Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Why I Won't Be Buying An Omega

Hi -

Been a while: reality intrudes, as I always say.

I was planning on a big watch purchase this year. I originally had my sights set on a new Speedmaster, or perhaps a Seamaster Chrono with the coaxial calibre.

But I won't be getting anything new made by Omega.


Why?


Because of this. Hat tip, of course, to Velociphile. :-)

I've bought from Eddie Platts and he's been nothing less than an outstanding seller with a great product. I regret not having bought a Dreadnought, and if he ever comes up with a new watch like it, it's on my short list.

But Omega is behaving very, very arrogantly.


I think I understand where they are coming from - they don't want anyone coming anywhere near getting a handle on a name that they consider important to them - but they've gone off into the deep desert with this one.

Eddie has, I think - and I am NOT a lawyer - a legitimate claim to the name Broadarrow, as he's been selling watches under that name for quite some time, and he doesn't claim, never has, that his are in any way military issue or in any way associated with the broad arrow mark of British military equipment.

Omega, I think, just doesn't want ANYONE to be able to sell using what they seem to think is a unique attribute of certain hand types that Omega uses. What a crock. From what I've seen, they don't have much of a case (no pun intended).

I'm putting my money where my mouth is: I will not buy a new Omega until they stop
the lawsuit. Sure, my $3000 isn't much, considering what Omega sells every day. But it's the principle of the damn thing.

5 comments:

Velociphile said...

Hear hear John. And I'm not buying another Omega for other reasons so this just makes two.

Velociphile (not Velocipede!)

John F. Opie said...

Hi -

Thanks.

And I've changed the post to reflect reality... Velocophile! :-)

JohnF

Anonymous said...

As Gert on Eddies site said just say "NOMEGA" I to refuse to buy a new Omega until they back off and leave a great brand and a Gentleman alone.

Bootneck

Anonymous said...

John:

I'm writing to test this email address for you. I ran across the weirdest ashtray today. It's an advertising piece for Pontiac Hydraulica. It's a ceramic whale shaped into an ashtray. I knew the Hydraulica was a watch, and later saw your blog entry about yours. I'd like to send you a pic of the ashtray, just for fun. I think it was $3.00, so I bought it in a consignment shop in Southeast Louisiana today.

Patrick Moore
pnkmoore@bellsouth.net

John F. Opie said...

Hi -

Patrick, please do! That'd be a hoot...:-)

JohnF