@@MisterChickenWing hopefully. But would be good to see Swatch come out and say that to prevent people bidding on items already. I do understand the supply and demand aspect. I myself have a few speedmasters. And would love to gift my son and daughter one of these for there birthday. But equally I'd happily wear one when I'm on the slopes. So hopefully they will be back in stock by Christmas haha.
@@michaellegg3430 terrible it is. Can’t believe people are bidding on them like they are. One of the listings I’ve seen actual says “I’ve got people going to the stores to get 2 pieces each for me to sell”. Jokers
Here's my thought as a 37 year old who busted his ass to buy a couple Omega and Rolex watches. First, I like the idea, the colors, the vibe this new collab has brought forth. It will certainly bring in fresh buyers that otherwise wouldn't know they were a closet watch enthusiast. G-Shock had a strangle hold on this segment years ago, with a huge fanbase that sparked collecting and discussions in younger generations which was cool. I feel like this watch could take the digital watch buyer and nudge them into something a tad more complex and then they will just naturally yearn for an automatic movement timepiece. It's a gateway watch and thats cool. I'll pick one up for a range beater and have some fun with the colors etc. The quartz movement gets under my skin a bit but that's just the watch snob in me. Once I get past that I'll appreciate it for what it is rather than what it isn't. - Adam
Well said Adam. Having been to Basel watch fair and having seen it halve in size this is a great way to get the next generation wearing watches. In my office nobody under 30 wears one at all.
@@weilm where was your advice when I bought the Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini? Well you’re finally here to help me navigate life. Thanks for all your well thought out insight!
"The quartz movement gets under my skin" - I think that's the very reason why I'll be getting this watch. The fact that it so pisses off Omega Speedmaster owners, lol.
Omega-Swatch potentially attacked the homage market by creating an "in-house homage-collaboration" that merges budget with pedigree while leaving the basic Speedmasters untouched. If one knows that there's a Moonswatch for an attractive price and fun colours he'll surely consider it instead of chinese near-copies. Indeed, if these sell normally away from grey market they'll be successful and certainly will base Speedmaster' legacy for the new generations. Only snobs and show-offs are complaining about "loss of value", but no one cares.
Totally, 100%, agree with you. The only thing I'd add is that I don't even compare the Speedy to MoonSwatch and vice versa. Two different monsters. Say you buy MX5 because you'd love to have a roadster, but you don't have money for a Porsche. Doesn't mean you bought a Porsche mini-me. Yes, both are roadsters, but how big is the difference between the two. You love the style and the design of the watch, but don't have deeper pockets - you get yourself a fun, awesome MoonSwatch. In this case you also buy a watch that most likely tomorrow will become an iconic one. You want a serious watch, with an "engine" from the "big boys playground" and you have the $$$ for it - you go Speedy. OR you go both :)
Yup, like has been said, you nailed it. The Swatch Group is seeing the ability of the "Casioak" situaiton and basically replaciating it but in their own way. I will buy one, I think it is clever and I own a "Speedy" and feel that this is very cool and reminds me deeply of the "quartz crisis" but it is funny cause it is Swatch!
I disagree with your last sentence. For you to label them as snobs I think is very ignorant as well. I think Omega has damaged their reputation to existing owners and (honest) potential buyers who had a goal of owning an expensive luxury watch. This isnt a $1000 watch. This is basically a speed master for $250. Why would anyone who wanted a speed master now go and pay 4000 vs 250. Unless you are a very committed individual.
As a 20 year old watch enthusiast, I love this collaboration. I plan on purchasing a moonswatch when they become available online. It allows me to appreciate the heritage of omega and the moonwatch without emptying my pockets. Even though it is a swatch and not an omega, I feel like wearing one on my wrist will definitely make me aspire for an omega even more in the future. I think it's a fun and smart collaboration for the younger crowd who is going to become "the watchbuyers of tomorrow". Great video and discussion!
@@skellington2000 Seiko did exactly what your asking, and everyone wanted to impale them for desecrating the skx with the new 5 series. Look at the Pressage line it's extremely nice for the price almost makes you wonder y buy a grand sekio. If they come out with a lower end omega speedmaster like watch enthusiasts, collectors, and snobs will still complain bicker and whine. Like they always do. This watch makes omega seem accessible at a time when rolex wants to be extremely inaccessible.
The same for me. I’m going to buy several and give them to my nephews and nieces. They all enjoy looking at my collection and would love to have something on their wrists that feels special.
I've always loved Omega as a watch brand, this collaboration looks great i plan on trying to get one once the flurry dies down and if we can buy one online.
Interesting points. To some degree, this has been done by Seiko for years. You've always been able to buy them for less than $500 and have a really good watch. And if you became fans of the brand and/or a bigger watch enthusiast, you eventually learned about Grand Seiko and its outstanding offerings. I think Omega could reasonably do the same thing and this is a good start. In the meantime, I definitely plant to get a Mission to Jupiter or Mission to Mercury to accompany my new Speedy.
It feels like every MoonSwatch buyer could - potentially - have a completely different reason why he bought it and I find it incredibly interesting to discuss about these reasons. I for example just adore the design of the Speedmaster but I'm nowhere near in a position to responsibly afford a "real" Speedy. It's definitely not going to diminish the value/appeal of the "real" Speedmaster in my eyes.
yes same! i can stretch my budget for a Moonswatch, but it would be years before i could buy an actual Moonwatch. I'd really like one of these "toy" moonswatches. maybe one day I'll get a Speedy, but it's not going to be in the next few months.
I have a 'real' Speedie Pro (I bought nearly 40 years ago when they were cheap and mechanical watches, let alone hand-wound watches, were out-of fashion). But I absolutely love these and will almost certainly buy one if/when I can. To me they are very different, yet very similar. Each actally makes me appreciate the other more...
Not just you, but thats the whole point. Its to get people interested in lux brand watches. Since most automatics are generally out of reach by average consumerr and general population these days dont use watches cause of phones.
I applaud them for making an iconic design more accessible. It's not going to feel or wear the same as the real deal, but as a lover of sport chronographs, I'm excited that this is happening in a price bracket that I can manage. And I'll sill be looking for the right big boy moon watch or maybe a Baume Capeland.
Personally .. I’ve owned 4 omegas (2 Seamasters, 2 speedy’s) .. I like that Omega Remember how to have fun! You’d never catch half the prestige brands doing this promotional move and I like how audacious they’re being. I bought my first Seamaster at 21 years old, taking out a credit agreement for 10 months paying 89 quid a month, with 150 down. And all because James Bond wore that watch. Later I fell in love with the technology, the history and the brand. For me, I would happily have the cheapo version AND the big boy prestige version. Omega doing this doesn’t cheapen the brand in my view .. it expands it. Frankly I’m tired of rich f*****Ed having all the pie and having ALL the nice things and I think this moonswatch is a long overdue chance for us, the unwashed plebs, to have something nice too. Rich people are still gonna have the better version, so they can go stew in their luxury apartments and yachts over how much better they are because daddy owns a bank. Will this crash omega? Depends on how everyone else feels about it. But me personally .. I like it. It’s like if Tesla produced an electric scooter .. that wouldn’t diminish the Model S, it’s just a bit of fun with branding on it. We shall see, but I’m hoping to get two tomorrow. And I will still buy a real Moonwatch someday.
I agree with you that this is a tool to showcase Swatch as a group and Omega as a brand to a wider audience and that makes me laugh at the scalpers and especially the schmucks that will buy from those scalpers. The MoonSwatch is not a one-off, it’s here to stay. There’s a huge market for this watch. All the Invicta buyers, all the Fashion Watch consumers, all the homage buyers, all the quartzies have now a point of reference. For me this is the regular Joe’s equivalent of H Moser’s “Apple Watch”: a meme worth buying for the serious aficionados, a fantastic alternative for those who don’t really care.
Here, from the ali sale: Here's the specs of the PD-1701: - Seiko VK63 MechaQuartz chrono movement - Sapphire Crystal - 316L case & bracelet - Date complication - 100m water resistance with screw-down crown - Looks like the Moon Watch - Less than $80USD because of the monday sale
To be honest, I didn’t connect to this format, oppose to the ‘regular’ reviews. But lately I gave it another shot and I am hooked! I’m enjoying your conversations immensely!! Keep it going, you give so much information and interesting points to think about👌🏻😊
This is fun and toy-like. It does nothing to replace the “aspirational” Speedmaster Professional. Treat it as it is, a toy, and a really cool one at that. Excited for all the father-son matching “Speedmasters”
@@glebs. the original moonwatch went through rigorous testing to check it could withstand the flight etc. several companies failed this test that is why nasa went with the speedmaster. The moonswatch is very basic watch
@@neilchapman5145 I see. Although it’s now only a nominal certification, it brings some value to the piece. On the other hand, should the word “basic” be treated with so much less respect? The the MoonSwatch is just one of the many revisions of the speedmaster, models added different elements and removed them. The MoonSwatch is just a bit on the radical side, nonetheless it is still a leaf of the huge speedmaster family tree.
For me, it's a couple things as to why I'm excited to get this watch. 1 - the price is not unreasonable considering the Omega branding, look, and IP. Yes, it doesn't have the co-axial escapement, but I don't have $7000 to justify spending for just that. This has all that I would really want from the Omega side - i.e. the looks, the feel, and the knowledge that I am buying an Omega in some way. 2 - This watch also gets me excited to get a Swatch watch for the first time. I've never owned a Swatch, so it's going to be exciting and interesting to get this brand. I've heard so much talk about "Omega-this, and Omega-that", but what about Swatch? What do you think this will do for Swatch? In my case, it brings me into their fold for potential future purchases. 3 - The color combinations really stand out and truly do make this collection of watches uniquely collectable. It's not like "Malibu Stacy's new hat" different - each watch has a theme that is different in their own right to be special. 4 - This is a watch I can introduce my son to when he gets older. There's no way in hell I could get him a real Moon Watch, but this will come very close while also being less cringe worthy should he break it, or in this case now, drool or chew on it. He is less than a year old after all. 5 - Finally, with the added colors, it can get non-watch buyers excited to get something that has the look and feel of something that they could never even consider to buy. If someone is use to seeing Walmart prices for watches, a Patek-Phillipe or Gruebel Forsey will seem like silly money for the on-the-surface-looks to the uninitiated. No one who buys watches from Walmart will get a Rolex - some Walmart shoppers will buy this MoonSwatch because they might be able to relate to it more on the price level, and also it'll feel fun to wear and look at compared to the old, expensive traditionalists.
This is going to win over the younger generation who are no longer interested in luxury pieces. For most people I know, spending $4000 on a watch is far too much. This is truly an amazing move to make the Speedmaster accessible for average people. I can gift this to my father and he would be so happy.
I don't think luxury watches should be more accessible. That's the point of luxury watches. I was thinking about trading in my speedmaster before but I am for sure now. Don't wanna hear, "hey nice swatch." Is that douchey? Probably, but let's be fair, you don't buy the Rolex because it's the absolute best watch for your dollar, you buy it so you can have a Rolex
less accessible kills the brand. Rolls Royce used to sell only to royalties - Got bought by BMW. Bentley used to be high end - gught bought by VW. Increase accessibility bring the brand a larger buyer market, which haves profiting the brand and help the brand stay afloat. Your luxury watches so less accessible argument is literally trying killing Omega.
@@ddjohnson9717 there is a huge difference between being almost impossible to obtain and being a hard but realistic goal. Bentley isn't putting their badges on a Mini. That would be the equivalent. They changed so more than 150 people in the world can get it. Ferrari, Rolex, diamonds, ext are hard to get and having a premium price are a feature not a bug.
I was initially really excited and it prompted me to pull out my old Swatch Irony Chronograph. But then I noticed my Swatch was broken (chrono seconds hand no longer works) and remembered that Swatches are essentially disposable fashion pieces. $360AUD is too much for a disposable novelty for me, no matter how cool it looks. So I’m putting the cash towards a Bulova Lunar Pilot instead.
That is the best reason against this watch I’ve heard so far and for me it’s a reason to buy it because I had a swatch as a child and it would still work if I put a battery in it
I know how you feel. I went and had a look at them yesterday. Before seeing them and holding one I was really excited about it and could see myself owning one. However having held one and looked at it I just felt it was an expensive Swatch watch and I'm really not a Swatch fan at all. So being surrounded by Swatch watches everywhere it just turned me off. I understand these things are all very personal and subjective so this is just how I felt when I saw it.
The Lunar Pilot is a fantastic watch... I have one myself (obviously biased), but I spent a long time looking at various options before buying. If you have a 7.25 inch wrist or larger, it wears just fine (opposed to what JOMW said about it - "wears like a dinner plate."). It was meant to be a little larger, as it was designed for legibility and to be worn over a spacesuit. It has it's own history and connection to NASA program/the space race (besides just the chronograph, pilots and astronauts wore the Bulova Astronaut, an Accutron, and some of the onboard timekeeping instrumentation utilized the Accutron movement), is made very well, and the movement is far accurate/reliable than ANY of the existing/historic timepieces (262 kHz movement = +/- 5 seconds PER YEAR). There was an authorized seller on eBay who was selling them refurbished with 3 year warranty for $225. Think those are gone, but they are readily available new for under $400. A much better use of money compared to the MoonSwatch, though as an enthusiast without $5500 to spend on a single Omega I can understand its existence and appeal. Anyway, good luck! ps Bulova made a half-hearted reissue of the Astronaut with their Accutron II movement, although they left out a few key elements and there was really nothing special about it. The Lunar Pilot, however, is a job well done.
Taking it a step further, you could successfully argue that Bulova had vastly more to do with the space program than Omega - it just happened to be the watch worn and most visible on the most famous of days/achievements... and you'd be a true historian to be able to drop that on Omega Speedy fanboys. ;-)
@@VintageVantage79 Thanks. I have a 7.5 inch wrist so should be fine. I don't mind a larger watch anyway. As long as it's not physically uncomfortable, I'm sure it will get a lot of use.
After years spent in sales and marketing, I can't believe more presentations haven't featured more gerbil photography analogies. This is a brilliant video with some excellent insights into the watch market - excellent work fellas, a standout piece in an already very high quality pool of content. Keep 'em coming.
@@phmwu7368 There's a paradox at play here because: Hesalite = Plexiglass = Acrylic = Resin = Polymer = Plastic = BioCeramic Therefore: Hesalite = BioCeramic So there we have it. Mathematical PROOF that this is just another plastic Swatch that is being sold for $260. Yeah, I'll take an Orient Mako for $200 Alex!
I'd be surprised if Omega comes out the worse for launching this line of watches. I don't see the brand reputation deminishing because of it, I think they open up a whole new demography to the brand.
@@charles_1523 i own over 150k of watches and have been collecting for years. And this makes me want to sell every omega I have... I'm guessing you aren't aj experienced collector by the sound of it. Some... ahem...demographics have a hard time understanding the marketing of Veblen goods...
I think it's a big win for all three parties - Swatch go upmarket - Omega cast their net further and no doubt make a few bucks more in the process - and finally, the consumer gets what it wants (but probably never knew it wanted). A big win all around.
I´m absolutely loving this release, and as an speedy owner, I'm loving this release even more. I don't agree with the whole "omega is being cheapened" argument because in the end this is a one off collaboration, so it very much comes off as good fun especially since its still very much a swatch and it has the swatch name on it.
This is no collaboration. Swatch OWNS Omega. Swatch just decided to throw the Omega name on a Swatch. What's next, they're going to throw the Omega name on a Tissot?
A couple of years ago, Omega were producing grossly overpriced, heinous sunglasses and cheap looking tat, with the logo. I am an owner of the original, Quartz Bond Seamaster ( Without the 007 badging), bought in 2001. I think this is a breath of fresh air, and an inspiring move from the brands.
I agree to an extend, but if they are going to use the Omega name/heritage, then we should get something more than a Swatch watch with an extra name on the logo. There is nothing special about these watches other than the Bioceramic gimmick. Nothing special in the actual mechanism and nothing else to make them stand out other than looks and marketing. They are overpriced Swatch watches in the end of the day, which is rather disappointing....I would happily pay an extra $100 for mechanical movement.
Omega is not being cheapened and I agree. In fact for people that are already into watches but can't afford an omega at the moment can opt for one at a cheaper place. Or there are those collectors that wants something difference. At the end no one confuses a legit actual Omega vs a Swatch collab brand. People that are applying hate is kinda same reason for those are ones that can't afford one or snobby owners of one that wants to sit on top of everyone. Its actually really similar to the car community automatics vs manuals. Manual drivers thinks they are king and thinks everyone else that dont want manuals or drive manuals are peasants but Omega like the car maker is catering to the 90% of the market of people that a major consumers that can profit from vs the niche group that wont spend that kind of money for many many years to buy another product.
It’s never a big mistake for a large, powerful, highly revered person or company to demonstrate humility and to serve a target audience that had never had a chance to access their product and enjoy why they’re so celebrated. This completely changes how I look at Omega and even Swatch. It’s just such a cool thing to do in this crazy time we live in right now when there’s not nearly as much to celebrate.
@@Chris-es3wf you know you’re almost alone with that opinion right? Do you honestly believe that this isn’t going to make their revenue skyrocket? Dude it’s ok (and really cool) for Omega to make $200 watches just like it’s ok (and really cool) for Elon Musk to wear $50 Chuck Taylor’s.
@@Chris-es3wf If the creation of one fun cheap line devalues everything else, then it was a house of cards to begin with. Cheap prints of The Persistence of Memory have existed for ages and Dali is still considered a great artist. The existence of a Lego Notre Dame didn't diminish the appeal of the actual cathedral. The Speedmaster was a great watch with iconic design and historical significance. It remains a great watch with iconic design and historical significance. If the only thing you ever actually cared about was the mystique surrounding the brand name, just buy whatever Rolex your AD happens to be able to get their hands on and take conspicuous shots of it in front of your steering wheel for Instagram. It'll impress more people and hold its value better.
I think it depends on context. Shareholders don’t care about humility, they care about revenue and share price…so in that context it ‘could’ be a big mistake if it negatively impacts revenue. I think that’s unlikely, but not impossible. These watches would put me off buying a proper Speedy I think, and maybe there will be others like me.
@@thetruebatman4632 please look up the definition of a Veblen good. For the average person, it is amazing that Omega are collaborating with Swatch to make an affordable watch. But the question is if this will be detrimental to Omega’s long term strategy with the Speedmaster. You can now buy a Speedmaster from anywhere from $250 all the way up to $90,000. I personally own the 3861 Speedmaster Hesalite and even I was balking at the 25% price increase to $6300 compared to $5,000 USD for the previous model. How will Omega continue to justify Veblen goods price increases moving forward if it continues to devalue the Speedmaster brand with $250 Speedmasters? I for one am happy to see the fun and whimsical MoonSwatch collaboration but I can certainly see why some may feel Omega has a tough road ahead
I smoke pipe tobacco. As an enthusiast, I seek out new blends and varieties of pipe tobacco from wherever i can find it. I tend to shy away from flavored, or aromatic tobaccos in favor of pure, natural tobaccos. But guess what? The most popular (most sold) pipe tobacco is cherry! And consequently, if producers couldn't sell cherry tobaccos, many would go out of business, thus preventing me from enjoying my hobby. This is how I view the OmegaxSwatch controversy. The succes of lower priced projects like these pay for the higher end/higher priced product.
I think they're a great idea. They're definitely generating a ton of buzz, getting EVERYONE talking about Omega. I agree with the point made in the video: If Omega makes this a habit, it could diminish the aspirational aspect of the brand as a luxury item. However, if the exercise is limited to these watches, and as long as they aren't available forever, then I think it's a great move to create awareness and hype around the Omega brand.
One thing Omega doesn’t need to worry about is diluting the Speedmaster 😜. One more edition to the pile… but if it allows a younger generation to access the world of watches… why not!
Agreed. Omega's main goal was hype generation and PR which will drive up Omega sales, not cheapen its image as no one will consider this as a true Omega. It brings lot of noise and attention to the brand.
Great point. In the last few days, the Omega x Swatch watch is generating a huge amount of discussion about Omega. Now if this makes a wider audience aware of the Omega brand and drives more eyes to their website to see what Omega offers, then this will probably have been a beneficial collaboration. From the immediate standpoint, Swatch sales are going to go through the roof.
Feels like a great move on Omega's part. As someone who falls in that 30s-40s bracket, most everyone I know wouldn't ever consider spending over $500 on a watch, nevermind a prestige brand like Omega, Rolex, or PP. But something like this? All of a sudden, this opens up a lot of interest in Omega for people (like myself!) who wouldn't have taken a second look at any of their offerings.
Agree that if they only released the wacky colours then this would be purely beneficial, since it gets Omega's name out there, while still giving people a reason to spend more on a real Moonwatch. The black colours are what make this weird & potentially disengages potential buyers for the real deal
It's not a real speedy, but someone that's maybe been eyeing one for a while will decide to see this & decide to settle for it instead Also for people that just want a luxury watch and know relatively little, there's the idea of not wanting to buy something that could be confused for the cheaper thing
I'm a big fan of this series, and I love all the excitement it has generated. For me, these don't take anything away from anyone's Speedmaster, because they're not luxury watches. Still, I agree the most "concerning" one is the "Mission to the Moon", and that one holds no interest for me because it doesn't look "Swatchy" enough. "Mission to Jupiter" -- that's my favorite.
Here, from the ali sale: Here's the specs of the PD-1701: - Seiko VK63 MechaQuartz chrono movement - Sapphire Crystal - 316L case & bracelet - Date complication - 100m water resistance with screw-down crown - Looks like the Moon Watch - Less than $80USD because of the monday sale You should search for reviews on YT.
My take, this is genius and it potentially opens up Omega to a new wider audience. I do not believe it damages or diminishes either Omega or the Speedy Pro
It works. At least for me. Although I am somewhat interested in luxury watches (watched a lot of your videos), I never thought I would own one because I thought they are too expensive. This moonswatch thing get me interested in the speedmaster, and for the first time in my life I walked into an omega store today (which is right next to a Swatch store and both are displaying the MoonSwatch collection), and discovered that I can actually affort an entry level speedmaster. Here, one more future customer for Omega. And right now, I am going to buy the Mission to Mecury instead of a Casioak or Seiko 5 Sport for casual use.
Personal opinion, there is going to have some devaluing because of 1 word, exclusivity. It's almost like Honda collaborating with lamborghini to make a lamborghini lookalike for a fraction of the price. If they are headed to the mass appeal direction, sure, but they are going to take a hit in the luxury community. Just like how non-watch enthusiast still scoff at Grand-Seiko despite it not being Seiko. There is going to be an impact if this isn't a limited production.
From the discussion, Omega is taking a risk of loosing some of its existing base customers but gaining by capture a larger base of new customer I think it worth the risk because even though Omega's quality is on par or better than its biggest competitor Rolex, but fame, prestigious, sales and after market value.. Omega is miles behind Rolex. So it's a risk worth taking.. Omega have not much to lose as Rolex is too far ahead (some might disagree) but at the same time Omega is also far ahead of other brands in the same segment (even if Omega drop the ball, it's still within calculated risk). So it's not like Go big or go home It's more like Aim for the Moon.. if you miss you may hit a star For long term, If they landed on the Moon, existing base customers which leaving right now will come back in future In short term, Omega (not Swatch!) received some multimillions worth free publicity in such short period of time. I don't recall they received the same level of hype when releasing their last Snoopy or some fancy full ceramic Moonwatch. Not to mention the queue worldwide, happening right now, at this time, hours away from the the start selling.. they know some handsome cash flow is flocking in, soon as they open the door on 26th!
If anything I think that Omega WILL benefit from this. Those who buy this and don't yet own the automatic, stainless steel variety will no doubt end up getting one or if they can't afford it now they'll be motivated to save up & get the real deal.
As a new watch enthusiast, I would argue that this has made me reconsider my next watch purchase. I wanted a decent mid-range Chrono and I was eyeing the Stowa Fleiger Chrono (approx. 2500 USD). I had my eye on the Omega but price was prohibitive (I might take a risk on 2k but not on a 5k plus watch). With this offering, it sort of gives me a taste of what a chrono might provide without breaking the bank. So I've pressed pause on the Stowa, will play with the Moonswatch (if I can wrangle one), and really take my time on how I want to invest my money - do I upgrade and go full Moonwatch or will I be happy with the "MoonSwatch" and my mid-range Stowa? This was not in my mind last week, so Omega, at least with this customer, will get $300 with the potential of a full investment. They did not have either of those options last week. If there's enough of folks like me out there, I'd say that's a big win. If they sell millions of these things and can convert a small percentage to upgrade... that's an even bigger win. It's brilliant marketing. P.S. Will you be able to flip straps on the MoonSwatch? Anybody know? I know swatch is notorious for their proprietary straps.
My friend, I'm also looking forward to get one MoonSwatch. Now, don't mistake a Moonwatch with the MoonSwatch, it'll never be the same thing. Buy a MoonSwatch as fun watch... A vintage Casio with space Invaders or something like that. If you have the money buy the real deal and enjoy both!
Oh the irony... Last year I spend a small fortune sending my Moonwatch to the Swiss Omega Spa for a total rejuvenation. When it returned fully rested and looking brand new, I now partially unwrap it enough to wind it, but have never worn it. Realizing my error, I purchased a Speedy reduced for my daily. Now, it's asking for a Swiss vacation, and I am partially inclined because I can replace it with a MoonSwatch!
I personally love this collection. I’ll be over the moon when I’ll get my Mercury or Mars. Not sure how this whole thing will play out in the long term, but Omega (and many others) has to do something to reach a younger audience. There is an interview with Jean Claude Biver where he claims that apple basically ate up the younger crowd and the swiss industry does next to nothing to reach them. Most of them are still want to sell watches in stores, because of the ‘experience’.
I own a Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch (Hesalite) that I bought brand new, and this honestly doesn't bother me. I love the look of the Saturn, Neptune, and obviously the Moon versions. I might buy one as a novelty, but it's the real thing that is a pleasure to wear every day.
I think it’s a brilliant piece of marketing. It’s a Swatch, not an Omega watch and they look to be great fun. Everyone with any interest in watches is talking about them - win for both the brands.
I think this is a great collaboration of Omega with Swatch. Speedmaster’s appeal will not be reduced because its an amazing watch and real deal, but todays MoonSwatch buyers will probably be the buyers of the real thing in the future!
I work in the wine business in CA. Every time a major brand introduces a second label or lower end product, it has a negative impact on the upper end. A classic example is Trader Joe's and "two buck Chuck". A very popular program that initially energized wine sales, but it came at a cost. In addition to attracting new customers, it also attracted existing customers who had previously purchased in the more profitable "$10 and up" category. Bottom line, they drove their best customer down market.
The major reason I bought my SMP300M, was because of the George Daniels Co Axial escapement.. If Omega didn't use this movement, I'd have bought something else, and probably much, much, cheaper.. (ie, Sinn U50t).. I'm hoping, after the dust settles, Omega might do the same thing, with the Seamaster,, and I'll be wanting one of those , big style,,, 🤣 Maybe, watch owners who absolutely love their one and only "prestige" watch, (that's me), would really like a "beater" version, which looks similar, but can be worn in a "rough" situation.. I know I would,, ..
@Bobby Situkangpoles and an Omega Coaxial isn't a bad plan B at all. Especially now they've got the Master Chronometer accreditation. I don't need a more accurate watch.
Excellent podcast and breakdown. I certainly agree with the pros vs cons analysis. I own the 3861 Speedy and have worn it daily for over a year now. I will absolutely be the first in line to pick up a few of these fun and whimsical MoonSwatches as an enthusiast. However, I would also be lying if I didn’t admit that it did sting a tiny bit to know that I spent years saving up for my 3861 speedy when there’s now a $250 plastic version with full Omega and Speedmaster branding and everything. For every person that decides this $250 MoonSwatch scratches the “Speedy” itch, Omega will lose $6150. (Current price of the 3861 Hesalite is $6400). Meaning Omega needs to sell MoonSwatches : Moonwatches at a rate of 25 : 1 to compensate. And that’s assuming none of those 25 cannibilize a future Moonwatch sale. I always wanted a Hesalite speedy as a kid and would absolutely still buy one again as an enthusiast even with this MoonSwatch release. But it does make me wonder how many non-enthusiasts would be willing to fork over $$$ for the real deal when the perceived “brand prestige” is lacking. I think Omega is taking a courageous gamble by humbling themselves and risking their “brand prestige” to allow a new market segment to experience their watch. But only time will tell if this gamble will pay off.
I see it this way, I'm new to watches and only currently have 2 (Citizen PCAT and a 42mm Hamilton Khaki Field Auto) The current watch that I aspire to own is a Longines Master Collection to the tune of $3700 (which is still a TON of money and not something I would realistically ever purchase). Seeing this new Omega x Swatch ordeal crop up had really brought my attention towards Omega as a brand. I've always put off the thought of owning an Omega or a Rolex because I knew I'd never, in my lifetime, spend that much on a watch. I now have the ability to purchase something that looks almost identical to the Speedmaster, and that prospect has honestly turned me on to Omega even more. I've found myself ogling at their website thinking "damn, I wish I had $7k to spend on a real Speedmaster." I plan on hopefully grabbing myself the new Moonswatch, and my aspiration to owning an actual Speedmaster has actually been lifted...now I REALLY want one. Who knows? Maybe I'll hit the lottery one day and will have one 🤣
Thanks Swatch and Omega for letting scalpers to enjoy themselves, i cant get one because i live in Norway… and i have to buy one from Ebay for tripple the price… thanks alot
I think that the guy who said that they should've left out the moon one, was spot on. That's really the only one that could potentially hurt the brand's prestige. But in reality I think this is just going to expand the real speedmaster consumer base.
you are all out of your minds. It clearly says swatch. It (the moon and the mercury ones) will be only slightly more damaging to the Omega Speedie than the Bulova pilot, which is not damaging hardly at all.
@@ThePmfan You're thinking like an enthusiast and not a casual, regular consumer. I'd bet they'd tell you that the mission to the moon and a speedy pro look the same. They'd go, "What's the difference?"
@@ams914 perceived value… this is priced high for what it is… they’re going to make 100x what they would selling regular ones… in the end people who know will pay more
Here's a conundrum that wasn't mentioned - do I get the moonswatch or buy a Bulova Lunar Pilot on a similar band (and have a watch that was actually worn in space)? I'm still wanting the Lunar Pilot compared to this
The execution is excellent, the problem is the way they're sold. The scalpers will buy the majority, guaranteed, and they will resell them at stupid markups on the grey market. The people who these are aimed at will end up getting kicked in the teeth or will have to camp out overnight to have a chance of buying one. Come on Swatch, make these in huge numbers, make them available everywhere.
Bro its already known that Swatch will offer them in their online store as well at a later stage. They are not limited. Sooner or later everyone who wants one will get one
Tom’s point is spot on. I think any concern, frustration or diminishing of the real Moon Watch would be negated by removing the black/grey almost replica versions of the moonswatch
The concept of brand dilution has to be rethought: for decades, the Mercedes Benz S class has been one of the most desirable vehicles from one of the most prestigious automotive brands. And it doesn't matter that the same 3 pointed star adorns garbage trucks, delivery vans, commuter buses and long haulers. In the same way, people will still gravitate towards a superb automatic movement, high end finishing and precious materials as per the Omega brand - and the MoonSwatch won't be a negative factor, rather more an additional purchase for day to day wear for many.
That's an interesting take. I think so too. For anyone who's held either the moonswatch and the moonwatch, the difference is as clear as night and day. The problem is that purely on pictures (unlike a car and a truck) the moonswatch and the moonwatch look very similar. This similarity might dilute the prestige that is an undeniable draw for potential Omega customers. Ultimately, this is a great step in the right direction that should not be excessively used.
It’s not only a good idea, it will be game-changing, such as when Swatch originally launched. Soon we will have Speedmaster wall clocks such as the Swatch one I got back in the day, together with straps!
Totally agreeing with everyone considering these watches as gateway drugs. I totally see parallels between these Moonswatches with the Seiko 5 Sports brand - provide tons of fun colorways and to treat these as a fashion item to appeal to a younger audience.
But then again, Seiko does have a problem with people not taking Grand Seiko seriously because "It's a Seiko", and there are also complaints that there isn't enough to distinguish between cheap Seiko 5 watches and the top end Seiko watches that cost 10 times as much.
@@ALMOOSTASHAR oh definitely, but I think going high to low is an easier move than the other way around going from budget to high end. First examples I can think of are say Tesla versus OnePlus
@@Chris-es3wf God damn you're short sighted.. Omega just became a luxury brand AND a fashion brand overnight.. as you can see by the huge lineups all around the world they just opened their brand up to THOUSANDS of potential future customers... The type of customer that shops at "Swatch", has no idea what an Omega Speedmaster is.. But they will now.. And that's the point. Get them in the door, teach them about horology and the high end stuff becomes MORE coveted.. Not less..
This session was emotional therapy for me. I purchased the saphire sandwich moonwatch for Christmas, it was an aspirational purchase. It was something that I had wanted since the age of 14, I love the history, heritage and affiliation with NASA. Ultimately, with the power of hindsight I wouldn't have purchase the 'standard' edition. I would have picked up a limited edition... Like the Apollo 13 or snoop ~ Then a number of these swatch versions.
@watchfinder&Co. - I've heard someone say they think this is a way for Omega to get an understanding of what future color ways they could do in a "real" speedmaster. So if everyone loves the mission to Mars then that become their next limited model for the future. Personally I think they are cool and are getting a lot of press which is exactly what Omega wanted.
It seems incredibly foolish for them to include the 'mission to the moon' in this release and make it look very close to the Professional. If they want people to aspire to own the real thing, then it should be distinct from the colourful Swatch versions. The Swatches don't complement that watch, they duplicate it. As it is, there's now just a cheap version of their flagship watch.
I'm calling it for what it is, CHEAP PLASTIC GARBAGE and a MONEY GRAB. With the American economy currently on the brink of disaster, there will be a MASSIVE luxury watch bubble burst and the Swatch Group is preparing for it. I,e. pushing out this toy for obnoxious younger generations and again for the $$$$$.
It’s definitely going to be a cash cow, and it IS very fun, however, to me, it slightly tarnishes the brand value. As you said, it’ll depend on what they do going forward. Basically I want one or two of these cool fun watches, but I’m now on the fence about buying an actual moon watch. It was to be my next big watch purchase, and it still might be, but I’m less sure now. 🤷🏻♂️
@@barracosoken I’ve been looking at older models, and am leaning towards pre-owned now. Omega is so good, but I kind of feel like vintage>modern with them. They make amazing watches, and the Speedmaster will always be one the most iconic chronograph watches of all time, but as a brand, they feel sort of confused and reactive, not bold and decisive. 🤷🏻♂️. Regardless, good luck on your choice!
They made a genius move. By the way you don't need to queue up like an iSheep waiting for the next iPhone. They'll be making lots of them and probably will sell on line too. Tough luck scalpers!
I'm inclined to think this will affect aspirational buyers. As you pointed out. If you know very little about watches but see Omega as an iconic luxury brand, and you then see an identical looking Omega branded watch at a fraction of the cost, why buy the Omega? I should add that in January I bought a Seamaster 300 and had Omega/Swatch done such a collaboration on a Seamaster beforehand, I might have had misgivings about buying one.
I consider myself a watch enthusiast and own a DSOTM and I love this. Not everyone can afford a $10k watch. The irony is my first Omega was a Speedy Reduced that I bought second hand for $500 in 2007…not that much more than this MoonSwatch. Perhaps the “luxury” watch market is overinflated and we need more affordable homages to balance things out. I would argue that current Speedmasters are way overpriced for what they are, but of course they will never release a more affordable option under the Omega name. Swatch is the next best option to increase market share.
@@BraveNewWorldAH crazy! I think the market will be flooded and they’ll resell for around $500 in the coming days. I’ll wait for Swatch to do a mass release before I get mine. No Swatch in Tampa :’(
Here, from the ali sale: Here's the specs of the PD-1701: - Seiko VK63 MechaQuartz chrono movement - Sapphire Crystal - 316L case & bracelet - Date complication - 100m water resistance with screw-down crown - Looks like the Moon Watch - Less than $80USD because of the monday sale You should search for reviews on YT. Isn't that better?
@@vinniethegreat9645 The tragedy in all of this is that from a technical perspective, Omega often exceeded Rolex. By the same token, even Tissot sometimes exceeds Rolex from a technical perspective. The only thing that Rolex does better than everyone else is marketing and there is a serious gap in marketing ability between Rolex and everyone else. To me, these MoonSwatches aren't Omegas, they're Swatches with the Omega name thrown on them because Swatch owns Omega. To many others however, they're Omegas.
WatchFinder, at 4:50 you showed an interesting collection of Seamaster models with colorful bands. What reference are these or what do I search for to buy one? They look like fun watches that are fun to wear on a daily basis.
I must be missing something here, but I do not see how a Swatch quartz version of the Speedmaster diminishes the aspirational quality of Omega and the Speedmaster in any way. I'm not convinced that the swatch version is close enough to the original in look, feel, and quality, or even branding for that matter. On the contrary I think it only brings awareness to the history and significance of the Moonwatches place in history and horology, which can only be a good thing. What I think is actually triggering the negativity is Omega's newer approach to marketing, one that diverges away from the traditional style that resembles Rolex.
because part of buying a luxury watch is the name and exclusivity, if you slap the name on everything and make it widely available, it will diminish the brand.
@@Alexander_MD But what is exclusive about Omega other than its price point? You can get just about any model by walking into a boutique. What you're looking for then is a Rolex. I thought everyone was trying to tell Omega to stop trying to be Rolex?
I oddly feel like this could add to the aspiration market? From my perspective i straight away thought about going out and buying one since it's so cheap and affordable and i've wanted a moonwatch for years... But now it's got me thinking more about buying the actual moonwatch, i feel it might make the older discontinued varients of the moonwatch go up in value as now more people are going to be searching up about omega and finding out about the hertiage and prestige that the brand has via this watch. Not everyone will just go out and buy something, some people like to research before they make a purchase and i think those people might sent more traffic to Omega. I could also see the case of someone buying this watch; really liking the styling, knowing nothing about the omega brand and only knowing about Swatch. Then finding out about where the inspiration for this watch came from and making it their goal to get the original moonwatch (or another Omega) as their luxury watch, adding to the aspiration market.
Every watch geek I know is going to be lining up hours before the stores open tomorrow. Omega have knocked it out of the park with this publicity stunt. If I could, I would buy every single one.
I think it comes down to in-hands impression and perception of quality. I have yet to see and hold one in person. That being said, as nice looking and cool as these affordable MoonSwatch are, if it's still made with Swatch quality, and I suspect they will be, I think the tactile feeling one gets will fall greatly short from the "real" Omega Speedy. Additionally, there are obvious seam lines in the case, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are slight alignment issues and dust/particulates under the crystal and/or on the dial. I went through an entire inventory of 1 Swatch model to find one that was perfectly clean and all had some issue of dust under the crystal.. ended up settling for the least offensive of the lot. Yes, I know these are "just" Swatches and I probably shouldn't have been seeking perfection in them... And maybe these are some things that some folks should keep in mind. Nobody was going mad for a Swatch quartz chronograph before these MoonSwatches. Are and added brand name and cosmetic change THAT much better? None the less, these are still cool affordable fun watches. And, I will be patiently waiting for when the online sales are open to comfortably order exactly the model(s) I'd want and at retail price. Those who seek high quality and prestige and want the best "genuine" Speedy top money can buy will continue to seek it. Pretty sure those who have bought the luxury Omega Speedy or those who have the means and plan to buy one will continue to do so. I can't see them not want them anymore for a bargain plastic facsimile version. I think those who got the Swatch version, and there will undoubtedly be many, there is at least the increase in Omega brand awareness and knowledge than ever before... Could be enough to make future luxury Omega owners... If not also the friends and families who are likely simultaneously bombarded with mainstream Omega branding because of these MoonSwatches. Just my take and guess on the potential effects of these new affordable releases.
This is brilliant on Omega's behalf. My wife loved her Swatch in the 1980's and just isn't interested in watches. That all changed with this watch. She wants a couple of them in different colors and they have gotten her interested in watches. After I showed her the watches last night, she told me she spent a lot of time on their website this morning. Knowing her, she'll likely want to upgrade down the road to their higher end products to compliment her jewelry. As Rolex becomes more exclusive and snobbish, Omega is innovating by introducing a new generation of owners, as well as introducing improved actions such as the 8800 co-axial. Nice work Omega/Swatch.
I just went to buy 1 or 2 of these from Central world Bangkok, swatch store was closed with security outside and a crowd, the sale has been cancelled here anyway. Their Facebook page now say these are not limited edition, there is enough stock for everyone and they will be sold online….
I love that Omega is doing this. no way can i afford to spend 5 grand on a watch. But im going to have several of these. And if i scratch or break it who cares. I don't want to spend money on luxury watches. I want dope ass reasonably priced watches.
I have an original Omega Speed master Mk1 which I love dearly. I watched your video yesterday about the Omega/Swatch Speed master and I plan to buy four or five of these starting with the 🌝 expedition. I think they are lovely fun summer watches. Good for Omega.
I agree entirely with the "These would be great, if they didn't have the Mission to Moon/Mercury" ones. Make some fun colorful ones, but then have nothing that looks like the real deal. I'm shocked they have two that could be mistaken for the real deal at a distance. "Oh is that one of those Swatches?!" nobody wants their $6000 luxury watch to be mistaken for a $250 plastic watch. That 90% of the market that's aspirational, brand aware, are going to notice this. I feel this is especially true for the Moonwatch, it's a watch that is built in the prestige and history, it's probably their least impressive, least well finished piece in their major lines.. It's certainly iconic, but it's iconic because of the brand image Omega gave it and part of that image is for it to be an aspirational piece. I mean why are we excited about this? Because it's an "Omega" that's affordable to the mass world. There are a lot of Quartz or Mechanical Quartz chronographs for this price range that in nearly every way, blow this watch out of the water.. like look at a Yema Rallygraf for example.. but nobody is going to camp out for the latest Yema release.. People are excited because of Omega's brand and that's a brand built on prestige and being an aspirational brand, and it's OK to admit that. On a much smaller (money) scale look at Ray-Ban and it's history, how it started as a premium sunglass company and dropped down to gas station buy 2 for $20 deals, to being built back up as a premium and desirable brand again. A luxury item that everyone has is no longer aspirational, and it can take the brand down some pegs. Omega loses some brand appeal and what truly separates it from Oris, Frederqiue Constant, Longines and those other "entry" level luxury brands? It's a hell of a risk IMO.
Well, I just saw the mission to the moon version listed on EBay for over $2,000.00. So will these become like the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, which typically sells for 10 times its retail price?
I reckon it’s a masterstroke by both Swatch and Omega. As an Omega owner (not a speedie though) I am not worried about it cheapening Omega overall. I am one of those that bought mine when I earned and saved enough to buy one… and because the OP41 wasn’t available at at realistic price!
Put it simple this is for those that wanted a luxury watch but either cant afford or not willing to spend the money for a luxury watch...almost got an omega few months back but end up buying a GS, was so glad of my decision when the moonswatch came out. Maybe its also the similar reasons why newer gs has only grand seiko on the watch instead of seiko on top (with grand seiko at the bottom) to further differentiate the more expensive brand from the cheaper cousin.
Does this not remind anyone of Tag Heuers attempt at catching a bigger market with the F1 series in the late 80s? they too partnered up with swatch and made colorful plastic (and later metal) quartz watches for the younger audience. it didnt do all they hoped it did and it -in my opinion- devalued the brand and took prestige away. i feel this is the same and i dont think its gonna work.. who tf wants a plastic omega you may say you do but youre still the market they already have a 'watch enthusiast' regular people that know about omega wont just buy a kids version of the speedmaster, at least i dont think they will but what the hell do i know 😂
I think this watch has the potential of luring the young crowd away from Daniel Wellington and the like. Omega has much more clout than TAG does and, honestly, I cannot see a downside to this release. I have not seen a hype like this in a long, long time. I salute Omega on being different and bold. I am an Omega fanboy, will not buy the MoonSwatch, and an still saving to buy a Speedmaster (hopefully).
@@edteach3r i really hadnt seen any much hype for the piece, evidently i was in another galaxy and gravely mistaken because this fucking thing is blowing up.. incredible really
I think the startegy is genious . When I first i started riding motorcycles I started on a ninja 250.. after a while i wanted the real deal and I ended up getting a 600 SS ninja . and then a GTR 1400 . so this puts swatch and Omega on the map .
I agree with the closing comment that they should have not released a moon version to provide just that little bit more separation from the 'real' moon watch. I also like how they all have little unique touches (hate the Saturn print) but wish they didn't simply take them from past/rare/extremely valuable Speedmasters like the mars chrono hands. I think from a perspective of money and business this will be a hugely beneficial thing for the Swatch Group including Omega and as a current owner of one expensive limited Omega who is flying to a main center to try on a few and buy at least 1 more 'real' one next week my plans haven't changed apart from buying some of these at the same time (if I can) because they look fun and seem bonkers cheep. I don't know how Rolex has that sort of market share when they don't even seem to actually produce any watches anymore? Are they selling them to themselves in order to record the market share yet also put them back in storage to artificially raise the market? WTF
I think this will diminish brand value, and if not, at the very least; the Moonwatch’s value. As someone who has the Moonwatch on the list of watches I’m interested in acquiring for my collection, this was a total turn off. I would hate to spend 6-7k to get the actual Moonwatch, to then see a junior staff person roll up their sleeves and show me their hot pink MoonSwatch, and say “Hey! Look! I’ve got that watch too!”… I dunno. There is so much hype about it that I may consider it, esp if they discontinue the MoonSwatch since it was such a horrible idea…but hey, maybe that was the plan??
I am with you PP. So many people think that this is a great idea and I think it is one of the worst marketing moves since New Coke. I understand why they are doing it, but it is a terrible mistake.
Excellent dialogue on this collaboration watch. I think it can only help both brands in the market. Just an FYI, you referred to the name as Omega "times" Swatch. I had to look this up myself as I have seen this designation in several ads for various items recently. The proper term is Omega "by" Swatch, as in an 8x10 photograph or a 2x4 board. Thanks for the review. This will definitely be on my radar when they become readily available.
The Swatch store in Sydney this morning opened at 8am. People had been queuing since 8pm the night before and by 8am HUNDREDS of people were waiting for the doors to open. They quickly sold out and now some of those watches, which sell here for 380AUD, are now on eBay at 1500AUD for the popular models like Mission to Mercury. Great business for Swatch.
A couple of thoughts. Seiko has, in essence, been doing this for years via their tiered branding. It’s kind of like the old U.S. automobile aspirational system of years ago when you started out with a Chevrolet, moved up into an Oldsmobile, then made the move into a Buick, and when you finally “made it”, you got the Cadillac. You start with a Seiko, perhaps move into a King Seiko, and then finally are able to purchase the Grand Seiko. So, Omega has partnered with Swatch. Say, if this strategy worked, and again say that Rolex wanted to do this to stave off Omega’s advances, to what watch brand do they partner? Fossil? Timex? And, it seems to me that G-Shock has been the always-there gateway drug into watch enthusiasm. I see this as a one-time successful campaign by Omega, and kudos to them for doing it first, and probably, the only time. Great discussion, gentlemen. Thank you.
For me as a watch enthousiast it's great but for omega it is a nail in their coffin. I have sold my speedmaster professional but just imagine being at a party wearing it and somebody rocks up and says oh I have the same watch and flashes the moonswatch yes exactly. This is business suicide in its purest form. Gonna buy a couple moonswatches for sure.
Treated as a Swatch, you can buy one for every day of the week. When each, eventually, needs replacing, why not move up to an "aspirational" Omega? Go from Swatch collector to Omega connoisseur in a decade or so.
This is a home run from Omega. Looking forward to picking one up when they are readily available. They will sell loads of these and make Omega fans out of many new customers.
@@Secondstep777 Swatch group owns omega and swatch, I'm sure they're not worried about to where the money goes, thats why everyones talking about brand rep and not money
![โอ้เธอช่าง... - บี้เดอะสกา ft. ต๋อง เทวัญ (Prod. by ป๋าเพชร) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zbWhiLFmVL0/mqdefault.jpg)
![🔴 ฟุตบอลแชมป์กีฬา 7HD แชมเปียน คัพ 2024 [รอบรองชนะเลิศ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zPm8ClLVhoE/mqdefault.jpg)
We know you want more watches…. click here: linktr.ee/watchfinder
They're cool. Just print enough of them that they're readilly available to all, without grey market price-gouging.
Absolutely. It's a cool watch and I want one. If they are available online soon like they say, I'll own one or two and love wearing it.
Already happening. £1250 on eBay. Ridiculous
@@michaellegg3430 hopefully these people get stung if it gets released online a few days later like some rumours are indicating.
@@MisterChickenWing hopefully. But would be good to see Swatch come out and say that to prevent people bidding on items already. I do understand the supply and demand aspect. I myself have a few speedmasters. And would love to gift my son and daughter one of these for there birthday. But equally I'd happily wear one when I'm on the slopes. So hopefully they will be back in stock by Christmas haha.
@@michaellegg3430 terrible it is. Can’t believe people are bidding on them like they are.
One of the listings I’ve seen actual says “I’ve got people going to the stores to get 2 pieces each for me to sell”.
Jokers
Here's my thought as a 37 year old who busted his ass to buy a couple Omega and Rolex watches. First, I like the idea, the colors, the vibe this new collab has brought forth. It will certainly bring in fresh buyers that otherwise wouldn't know they were a closet watch enthusiast. G-Shock had a strangle hold on this segment years ago, with a huge fanbase that sparked collecting and discussions in younger generations which was cool. I feel like this watch could take the digital watch buyer and nudge them into something a tad more complex and then they will just naturally yearn for an automatic movement timepiece. It's a gateway watch and thats cool. I'll pick one up for a range beater and have some fun with the colors etc. The quartz movement gets under my skin a bit but that's just the watch snob in me. Once I get past that I'll appreciate it for what it is rather than what it isn't. - Adam
I see it for what it is... a complete rip-off. Search TH-cam for "Pagani PD-1701" and you'll agree with me.
I think you should reflect on your spending habits and save up your money instead.
Well said Adam. Having been to Basel watch fair and having seen it halve in size this is a great way to get the next generation wearing watches. In my office nobody under 30 wears one at all.
@@weilm where was your advice when I bought the Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini? Well you’re finally here to help me navigate life. Thanks for all your well thought out insight!
"The quartz movement gets under my skin" - I think that's the very reason why I'll be getting this watch. The fact that it so pisses off Omega Speedmaster owners, lol.
Omega-Swatch potentially attacked the homage market by creating an "in-house homage-collaboration" that merges budget with pedigree while leaving the basic Speedmasters untouched. If one knows that there's a Moonswatch for an attractive price and fun colours he'll surely consider it instead of chinese near-copies. Indeed, if these sell normally away from grey market they'll be successful and certainly will base Speedmaster' legacy for the new generations. Only snobs and show-offs are complaining about "loss of value", but no one cares.
Totally, 100%, agree with you. The only thing I'd add is that I don't even compare the Speedy to MoonSwatch and vice versa. Two different monsters.
Say you buy MX5 because you'd love to have a roadster, but you don't have money for a Porsche. Doesn't mean you bought a Porsche mini-me. Yes, both are roadsters, but how big is the difference between the two.
You love the style and the design of the watch, but don't have deeper pockets - you get yourself a fun, awesome MoonSwatch. In this case you also buy a watch that most likely tomorrow will become an iconic one.
You want a serious watch, with an "engine" from the "big boys playground" and you have the $$$ for it - you go Speedy.
OR you go both :)
Yes, thanks!
Yup, like has been said, you nailed it. The Swatch Group is seeing the ability of the "Casioak" situaiton and basically replaciating it but in their own way. I will buy one, I think it is clever and I own a "Speedy" and feel that this is very cool and reminds me deeply of the "quartz crisis" but it is funny cause it is Swatch!
I disagree with your last sentence. For you to label them as snobs I think is very ignorant as well. I think Omega has damaged their reputation to existing owners and (honest) potential buyers who had a goal of owning an expensive luxury watch. This isnt a $1000 watch. This is basically a speed master for $250. Why would anyone who wanted a speed master now go and pay 4000 vs 250. Unless you are a very committed individual.
Of course. This IS a speedmaster. It says so on the dial. Omega Speedmaster.
As a 20 year old watch enthusiast, I love this collaboration. I plan on purchasing a moonswatch when they become available online. It allows me to appreciate the heritage of omega and the moonwatch without emptying my pockets. Even though it is a swatch and not an omega, I feel like wearing one on my wrist will definitely make me aspire for an omega even more in the future. I think it's a fun and smart collaboration for the younger crowd who is going to become "the watchbuyers of tomorrow". Great video and discussion!
@@skellington2000 aqua terra
@@skellington2000 Seiko did exactly what your asking, and everyone wanted to impale them for desecrating the skx with the new 5 series. Look at the Pressage line it's extremely nice for the price almost makes you wonder y buy a grand sekio. If they come out with a lower end omega speedmaster like watch enthusiasts, collectors, and snobs will still complain bicker and whine. Like they always do. This watch makes omega seem accessible at a time when rolex wants to be extremely inaccessible.
The same for me. I’m going to buy several and give them to my nephews and nieces. They all enjoy looking at my collection and would love to have something on their wrists that feels special.
I've always loved Omega as a watch brand, this collaboration looks great i plan on trying to get one once the flurry dies down and if we can buy one online.
@@blackduncan9812 But Seiko never came out with a cheap looking plastic watch that looks like a kids toy. This new Omega is horrible
One small step for Omega, one giant leap for the Watch World! I salute Omega for taking this bold step.
A bold step into the abyss.
@@philwiener Time will tell 😉
@@phmwu7368 a money grab by swatch that's more likely to damage the omeg brand as a whole.
One small step for Omega, one giant leap for Swatch
@@rishigupta5 One giant leap for both - but for Omega it‘s just backwards.
Interesting points. To some degree, this has been done by Seiko for years. You've always been able to buy them for less than $500 and have a really good watch. And if you became fans of the brand and/or a bigger watch enthusiast, you eventually learned about Grand Seiko and its outstanding offerings. I think Omega could reasonably do the same thing and this is a good start. In the meantime, I definitely plant to get a Mission to Jupiter or Mission to Mercury to accompany my new Speedy.
It feels like every MoonSwatch buyer could - potentially - have a completely different reason why he bought it and I find it incredibly interesting to discuss about these reasons. I for example just adore the design of the Speedmaster but I'm nowhere near in a position to responsibly afford a "real" Speedy. It's definitely not going to diminish the value/appeal of the "real" Speedmaster in my eyes.
yes same! i can stretch my budget for a Moonswatch, but it would be years before i could buy an actual Moonwatch. I'd really like one of these "toy" moonswatches. maybe one day I'll get a Speedy, but it's not going to be in the next few months.
I have a 'real' Speedie Pro (I bought nearly 40 years ago when they were cheap and mechanical watches, let alone hand-wound watches, were out-of fashion). But I absolutely love these and will almost certainly buy one if/when I can. To me they are very different, yet very similar. Each actally makes me appreciate the other more...
You are absolutely right, the speedmaster will as a matter of fact be more famous, just think of all those Rolex knockout
I wish sekio would make a 5 series that just so happens to look just like the old alpinist for 250 😂
Yeah!
Maybe I'm weird, but this makes me want to buy an Omega more. I like that they're making their products more accessible to people.
Not just you, but thats the whole point. Its to get people interested in lux brand watches. Since most automatics are generally out of reach by average consumerr and general population these days dont use watches cause of phones.
I applaud them for making an iconic design more accessible. It's not going to feel or wear the same as the real deal, but as a lover of sport chronographs, I'm excited that this is happening in a price bracket that I can manage. And I'll sill be looking for the right big boy moon watch or maybe a Baume Capeland.
Personally .. I’ve owned 4 omegas (2 Seamasters, 2 speedy’s) .. I like that Omega Remember how to have fun! You’d never catch half the prestige brands doing this promotional move and I like how audacious they’re being.
I bought my first Seamaster at 21 years old, taking out a credit agreement for 10 months paying 89 quid a month, with 150 down. And all because James Bond wore that watch.
Later I fell in love with the technology, the history and the brand. For me, I would happily have the cheapo version AND the big boy prestige version. Omega doing this doesn’t cheapen the brand in my view .. it expands it.
Frankly I’m tired of rich f*****Ed having all the pie and having ALL the nice things and I think this moonswatch is a long overdue chance for us, the unwashed plebs, to have something nice too.
Rich people are still gonna have the better version, so they can go stew in their luxury apartments and yachts over how much better they are because daddy owns a bank.
Will this crash omega? Depends on how everyone else feels about it. But me personally .. I like it. It’s like if Tesla produced an electric scooter .. that wouldn’t diminish the Model S, it’s just a bit of fun with branding on it.
We shall see, but I’m hoping to get two tomorrow. And I will still buy a real Moonwatch someday.
I agree with you that this is a tool to showcase Swatch as a group and Omega as a brand to a wider audience and that makes me laugh at the scalpers and especially the schmucks that will buy from those scalpers. The MoonSwatch is not a one-off, it’s here to stay.
There’s a huge market for this watch. All the Invicta buyers, all the Fashion Watch consumers, all the homage buyers, all the quartzies have now a point of reference.
For me this is the regular Joe’s equivalent of H Moser’s “Apple Watch”: a meme worth buying for the serious aficionados, a fantastic alternative for those who don’t really care.
I love your last sentence. That's a great way of putting it
Here, from the ali sale:
Here's the specs of the PD-1701:
- Seiko VK63 MechaQuartz chrono movement
- Sapphire Crystal
- 316L case & bracelet
- Date complication
- 100m water resistance with screw-down crown
- Looks like the Moon Watch
- Less than $80USD because of the monday sale
To be honest, I didn’t connect to this format, oppose to the ‘regular’ reviews. But lately I gave it another shot and I am hooked! I’m enjoying your conversations immensely!! Keep it going, you give so much information and interesting points to think about👌🏻😊
This is fun and toy-like. It does nothing to replace the “aspirational” Speedmaster Professional. Treat it as it is, a toy, and a really cool one at that. Excited for all the father-son matching “Speedmasters”
If this is a toy, what to you is the speedmaster professional?
@@glebs. an instrument
@@theamazingmrz317 What a profound thought.
@@glebs. the original moonwatch went through rigorous testing to check it could withstand the flight etc. several companies failed this test that is why nasa went with the speedmaster.
The moonswatch is very basic watch
@@neilchapman5145 I see. Although it’s now only a nominal certification, it brings some value to the piece. On the other hand, should the word “basic” be treated with so much less respect? The the MoonSwatch is just one of the many revisions of the speedmaster, models added different elements and removed them. The MoonSwatch is just a bit on the radical side, nonetheless it is still a leaf of the huge speedmaster family tree.
For me, it's a couple things as to why I'm excited to get this watch. 1 - the price is not unreasonable considering the Omega branding, look, and IP. Yes, it doesn't have the co-axial escapement, but I don't have $7000 to justify spending for just that. This has all that I would really want from the Omega side - i.e. the looks, the feel, and the knowledge that I am buying an Omega in some way. 2 - This watch also gets me excited to get a Swatch watch for the first time. I've never owned a Swatch, so it's going to be exciting and interesting to get this brand. I've heard so much talk about "Omega-this, and Omega-that", but what about Swatch? What do you think this will do for Swatch? In my case, it brings me into their fold for potential future purchases. 3 - The color combinations really stand out and truly do make this collection of watches uniquely collectable. It's not like "Malibu Stacy's new hat" different - each watch has a theme that is different in their own right to be special. 4 - This is a watch I can introduce my son to when he gets older. There's no way in hell I could get him a real Moon Watch, but this will come very close while also being less cringe worthy should he break it, or in this case now, drool or chew on it. He is less than a year old after all. 5 - Finally, with the added colors, it can get non-watch buyers excited to get something that has the look and feel of something that they could never even consider to buy. If someone is use to seeing Walmart prices for watches, a Patek-Phillipe or Gruebel Forsey will seem like silly money for the on-the-surface-looks to the uninitiated. No one who buys watches from Walmart will get a Rolex - some Walmart shoppers will buy this MoonSwatch because they might be able to relate to it more on the price level, and also it'll feel fun to wear and look at compared to the old, expensive traditionalists.
This is going to win over the younger generation who are no longer interested in luxury pieces. For most people I know, spending $4000 on a watch is far too much. This is truly an amazing move to make the Speedmaster accessible for average people. I can gift this to my father and he would be so happy.
I don't think luxury watches should be more accessible. That's the point of luxury watches. I was thinking about trading in my speedmaster before but I am for sure now. Don't wanna hear, "hey nice swatch." Is that douchey? Probably, but let's be fair, you don't buy the Rolex because it's the absolute best watch for your dollar, you buy it so you can have a Rolex
I totally agree i don't have $5000 to spend on a watch but I do have $300 it also gets the Omega name out to a huge audience ☮️
@@juniorjohnson5961 it dilutes the brand and kills luxury status of Omega. Poor people don't understand Veblen goods...
less accessible kills the brand. Rolls Royce used to sell only to royalties - Got bought by BMW. Bentley used to be high end - gught bought by VW. Increase accessibility bring the brand a larger buyer market, which haves profiting the brand and help the brand stay afloat. Your luxury watches so less accessible argument is literally trying killing Omega.
@@ddjohnson9717 there is a huge difference between being almost impossible to obtain and being a hard but realistic goal. Bentley isn't putting their badges on a Mini. That would be the equivalent. They changed so more than 150 people in the world can get it. Ferrari, Rolex, diamonds, ext are hard to get and having a premium price are a feature not a bug.
I was initially really excited and it prompted me to pull out my old Swatch Irony Chronograph. But then I noticed my Swatch was broken (chrono seconds hand no longer works) and remembered that Swatches are essentially disposable fashion pieces. $360AUD is too much for a disposable novelty for me, no matter how cool it looks. So I’m putting the cash towards a Bulova Lunar Pilot instead.
That is the best reason against this watch I’ve heard so far and for me it’s a reason to buy it because I had a swatch as a child and it would still work if I put a battery in it
I know how you feel. I went and had a look at them yesterday. Before seeing them and holding one I was really excited about it and could see myself owning one. However having held one and looked at it I just felt it was an expensive Swatch watch and I'm really not a Swatch fan at all. So being surrounded by Swatch watches everywhere it just turned me off. I understand these things are all very personal and subjective so this is just how I felt when I saw it.
The Lunar Pilot is a fantastic watch... I have one myself (obviously biased), but I spent a long time looking at various options before buying. If you have a 7.25 inch wrist or larger, it wears just fine (opposed to what JOMW said about it - "wears like a dinner plate."). It was meant to be a little larger, as it was designed for legibility and to be worn over a spacesuit. It has it's own history and connection to NASA program/the space race (besides just the chronograph, pilots and astronauts wore the Bulova Astronaut, an Accutron, and some of the onboard timekeeping instrumentation utilized the Accutron movement), is made very well, and the movement is far accurate/reliable than ANY of the existing/historic timepieces (262 kHz movement = +/- 5 seconds PER YEAR). There was an authorized seller on eBay who was selling them refurbished with 3 year warranty for $225. Think those are gone, but they are readily available new for under $400. A much better use of money compared to the MoonSwatch, though as an enthusiast without $5500 to spend on a single Omega I can understand its existence and appeal.
Anyway, good luck!
ps Bulova made a half-hearted reissue of the Astronaut with their Accutron II movement, although they left out a few key elements and there was really nothing special about it. The Lunar Pilot, however, is a job well done.
Taking it a step further, you could successfully argue that Bulova had vastly more to do with the space program than Omega - it just happened to be the watch worn and most visible on the most famous of days/achievements... and you'd be a true historian to be able to drop that on Omega Speedy fanboys. ;-)
@@VintageVantage79 Thanks. I have a 7.5 inch wrist so should be fine. I don't mind a larger watch anyway. As long as it's not physically uncomfortable, I'm sure it will get a lot of use.
After years spent in sales and marketing, I can't believe more presentations haven't featured more gerbil photography analogies. This is a brilliant video with some excellent insights into the watch market - excellent work fellas, a standout piece in an already very high quality pool of content. Keep 'em coming.
So You know " Marketing goes a long way " ... up into space 🤣
Potato ... Potatoe
Tomato ... Tomatoe
Hesalite ... Plexiglass
BioCeramic ... Plastic
🧐
@@phmwu7368 There's a paradox at play here because:
Hesalite = Plexiglass = Acrylic = Resin = Polymer = Plastic = BioCeramic
Therefore: Hesalite = BioCeramic
So there we have it. Mathematical PROOF that this is just another plastic Swatch that is being sold for $260. Yeah, I'll take an Orient Mako for $200 Alex!
Will they be able to be serviced??
I'd be surprised if Omega comes out the worse for launching this line of watches. I don't see the brand reputation deminishing because of it, I think they open up a whole new demography to the brand.
Wrong.
Right.
@@charles_1523 i own over 150k of watches and have been collecting for years. And this makes me want to sell every omega I have... I'm guessing you aren't aj experienced collector by the sound of it. Some... ahem...demographics have a hard time understanding the marketing of Veblen goods...
@@Chris-es3wf just the fact that you typed out "ahem" gave you away right away. What will you do when Rolex does a Paul Newman in a mecha quartz?
@@Chris-es3wf I own 200k of watches, nah, nah, nah.😂😂😂😂🤡
It would be nice too know where these market share numbers quoted come from.
I think it's a big win for all three parties - Swatch go upmarket - Omega cast their net further and no doubt make a few bucks more in the process - and finally, the consumer gets what it wants (but probably never knew it wanted). A big win all around.
I agree i wish they would do this with the seamaster cause I'd buy one in a heart beat
I´m absolutely loving this release, and as an speedy owner, I'm loving this release even more. I don't agree with the whole "omega is being cheapened" argument because in the end this is a one off collaboration, so it very much comes off as good fun especially since its still very much a swatch and it has the swatch name on it.
This is no collaboration. Swatch OWNS Omega. Swatch just decided to throw the Omega name on a Swatch. What's next, they're going to throw the Omega name on a Tissot?
A couple of years ago, Omega were producing grossly overpriced, heinous sunglasses and cheap looking tat, with the logo. I am an owner of the original, Quartz Bond Seamaster ( Without the 007 badging), bought in 2001.
I think this is a breath of fresh air, and an inspiring move from the brands.
I agree to an extend, but if they are going to use the Omega name/heritage, then we should get something more than a Swatch watch with an extra name on the logo. There is nothing special about these watches other than the Bioceramic gimmick. Nothing special in the actual mechanism and nothing else to make them stand out other than looks and marketing. They are overpriced Swatch watches in the end of the day, which is rather disappointing....I would happily pay an extra $100 for mechanical movement.
Omega is not being cheapened and I agree. In fact for people that are already into watches but can't afford an omega at the moment can opt for one at a cheaper place. Or there are those collectors that wants something difference. At the end no one confuses a legit actual Omega vs a Swatch collab brand.
People that are applying hate is kinda same reason for those are ones that can't afford one or snobby owners of one that wants to sit on top of everyone.
Its actually really similar to the car community automatics vs manuals. Manual drivers thinks they are king and thinks everyone else that dont want manuals or drive manuals are peasants but Omega like the car maker is catering to the 90% of the market of people that a major consumers that can profit from vs the niche group that wont spend that kind of money for many many years to buy another product.
It’s never a big mistake for a large, powerful, highly revered person or company to demonstrate humility and to serve a target audience that had never had a chance to access their product and enjoy why they’re so celebrated. This completely changes how I look at Omega and even Swatch. It’s just such a cool thing to do in this crazy time we live in right now when there’s not nearly as much to celebrate.
Wrong. This is a big mistake for a luxury brand. Now it's just another Tissot ( low grade crap brand)
@@Chris-es3wf you know you’re almost alone with that opinion right? Do you honestly believe that this isn’t going to make their revenue skyrocket? Dude it’s ok (and really cool) for Omega to make $200 watches just like it’s ok (and really cool) for Elon Musk to wear $50 Chuck Taylor’s.
@@Chris-es3wf If the creation of one fun cheap line devalues everything else, then it was a house of cards to begin with. Cheap prints of The Persistence of Memory have existed for ages and Dali is still considered a great artist. The existence of a Lego Notre Dame didn't diminish the appeal of the actual cathedral.
The Speedmaster was a great watch with iconic design and historical significance. It remains a great watch with iconic design and historical significance.
If the only thing you ever actually cared about was the mystique surrounding the brand name, just buy whatever Rolex your AD happens to be able to get their hands on and take conspicuous shots of it in front of your steering wheel for Instagram. It'll impress more people and hold its value better.
I think it depends on context. Shareholders don’t care about humility, they care about revenue and share price…so in that context it ‘could’ be a big mistake if it negatively impacts revenue. I think that’s unlikely, but not impossible. These watches would put me off buying a proper Speedy I think, and maybe there will be others like me.
@@thetruebatman4632 please look up the definition of a Veblen good. For the average person, it is amazing that Omega are collaborating with Swatch to make an affordable watch. But the question is if this will be detrimental to Omega’s long term strategy with the Speedmaster. You can now buy a Speedmaster from anywhere from $250 all the way up to $90,000. I personally own the 3861 Speedmaster Hesalite and even I was balking at the 25% price increase to $6300 compared to $5,000 USD for the previous model. How will Omega continue to justify Veblen goods price increases moving forward if it continues to devalue the Speedmaster brand with $250 Speedmasters?
I for one am happy to see the fun and whimsical MoonSwatch collaboration but I can certainly see why some may feel Omega has a tough road ahead
I smoke pipe tobacco. As an enthusiast, I seek out new blends and varieties of pipe tobacco from wherever i can find it. I tend to shy away from flavored, or aromatic tobaccos in favor of pure, natural tobaccos. But guess what? The most popular (most sold) pipe tobacco is cherry! And consequently, if producers couldn't sell cherry tobaccos, many would go out of business, thus preventing me from enjoying my hobby.
This is how I view the OmegaxSwatch controversy. The succes of lower priced projects like these pay for the higher end/higher priced product.
I think they're a great idea. They're definitely generating a ton of buzz, getting EVERYONE talking about Omega. I agree with the point made in the video: If Omega makes this a habit, it could diminish the aspirational aspect of the brand as a luxury item. However, if the exercise is limited to these watches, and as long as they aren't available forever, then I think it's a great move to create awareness and hype around the Omega brand.
Agree
One thing Omega doesn’t need to worry about is diluting the Speedmaster 😜. One more edition to the pile… but if it allows a younger generation to access the world of watches… why not!
Agreed. Omega's main goal was hype generation and PR which will drive up Omega sales, not cheapen its image as no one will consider this as a true Omega. It brings lot of noise and attention to the brand.
Agree ^^b
Great point. In the last few days, the Omega x Swatch watch is generating a huge amount of discussion about Omega. Now if this makes a wider audience aware of the Omega brand and drives more eyes to their website to see what Omega offers, then this will probably have been a beneficial collaboration. From the immediate standpoint, Swatch sales are going to go through the roof.
Feels like a great move on Omega's part. As someone who falls in that 30s-40s bracket, most everyone I know wouldn't ever consider spending over $500 on a watch, nevermind a prestige brand like Omega, Rolex, or PP. But something like this? All of a sudden, this opens up a lot of interest in Omega for people (like myself!) who wouldn't have taken a second look at any of their offerings.
@@skellington2000 Affordable doesn't necessarily mean throw away. No reason why this can't be used and enjoyed for a lifetime
Agree that if they only released the wacky colours then this would be purely beneficial, since it gets Omega's name out there, while still giving people a reason to spend more on a real Moonwatch. The black colours are what make this weird & potentially disengages potential buyers for the real deal
Spot on
I would say if this was the case, the person would never buy a Moonwatch anyway.
Why would potential buyers disengage ? It does not affect the real Speedy.
It's not a real speedy, but someone that's maybe been eyeing one for a while will decide to see this & decide to settle for it instead
Also for people that just want a luxury watch and know relatively little, there's the idea of not wanting to buy something that could be confused for the cheaper thing
I have a Speedy… still want the Red one 😂
I'm a big fan of this series, and I love all the excitement it has generated. For me, these don't take anything away from anyone's Speedmaster, because they're not luxury watches. Still, I agree the most "concerning" one is the "Mission to the Moon", and that one holds no interest for me because it doesn't look "Swatchy" enough. "Mission to Jupiter" -- that's my favorite.
Here, from the ali sale:
Here's the specs of the PD-1701:
- Seiko VK63 MechaQuartz chrono movement
- Sapphire Crystal
- 316L case & bracelet
- Date complication
- 100m water resistance with screw-down crown
- Looks like the Moon Watch
- Less than $80USD because of the monday sale
You should search for reviews on YT.
My take, this is genius and it potentially opens up Omega to a new wider audience. I do not believe it damages or diminishes either Omega or the Speedy Pro
No hypothetical here. I own a Speedmaster, and it has very much diminished my view and perception of the watch and the brand.
how long until they are available online?
It works. At least for me. Although I am somewhat interested in luxury watches (watched a lot of your videos), I never thought I would own one because I thought they are too expensive. This moonswatch thing get me interested in the speedmaster, and for the first time in my life I walked into an omega store today (which is right next to a Swatch store and both are displaying the MoonSwatch collection), and discovered that I can actually affort an entry level speedmaster. Here, one more future customer for Omega. And right now, I am going to buy the Mission to Mecury instead of a Casioak or Seiko 5 Sport for casual use.
Personal opinion, there is going to have some devaluing because of 1 word, exclusivity. It's almost like Honda collaborating with lamborghini to make a lamborghini lookalike for a fraction of the price. If they are headed to the mass appeal direction, sure, but they are going to take a hit in the luxury community. Just like how non-watch enthusiast still scoff at Grand-Seiko despite it not being Seiko. There is going to be an impact if this isn't a limited production.
From the discussion, Omega is taking a risk of loosing some of its existing base customers but gaining by capture a larger base of new customer
I think it worth the risk
because even though Omega's quality is on par or better than its biggest competitor Rolex, but fame, prestigious, sales and after market value.. Omega is miles behind Rolex.
So it's a risk worth taking.. Omega have not much to lose as Rolex is too far ahead (some might disagree) but at the same time Omega is also far ahead of other brands in the same segment (even if Omega drop the ball, it's still within calculated risk).
So it's not like Go big or go home
It's more like Aim for the Moon.. if you miss you may hit a star
For long term,
If they landed on the Moon, existing base customers which leaving right now will come back in future
In short term,
Omega (not Swatch!) received some multimillions worth free publicity in such short period of time. I don't recall they received the same level of hype when releasing their last Snoopy or some fancy full ceramic Moonwatch. Not to mention the queue worldwide, happening right now, at this time, hours away from the the start selling.. they know some handsome cash flow is flocking in, soon as they open the door on 26th!
If anything I think that Omega WILL benefit from this. Those who buy this and don't yet own the automatic, stainless steel variety will no doubt end up getting one or if they can't afford it now they'll be motivated to save up & get the real deal.
@Lucas Are you responding to me or Luis YL?
Umm, Swatch owns Omega
This is the most empathetic watchfinder video i've yet watched. I applaud the careful positioning. This is the way to analyze.
As a new watch enthusiast, I would argue that this has made me reconsider my next watch purchase. I wanted a decent mid-range Chrono and I was eyeing the Stowa Fleiger Chrono (approx. 2500 USD). I had my eye on the Omega but price was prohibitive (I might take a risk on 2k but not on a 5k plus watch). With this offering, it sort of gives me a taste of what a chrono might provide without breaking the bank. So I've pressed pause on the Stowa, will play with the Moonswatch (if I can wrangle one), and really take my time on how I want to invest my money - do I upgrade and go full Moonwatch or will I be happy with the "MoonSwatch" and my mid-range Stowa? This was not in my mind last week, so Omega, at least with this customer, will get $300 with the potential of a full investment. They did not have either of those options last week. If there's enough of folks like me out there, I'd say that's a big win. If they sell millions of these things and can convert a small percentage to upgrade... that's an even bigger win. It's brilliant marketing.
P.S. Will you be able to flip straps on the MoonSwatch? Anybody know? I know swatch is notorious for their proprietary straps.
It's a 20mm lug. I can't believe for a moment that the strap won't be replaceable. It looks like there must be spring pin in there.
My friend, I'm also looking forward to get one MoonSwatch. Now, don't mistake a Moonwatch with the MoonSwatch, it'll never be the same thing. Buy a MoonSwatch as fun watch... A vintage Casio with space Invaders or something like that. If you have the money buy the real deal and enjoy both!
Get a second hand watch from a dealer. Much better bang for the buck.
Were u able to aquire one?
@@protogenus9108 Not yet. My Swatch location is very, very far away from me!
Where can you buy this?
Oh the irony... Last year I spend a small fortune sending my Moonwatch to the Swiss Omega Spa for a total rejuvenation. When it returned fully rested and looking brand new, I now partially unwrap it enough to wind it, but have never worn it. Realizing my error, I purchased a Speedy reduced for my daily. Now, it's asking for a Swiss vacation, and I am partially inclined because I can replace it with a MoonSwatch!
Are they battery powered
I personally love this collection. I’ll be over the moon when I’ll get my Mercury or Mars.
Not sure how this whole thing will play out in the long term, but Omega (and many others) has to do something to reach a younger audience. There is an interview with Jean Claude Biver where he claims that apple basically ate up the younger crowd and the swiss industry does next to nothing to reach them. Most of them are still want to sell watches in stores, because of the ‘experience’.
Right. Seiko can have lovers of their brand eventually grow into a Grand Seiko (or that lovely King Seiko). Most Swiss brands can't do that.
@@ThePmfan most people thst love seiko don't graduate to grand seiko. They graduate to Rolex and Omega... well.. now just Rolex 🤣
I own a Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch (Hesalite) that I bought brand new, and this honestly doesn't bother me. I love the look of the Saturn, Neptune, and obviously the Moon versions. I might buy one as a novelty, but it's the real thing that is a pleasure to wear every day.
I think it’s a brilliant piece of marketing.
It’s a Swatch, not an Omega watch and they look to be great fun.
Everyone with any interest in watches is talking about them - win for both the brands.
I think this is a great collaboration of Omega with Swatch. Speedmaster’s appeal will not be reduced because its an amazing watch and real deal, but todays MoonSwatch buyers will probably be the buyers of the real thing in the future!
I work in the wine business in CA. Every time a major brand introduces a second label or lower end product, it has a negative impact on the upper end. A classic example is Trader Joe's and "two buck Chuck". A very popular program that initially energized wine sales, but it came at a cost. In addition to attracting new customers, it also attracted existing customers who had previously purchased in the more profitable "$10 and up" category. Bottom line, they drove their best customer down market.
@@tomscott4438 well, I just hope it doesn’t happen to Omega then 😅
The major reason I bought my SMP300M, was because of the George Daniels Co Axial escapement.. If Omega didn't use this movement, I'd have bought something else, and probably much, much, cheaper.. (ie, Sinn U50t)..
I'm hoping, after the dust settles, Omega might do the same thing, with the Seamaster,, and I'll be wanting one of those , big style,,, 🤣
Maybe, watch owners who absolutely love their one and only "prestige" watch, (that's me), would really like a "beater" version, which looks similar, but can be worn in a "rough" situation.. I know I would,, ..
Same here. I had to have a watch with a coaxial escapement and I'll never commission a Roger Smith, well probably not 😂
@Bobby Situkangpoles and an Omega Coaxial isn't a bad plan B at all. Especially now they've got the Master Chronometer accreditation. I don't need a more accurate watch.
Excellent podcast and breakdown. I certainly agree with the pros vs cons analysis. I own the 3861 Speedy and have worn it daily for over a year now. I will absolutely be the first in line to pick up a few of these fun and whimsical MoonSwatches as an enthusiast.
However, I would also be lying if I didn’t admit that it did sting a tiny bit to know that I spent years saving up for my 3861 speedy when there’s now a $250 plastic version with full Omega and Speedmaster branding and everything.
For every person that decides this $250 MoonSwatch scratches the “Speedy” itch, Omega will lose $6150. (Current price of the 3861 Hesalite is $6400). Meaning Omega needs to sell MoonSwatches : Moonwatches at a rate of 25 : 1 to compensate. And that’s assuming none of those 25 cannibilize a future Moonwatch sale.
I always wanted a Hesalite speedy as a kid and would absolutely still buy one again as an enthusiast even with this MoonSwatch release. But it does make me wonder how many non-enthusiasts would be willing to fork over $$$ for the real deal when the perceived “brand prestige” is lacking. I think Omega is taking a courageous gamble by humbling themselves and risking their “brand prestige” to allow a new market segment to experience their watch. But only time will tell if this gamble will pay off.
I see it this way, I'm new to watches and only currently have 2 (Citizen PCAT and a 42mm Hamilton Khaki Field Auto)
The current watch that I aspire to own is a Longines Master Collection to the tune of $3700 (which is still a TON of money and not something I would realistically ever purchase).
Seeing this new Omega x Swatch ordeal crop up had really brought my attention towards Omega as a brand. I've always put off the thought of owning an Omega or a Rolex because I knew I'd never, in my lifetime, spend that much on a watch. I now have the ability to purchase something that looks almost identical to the Speedmaster, and that prospect has honestly turned me on to Omega even more. I've found myself ogling at their website thinking "damn, I wish I had $7k to spend on a real Speedmaster."
I plan on hopefully grabbing myself the new Moonswatch, and my aspiration to owning an actual Speedmaster has actually been lifted...now I REALLY want one. Who knows? Maybe I'll hit the lottery one day and will have one 🤣
Bingo! Griff, I think you are exactly who they're going for - along with the people who've only ever heard of Omega from Bond films.
Thanks Swatch and Omega for letting scalpers to enjoy themselves, i cant get one because i live in Norway… and i have to buy one from Ebay for tripple the price… thanks alot
I think that the guy who said that they should've left out the moon one, was spot on. That's really the only one that could potentially hurt the brand's prestige. But in reality I think this is just going to expand the real speedmaster consumer base.
you are all out of your minds. It clearly says swatch. It (the moon and the mercury ones) will be only slightly more damaging to the Omega Speedie than the Bulova pilot, which is not damaging hardly at all.
@@ThePmfan You're thinking like an enthusiast and not a casual, regular consumer. I'd bet they'd tell you that the mission to the moon and a speedy pro look the same. They'd go, "What's the difference?"
@@ams914 perceived value… this is priced high for what it is… they’re going to make 100x what they would selling regular ones… in the end people who know will pay more
Here's a conundrum that wasn't mentioned - do I get the moonswatch or buy a Bulova Lunar Pilot on a similar band (and have a watch that was actually worn in space)? I'm still wanting the Lunar Pilot compared to this
As a speedy owner, I love these and agree that it’s target towards a younger audience. It’s a great move that I think will pay off
So that means the moonswatch will be available online?
The execution is excellent, the problem is the way they're sold. The scalpers will buy the majority, guaranteed, and they will resell them at stupid markups on the grey market. The people who these are aimed at will end up getting kicked in the teeth or will have to camp out overnight to have a chance of buying one. Come on Swatch, make these in huge numbers, make them available everywhere.
Fair. But scalpers really win when there are no limits...and because this isn't avail on the Internet yet, they can't use their bots.
Bro its already known that Swatch will offer them in their online store as well at a later stage. They are not limited. Sooner or later everyone who wants one will get one
Swatch Said that for now it's exclusive to some stores, but they will be available online soon!
Scalping will be impossible, Omega said they'll be sold online at a later date. By the sounds of it, they're not intended to run out.
Btw you can only get 2 watches per family.
Can anyone explain the “dot over 90”?
I keep hearing that referenced, I see it on the bezel, but I have no clue what the significance or purpose is.
Tom’s point is spot on. I think any concern, frustration or diminishing of the real Moon Watch would be negated by removing the black/grey almost replica versions of the moonswatch
Totally agree
For sure
I just noticed it even has a tiny "s" etched onto the center of the crystal ,where Omega usually puts its symbol. I REALLY like these.
guess who gonna be standing in front of the flagship store at 5 in the morning tomorrow? ❤️❤️❤️
lol here in Singapore, shop opens at 10am, huge crowd queuing since 12am
I'm in Houston & people are lined up now outside the mall!!!
Scalpers
@@otah6100 ur kidding right
Already on ebay for £1000
The concept of brand dilution has to be rethought: for decades, the Mercedes Benz S class has been one of the most desirable vehicles from one of the most prestigious automotive brands.
And it doesn't matter that the same 3 pointed star adorns garbage trucks, delivery vans, commuter buses and long haulers.
In the same way, people will still gravitate towards a superb automatic movement, high end finishing and precious materials as per the Omega brand - and the MoonSwatch won't be a negative factor, rather more an additional purchase for day to day wear for many.
That's an interesting take. I think so too. For anyone who's held either the moonswatch and the moonwatch, the difference is as clear as night and day. The problem is that purely on pictures (unlike a car and a truck) the moonswatch and the moonwatch look very similar. This similarity might dilute the prestige that is an undeniable draw for potential Omega customers. Ultimately, this is a great step in the right direction that should not be excessively used.
It’s not only a good idea, it will be game-changing, such as when Swatch originally launched. Soon we will have Speedmaster wall clocks such as the Swatch one I got back in the day, together with straps!
Damn, great idea. I'd love a MoonSwatch wall clock. 🔥
Very interesting video, can you share where you got your stats?
Totally agreeing with everyone considering these watches as gateway drugs. I totally see parallels between these Moonswatches with the Seiko 5 Sports brand - provide tons of fun colorways and to treat these as a fashion item to appeal to a younger audience.
But then again, Seiko does have a problem with people not taking Grand Seiko seriously because "It's a Seiko", and there are also complaints that there isn't enough to distinguish between cheap Seiko 5 watches and the top end Seiko watches that cost 10 times as much.
@@ALMOOSTASHAR oh definitely, but I think going high to low is an easier move than the other way around going from budget to high end. First examples I can think of are say Tesla versus OnePlus
@@RocketSlug Omega just went from a luxury brand to a fashion brand overnight. What a joke...
@@Chris-es3wf God damn you're short sighted.. Omega just became a luxury brand AND a fashion brand overnight.. as you can see by the huge lineups all around the world they just opened their brand up to THOUSANDS of potential future customers... The type of customer that shops at "Swatch", has no idea what an Omega Speedmaster is.. But they will now.. And that's the point. Get them in the door, teach them about horology and the high end stuff becomes MORE coveted.. Not less..
I'd sooner wear an Orient Mako. Better watch, cheaper price.
This session was emotional therapy for me.
I purchased the saphire sandwich moonwatch for Christmas, it was an aspirational purchase. It was something that I had wanted since the age of 14, I love the history, heritage and affiliation with NASA.
Ultimately, with the power of hindsight I wouldn't have purchase the 'standard' edition. I would have picked up a limited edition... Like the Apollo 13 or snoop ~ Then a number of these swatch versions.
Congrats
@watchfinder&Co. - I've heard someone say they think this is a way for Omega to get an understanding of what future color ways they could do in a "real" speedmaster. So if everyone loves the mission to Mars then that become their next limited model for the future. Personally I think they are cool and are getting a lot of press which is exactly what Omega wanted.
Seeing as these watches are already sold out, causing a frenzy at dealers and are going for over $4k EACH on eBay…I’d say Omega made a genius move
It seems incredibly foolish for them to include the 'mission to the moon' in this release and make it look very close to the Professional. If they want people to aspire to own the real thing, then it should be distinct from the colourful Swatch versions. The Swatches don't complement that watch, they duplicate it.
As it is, there's now just a cheap version of their flagship watch.
I'm calling it for what it is, CHEAP PLASTIC GARBAGE and a MONEY GRAB. With the American economy currently on the brink of disaster, there will be a MASSIVE luxury watch bubble burst and the Swatch Group is preparing for it. I,e. pushing out this toy for obnoxious younger generations and again for the $$$$$.
People here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, lined up since 6pm YESTERDAY. So the reception of this thing is crazy.
It’s definitely going to be a cash cow, and it IS very fun, however, to me, it slightly tarnishes the brand value. As you said, it’ll depend on what they do going forward. Basically I want one or two of these cool fun watches, but I’m now on the fence about buying an actual moon watch. It was to be my next big watch purchase, and it still might be, but I’m less sure now. 🤷🏻♂️
Same here man. Was planning to buy the speedy but I'm afraid the moonswatch might have negative impact to the speedy
@@barracosoken I’ve been looking at older models, and am leaning towards pre-owned now. Omega is so good, but I kind of feel like vintage>modern with them. They make amazing watches, and the Speedmaster will always be one the most iconic chronograph watches of all time, but as a brand, they feel sort of confused and reactive, not bold and decisive. 🤷🏻♂️. Regardless, good luck on your choice!
Yup, in the same boat. I actually almost bought one a month or so ago, think I'll be passing on it now.
Indeed, me too. Agree, while would we spend have to spend so much for an original brand replica bioceramic watch.
Imagine Prada or Chanel partnering with Micheal Korrs
"A little Championship Belt for your wrist." I'm taking that.
They made a genius move. By the way you don't need to queue up like an iSheep waiting for the next iPhone. They'll be making lots of them and probably will sell on line too. Tough luck scalpers!
Tell me that in a few months.
Lol. South Korea Swatch sold 2 watches per customer instead of the 1 per customer told on instagram
I'm inclined to think this will affect aspirational buyers.
As you pointed out.
If you know very little about watches but see Omega as an iconic luxury brand, and you then see an identical looking Omega branded watch at a fraction of the cost, why buy the Omega?
I should add that in January I bought a Seamaster 300 and had Omega/Swatch done such a collaboration on a Seamaster beforehand, I might have had misgivings about buying one.
In Hong Kong there are districts of 2nd hand shops specialising in omega moonmasters stacked High around a grand and up for mechanical steel versions
I consider myself a watch enthusiast and own a DSOTM and I love this. Not everyone can afford a $10k watch. The irony is my first Omega was a Speedy Reduced that I bought second hand for $500 in 2007…not that much more than this MoonSwatch. Perhaps the “luxury” watch market is overinflated and we need more affordable homages to balance things out. I would argue that current Speedmasters are way overpriced for what they are, but of course they will never release a more affordable option under the Omega name. Swatch is the next best option to increase market share.
Lined up at 6am this morning and the line was already 600 deep. Store had 150 watches. They are now selling on ebay for $5k plus.
@@BraveNewWorldAH crazy! I think the market will be flooded and they’ll resell for around $500 in the coming days. I’ll wait for Swatch to do a mass release before I get mine. No Swatch in Tampa :’(
Here, from the ali sale:
Here's the specs of the PD-1701:
- Seiko VK63 MechaQuartz chrono movement
- Sapphire Crystal
- 316L case & bracelet
- Date complication
- 100m water resistance with screw-down crown
- Looks like the Moon Watch
- Less than $80USD because of the monday sale
You should search for reviews on YT.
Isn't that better?
Yes so Omega will be associated with cheap designer garbage. Rolex will have one less competitor now.(Not that Omega was ever close to Rolex)
@@vinniethegreat9645 The tragedy in all of this is that from a technical perspective, Omega often exceeded Rolex. By the same token, even Tissot sometimes exceeds Rolex from a technical perspective. The only thing that Rolex does better than everyone else is marketing and there is a serious gap in marketing ability between Rolex and everyone else.
To me, these MoonSwatches aren't Omegas, they're Swatches with the Omega name thrown on them because Swatch owns Omega. To many others however, they're Omegas.
WatchFinder, at 4:50 you showed an interesting collection of Seamaster models with colorful bands. What reference are these or what do I search for to buy one? They look like fun watches that are fun to wear on a daily basis.
I must be missing something here, but I do not see how a Swatch quartz version of the Speedmaster diminishes the aspirational quality of Omega and the Speedmaster in any way. I'm not convinced that the swatch version is close enough to the original in look, feel, and quality, or even branding for that matter. On the contrary I think it only brings awareness to the history and significance of the Moonwatches place in history and horology, which can only be a good thing.
What I think is actually triggering the negativity is Omega's newer approach to marketing, one that diverges away from the traditional style that resembles Rolex.
because part of buying a luxury watch is the name and exclusivity, if you slap the name on everything and make it widely available, it will diminish the brand.
@@Alexander_MD But what is exclusive about Omega other than its price point? You can get just about any model by walking into a boutique. What you're looking for then is a Rolex. I thought everyone was trying to tell Omega to stop trying to be Rolex?
Must be one of the few here that actually watched the video prior to commenting.
I oddly feel like this could add to the aspiration market? From my perspective i straight away thought about going out and buying one since it's so cheap and affordable and i've wanted a moonwatch for years... But now it's got me thinking more about buying the actual moonwatch, i feel it might make the older discontinued varients of the moonwatch go up in value as now more people are going to be searching up about omega and finding out about the hertiage and prestige that the brand has via this watch.
Not everyone will just go out and buy something, some people like to research before they make a purchase and i think those people might sent more traffic to Omega. I could also see the case of someone buying this watch; really liking the styling, knowing nothing about the omega brand and only knowing about Swatch. Then finding out about where the inspiration for this watch came from and making it their goal to get the original moonwatch (or another Omega) as their luxury watch, adding to the aspiration market.
Every watch geek I know is going to be lining up hours before the stores open tomorrow. Omega have knocked it out of the park with this publicity stunt. If I could, I would buy every single one.
I did line up in Amsterdam sadly they only had 135
I think it comes down to in-hands impression and perception of quality. I have yet to see and hold one in person. That being said, as nice looking and cool as these affordable MoonSwatch are, if it's still made with Swatch quality, and I suspect they will be, I think the tactile feeling one gets will fall greatly short from the "real" Omega Speedy. Additionally, there are obvious seam lines in the case, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are slight alignment issues and dust/particulates under the crystal and/or on the dial. I went through an entire inventory of 1 Swatch model to find one that was perfectly clean and all had some issue of dust under the crystal.. ended up settling for the least offensive of the lot. Yes, I know these are "just" Swatches and I probably shouldn't have been seeking perfection in them... And maybe these are some things that some folks should keep in mind. Nobody was going mad for a Swatch quartz chronograph before these MoonSwatches. Are and added brand name and cosmetic change THAT much better? None the less, these are still cool affordable fun watches. And, I will be patiently waiting for when the online sales are open to comfortably order exactly the model(s) I'd want and at retail price.
Those who seek high quality and prestige and want the best "genuine" Speedy top money can buy will continue to seek it.
Pretty sure those who have bought the luxury Omega Speedy or those who have the means and plan to buy one will continue to do so. I can't see them not want them anymore for a bargain plastic facsimile version.
I think those who got the Swatch version, and there will undoubtedly be many, there is at least the increase in Omega brand awareness and knowledge than ever before... Could be enough to make future luxury Omega owners... If not also the friends and families who are likely simultaneously bombarded with mainstream Omega branding because of these MoonSwatches.
Just my take and guess on the potential effects of these new affordable releases.
This is brilliant on Omega's behalf. My wife loved her Swatch in the 1980's and just isn't interested in watches. That all changed with this watch. She wants a couple of them in different colors and they have gotten her interested in watches. After I showed her the watches last night, she told me she spent a lot of time on their website this morning. Knowing her, she'll likely want to upgrade down the road to their higher end products to compliment her jewelry. As Rolex becomes more exclusive and snobbish, Omega is innovating by introducing a new generation of owners, as well as introducing improved actions such as the 8800 co-axial. Nice work Omega/Swatch.
I just went to buy 1 or 2 of these from Central world Bangkok, swatch store was closed with security outside and a crowd, the sale has been cancelled here anyway. Their Facebook page now say these are not limited edition, there is enough stock for everyone and they will be sold online….
I love that Omega is doing this. no way can i afford to spend 5 grand on a watch. But im going to have several of these. And if i scratch or break it who cares. I don't want to spend money on luxury watches. I want dope ass reasonably priced watches.
You can get a Seamaster 300M for £2k. Can't see the point in buying several overpriced plastic watches instead.
I have an original Omega Speed master Mk1 which I love dearly. I watched your video yesterday about the Omega/Swatch Speed master and I plan to buy four or five of these starting with the 🌝 expedition. I think they are lovely fun summer watches. Good for Omega.
I think that depending on how customers and experts react to these over time, Omega will either be seen as heroes or knuckleheads
Can’t wait to get the Alaska project one - a fun way to play with bold colors and a classic style at an affordable price seems like a winner
I agree entirely with the "These would be great, if they didn't have the Mission to Moon/Mercury" ones. Make some fun colorful ones, but then have nothing that looks like the real deal. I'm shocked they have two that could be mistaken for the real deal at a distance. "Oh is that one of those Swatches?!" nobody wants their $6000 luxury watch to be mistaken for a $250 plastic watch. That 90% of the market that's aspirational, brand aware, are going to notice this.
I feel this is especially true for the Moonwatch, it's a watch that is built in the prestige and history, it's probably their least impressive, least well finished piece in their major lines.. It's certainly iconic, but it's iconic because of the brand image Omega gave it and part of that image is for it to be an aspirational piece. I mean why are we excited about this? Because it's an "Omega" that's affordable to the mass world. There are a lot of Quartz or Mechanical Quartz chronographs for this price range that in nearly every way, blow this watch out of the water.. like look at a Yema Rallygraf for example.. but nobody is going to camp out for the latest Yema release..
People are excited because of Omega's brand and that's a brand built on prestige and being an aspirational brand, and it's OK to admit that.
On a much smaller (money) scale look at Ray-Ban and it's history, how it started as a premium sunglass company and dropped down to gas station buy 2 for $20 deals, to being built back up as a premium and desirable brand again. A luxury item that everyone has is no longer aspirational, and it can take the brand down some pegs. Omega loses some brand appeal and what truly separates it from Oris, Frederqiue Constant, Longines and those other "entry" level luxury brands? It's a hell of a risk IMO.
Well, I just saw the mission to the moon version listed on EBay for over $2,000.00. So will these become like the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, which typically sells for 10 times its retail price?
I reckon it’s a masterstroke by both Swatch and Omega.
As an Omega owner (not a speedie though) I am not worried about it cheapening Omega overall. I am one of those that bought mine when I earned and saved enough to buy one… and because the OP41 wasn’t available at at realistic price!
Put it simple this is for those that wanted a luxury watch but either cant afford or not willing to spend the money for a luxury watch...almost got an omega few months back but end up buying a GS, was so glad of my decision when the moonswatch came out. Maybe its also the similar reasons why newer gs has only grand seiko on the watch instead of seiko on top (with grand seiko at the bottom) to further differentiate the more expensive brand from the cheaper cousin.
Does this not remind anyone of Tag Heuers attempt at catching a bigger market with the F1 series in the late 80s? they too partnered up with swatch and made colorful plastic (and later metal) quartz watches for the younger audience. it didnt do all they hoped it did and it -in my opinion- devalued the brand and took prestige away. i feel this is the same and i dont think its gonna work.. who tf wants a plastic omega you may say you do but youre still the market they already have a 'watch enthusiast' regular people that know about omega wont just buy a kids version of the speedmaster, at least i dont think they will but what the hell do i know 😂
💯🤣
I think this watch has the potential of luring the young crowd away from Daniel Wellington and the like. Omega has much more clout than TAG does and, honestly, I cannot see a downside to this release. I have not seen a hype like this in a long, long time. I salute Omega on being different and bold. I am an Omega fanboy, will not buy the MoonSwatch, and an still saving to buy a Speedmaster (hopefully).
@@edteach3r i really hadnt seen any much hype for the piece, evidently i was in another galaxy and gravely mistaken because this fucking thing is blowing up.. incredible really
@@pulgaroja93 Awesome comment! Thank you.
I think the startegy is genious .
When I first i started riding motorcycles I started on a ninja 250.. after a while i wanted the real deal and I ended up getting a 600 SS ninja . and then a GTR 1400 . so this puts swatch and Omega on the map .
The best thing about this release is seeing all the Omega fanboys lose their 💩 over a plastic watch 😂 hilarious to see how uptight some people can be
I agree with the closing comment that they should have not released a moon version to provide just that little bit more separation from the 'real' moon watch. I also like how they all have little unique touches (hate the Saturn print) but wish they didn't simply take them from past/rare/extremely valuable Speedmasters like the mars chrono hands. I think from a perspective of money and business this will be a hugely beneficial thing for the Swatch Group including Omega and as a current owner of one expensive limited Omega who is flying to a main center to try on a few and buy at least 1 more 'real' one next week my plans haven't changed apart from buying some of these at the same time (if I can) because they look fun and seem bonkers cheep. I don't know how Rolex has that sort of market share when they don't even seem to actually produce any watches anymore? Are they selling them to themselves in order to record the market share yet also put them back in storage to artificially raise the market? WTF
I think this will diminish brand value, and if not, at the very least; the Moonwatch’s value. As someone who has the Moonwatch on the list of watches I’m interested in acquiring for my collection, this was a total turn off. I would hate to spend 6-7k to get the actual Moonwatch, to then see a junior staff person roll up their sleeves and show me their hot pink MoonSwatch, and say “Hey! Look! I’ve got that watch too!”… I dunno. There is so much hype about it that I may consider it, esp if they discontinue the MoonSwatch since it was such a horrible idea…but hey, maybe that was the plan??
Very well said ! Imagine how we are feeling now 😞
I am with you PP. So many people think that this is a great idea and I think it is one of the worst marketing moves since New Coke. I understand why they are doing it, but it is a terrible mistake.
Excellent dialogue on this collaboration watch. I think it can only help both brands in the market. Just an FYI, you referred to the name as Omega "times" Swatch. I had to look this up myself as I have seen this designation in several ads for various items recently. The proper term is Omega "by" Swatch, as in an 8x10 photograph or a 2x4 board. Thanks for the review. This will definitely be on my radar when they become readily available.
The Swatch store in Sydney this morning opened at 8am. People had been queuing since 8pm the night before and by 8am HUNDREDS of people were waiting for the doors to open. They quickly sold out and now some of those watches, which sell here for 380AUD, are now on eBay at 1500AUD for the popular models like Mission to Mercury. Great business for Swatch.
A couple of thoughts. Seiko has, in essence, been doing this for years via their tiered branding. It’s kind of like the old U.S. automobile aspirational system of years ago when you started out with a Chevrolet, moved up into an Oldsmobile, then made the move into a Buick, and when you finally “made it”, you got the Cadillac. You start with a Seiko, perhaps move into a King Seiko, and then finally are able to purchase the Grand Seiko. So, Omega has partnered with Swatch. Say, if this strategy worked, and again say that Rolex wanted to do this to stave off Omega’s advances, to what watch brand do they partner? Fossil? Timex? And, it seems to me that G-Shock has been the always-there gateway drug into watch enthusiasm. I see this as a one-time successful campaign by Omega, and kudos to them for doing it first, and probably, the only time. Great discussion, gentlemen. Thank you.
For me as a watch enthousiast it's great but for omega it is a nail in their coffin.
I have sold my speedmaster professional but just imagine being at a party wearing it and somebody rocks up and says oh I have the same watch and flashes the moonswatch yes exactly.
This is business suicide in its purest form.
Gonna buy a couple moonswatches for sure.
I’m sure in person it would be easy to tell the difference. It’s not the same watch.
Nope
Neptune Uranus Mars
Treated as a Swatch, you can buy one for every day of the week. When each, eventually, needs replacing, why not move up to an "aspirational" Omega? Go from Swatch collector to Omega connoisseur in a decade or so.
Was in London today to try to buy one. There was a queue of 700 people and people have been camping outside since yesterday at 2 pm!
This is a home run from Omega. Looking forward to picking one up when they are readily available. They will sell loads of these and make Omega fans out of many new customers.
Its from Swatch...not Omega.
For Swatch not Omega
@@Secondstep777 Swatch group owns omega and swatch, I'm sure they're not worried about to where the money goes, thats why everyones talking about brand rep and not money