The Rolex Forums   The Rolex Watch

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX


Go Back   Rolex Forums - Rolex Forum > Rolex & Tudor Watch Topics > Rolex General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 23 April 2019, 06:24 AM   #91
jlovda
"TRF" Member
 
jlovda's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Real Name: John
Location: Midwest
Watch: 5513,1675,216570
Posts: 1,505
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobernet View Post
So, just as an example, you’ve held a Speedmaster and a Daytona and said, “yeah, they’re pretty equal?” I find that really shocking.

I sold my Speedmaster after it sat in a watch box for 3 or 4 years mostly unworn. I’d say the quality, finish, etc difference between the two is dramatic.

I don’t hate Omega at all, but they had devolved into a brand sticking outsourced ETA movements into their cases like so many other lower-mid tier Swiss brands. They bought the escapement from George Daniels, and had ETA build new movements around them with the Omega logo.

I’m sure they want to catch Rolex from a competitive perspective, but the market speaks every day, and it’s not even close.
ETA and Omega are both part of Swatch. Also (I don't the exact year) Rolex movements were made by Aegler, until Rolex bought Aegler.
jlovda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 06:25 AM   #92
Seibei
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: New Zealand
Watch: 114060
Posts: 2,630
Quote:
Originally Posted by JP. View Post
That being said, I think Omega is much better value for money and the movements are very well made. But that doesn't explain why these brands are seen as "rivals". Volkswagen is not considered a rival of Mercedes, Porsche or Jaguar so why should Omega be a rival to Rolex?
Value for money!?!?! Forgive me if I am re hashing something that has already been discussed in this threat but how can you imagine Omega has better value for money?

I have owned and worn my Sub every day for a year now and I could sell it for at least $2000 more than I paid for it. If I sold it today I would in fact be receiving $2000 for wearing the watch for a year. How is that for value for money?

To me, Rolex is simply a better watch for a variety of reasons. That is why I own one and not an Omega.
Seibei is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 06:50 AM   #93
bobernet
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: Bob
Location: Mountains
Watch: ALS, AP, PP, Rolex
Posts: 2,988
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlovda View Post
ETA and Omega are both part of Swatch. Also (I don't the exact year) Rolex movements were made by Aegler, until Rolex bought Aegler.
It’s not an in-house vs. outside point for me. If Sinn and Oris and Breitling and Tag and every other low-mid player was building cases and using Rolex/Aegler movements, I’d agree with you. But they weren’t. That was absolutely the case with Omega until the Daniels license and “in-house” launch.

Omega-Tudor very clearly competitors with very similar (modern) progression.

Omega-Rolex, not so much.
bobernet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 06:55 AM   #94
wesdaniel
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
 
wesdaniel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Real Name: Wes
Location: California
Watch: Varies
Posts: 1,347
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyoverguy View Post
Rolex has mastered marketing to an extent Omega never has.

<snip>
Two very good points in this post. I own a couple of Omega and a few Rolex and, overall, I find them to be very similar in a lot of ways. They both keep great time and their fit and finish is superb.

One thing I will say is that the Omega presentation is miles ahead of the Rolex presentation. I recently got a new Omega and was blown away with the quality of the box and the the overall presentation. Rolex's seems lackluster and boring to me. But, maybe that's intentional.

Somebody mentioned Rolex coming through the quartz crisis much better than Omega and that's true. Rolex has an incredible marketing machine and it has protected its name better than most any other brand - regardless of industry.

Despite (or maybe because of) having the power and size of the Swatch Group behind it, Omega's marketing, brand management and and brand identity just can't compete with Rolex.
wesdaniel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 07:54 AM   #95
mistercoach32
"TRF" Member
 
mistercoach32's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Wisconsin
Watch: SD43
Posts: 894
I am a huge Rolex fan, but I've owned three Omegas (SMP, Speedmaster Pro, and PO). That being said, the only watch I ever regret selling was my Omega PO 42mm Titanium (232.90.42.21.03.001). One of the most comfortable watches I've ever owned. The SMP quality wasn't on par with any Sub I've owned and my Speedmaster Pro didn't get much wrist time at all.
mistercoach32 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 08:40 AM   #96
crazycarlitos
"TRF" Member
 
crazycarlitos's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,909
They were once a rival, decades ago.

That’s no longer true.

I blame the downfall on the quartz movement (1980s ?) and Swatch influence (1998)

Yes, I also own Omega watches. They still make some nice ones, time to time.
Attached Images
 
__________________
crazycarlitos is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 08:59 AM   #97
Paul7
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 898
Quote:
Originally Posted by DasKptl View Post
I've heard that in the 1960s, Omega and Rolex had an equal status--similar prices and similar brand prestiges. Omega was Elvis' favorite watch brand.

But now, Rolex dominates.
I've heard this too. Kudos to Rolex marketing.
Paul7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 11:06 AM   #98
Thanos
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Toronto
Posts: 199
Worst thread ever. Wow. Pathetic replys are embarassing.
Thanos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 04:25 PM   #99
Stevec14
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Real Name: Steve
Location: U.K.
Watch: 321, Snoopy 3
Posts: 4,483
These threads are always a laugh. I’ve had both a ceramic Daytona and own the current CK2998. The 2998 is as well finished as the Daytona and in some ways better. Yes it has a manual movement that hasn’t been updated in years, but it’s an amazing watch at the price point.

I have a 16710 Rolex too, so am a fan of both brands.

Price does not equal better quality in all cases, in fact I’d suggest that many here have never handled an omega. Omega does have the odd swing and miss, but when they get them right they are very good watches.

If I had a gun to my head I’d probably take the new seamaster plus 3 grand over the sub.

Bottom line is there is room for both and if you pick carefully omega make some beautiful pieces.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Stevec14 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 11:05 PM   #100
Jmango
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Real Name: Jerry
Location: New England
Watch: Oh so many...
Posts: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seibei View Post
Value for money!?!?! Forgive me if I am re hashing something that has already been discussed in this threat but how can you imagine Omega has better value for money?

I have owned and worn my Sub every day for a year now and I could sell it for at least $2000 more than I paid for it. If I sold it today I would in fact be receiving $2000 for wearing the watch for a year. How is that for value for money?

To me, Rolex is simply a better watch for a variety of reasons. That is why I own one and not an Omega.
Incorrect. What you are describing here is called appreciation on your investment. The $2k appreciation doesn't have much to do with true value in the context of this thread. Consider this hypothetical: If you had bought your Sub and a Seamaster on the same day, both for $100 and decided to sell them a year later, then you might have sold the Sub for $120 (an appreciation of $20 on your "investment") and the Seamaster for $80 (a depreciation of $20). If I were looking to purchase either of them from you, the Omega would be a better purchase value to me than the Rolex as the two watches are similar in quality and function with one priced $40 less than the other. The $40 difference is the now the established "luxury" cost unless one can clearly define a material difference in quality or function over the other.

Having said that, I feel so lucky in this world that I have the ability to even comment on this "first world" debate. :) My point of view is that of being the proud owner of what I feel is a vast collection (3 Rolex, 2 Breitling, 2 Tag, 1 Seiko, 1 Panerai, 5 Omega). I have never sold a watch I bought as I see value in them all and truly appreciate and am grateful for what I have.

The Omega vs. Rolex thing is almost silly to a certain degree as they are both phenomenal brands that make high quality, luxury timepieces. We are all lucky in this world to not only be able to afford them, but have such a vast variety to choose from. We could all buy a watch a week from today's offerings from Swiss manufacturers and not have a lot of overlap in our individual collections. We are simply living in wonderful times folks and there is a wide world of watches out there to experience. As for me, I love both brands and would have a difficult time choosing between the two.
Jmango is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23 April 2019, 11:18 PM   #101
Dirt
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Brisbane
Watch: DSSD
Posts: 8,064
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevec14 View Post
These threads are always a laugh. I’ve had both a ceramic Daytona and own the current CK2998. The 2998 is as well finished as the Daytona and in some ways better. Yes it has a manual movement that hasn’t been updated in years, but it’s an amazing watch at the price point.

I have a 16710 Rolex too, so am a fan of both brands.

Price does not equal better quality in all cases, in fact I’d suggest that many here have never handled an omega. Omega does have the odd swing and miss, but when they get them right they are very good watches.

If I had a gun to my head I’d probably take the new seamaster plus 3 grand over the sub.

Bottom line is there is room for both and if you pick carefully omega make some beautiful pieces.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Agreed
Dirt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 April 2019, 08:24 PM   #102
zengineer
"TRF" Member
 
zengineer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,588
Interesting to compare the quality, value and technical specs between the brands. I think it's hard to avoid bringing Omega into the discussion about Rolex value. Is a used Sub 4 times as good as a used Seamaster?

I wouldn't call it a rivalry, Rolex and Omega aren't actively participating. It only really exists on internet forums.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
zengineer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 April 2019, 09:00 PM   #103
1William
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: North Carolina
Watch: Rolex/Others
Posts: 47,787
I find Rolex and Omega both fine watches but I do not consider them rivals based on price points. I have never felt that Omega was anything but high quality but I have always been a Rolex fan and have gravitated there more than Omega.
1William is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24 April 2019, 10:44 PM   #104
encarter13
"TRF" Member
 
encarter13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Real Name: Nick
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,613
IMHO, Omega and Breitling are equals and slightly "below" Rolex.
__________________
Instagram - watches_wine
encarter13 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 03:27 PM   #105
tHeTiMeTeLLeR
"TRF" Member
 
tHeTiMeTeLLeR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: The PNW
Posts: 26
Gotta have both imo. The one that made it to the moon and the one that didn’t. Both are signature watches but only one will be worth a lot more than you paid for it. The one that didn’t make it to the moon go figure.
tHeTiMeTeLLeR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 04:04 PM   #106
RolexJoe
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 123
I think overall in terms of watch quality they’re quite equal. In my mind Omega and Rolex divers are on par with each other in terms of finish, features and accuracy. Omega has iconic watches like the Speedmaster just like Rolex has its iconic watches.

What puts Omega as barely lower in the watch brand pecking order for me is their constant releases of “special editions” and their lower price point. Rolex marketing blows Omega’s our of the water and with the steel sports watch shortage their watches hold value better. Omega devalues itself.

Omega should consolidate their watches to fewer variations of each model, stick to more firm pricing, and go on a new marketing campaign. More NASA/astronauts and James Bond, less Nicole Kidman. I’m sure what resonates with many Rolex buyers is the adventurers their watches are associated with (Explorer = Climbing Everest, DSSD = James Cameron, Submariner = Sean Connery Bond, etc.).
RolexJoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 06:58 PM   #107
Singslinger
"TRF" Member
 
Singslinger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: singapore
Posts: 6,424
I always thought Rolex's closest, most obvious competitor was Panerai, and possibly AP.

However, my understanding is that Panerai has lost some popularity in recent years, mainly because fans have become disillusioned with the large number of "limited edition'' models the company has been issuing. Which is a shame because I think it's a great brand with very handsome watches.

As for Omega - I love the brand and actually think the PO Seamaster is better built than the Sub!
Singslinger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 08:36 PM   #108
Patton250
2024 Pledge Member
 
Patton250's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Real Name: Brett
Location: Florida
Watch: 5205R
Posts: 5,160
Quote:
Originally Posted by Verdi View Post
Breguet and Rolex rivals?!!!
No!
Can you name 3-4 models of Breguet without googling?

Breguet is with JLC.



Omega rival to Tag?!
Not at all. Tag is miles away from Omega.

Omega and Rolex, yes they are rivals, only that Rolex has the upper hand in terms of built quality.
They both make divers, dress watches, gmts, chronos....and have long history and model identity/iconic models.
Absolutely 100% right on.

Rolex and Breguet are in two completely different categories.

Breguet is with JLC, Patek, VC, AP. These are serious watch making companies with remarkably complicated handmade movements.

And to the OP since you seem to love Omega so much I would think you would put them at a higher category. Their movements are built every bit as good as Rolex if not better in some cases. So is their finishing. The only reason why prices are so different is because of desirability and demand. Rolex is much more known and more popular for many different reasons but those reasons have zero to do with quality of product. Omega is absolutely equal to Rolex and a higher tier then Tag. And so is Breitling. The new crono movement in Breitling is definitely better than the Daytonas crono. Of course the Daytona is more popular and more well-known and more sought after so the pricing will always be higher. But once again that has zero to do with the quality of the movement, finishing or overall quality of the product.

Enjoy your Seamasters. I think they are outstanding and every bit as cool as the submariner.
__________________
Morality does not derive from consensus. It only comes from one place.

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

Often times unbelief is disguised as wisdom

Instagram - patton250
Patton250 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 08:47 PM   #109
nicon
"TRF" Member
 
nicon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Poland
Watch: 16610
Posts: 341
Because Rolex is now overpriced it doesn't mean it stopped to be Omega rival. Omegas and Rolexes are absolutely comparable in terms of quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot-82BqVlx0
nicon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 08:49 PM   #110
Andad
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
 
Andad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Real Name: Eddie
Location: Australia
Watch: A few.
Posts: 37,533
Quote:
Originally Posted by JP. View Post
I own two Omega Seamasters and I have owned three (yes THREE) Planet Oceans, one black GMT and one Omega SMP Chronograph. I'm a Omega fan... what a GREAT watch brand! There is a lot of things I don't like about Rolex... but it's very difficult to find anything negative to say about Omega (besides that I find their endless "special editions" very cheesy and gimmicky).

But I always found this Rolex vs Omega comparison a bit stupid as they're in very, very different price category. I don't know the retail price for the new Bonds but you can buy a preowned early Bond Seamasters for around 1.3K while 5/6-digit Subs start from around 5.5-6K.

It's like comparing VW Passat to S-class Mercedes. Not to say that the Passat isn't a good car... it can be more reliable than the Merc... but let's face the reality: Omega and VW will never, ever have the prestige of Rolex or Mercedes. Yet Seamaster has always seen as a "rival to Rolex Submariner".

That being said, I think Omega is much better value for money and the movements are very well made. But that doesn't explain why these brands are seen as "rivals". Volkswagen is not considered a rival of Mercedes, Porsche or Jaguar so why should Omega be a rival to Rolex?

Breguet and IWC are rivals to Rolex, imho. Omega is a rival to TAG Heuer and Breitling.

I hope this doesn't start any negative debate... it's not my intention... let's just discuss this objectively.
Well the Omega Seamaster meets the ISO requirements for a ‘diver’.

The Rolex Submariner doesn’t.

So they really can’t be compared.
__________________
E

Andad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 11:30 PM   #111
Kigan
"TRF" Member
 
Kigan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: EU
Watch: Blancpain AC01
Posts: 442
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonesy2099 View Post
Objectively speaking do you think the Speedmaster is a rival to the Daytona?
If you do not look at the prices of gray dealers, then I believe that some Speedmaster models should compete with Daytona. Speedmaster DSOTM, GSOTM, Racing 44 mm...
__________________
@diometry
Kigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25 April 2019, 11:37 PM   #112
Simon29
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 18
I enjoy both..love my Omega Planet Ocean but am also looking to add a Submariner to my collection at some stage (I looked years ago but the timing was wrong financially..I've come back recently and am now realising how much prices have gone up / availability has gone down)!
Simon29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26 April 2019, 12:16 AM   #113
bobernet
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Real Name: Bob
Location: Mountains
Watch: ALS, AP, PP, Rolex
Posts: 2,988
Quote:
Originally Posted by directioneng View Post
Well the Omega Seamaster meets the ISO requirements for a ‘diver’.

The Rolex Submariner doesn’t.

So they really can’t be compared.
I wasn’t aware that Omega started submitting every single Seamaster produced for testing. You realize that’s the ISO requirement, right?

Both Blancpain (FF) and Rolex (Sub and SD) have been the choice of professional and military dive organizations many times throughout the years. I’m not aware of a single large-scale deployment of Seamasters as official/supplied/recommended dive watches. Are you?

You (I think it’s you) have posted a number of times about your interpretation of the ISO requirement for 60 graduations on the bezel as opposed to the every 5 minutes which seems the more clear reading of the standard, as well as what both Blancpain and Rolex have used for years. Do you have any source that substantiates your interpretation of the standard?

This probably sounds more antagonistic than I mean it. Not intending to argue, but to clarify how much is objective fact versus your personal opinion and interpretation.
bobernet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26 April 2019, 04:41 AM   #114
TswaneNguni
"TRF" Member
 
TswaneNguni's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Real Name: Chris
Location: .
Watch: Daytonas/Subs/GMTs
Posts: 12,609
Omega is a great used brand.
TswaneNguni is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Wrist Aficionado

My Watch LLC

WatchesOff5th

DavidSW Watches

Takuya Watches

OCWatches


*Banners Of The Month*
This space is provided to horological resources.





Copyright ©2004-2024, The Rolex Forums. All Rights Reserved.

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

Rolex is a registered trademark of ROLEX USA. The Rolex Forums is not affiliated with ROLEX USA in any way.