Story Highlight
– Omega launched 38mm Speedmasters priced at £5,600.
– Zenith’s Chronomaster models are priced near £9,700 each.
– Swiss watch exports for luxury items rose by 8%.
– Zenith’s production decreased while doubling average retail price.
– Omega maintains competitive prices to boost watch sales.
Full Story
Two notable watch launches this summer highlight the contrasting pricing strategies of Swiss watch manufacturers, particularly Omega and Zenith.
First, Omega introduced its 38mm Speedmaster collection, which has been made available at a price point of £5,600. In contrast, Zenith unveiled a series of four Chronomaster Solo Sport models, three of which are priced at £9,700.
The subject of pricing, especially in terms of perceived value, has gained traction in Switzerland’s watch industry. This is evident in the manufacturing sector’s trend of producing fewer watches while increasing their retail prices. Swiss export data reveals a nearly 8% rise in the export of watches retailing between CHF 50,000 and CHF 125,000 from the first half of 2025 to the same period in 2026. Conversely, exports of watches within the CHF 2,500 to CHF 7,500 range have dipped by 6.3%.
LuxeConsult, an industry analyst, notes that the ultra-luxury segment is responsible for 75% of the overall year-on-year growth in watch sales, even though unit sales increased by just 1.3%. Some argue that the focus of Swiss manufacturing should shift entirely to ultra-luxury watches, capitalising on the nation’s rich history and expertise in high-quality craftsmanship. However, such a shift would jeopardise countless jobs in smaller workshops and larger factories that specialize in making watches priced in the lower five figures.
Bringing the discussion back to Omega and Zenith, the numbers reveal significant changes. Omega produced approximately 460,000 watches in 2025, a substantial decrease from 794,000 in 2018, according to estimates from Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult. During the same period, the average price of an Omega watch rose from about CHF 5,860 to CHF 6,800, a figure that has remained below overall inflation rates.
In contrast, Zenith’s production fell from 22,000 units to just 8,500 over the past seven years, while its average retail price surged from around CHF 7,900 to nearly CHF 15,600. When I inquired about the reasoning behind the nearly £10,000 price tag for a three-hand watch at Geneva Watch Days, Zenith’s representatives responded that such pricing is crucial for maintaining the brand’s luxury status. This justification, however, seems disconnected from market realities; as demand decreases, it stands to reason that prices should also decline, yet Zenith appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
In comparison, Omega has adopted a more pragmatic approach, recognizing the need to enhance sales to fully utilise its expensive manufacturing capabilities. To boost demand, Omega has refrained from raising prices this year, unlike Rolex, which has seen price increases in January and June. The £5,500 tag on the new Speedmaster 38 may still represent a significant investment, but it is backed by the iconic Moonwatch heritage and the advanced technology of its chronometer-certified Calibre 3332 automatic chronograph movement, featuring Omega’s co-axial escapement and silicon balance spring.
Even within a watch that has a closed case back, the movement boasts refined finishing, showcasing the craftsmanship that consumers expect at this level. This value proposition is crucial for enticing consumers to upgrade from a sub-£500 Swatch MoonSwatch to a genuine Omega Moonwatch.
In contrast, Zenith’s pricing strategy raises questions, particularly as it offers a steel-on-steel three-hand model with a price point almost double that of Omega’s offering, despite leveraging its advanced El Primero movement minimally.
While economic theories on pricing extend beyond just supply and demand dynamics, brands like Zenith would benefit from a more realistic approach. The recent success of the Chronomaster Sport chronograph demonstrates this, as it currently trades at a median price of £6,400 in the secondary market, significantly below its original retail price of £10,600. Such discrepancies highlight a need for a reassessment of pricing strategies in an increasingly competitive market, an area where Omega seems to have made more informed choices.
