A Question Of Value

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A Question Of Value - Omega
3 minutes read
Why a 40,000-franc watch could be good for your bank account.

To people familiar with some of the recent headline stories in the world of vintage watch auctions, it sounds like a no-brainer. Of course, watches are good financial investments. Imagine buying a watch for just over $200 in 1968 and having it sell for $17.8 million in 2017? (This really happened, by the way.) Investing in the right watch now could yield you incredible returns in the future, right? Alas, these blockbuster sales are the exception rather than the norm. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my years in this industry, it’s that people who say they’ve made money through watch investing are either lying or really lucky. And I mean winning-the-lottery kind of lucky. I get asked all the time by new, bright-eyed collectors what watch is going to make them the most resale money, and… it just doesn’t work like that.

If you want real value in your watches, don’t hold out for unpredictable (and frankly inconsistent) miraculous appreciations in resale or auction price. Get a watch that pays for itself in the short and long term. There are three factors here, which can be applied to pretty much anything you buy, really. Things are generally considered to be good value for money if they last a long time, get used a lot and deliver a consistently high level of performance. And so it is for watches. 

Last year, Omega debuted the Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra-Light, a robust sports watch built specifically around those three factors. It cost around 40,000 Swiss francs, which a lot of critics had problems with. But the price of the watch is relative to the value it brings. So here’s the bottom line: does the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra-Light pay for itself in the short and long term?

Une question de valeur

If you’ve bought yourself the Seamaster Ultra-Light, you’ve acquired a milestone timepiece from one of the most revered historical watchmaking brands in Switzerland. It is the pioneering use of several technologies and innovative mechanisms at Omega, technologies and mechanisms which are planned to be used in future timepieces down the line. If those things are important to you, the Ultra-Light has paid for itself at the moment of its purchase.

Also, it lasts longer. Things tend to keep their value if they don’t deteriorate dramatically in appearance and don’t demand a lot of maintenance. The gamma-titanium case of the Ultra-Light is manufactured with sophisticated powder metallurgy processes that virtually guarantees the physical properties of the material. Things like hardness and resistance can be controlled and boosted to levels that you just wouldn’t achieve with standard processes. The Ultra-Light won’t show signs of wear and tear for a long time.

Une question de valeur

You’ll wear it more. As the name suggests, the Ultra-Light doesn’t weigh much (55g, to be precise). The materials in contact with your skin are non-allergenic. The telescoping crown can be recessed into the case and provides a comfortable wearing experience — you almost forget you have a piece of complex micromechanical engineering strapped to your wrist. You’ll find yourself wearing it all the time, especially since its colour palette of dark and neutral shades (with a few bright accents on the dial and strap) and classic design is highly versatile.

Une question de valeur

It performs well consistently. Modern Omega watches are fitted with the brand’s proprietary Co-Axial escapement, which improves chronometric performance. The Master Chronometer-certified movement of the Ultra-Light, the Omega cal. 8928, is further enhanced with a ceramising treatment, which transforms the surface atoms of the titanium plates and bridges into titanium carbide, minimising the need for lubrication. When taken all together, these features also allow for longer servicing cycles, meaning that you don’t have to think about sending it in for servicing and not having it to wear for however long it takes to service. In this sense, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra-Light not only gives time, it saves time. That’s value for money right there. 

Une question de valeur

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