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Old 5 June 2020, 08:01 AM   #1
mgsooner
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Aqua Terra pricing - help me understand

I am seriously considering the white dial 38mm Aqua Terra on the OEM rubber strap as my next watch. Looking at the Omega website, MSRP is $5500. Looking at the Diver 300M on rubber, the MSRP of that watch is $4900. Can someone please explain why a 38mm Aqua Terra has a MSRP of $600 more than a 42mm Diver 300 when they have the same movement and the AT has no additional features (that I can see)?

I realize with Omega MSRP is likely not going to be what you actually pay, but this pricing seems odd to me. Any thoughts?
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Old 5 June 2020, 09:49 AM   #2
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Because they can? I own both an AT and a Seamaster. Very different watches. Get the one you like. You remember the quality after you’ve forgotten the price.
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Old 5 June 2020, 10:15 AM   #3
mgsooner
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Because they can? I own both an AT and a Seamaster. Very different watches. Get the one you like. You remember the quality after you’ve forgotten the price.
Oh, good. You can help clear this up then. Assuming you own the newest AT and newest Diver 300, how do you find the level of fit/finish between the two?
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Old 5 June 2020, 03:02 PM   #4
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I’ve thought about that too. The new Diver 300 is priced so well that it blows a lot of their own watches out of the water.

I guess the answer is exactly what Mr. S. Knight said above - they’re so different that you just buy the one that you want and don’t even consider the price. For what it’s worth, I have one of the original ATs with a silvery white dial and it’s a great watch to have. It can do anything. And besides, you need a white dial in your life.
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Old 6 June 2020, 12:27 AM   #5
mgsooner
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I’ve thought about that too. The new Diver 300 is priced so well that it blows a lot of their own watches out of the water.

I guess the answer is exactly what Mr. S. Knight said above - they’re so different that you just buy the one that you want and don’t even consider the price. For what it’s worth, I have one of the original ATs with a silvery white dial and it’s a great watch to have. It can do anything. And besides, you need a white dial in your life.
Yeah, the Diver 300 seems like a great value with the AT priced where it is. I'm not really in the market for the 300 because I find it a bit too large for me and I already own a Sub. Hence the Aqua Terra, which as you said offers a ton of versatility. Also I find 38mm just about the perfect size for my wrist. I'm also drawn to the AT because of that OEM rubber strap, which looks incredible.
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Old 6 June 2020, 02:01 AM   #6
Undefeatable
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So I have owned one of the new Diver 300's in blue, and currently own one of the new new AT in 41mm (both on rubber)

Quality is the same. I mean they are different watches so hard to compare (ex. cant really compare the bezel action of the Diver 300 to anything on the AT).

The price difference is strange, but I figured it was just the way they wanted to price their watches. Sort of like how the Rolex OP 39mm retails for $5,700 and the Explorer 1 is $6,550. Pretty sure there isnt an extra almost $1000 of work or materials in the Explorer, just the way they wanted the catalog laid out?
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Old 6 June 2020, 02:28 AM   #7
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I can’t be 100% certain, but I’m quite sure the AT has white gold hands and indices and the SM300 doesn’t.
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Old 6 June 2020, 05:19 AM   #8
mgsooner
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Undefeatable View Post
So I have owned one of the new Diver 300's in blue, and currently own one of the new new AT in 41mm (both on rubber)

Quality is the same. I mean they are different watches so hard to compare (ex. cant really compare the bezel action of the Diver 300 to anything on the AT).

The price difference is strange, but I figured it was just the way they wanted to price their watches. Sort of like how the Rolex OP 39mm retails for $5,700 and the Explorer 1 is $6,550. Pretty sure there isnt an extra almost $1000 of work or materials in the Explorer, just the way they wanted the catalog laid out?
Interested to hear how you're getting on with the AT rubber strap. That is one of the main selling points that's drawing me to the AT - a watch in a "smaller" size with what looks like a great OEM rubber option. I honestly like the idea of buying it on the rubber then later adding the bracelet and the OEM leather strap. Talk about versatility! Something I wish Rolex would venture into, frankly.

You could be right about the pricing - it could just be a strategic thing. I just found it interesting.
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Old 6 June 2020, 05:20 AM   #9
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I can’t be 100% certain, but I’m quite sure the AT has white gold hands and indices and the SM300 doesn’t.
Wow, that would be very interesting. I was wondering when I started the thread if the AT has more of a "premium" build in some way.
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Old 6 June 2020, 05:30 AM   #10
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The AT is a great watch. I've tried on the current 38mm at an AD, and own an older 38.5mm AT (albeit quartz). I love the size and form factor of that watch at that size (41mm felt too big for my tastes). And the finishing quality (assuming it's only gone up since I got my AT), is excellent. While at the AD, I also tried on the new SMP and it's a pretty beefy watch - completely different from the AT, and even the older SMPs. I always assumed that the price on the new SMP was to see if they could lure away folks who were frustrated with Rolex wait lists with their lower prices...
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Old 6 June 2020, 06:03 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by mgsooner View Post
Wow, that would be very interesting. I was wondering when I started the thread if the AT has more of a "premium" build in some way.
I own the 41mm silver / cream teak dial with rose gold hands and indices. I can tell you the price was identical to the silver looking hand / indices versions.

I say the SM300 doesn’t have gold because I watched a Watchbox review on the Planet Ocean last week which said that the PO had white gold but the SM300 didn’t, which is why the PO is more expensive.

The AT is a beautiful watch. It’s seriously underrated. Honestly if I didn’t have one already I’d get one. I just love everything about it and I get many many compliments on it.
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Old 6 June 2020, 06:22 AM   #12
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Here is my Aqua Terra


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Old 6 June 2020, 06:25 AM   #13
scarlet knight
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AT Vs. SM




My Seamaster is black, quartz and about ten years old. Both watches are well made, high quality. As I said previously, buy the one you prefer. After discount, the prices are not very different. Or you can buy one this year, the other one next year. Both are nice watches. I own Rolexes, too, I do not see any difference in quality.


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Old 6 June 2020, 10:13 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mgsooner View Post
Interested to hear how you're getting on with the AT rubber strap. That is one of the main selling points that's drawing me to the AT - a watch in a "smaller" size with what looks like a great OEM rubber option. I honestly like the idea of buying it on the rubber then later adding the bracelet and the OEM leather strap. Talk about versatility! Something I wish Rolex would venture into, frankly.

You could be right about the pricing - it could just be a strategic thing. I just found it interesting.
I love the rubber strap.
So when I got the Diver 300, that was the first high end watch I had ever owned on rubber and I fell in love with the feel of it. I am usually a bracelet guy since it can get wet and just wiped off (I hate it when I wash my hands and get leather wet or trying to wash dishes without getting the watch/strap wet.)

The only thing was I wished the Diver 300 on rubber came with a deployant buckle, or atleast the option to get one aftermarket. Once I sold that watch, I knew I was going to get the AT on rubber since I already fell in love with the look of the watch on rubber. I have zero interest in the bracelet.

To me, the rubber looks great, feels great, and the quality is there. The comfort is a huge factor for me and rubber is now my preferred strap material, bracelets are probably second.

I highly recommend the AT on rubber, especially coupled with that deployant buckle. Its as solid as a bracelet with the comfort of rubber.
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Old 6 June 2020, 10:34 AM   #15
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I may be wrong - but the Aqua Terra used to have White Gold Hour markers, and hands..
Part of removing the Date window frame was an effort to keep the price the same when upgrading the movement to the "master co-axial" - a tiny but of gold, but I guess it adds up with of tens of thousands of watches...

I don't know if they still use gold - but it might explain the difference..

Also, and possibly the only explanation, is that the SMP is being seen as a bit of a "loss-leader" ... priced very aggressively to get upwardly moving buyers into the Brand (like a BMW 1-series)
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Old 6 June 2020, 10:40 AM   #16
mgsooner
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Undefeatable View Post
I love the rubber strap.
So when I got the Diver 300, that was the first high end watch I had ever owned on rubber and I fell in love with the feel of it. I am usually a bracelet guy since it can get wet and just wiped off (I hate it when I wash my hands and get leather wet or trying to wash dishes without getting the watch/strap wet.)

The only thing was I wished the Diver 300 on rubber came with a deployant buckle, or atleast the option to get one aftermarket. Once I sold that watch, I knew I was going to get the AT on rubber since I already fell in love with the look of the watch on rubber. I have zero interest in the bracelet.

To me, the rubber looks great, feels great, and the quality is there. The comfort is a huge factor for me and rubber is now my preferred strap material, bracelets are probably second.

I highly recommend the AT on rubber, especially coupled with that deployant buckle. Its as solid as a bracelet with the comfort of rubber.
Man, that sounds great and exactly what I’m looking for. I am pumped to get my hands on one of these and check it out. Probably won’t be able to pull the trigger until next year as we’re being very conservative with our finances right now, but I really think an AT will be my next watch. Excited to get an Omega into the collection.

Thanks for all the great info everyone!
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Old 6 June 2020, 10:58 AM   #17
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I think this will also be my next purchase. I like the AT Grey Dial Blue hands on the dark blue leather band. I just put a rubber band on my AK and the DJ41 on Oyster so the leather on the Omega will be just right. I've done lots of reading and really like the Omega Seamaster AT 8900 and will hopefully be my next watch. Also, the price is right. I can get 25% off MSRP and that is really a big plus for me..maybe for my birthday in Sept. or maybe before..
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Old 6 June 2020, 08:27 PM   #18
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Quote:
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I can’t be 100% certain, but I’m quite sure the AT has white gold hands and indices and the SM300 doesn’t.
This was true of the first-generation AT, but I believe it is not the case with the current models.
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Old 28 June 2020, 09:23 AM   #19
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The pricing decision feels like they are positioning the watch as an alternative to DJ or Explorer 1.
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