Insane Swiss watches Pricing

i agree with you, it is also because consumer demand and behaviour that makes luxury watch brand up their starting price. 

Consumer demand? So watches are more in demand than cars? I don't see much price increases on luxury cars even on waiting list? 

Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. At the end of the day, as much as we love watches as enthusiasts, they are still luxury items, things that people don't need, a statement of your wealth, your achievements in life, ... I dislike that so much as an enthusiast, but it is what it is.

Thankfully, there is still value under 10K (Nomos, Seiko, Breitling, Omega, Sinn, Tudor, Cartier, Oris, second hand market, vintage pieces...).

And we have places like this (WC) to share those beautiful pieces! 

Love your Breitling btw, it has so much character 👌🏻

Absolutely cars have a premium, especially used car prices which are seeing some of the highest rates of YoY inflation. As an example, the trade in value of my CPO Macan is worth 15% more than the purchase price last year and even after I put 17k miles on it—I was shocked. Heck even at my local MB dealer they have a $180k sticker G Class with a $100k “market adjustment “ premium. No idea who’d ever pay that but it’s there

more demand than luxury car i guess. you dont service luxury watch as often and as expensive as luxury car. also if you pick a right choice price might gone up. that's what make watch more demandable from my point of view

I agree with you. Some pieces are definitely worth it, but some brands have lost it. Basic time only watches with sub-par finishing for $4.1K is just silly

This is what my biggest worry as a watch nut case (aka maniac) .... Even Seiko they are now starting to approach $1k mark and that's not even their mid range... Their entry level seiko 5 already priced around top end homages range. Tudor, which I used to adore ( but now I ignore since they started to use similar Rolex tactic or crap)..used to start around A$3k...but now price double up at $7k (even non ceramic) , pretty sure it will be $10k by next year. Oh well.... It's a tough hobby to keep up😓

100% agree. I think many of the high end brands rely on name and pretty much name only. I was looking at two in my collection last night thinking exactly the same thing. I have a quartz Tag Aquaracer... to me the auto didn't make sense. I also have a Casio Edifice. Looking at both, side by side, it does make me wonder how Tag justify charging 15 times what Casio do. Yes, there's a difference in quality, the bracelet on the Casio is a bit jingly jangly, etc but... 15 times as much? Really??

There's a MONUMENTAL world of difference between a car at 15k and a car at 225k, but in a watch... sorry... no. It's bullshit.

Go to a Porsche dealer and let us know the outcome. You’ll quickly find that dealers want near 40k over list for hot models and to purchase accessories through them… it’s not limited to watches sorry. Join any luxury car forum and it’s all very similar stories just with variance in the premium.

Could be because at the moment there are shortages in cars? Chips related... 

The price increase began because Rolex announced the price increase (Tudor and Jaeger-LeCoultre as well at the same time). Omega followed suit around January, then Patek Philippe in February, and so on. I was told A. Lange & Söhne will also have a price increase in May (even though they're German).

Since Rolex pretty much hold the Swiss luxury watch market, if they have a price increase...then everyone else had to follow suit or they will fall behind. 

But I see it more as the currencies just getting weaker due to inflation rather than things in general becoming more expensive (the numbers rising). That part is imo tho.

Go Grand Seiko!  Even with their recent price hikes, still an incredible bargain relative to the competition.

Supply and demand, this applies to anything. Price will rise until demand decline. Basic principles in sales (I'm working in sales for the last 25 years)

Those watches are portable bank accounts. try crossing a border with a bar of gold or suitcase full of cash. Guards will not know the brand from Casio. Want to hide a million bucks? buy high end watches. Drug money transportation? buy watches. Those are just a commodity now. 

I agree with you. I understand paying for bespoke/high quality work like Lange, artesian work, but some of these steel options are ridiculous. My buddy collects comic books and he says the same thing is happening in that hobby. Everyone is afraid of FOMO (fear of missing out), and because of this they are spending like crazy, which is making the producers (watch brands) hike their prices. Yes there are other mitigating factors like supply etc., but in reality, many brands are moving to the "limited" release model which drives up demand, and it's not only with watches. 

It's a shame really because it's going to drive the true hobbyists to move into other hobbies.

I’m just hoping the madness ends. There’s watches I really want, and I’m willing to pay MSRP, but not 3 or 4 times more than that. 

All markets crash eventually. I'm sure the same is true for the watch market.

Thankfully, there is still value under 10K (Nomos, Seiko, Breitling, Omega, Sinn, Tudor, Cartier, Oris, second hand market, vintage pieces...).

Of course, there is absolutely no shortage in watches, and the price spiral (beyond the current high inflation overall) is actually limited to not that many brands. It's still possible to buy a high-quality watch at a price that reflects the product, and not an investment opportunity.

Well said sir at last some sense in a crazy world ! 

Watch out or @Omeganut will be giving us another econ lesson (just kidding 😉)

As long as someone is willing to pay those prices we won't see any drop

I'll wait for someone more knowledgeable than I to bring up price elasticity and (I think the econ term is) superior good, or more accurately Veblen goods.