B'ling wrote:
Chronomat01LE wrote:
It's a little saddening to see that Breitling has not been able to provide a classic standardized image in their range. Maybe that's why their potential value is bad, except for a few rare models as mentioned. I understand that the only model Breitling managed to maintain for a long time is Navitimer. But however IMO there is no common "Breitling identity" among all the models. I mean there seems nothing in common between Navitimers, Chronomats, SO, SA, Bentley ranges, etc, that tells you that these are Breitlings. All these models have their own distinct features to identify their range but nothing in common as an overall brand. That's why there was a thread discussing on which Breitling watch most shouts "Breitling". I think I will be laughed at if I were to start a similar thread discussing which most shouts "Rolex", because all of them does! Look at brands that have better values(PP, PAM, Rolex), even though they have different ranges and models, all their watches always have a "distinct classic image in common" that identifies their brand. I think that is very important to a luxury brand that u need to have that "identity" in all your products, whether new or old...I think that greatly affects the future value of the brand's products. IMO Breitling is simply trying to increase market share by attracting different types of consumers with different ranges and designs, and they do not bother about the resale values of their watches since it doesn't concern them? But actually it should concern them because many take potential resale value into consideration when buying luxury watches.
Not sure I entirely agree there. The Sub range and the Day/date may be individually identifiable, in the same way the Navitimer and Chronomat models are individually identifiable, but you'd be hard pushed to tell by looking the a Sub and a Day/date were made by the same company.
Other than some models that are individually desirable and valued by well-heeled collectors, it's public perception that is the driver of used values. Breitling don't fair well against Rolex or (IMHO) Omega, it's much better than TagHeuer which, although it's a lower starting point, seems to suff a bigger % drop over a given period.
Ya Maybe u are right... after my post I did realise what u mentioned about identity and public perception is true. There must be reasons why certain brands are more desirable to the mass and in return, commands higher resale values. To be honest, whenever I hold my wife's datejust and my Chronomat in my hands and start to compare the material, the workmanship, the finishing, etc...I see no reason why a Ling should suffer such tremendous drops in resale when their quality and aesthetic appearance is in no way inferior to other brands, and instead IMO, one of the best. Some say that bigger watches are not as popular but look at PAM. I drop by different ADs often to observe their displays. I find that Rolexs, PAMs, PPs and even Omegas have more "attractive" appeal in their displays as in when u look across from far u know that, hey this whole range is Omegas because they all look alike, oh all these are Rolexes...I mean it is such "identity" that perceived as "more timeless" to the mass. However whenever I come across Breitling displays, the watches are always all jumbled up. U can see a Navi at one corner, a Chronomat beside, then an SA, then a Chronomat GMT, then a Navi again....some with steel bracelets, some with rubber straps, some with leather straps. Ya more variety but U know it looks as if they are just anyhow displayed there to make up the numbers, like what they do to cheap watches. Morever the space for Breitling displays that I have come across are normally rather small, plus the "jumbled up" watches... Maybe also because many Breitling watches are more busy looking so therefore when u display all the ranges together, it looks rather "messy" as compared to some other brands displays that look more "clean" and identifiable to the consumer. Last year when I went to Switzerland, a tour mate was planning to buy a Rolex there and when he asked me what I was planning to buy, I replied saying that I was planning to buy a Ling and he said, " Arrrrr....I don't like those messy messy styled watches"... Therefore I think marketing and the way the brand watches are presented to the mass affects largely on future demand... The replacement of the bakelite box to the current "cardbox" is one good example to show the "exclusiveness" and "pride" that Breitling take in their products, which have been "acknowledged" by many of us here. I do believe that Breitling is working their way to uplift their prestige, which is good. But IMO they should start from the basics by improving their presentation first....
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