Is Breitling About To Go Bust

[baldyspoon]

Anyone else heard this, I was in Omega Boutique today and they was really pushing to sell me something. When I made it clear I was not interested as they don't discount, and showed them my Breitling I got 20% off they told me Breitling was in trouble and had too much stock and were on verge of going bust. A case of salesperson pi**ed off not getting or going to get a sale, or is this rumour true and Breitling are in serious trouble.

[h999r]

Mostly watches prices are going up.. I heard Breitling prices gives discount. That's kinda weird. No idea.

[Mosco]

Too much inventory does not mean 'brand in trouble'. Not permanently, anyway. Let's not forget that back in 2006-07 (when I was still wet behind the ears ) brands like IWC and JLC had 'too much stock'. So they had a small closeout, coming right from factory. GP and Blancpain have as well. All while the AD's were still treating us as the 'boogeymen', saying stupid to the customers like "who knows where they get their watches from" or "they may be stolen"... We got them from the same people they did, only for much less

But back on topic, brands went through these small 'dumps', but not even 3 years later they were back on top, making sweet new models and cutting margins for (or cutting off completely) those same AD's. For brands, it's a small price to pay, imo.

And truth be told, most actual brands love the grey market, as it is often fueled by actual enthusiasts. It's the actual retail circuit that dislikes us, for obvious reasons.

As far as Breitling, they have had too much inventory for a while (at least a year), but it is not the good stuff. It's usually the solid gold pieces, ladies, or smaller models. Quartz even.

[jcm212]

Originally Posted by Mosco

Too much inventory does not mean 'brand in trouble'. Not permanently, anyway. Let's not forget that back in 2006-07 (when I was still wet behind the ears ) brands like IWC and JLC had 'too much stock'. So they had a small closeout, coming right from factory. GP and Blancpain have as well. All while the AD's were still treating us as the 'boogeymen', saying stupid to the customers like "who knows where they get their watches from" or "they may be stolen"... We got them from the same people they did, only for much less

But back on topic, brands went through these small 'dumps', but not even 3 years later they were back on top, making sweet new models and cutting margins for (or cutting off completely) those same AD's. For brands, it's a small price to pay, imo.

And truth be told, most actual brands love the grey market, as it is often fueled by actual enthusiasts. It's the actual retail circuit that dislikes us, for obvious reasons.

As far as Breitling, they have had too much inventory for a while (at least a year), but it is not the good stuff. It's usually the solid gold pieces, ladies, or smaller models. Quartz even.

Why would manufacturers love the grey market? That a bit counterintuitive.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Mosco

Too much inventory does not mean 'brand in trouble'. Not permanently, anyway. Let's not forget that back in 2006-07 (when I was still wet behind the ears ) brands like IWC and JLC had 'too much stock'. So they had a small closeout, coming right from factory. GP and Blancpain have as well. All while the AD's were still treating us as the 'boogeymen', saying stupid to the customers like "who knows where they get their watches from" or "they may be stolen"... We got them from the same people they did, only for much less

But back on topic, brands went through these small 'dumps', but not even 3 years later they were back on top, making sweet new models and cutting margins for (or cutting off completely) those same AD's. For brands, it's a small price to pay, imo.

And truth be told, most actual brands love the grey market, as it is often fueled by actual enthusiasts. It's the actual retail circuit that dislikes us, for obvious reasons.

As far as Breitling, they have had too much inventory for a while (at least a year), but it is not the good stuff. It's usually the solid gold pieces, ladies, or smaller models. Quartz even.

Very interesting, thanks for weighing in Greg.

[Passionata]

Well ,except the navitimer ,B doesn t have to many attractive models these days.B was very popular used to be but i think aviation watches are not very hot nowadays,the bentley line is really overpriced and dedicated to a niche market,NB might be they didn t dedicated but that s happened..

[azguy]

Hardly, discounts for Breitling's have been around and available, an upset Omega person is my guess

I love the Omega watches but they seem to have become much more expensive in the last few years....

[tranny]

Originally Posted by Passionata

Well ,except the navitimer ,B doesn t have to many attractive models these days.

Right? What's up with that? But you have to admit, the Navitimer is a classic.

[Cru Jones]

wow, what a way to make a potential customer feel good.....poor form.

as to breitling going bust, that just seems insane.

[Richard H.]

I had a salesman tell me a few years ago that Seiko was bankrupt and going out of business.

[esm]

Wow - another case of the Omega Boutique sales person has no idea what he/she is talking about.....

[Omega21]

Originally Posted by esm

Wow - another case of the Omega Boutique sales person has no idea what he/she is talking about.....

So it's not just me? I always walk away from the Omega sales people amazed that a novice like me knows more about their own products than they do!!

[EchoBlueUK]

20% off Breitling has always been easy to get and recently due to the strength of the CHF against the GBP they have dropped the RRP in the UK. Weird but true. I very much doubt they are in trouble given worldwide sales & profits have been increasing year on year despite the questionable new designs they have been coming out with.

[GMK]

I just got my Superocean back from service tonight!!!! I guess I am lucky I got the watch back before they went Bust

[GFEAR]

thats the dumbest thing i have ever heard, breitling had a great year, they have some awesome new models getting announced this week, and they arent going ANYWHERE.

[GFEAR]

btw, you are in the uk, breitling recently announced a 10% price decrease in the uk to balance the global trade against the chf. they will occasionaly have to do that so a chronomat 44 cost the same in london as it does in new york, paris or tokyo. they had a 27% increase in the last year but the pound is up 22% against the chf, so they had to drop it back 10% to make it work. but a dullard who is forced to work in the omega boutique wouldnt know anything about how that stuff works.

[witch watch]

Originally Posted by GFEAR

btw, you are in the uk, breitling recently announced a 10% price decrease in the uk to balance the global trade against the chf. they will occasionaly have to do that so a chronomat 44 cost the same in london as it does in new york, paris or tokyo. they had a 27% increase in the last year but the pound is up 22% against the chf, so they had to drop it back 10% to make it work. but a dullard who is forced to work in the omega boutique wouldnt know anything about how that stuff works.

I'm with Echo on the price drop ie.20%(as i was told by one of my AD's.)

[212kid]

Very interesting stuff here. Glad I read this thread. :)

[ratty]

So realistically, how much discount is available on Breitlings in the UK now?

[Art 1]

AD's sell a lot of Breitlings around here.

[azguy]

Originally Posted by Art 1

AD's sell a lot of Breitlings around here.

I was in an AD yesterday with Rolex, Breitling and Omega and the owner said Breitling's always sell; reasonable price point and multiple models in multiple dial colors was his main reason

[ratty]

Just been to my AD who told me that Breitlings are just not selling at all at the moment. He wasn't trying to sell anything or run anyone down.

[airchitect]

Breitling does have some odd stuff but that said the Navitimer is a beeeeeeeautiful bit of kit. Even considered getting a superocean gmt to hold me over til I can pop for a gmt master. One of my local ad's did state that breitling is cutting back their distributors by half. Luckily for him he had already ended that relationship and now has a host of tasty B's for "let's make a deal" prices.

[G6 JRU]

Last Wednesday, i collected my new DateJust 2 (first Rolex), prior to this i have purchased 3 breitlings and did ask the AD how she compared Rolex to Breitling, she did mention that sales have not been too strong recently, but not anything about them going bust.

I purchased the bentley back in 2007, the superocean heritage and the colt in 2010, all of which appear to have gone up in value since. Maybe breitling where putting the prices up too often where others were not? Although i did hear that Rolex have a price increase due around June this year.

Love the datejust 2, so much more comfortable!

[Wisconsin Proud]

Originally Posted by G6 JRU

I purchased the bentley back in 2007, the superocean heritage and the colt in 2010, all of which appear to have gone up in value since.

Up in price, not value.

[ErikSzper]

Tis an interesting thread, would beware any salesperson who would use doom and gloom as a sales tool, and any company that would hire/promote such actions. Sure it is not an Omega company line, just a mis-informed sales boutique employee.

As far as going out of business, Breitling is one of the few independents, and the excess stock is as described above, a lot of gold and diamond pieces, as well as some platinum bezel models that never did well. Then, as a company that changes their product line quite often, even if just dial designs, they are always going to have fazed out inventory floating. Have not noted any drop in secondary market values, but have seen volume a bit slow. On the other hand, with so many new models just debuted, is common for things to slow in anticipation of the new arrivals!

[guyrolex]

Both the Omega and Breitling boutiques in NYC give 0 discounts, yet Omega and Breitling dealers routinely give 25% discounts. Whenever I mention this to the boutiques they always deny that is possible- so I wouldn't listen to any propaganda from a boutique! Btw, how do the boutiques make any sales at all? Who would pay $1000 + more to a boutique for the same watch?

[stusrt]

Originally Posted by guyrolex

so I wouldn't listen to any propaganda from a boutique! Btw, how do the boutiques make any sales at all? Who would pay $1000 + more to a boutique for the same watch?

the omega boutique here have a lot of the new models that aren't available to the AD's yet.
So if you have money to waste, and can't wait to get the latest greatest models, you have to buy from Boutique in Michigan.

[jnelson3097]

Originally Posted by guyrolex

Both the Omega and Breitling boutiques in NYC give 0 discounts, yet Omega and Breitling dealers routinely give 25% discounts. Whenever I mention this to the boutiques they always deny that is possible- so I wouldn't listen to any propaganda from a boutique! Btw, how do the boutiques make any sales at all? Who would pay $1000 + more to a boutique for the same watch?

The Breitling boutique in NYC sells on average 3 watches per day

[boogiebot]

Originally Posted by jnelson3097

The Breitling boutique in NYC sells on average 3 watches per day

how do you know this justin? just curious