few years from now it will be some other equivalent of a shiny object that fancy watch collectors the marketeers will exploit.

[ivanos]

I believe when most people pay up such amount on a watch, the price difference between the Exp and OP shall not be a major decision influencer. What matters more may be the difference in first the aesthetics and second the clasp.

[BillA]

OP
What did you finally decide?

[BillA]

The Expl has more “pop” in the dial
However, the grape is interesting on the OP

[dafuture]

I personally feel it's worth it, if not just for the style alone. Beyond that, you get the history and a host of small upgrades to boot. If you're buying a Rolex from an AD, surely the last $850 isn't that much of a dent in your pocket?

[zengineer]

A few hundred for the better clasp, a few hundred for the slightly more involved dial and $99.95 for the history and you're there.

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[Jerry98vert]

The OP in blue is very classy.

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by SearChart

Hmm, I really like the basic clasp of the OP with the engraved crown.

Great pic. Totally agree. Love the clasp on my OPs. Love the sound it makes when it clicks on.

[blue997]

The issue is that at the Rolex price point, value doesn't really play a role. Someone who can afford a £4350 watch can afford a £5000 watch. I wonder if there's an a economist who has studied this. The same thing seems to happen with cars. Once you reach a certain level of unnecessary expense, all logic flies out the window and then you've got Porsche charging hundreds of dollars for silly stuff like colored seatbelts and colored crests on the wheels.

[brandrea]

One’s an Explorer and the other is an OP. The price is based mostly on where Rolex crosses to position the reference.

[SkyJuice]

When it comes to luxury items, its hard to justify price. A good example would be the big price difference for a BLNR vs LN versions in the grey market.

[watchwatcher]

Well, try sourcing the clasp and hands to put on the OP and let us know how much that costs you.