What is luxury? - Tudor, Omega, Rolex

Chapters:
Intro - 0:00
Context - 1:00
Definition of Luxury - 3:01
Luxury Purchase vs Luxury Item - 4:35
Luxury in the watch world - 5:31
ADVERT - 9:30
Luxury Watch Brand Hierarchy - 10:25

What makes a luxury brand luxury?
Is Omega a luxury watch brand?
Is Tudor a luxury watch brand?
Is Rolex a luxury watch brand?

#Omega #Tudor #Rolex

[TheRunningManZ]

“Tools” these watches are obsolete tools. They used to be built for a purpose in the 1960s or 70s. A Rolex Submariner is not a tool watch like it was in the 50s, it’s a luxury watch. No diver bets their life on a mechanical watch, they have a dive computer, as a back up they likely have another dive computer, if they take a mechanical watch it’s an emotional decision, it’s a luxury.

I’m afraid it’s that point that makes me disagree with you. All mechanical watches are obsolete in essence, none of them are real tools and haven’t been for about 30 or 40 years. They aren’t necessary tools whatsoever. The fact that brands like Omega are still innovating with new movements and new tech in what is basically an obsolete technology in the modern world is the very definition of luxury to me.

The term “tool watch” is marketing and nothing more these days. These are modern day “homages” to yesteryears tools, they are not the best tools for the job at all. Spending something like £4K on a “tool” that is not as good as a G-Shock is always a luxury to me.

I think anything when your into Oris or even Seiko Alpanist kinda level is a luxury. It might not have the gravitas as some other brands but they are completely not needed in the modern world.

[wuhank]

With Omega, its hard to argue that its NOT a luxury brand, not only it is expensive but their watches also comes in some of the highest quality with high end experience, and historical statues, and historical brand

[thedustyengineer]

Come on man…

“I goofed and said something dumb and now I’ve got to argue the point even though it’s ridiculous.”

Omega is 100% a luxury brand.

[scooterino]

Omega makes over engineered tool watches for the 20th century, that are completely unessential as modern tools, simply because they can. Absolute luxury and I love them.

[abstractgroove]

One of the things that I love about Omega is that their watches don't scream 'flashy' to the man on the street, or a work colleague, in the way a some other brands do. Which, compared to Rolex is interesting as Rolex's designs are a lot more conservative than their brand image.

[raypurchase]

I understand the argument you’re making but Omega is clearly a luxury brand. An omega watch is an inessential, desirable item which is expensive to obtain. Literally fits the definition perfectly

[mchockney]

With inflation going through the roof here in Europe, pretty soon Casio will be a luxury brand for many.

[RJ-xhxb]

You are arguing semantics. Omega is a luxury watch brand, period. Whether something is a luxury brand or not, it's not a matter of individual opinion. Certain people can easily buy Rolex watches, no problem, but it doesn't mean that to them, those rolex watches are not luxury watches. Your whole video is trying to justify your initial comment that "Omega is not a luxury watch brand". You made a faux pas, own up to it. You are gaslighting your viewers. You started by giving the dictionary definition of "luxury", and yet, that is not the same as "luxury watch", the same way the phrase "awfully good" could not be defined by giving the dictionary definition of "awful". Omega is a luxury watch brand simply because of higher than usual craftsmanship and being sold at premium prices. Longines is considered a luxury watch brand, so is a Tag Heuer, and their watch prices do not even come close to the equivalent watches of Omega (ex...Longines Hydroconquest and Tag Heuer Aquaracer, are nowhere near the price of Omega Seamasters). The watch community and not individuals decide on which are luxury watch brands....like art, the art community decide on which "art" can be classified as "fine art" and not simply graffiti or an individual drawing. There are lots of "artworks", like those done by students, or those you find being sold on the streets, but they cannot be considered "fine arts", no matter how much you paid for one. The art community as a whole determines which art can be claasified as "fine art". Regardless whether you like the graffiti art painted in an alley somewhere more than you like the Mona Lisa, that street graffiti will not be considered "fine arts" simply because you like it. There are graffiti artists who are very collectable in the art world, but they became such only after the art community accepted them as fine artists. Anyway, before this gets to be off tangent, Omega is a luxury watch brand because the greater majority of the watch community acknowledge their high level of craftsmanship, which justifies their premium prices, period.

[petemulhearn]

I agree with your definitions of luxury but its a very fluid concept. I bought an Omega Speedmaster Professional in 1968 (before they were famous 😁) I was in the RAF and had just started flying gliders and needed a reliable watch with a stopwatch function for navigation. The Omega fitted the bill. I didn't consider it a luxury item but more an expensive necessity. The following year it attained a sort of immortality after the Apollo missions and it became a luxury icon. I still wear it occasionally although its a bit battered and in dire need of some TLC which as a pensioner I can ill afford. I still don't consider it a luxury but its value to me now is beyond money because it carries a lifetime of memories.

[davidowen]

I have an Omega De ville. Worn every day for 22 years. I'm in the construction industry. Mainly office now but from the tools. Wanted an ultra slim watch for work, construction site is no place for a bulky watch. Had it 22 years. Been In trenches, and every sort of crap that could have been thrown at it. Even had a link broke and fell in a plaster bucket and was mixed. Not a scratch on the face and looks nearly as good as the day I bought it. My Rolex's are fantastic watches but for sheer endurance it's my little De ville every day.

[BrittPearceWatches]

Ouuu now this is interesting! Defining luxury. 😱 man. I think all watches are a luxury 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ no one reaaaally actually needs a mechanical watch! Any pricepoint! (But hey, that’s just my two cents. I’m sure many will disagree!) Even real divers aren’t wearing dive watches (for the most part!). But watches are these weird little trinkets that for some reason we just find fascinating

[hans-juergenwirth]

I just bought my first "luxury" watch to mark a significant milestone in my life. It was the Omega Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8. And there was no alternative in my view. For me, it was THE watch. Lucky enough to get one as they are not easily obtainable. For me, definitely luxury! And this is my point, there is no universal definition of luxury - only a personal perspective.

[DangerousKittenFangs]

I don't think I could disagree more with this take, but I respect your opinion. For me, anything more expensive than the minimum cost to get a job done is a luxury product, it's just that there are many tiers of luxury.

[boerashid]

Adrian, in my early 20s I too lost everything. I started a door to door sales job that involved me driving 20-30 miles away and knocking on random doors. I remember I couldn’t even afford a £1 bag of chips. Today, Alhamdullilah I have a Tudor Black Bay, Omega Seamaster, Tag F1 and King Seiko. I could totally relate to your Starbucks situation.

[stevedeffley]

I too have been in the can't afford food place, homeless as well. Now 18 years later I have my own home a decent job and a number of nice watches from Rolex, Omega and Tudor. Anything can be seen as a luxury when you have lived life "hard" and when you come through the other side, if you are grateful, the smallest things can seem like a luxury. I don't care how my watches are perceived by others, luxury, tool watch or just silly money to spend on a watch! I think they are all a luxury, the same as my garden, my bed and maybe a Starbucks coffee.

[brianmeehan]

I like buying vintage watches for this reason, marketing has dictated the pricing of the watch industry, rather than quality. My vintage Omega Geneve only cost me a £300 on ebay, and it provides me with a piece of Omegas great history of when watches were worn as timepieces rather than an object of validation.

[KeepingWatchUK]

Hi Adrian. Interesting topic & subjective of course. Sure, for an AP or Patek owner perhaps Omega is not ‘luxury’ (at any level) but for 99% of the population it is! Imho, a wrist watch over 4 figures would likely raise the eye-brows of all but the very wealthy and/or watch enthusiasts & thus be considered ‘luxury’. For me personally at least, my Rolex, Omega, Tudor & Grand Seiko pieces are all ‘luxury’, to me! Or better put, regardless of the word we might use, I feel fortunate to have them; worked hard to be able to purchase them; don’t ‘need’ them but simply love wearing them either way. And that’s all that matters :-) Cheers.

[BenNS]

The whole paradigm shift of the Swiss watch industry in the aftermath of the quartz crisis was to turn high-end or premium tool watches into luxury watches and that’s exactly what they did.

[RyanVoight]

Somehow I missed this one until just now. Some great points that hit home for me and where I'm at in my 'watch journey'

[michaelcoode]

I’ve owned a seamaster for 2 years and I’m proud to own this fantastic watch and just bought a Tudor heritage I’ve strived to owning a Rolex but too expensive.I’m happy with my choices as a mechanic this was a scary thing with a lot of buyers remorse but only lasted a week.