Rolex a bit too expensive or Panerai a bit too cheap

[snog]

Originally Posted by applebook

How little money do you think that these watchmakers make? Even the most basic Panerai should take over a few dozen hours to finish and assemble completely, right? Are these watchmakers being paid minimum wage?

I doubt very much if any fully qualified watchmaker touches a production Pam or Rolex,I would think they are most likely "technicians",watchmakers are not that well paid anyway especially those that work in a production company.Do you really think that of the about one milloin Rolexes that are made a year that a watchmaker sat down with each one for a few dozen hours?

my guess at the finished cost of one of these watches is based on a few things,other similar specced watch brands can sell a watch for anywhere up to a few Ks less,so take a sub ND at around £4k(a ND sub was only £3400 just a few months ago) the AD gets around 40% of that,the Uk government get 20% and that is only the tax the customer pays, not counting the tax that Rolex pay so already we are down to £2400 without taking the 20% tax into acount and the business tax,take away the premium that Rolex charge, say an Omega speedy at £2300 which is nearly 2k less expensive but I would say is of a like standard to a Rolex in build costs and quality,we have an even lower price,even at £2400 taking a standard business mark up of 3x cost would bring us down to £800 without taking tax,advertising etc into acount,then if you take one of Rolex less expensive watches such as an Airking,which I would expect to have essentially the same movement and build costs but is 1-2k cheaper,to me it is clear our watches value lay not in the build cost but in the history and brand name.

all guess work but I doubt I'm wearing a watch that cost more than a couple of hundred to make.

[Zed Homme]

Originally Posted by snog

all guess work but I doubt I'm wearing a watch that cost more than a couple of hundred to make.

I agree.

[htc8p]

Originally Posted by mfer

I'm the exact opposite! I want those sh*tty 6497's, and stick my nose up at their in-house which haven't been tested 1% as much as those 6497's.

i tend to agree. companies that just churn out movements and claim "innovation" and market it as upscale. cannot be trusted.

there are so many factors to make an inhouse movement really good.

[Sixxgrand1]

I read this thread from the beginning. Many valid points and well placed opinions. I don't mind the Panerai theme to their design but I feel that they are not the robust, rugged timepiece that a Rolex is IMHO. If I was offered my choice of a Rolex or Panerai as a gift - I would choose Rolex without hesitation. As far as price strategy - since I do not manage the profit for either company - I base value on what any particular watch is worth when I grow tired of it. Best bang for the buck is buying gently pre-owned so discussing retail or asking price is just blowing wind. Who pays retail in this hobby? Some but not many. All luxury items depreciate painfully. Thank goodness we WIS derive pleasure from owning/wearing incredibly high priced clocks on our wrists! That pleasure (like any good feeling in life) comes with a price. Thankfully we all have the freedom to spend when, where and as much as we want!!

[sig-x]

Pams are at the right price point while I feel rolex has went a bit too far for what you get.

[terrenceterrence]

Originally Posted by mike

No flame, but do a search on any Rolex based forum and read about ceramic cracking, bezels falling off, crowns coming out, watches just stopping, etc....

No brand is perfect and we tend to emphasis the bad things on forums. How many people of any brand have no problems at all and go on down the highway.

yes no brand is perfect. but if you factor in the error margin to the number of production in a year you'll realise that how wide is Panerai's compared to Rolex'

Rolex is priced accordingly IMHO and Panerai is way too high.

Like I said, get a Base/Historic Pam model cause it's the only one worth getting. The rest are just way....... too overpriced for what they are offering.

[dsio]

I think you're on the money with that, a historic, iconic Panerai that does hark back to the originals much like a modern sub or GMT does makes some sense for the money.

Then there's the PAM276.

A Tourbillon GMT on a rugged military instrument for Italian frogmen?

Really...?

[tomee]

Originally Posted by Speed

This is why...It's a gorgeous, simple, beautifully-designed watch that gives good time





G]

there is a thread floating on the internet showing them taking apart a base model pam movement and all the decorations are only on the surfaces that you can actually see and dont actually flow through the entire movement.

pretty cool pics in that thread