The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Was in court today and noticed the DA was wearing a SMP Chrono on Bond bracelet. It might be a "whatever" moment, except that I was struck by how good it looked. It's surprisingly dressy for a sport watch, and didn't look at all out of place being worn with a suit. It's also surprisingly expensive looking. You wouldn't know from looking at it that it's Omega's entry level model. I'm eager to see how the new ceramic versions will look.

Your post is making me reconsider selling mine!

That must have been a confidence booster regarding the case, maybe he hasn't won many, and can only afford the entry level one.

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End of Discussion.

He's a DA - in other words, a government employee. His win numbers might influence his promotion status, but it's not like he's able to up his hourly billing rate if he wins. Actually, he's one of the bigger-wig prosecutors in the county and probably pulls in a good paycheck. Even if he could afford it, though, it wouldn't do for a man in his position to look too well paid. With that in mind, I think the choice made a lot of sense: nice, but not too nice.

That watch is one of my favorite omegas. I saw one in the wild also and it did look like a quality expensive watch.

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Regards,

Peter

BREITLING for Bentley Motors T & Mark VI, Aerospace
ROLEX Submariner Ceramic116610LN
OMEGA Plantet Ocean 8500 42mm Orange arabics
OCEAN7 LM-3

Well, list on it when I bought it last spring was $3850. Retail now is $4100. So it's fairly close to the SO line.

That makes a lot of sense, I agree.

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End of Discussion.

It's a very nice watch IMO. Had one and let it go to Otto.

But it suffers from Omega-itis - only a half link adjustment. More of a problem since this watch sits high on the wrist. If you have a bigger wrist or luck out with just the right fit - you're in. Otherwise, it's a wrist flopper. It was the only watch I've had that really irritated that bone on the wrist - ulnar styloid.

I guess they are "entry level,"but never thought of them that way (maybe the Bond factor or $4K sticker) - just a very nice watch, but I prefer the 3 hand/date. Waiting until the screwed link bracelets are fully stocked to look at one. Or a 42mm PO.


Come one, Omega - a-d-j-u-s-t-a-b-l-e clasp.

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SHARKMAN

That same exact watch is my daily wear watch. I love it !

It's built like a tank, I wear it to work, on the motorcycle, on my boat, in salt water, fresh water, just about anything you can do you can do it with that watch on.

$3,500 hardly seems entry level...I think the non-chronograph models, the Bond's, are more entry level and less expensive.

I got mine for about $2,200 when the AD lost his agreement with Omega and he was pissed and blowing them out. Omega opened a store in our high end shopping district and pulled out of all the AD's within 50 miles.

Yeah all my Omega buying happened when a certain AD in Phoenix & Scottsdale got POed at Omega and fired them. Lots of 40-45% off buying!!

Are you certain about the 50 mile radius part - that would essentially rule out the entire Phoenix Metro area and I know Hamra, a place in the West Valley, and I think ED Marshall at are still ADs - some in the heart of Scottsdale.

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SHARKMAN

They are indeed good looking pieces... love the helium release crown...

I've noticed though that the prices for the 2254.50's, the non-chronos on the speedy bracelet have risen pretty quick as I think they are entering sort of a collector status just like our beloved steelfish...

why do the good ones always go first?

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"I don't got the bright watch I got the right watch" -Jay Z

I prefer the 3-hand as well. Honestly, I'm not all that enamored of the chronograph version. I was admiring the watch yesterday not so much because it's a chronograph, but rather for the general look and finish of the watch, which is more or less the same as on the three-hand model. I'm also waiting for the screwed-link bracelet models to come out, although more because those will be the new ceramic-bezel models with lacquered dial.

The 3-hand is necessarily less expensive because it's the same watch minus a chronograph. But the SMP line is Omega's "entry level" line. Plus, as I was saying above, it was the general look and finish of the watch I was admiring, not the fact it's a chronograph. That same look would have been there on a 3-hand.

As for the price, I guess it depends on your definition of "entry level." Five years ago, $3500 would not have seemed entry level to me, either. Unfortunately, given all the price increases recently, that's becoming the "bargain" price level for a lot of higher end brands. In this year's lineup, Omega won't even be putting out an SMP Chrono - at least, none were shown at Basel. The SMP 3-hand will be the brand's "entry level" model, insofar as it is among the brand's least expensive offerings, and still retains the ETA-based 2500 movement. It was slated to have a retail price of $4200, although that might have increased since it was first announced. The Planet Ocean range has gone all in-house; the new line-up starts in the $6k range and tops out over $10k. That's why I was so impressed with the SMP I saw yesterday: it's even less expensive than anything Omega is currently making, and it looked great.

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SHARKMAN

Here's a thread on The Rolex Forums breaking down some of the current Omega US prices, post 9/1 increase. Note the list does not include the Ti Liquidmetal POs. It's the Ti LM PO Chrono that tops out over $10k.

ED Marshall is where I got that deal. They told me that when they replaced their last order nothing showed up. When they called to see what was going on they were told they were done as an AD. The store that opened at Fashion Square was "to close". A friend of mine told me that Hamra had told him the same thing.

Sharkman, your in Phoenix/Scottsdale; we should get together?