Rolex = Omega (While Being a Better Value)?

[JP Chestnut]

Omega bracelets are almost certainly made in China. Rolex bracelets are absolutely made in house. If that matters to you, and it should, a lot of the bang for the buck argument goes out the window. Also, the 8500 is great but it is 100% not in house.

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

Omega bracelets are almost certainly made in China.

If true, that is very disappointing. Do you have a link where I can read more about this?

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

If true, that is very disappointing. Do you have a link where I can read more about this?

It's absolutely true. I have a link but I'm on my Ipad, which is a pain to navigate. The issue came out on TZ-UK. If you search there for "omega china" you'll find a thread talking about high quality bracelets (I posted in that thread under the same name). In it, someone posts a picture of a PO8500 link sealed in its packaging (direct from an AD). The country of origin... China.

If you can't find it, feel free to shoot me a PM and I'll get the direct link when I'm on my work PC. I'm an Omega fan (I love my Speedy Pro), but the Chinese bracelet thing really dropped the brand far far below Rolex in my own personal valuation.

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

It's absolutely true. I have a link but I'm on my Ipad, which is a pain to navigate. The issue came out on TZ-UK. If you search there for "omega china" you'll find a thread talking about high quality bracelets (I posted in that thread under the same name). In it, someone posts a picture of a PO8500 link sealed in its packaging (direct from an AD). The country of origin... China.

If you can't find it, feel free to shoot me a PM and I'll get the direct link when I'm on my work PC. I'm an Omega fan (I love my Speedy Pro), but the Chinese bracelet thing really dropped the brand far far below Rolex in my own personal valuation.

Please share this link to the China made Omega bracelets when you are able. I am very curious about this as I find it a bit difficult to believe as the dial says "swiss made". Thanks.

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

Please share this link to the China made Omega bracelets when you are able. I am very curious about this as I find it a bit difficult to believe as the dial says "swiss made". Thanks.

I don't know if we can share links to other watch forums. PM me and I will send you the link.

[DVR]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

Please share this link to the China made Omega bracelets when you are able. I am very curious about this as I find it a bit difficult to believe as the dial says "swiss made". Thanks.

A Swiss watch company is allowed to market a complete watch "Swiss Made" (including bracelet) if 50% of the total product is made is Switzerland. Recentley that changed to 60% : http://www.ablogtowatch.com/swiss-made-2/

So bracelets made in China is common for many brands. It's the least important part of the watch for many and therefore considered 'acceptable' for many Swiss manufactures. Dials and hands too are often made in Asia nowadays.

Problem is also capacity. Swiss watches are booming worldwide and there are not enough capable Swiss to meet demand. So beside price it is also a matter of coping with demand. And the 50% rule (now 60%) is always respected so 'Swiss Made' they are all according to Swiss law.
There are only a handful who are 100% Swiss made. Rolex is one of them imo.

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

It's absolutely true. I have a link but I'm on my Ipad, which is a pain to navigate. The issue came out on TZ-UK. If you search there for "omega china" you'll find a thread talking about high quality bracelets (I posted in that thread under the same name). In it, someone posts a picture of a PO8500 link sealed in its packaging (direct from an AD). The country of origin... China.

If you can't find it, feel free to shoot me a PM and I'll get the direct link when I'm on my work PC. I'm an Omega fan (I love my Speedy Pro), but the Chinese bracelet thing really dropped the brand far far below Rolex in my own personal valuation.

I found the thread. I am very disappointed.

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

It's absolutely true. I'm an Omega fan (I love my Speedy Pro), but the Chinese bracelet thing really dropped the brand far far below Rolex in my own personal valuation.

Yes its true and I agree 100%.

[Mystro]

Oh really now???? Funny that my Planet Ocean has "Swiss Made" right on the clasp.

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

Omega bracelets are almost certainly made in China. Rolex bracelets are absolutely made in house. If that matters to you, and it should, a lot of the bang for the buck argument goes out the window. Also, the 8500 is great but it is 100% not in house.

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by Mystro

Oh really now???? Funny that my Planet Ocean has "Swiss Made" right on the clasp.

Funny thing about Swiss made... It's practically meaningless.

Sort of like those Chinese movements that have two jewels fit in Switzerland... Boom - Swiss made. It both funny, and sad, how little this sort of thing is understood. Either you get it, or you don't.

[Mystro]

How is a documented picture of "Swiss Made" meaninless but your unsubstaniated claim on the internet has any weight???
Still like to see any offical documentation or evedence to validate your claim that Omega bracelets are made in China. Its funny how everyone is giving Rolex a pass at that assumtion as well.


I noticed the same markings on a older SMP.

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

Funny thing about Swiss made... It's practically meaningless.

Sort of like those Chinese movements that have two jewels fit in Switzerland... Boom - Swiss made. It both funny, and sad, how little this sort of thing is understood. Either you get it, or you don't.

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by Mystro

How is a documented picture of "Swiss Made" meaninless but your unsubstaniated claim on the internet has any weight???
Still like to see any offical documentation or evedence to validate your claim that Omega bracelets are made in China. Its funny how everyone is giving Rolex a pass at that assumtion as well.


I noticed the same markings on a older SMP.

There's nothing unsubstantiated about my claim. The clasp on your PO may have been made in Switzerland, or that particular part of it at least, however the links most certainly are made in China. There's only one documented case of a high level watch company sourcing parts from China, that I'm away of, and it's Omega. Why don't you post a picture of a Rolex part with China as the country of manufacture?

Does this require more discussion, or will you drop it?

On edit: you can search the part number here if you don't feel like actually figuring out what it is for yourself
http://www.ofrei.com/page662.html

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

Omega bracelets are almost certainly made in China. Rolex bracelets are absolutely made in house. If that matters to you, and it should, a lot of the bang for the buck argument goes out the window. Also, the 8500 is great but it is 100% not in house.

wtf?

[belligero]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

Omega bracelets are almost certainly made in China. Rolex bracelets are absolutely made in house. If that matters to you, and it should, a lot of the bang for the buck argument goes out the window. Also, the 8500 is great but it is 100% not in house.

Exactly.

Omega consistently kneecaps itself by pandering to grabastic shareholders who can't resist going for that extra piece of cheese. Their design and manufacturing integrity suffers as a result, and that's why serious collectors tend to have little to no interest in modern Omegæ.

[HogwldFLTR]

I have to admit that my SMP Bond doesn't get near the wrist time as my to Rolexes. I'm not certain why because it is every bit as good a watch from any measure I can come up with. Maybe the Rolexes are just newer to me.

[DrTom]

well I'm relatively new to the rolex forum, but had a rolex for 30yrs....have 4 rolexs, my last 2 watches are omega.....i love my rolex's but rolex is stuffy....period. omega is testing the envelope....and....they got my last 2 purchases and will get the next one....and I'm becoming a wis....but I'm not evangelical about it....a dssd is as thick as a poc with the 9300 movement....the dssd is brooks brothers the poc chrono is cooler looking to me, ergo it will get my $.....doesnt mean i won't pay 10k for a dssd, it just won't happen soon...

bottom line: i predict, that, someday....possibly when the market takes a dump, omega will look like a better choice...and in the past, omega was preferred to rolex and that may happen again....(duck for cover)

[tkerrmd]

Well could say same about why would someone not want a seiko, Casio or citizen?

[unclesallie]

for better or worse(and quite possibly worse) its a rolexcentric world.

get used to it.......

[Mystro]

Own both. Love both for different reasons. Quality is identical. Omega is a more open minded company with quality after sales straps, etc.... Rolex style/watch sizes are a bit stagnate compared to Omega. IMO.

[77T]

The Omega brand has withstood the test of time and they make great watches. What works for one person doesn't for another.

I do agree that saving $$$ on a great Swiss Watch makes sense. I always have a couple of Rolex and Omega models in the collection whenever possible.

As for the talk about some parts being made outside Switzerland, all brands can do that (up to a certain percent of total content). So bracelets, straps, cases, etc can come from outside Switzerland and the watch could still carry SWISS MADE on the dial...

[belligero]

Originally Posted by 77T

[...]As for the talk about some parts being made outside Switzerland, all brands can do that (up to a certain percent of total content). So bracelets, straps, cases, etc can come from outside Switzerland and the watch could still carry SWISS MADE on the dial...

Many, but certainly not all.

Swatch Group has pushed hard over the years to dilute the definition of "Swiss Made" in order to sell their fashion watches at a premium, but the cheap-outsourcing mentality has inflicted itself too far into their portfolio. It can't see it being a wise move in the long run.

Rolex's control over what goes into the product could be reasonably described as "obsessive". How many other companies even bother to check the composition of the raw metal delivered (the ones that can be bothered to machine it themselves, that is), let alone reject ten tons of steel on the basis of having traces of an impurity? When they say that their stuff is made in Switzerland, they mean it.

[Gary.]

Originally Posted by belligero

Many, but certainly not all.

Swatch Group has pushed hard over the years to dilute the definition of "Swiss Made" in order to sell their fashion watches at a premium,

Quite the opposite. Swatch has long been lobbying to tighten up the definition of "Swiss made" as they tried to address the situation in which they were forced (by an agreement with the Swiss government) to supply third party casers who would then sell "Swiss" watches.

[belligero]

Originally Posted by Gary.

Quite the opposite. Swatch has long been lobbying to tighten up the definition of "Swiss made" as they tried to address the situation in which they were forced (by an agreement with the Swiss government) to supply third party casers who would then sell "Swiss" watches.

Sure, why not? Changing from 50% to 60% is convenient enough for them and I wouldn't be too keen on supplying my competitors with the most difficult-to-produce part of the watch, either. But they've been enthusiastic about cheap-labour-country production for quite a while.

[knguyenk]

I own both Rolex and Omega watches, Sub-C and Mid-Size Seamaster Professional 300m (cal. 1120), love them both for their own special reasons. I currently wear the Sub-C a bit more than the Seamaster because the watch is newer and I want more wrist time with it (as my 300m has over 9 years of wrist time).

I pretty much ended up with a Sub-C instead of a 8500 PO because of a impulse decision. I knew that I wanted both of them, but I chose Rolex first because it was a Rolex and I wanted it to mark a special occasion in my life. However, if I were to go back now, I would definitely picked the PO because I simply love it. I know that I will eventually pick up a few Omegas before I get another Rolex.

[Jake B]

I have lots of watches from both brands, from various decades. They're both excellent, and often similar in quality.

I guess, though, hang around on any forum and this type of thread gets done to death with no end in sight... There are always debates like this with no "right" answer.

Vans vs. Converse
Samsung vs. Apple
Coke vs. Pepsi
Fender vs. Gibson
Guiness vs. Murphy's
Gap vs. Uniqlo
Hershey vs. Cadbury
m&m vs. Smarties
McDonald's vs. Burger King
Gordon's vs Tanqueray


and the list goes on and on and on and on

[ses4me]

I've transitioned from having only Omegas (4 of them) to having 2 Rolexes and 1 Tudor, and I'll never go back. If given the choice now, I'd rather have a Tudor than Omega.


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[thomaspp]

Rolex is a better finished product and holds its value better

[Dokbrick]

Originally Posted by thomaspp

Rolex is a better finished product and holds its value better

I agree. Before I really got to know the Rolex brand and its models, I went out and bought myself an Omega Seamaster Ceramic. I then proceeded to try on Subs, Explorers, Datejusts, etc. and I can say that the fit and finish is better. The quality is really there an the fit and finish is extremely impressive. My Omega bezel feels cheaply made and inferior compared to the superlative smooth bezel of the Submariner. If I had the knowledge that I possess now, I would have saved a bit longer and got a Rolex. Oh well, at least I bought my Omega used and didn't get slammed with the instant depreciation.

[joe100]

Rolex and Omega are the products of good marketing. Rolex was carried to the top of Everest ( not worn), the roots of the Rolex explorer mystique but a paid endorsement. Omega is guilty of the same thing with the moon watch. I've read several times that Omega co-branded the moon with Omega as a marketing agreement. I really don't buy the story that they went around town to purchase watches and tested them with Omega being the one and only winner. That all came down to either the lowest bid... or the highest depending on how you view it. The rest is likely revisionist history.

These are companies who sell products and have for gobs of years. They're driven by marketing departments and bottom lines. Rolex just does it better and for longer. They rode the quartz crisis and won. Their prize was the 80s and 90s and now the crown. It'll be a while before anyone can unseat them. Both are great machines

[threemonkeys]

Rolex has done a better job managing their brand. That provides perks for the owner - prestige, resale value, blah, blah. But that comes at a cost in terms of price.