The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Very simple way to restrict discounts - reduce dealer margin so that they can't afford to offer them and it will disappear overnight.

All been said in this thread already, but it really feels like Breitling are trying to establish themselves as a very serious premium brand in terms of pricing, but all without the gold-plated brand-recognition of the Rolex name, or the substance and heavy-weight top-end watch-making of AP, JLC or GO.

It all seems a little bit "cart before the horse" to me. If the product (or at least the appeal of the product) is beyond reproach, then, AND ONLY THEN, can a company realistically start to hike up the price and be justified in doing so. The way it is at the moment, Breitling have a scatter-gun approach to design, and (being completely honest here) a very mediocre collection that we're being asked to pay a considerable premium for.

As RJ said, there was a time when I would like pretty much everything in the Chronolog, whereas now I struggle to find anything. The collection currently ranges from the very nice with the Navi 01 and TOC 01 (movement problems aside), to the frankly rather childish with some of the multicoloured rubber affairs at the other end of the spectrum.

As much as I always historically liked Breitling, I can't speak of them in the same hushed tones as GO, JLC or AP.... and I sure as hell won't pay GO, JLC or AP money for one.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I tend to agree. Discounts are a game that is played with retail prices/margins. The large increase in retail prices lately has been more of a detriment to me to buy than restricting discounts, but hey, if they think they can do both then we will soon find out if the market will support it. Tough for me to spring for a new Breitling these days, still look at the used pieces though.

As per original topic, the last Breitling AD I was physically at would not officially discount at all but would take off sales tax.

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Chrono Jetstream
Montbrilliant 1903
Aerospace E79362

i couldnt have said it better myself . its almost like watching an accident happen right before your eyes.

In one sense, it's probably not my place to put out a strong statement on this since I almost always buy pre-owned. I have one new Breitling purchase under my belt. That said, it appears that Breitling is trying to reinvent what it is practically overnight, without regard to what its existing followers know or care about. Fact is, after years of understanding a Navitimer costs about X dollars, I for one am still adjusting to it costing dollars which approach, as was said above, JLC or GO money. I think a lot of people may have that problem. I know, in-house movement chronograph, but the proposition is even tougher with the known teething problems (if that's all it is) with the movement. The sourced-movement pieces seem all over the board in design aesthetic. The Avenger and the Aerospace are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head which haven't had drastic changes. I like the SOH, and I even like mesh, but the watch needs an additional bracelet option, and for Breitling, for which bracelets have been a selling point, it's particularly concerning. I suspect I know the AD in question, and the irony is that they do it the right way, showcasing the watches instead of stacking them together like some of the places in NYC do, and showcasing primarily the new models, even if it is to their detriment. If I'm correct, Breitling is the lead line. Meanwhile, another AD in town has its smaller case jammed with NOS pieces. The people there aren't in my experience, as knowledgeable about the product and frankly, since they have a bunch of other lines, they could probably tell Breitling to 'shove it' and they wouldn't lose much sleep over it. It's a middle to lower line for them.

I thought the dealer margins were already cut. Maybe Breitling can someday pull the strong-arm tactics that we hear about Rolex and Omega with some credibility, but as a company, Breitling isn't Rolex or Omega. They have had a tougher history and don't have the same size legion of fans spanning over decades, nor the same financial power. They seem to be trying to act "as if", but in a business where purists and dedicated enthusiasts still form a significant (though probably trending smaller) part of their market, I think they are overplaying their hand. We all came here because we like Breitling watches, but I'm guessing the number of existing forum members buying new Breitlings and talking about them here is down quite a bit from, say, two years ago. To those who come here new with newer pieces, by all means welcome, I still think you bought a very good watch. Please understand that some folks here who have spent a little time here may fell jerked around a little, and this extends to dealers with whom some of the people here have developed a relationship worthy of their passion for the Breitling brand.

Sorry about the rant. Guess it's been building up.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

I think Breitling needs to accept some of the blame for AD discounting. If Breitling didn't sell so many pieces to grey market dealers then AD's wouldn't have to discount so heavily to stay competitive. Breitling's own actions are contributing to the watering down of their brand. If they want to be a true boutique distribution environment, then they need to reduce their production, completely eliminate selling pieces to grey market dealers, cut out the crappy watches from their lineup (i.e. colt, dlc'd crap, and rubber bezels) and eliminate a majority of their ADs while only keeping the strong players like Govbergs and Provident. Reducing production (of their hot models) could create an artificial demand for their products and even contribute to increasing desirability. If they're going to have AD's on every corner, continue to pump out massive amounts of garbage, sell pieces (at a ridiculously low price) to grey dealers, then they're never going to have the reputation of the big players. Curbing AD discounting isn't the solution to the problem; their misguided efforts are borderline pathetic.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

Do they (sell to grey market dealers)? I always assumed it was ADs themselves who were quietly shifting stock to grey market dealers.

The ADs make the sales, but Breitling turns a blind eye. They send secret shoppers into their biggest and most important ADs in the US but can't be bothered to trace grey market pieces back to the ADs that supply them and deal with the issue. Grey market pieces don't have serial numbers removed (and serial number is also on the movement anyway) so it would be remarkably easy to trace the watches.

Utterly disappointing.

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Super Avenger B973

Are grey market watches obtained from AD's in inventory trouble?

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Breitling Chronomat 44 Evolution C13356 Rose Gold/SS
Breitling Chronomat 44 B01 LE Black Pearl Rose Gold/SS
Breitling Chronomat 44 B01 White Pearl Rose Gold/SS
Rolex Daytona TT White Face

Sometimes they are pieces that are tough sellers but in many cases the problem is simply that Breitling requires ADs to maintain a certain level of sales volume to retin their dealership. With the large number of Breitling retailers and the high sales demands the only way that ADs can achieve their sales targets is to sell to grey market companies.

It seems as though I have resurrected several old hot button topics with this thread just as I am about to send my Navi 01 in for repairs. Oops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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SHARKMAN

I stopped by the mall today to realize the mayors jewlers moved to a smaller store because breitling pulled their line out because of too much discounting. They opened a breitling store where it used to be. While talking with a sales rep about the situation he tried to convince me that not discounting in their store and pulling the line from stores that do is a good thing for us breitling owners. " It will help owners keep the value of their watches up by only selling at retail." He went on and on about how the Swiss are so serious about their product. Funny it doesn't seem that they are taking it verry serious with all this DLC crap. I just can't see how they justify not making what the consumer wants, not discounting, and continuing to raise the price. Something has to give at some point. They should slow it down a bit and wait till they have perfected their inhouse movements before they try to play with the big boys.

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NAVITIMER WORLD (SILVER)
PATEK PHILIPPE 5980 (BLACK)

Well strong opinions are inevitable when money is involved, but let's face it, BUSA aren't exactly helping their own cause.

I have a suggestion if they want to sell pieces at list price - agree to a BS LE - that will be full list and it will sell. Of course they probably wouldn't like our design, but agreeing to the concept would be a great way to connect with customers.

Now read that and respond BUSA in between arranging secret shoppers to every AD mentioned here!!!

I'd pay full price for that assuming it was a limited edition and we could have say in the design as a community. Breitling would never do it because it would be better than anything their brilliant designers could create.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"