They are well very executed novelty Speedmasters, with a range of designs between Dope and WTF. I like Speedmasters and I like things that are a bit of fun so there are a couple I'd have in a heartbeat if they were easily accessible, but they are definitely not worth getting one's knickers in a twist over or paying over the odds for. Most of us on here are going to find they feel rather insubstantial in relation to the size. They are cool but they ain't no Moonwatch.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Carnaby Street store has apparently just closed due to security concerns.
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The store will now be closed until next week.
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Just walked past Edinburgh store. 200 watches arrived, 1,000+ people queuing from shop up to Rose St and along Rose St past Castle St. Cripes!
Should have given tickets to first 200 whatever queuers early on.
Will let this all calm down and go down when they're getting the next lot in hopefully.
Glad I didn't have the chance to go down as wouldn't have got one and would have been a nightmare to be stuck in all that!
just saw these..love a swatch..
Swatch social media accounts saying all the London stores now closed "for health & safety measures"...
I should bleedin' coco!
Well they've certainly planned and managed this spectacularly badly!
I thought the modern youths were supposed to be the most enlightened for generations but the fact they get so wrapped up in influencer bullshit just makes me laugh honestly.
It’s really going to kick off when they release the flic and flak edition.
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Can't imagine how the people who queued overnight are feeling
Mate in Covent Garden just sent pic of notice on Window. Store will be closed for day. Yet people are still queuing.
The queue for this in Amsterdam is incredible. It's not a queue anymore... it's havoc! A friend is trying to get in and he sent me a vid. That's not funny anymore!
This is madness!
https://www.watchpro.com/corders-col...the-world/?amp
Last edited by Rocket Man; 26th March 2022 at 12:37.
This whole sorry farrago could have been managed SO much better. Instead, Swatch utterly failed to anticipate how popular an iconic watch rendered attractively and cheaply would be. Even when it instantly hit ebay days before launch and spiralled up to insane prices - nothing!
The scalping alone drives more demand, 'cos suddenly everyone's a scalper, and word spreads virally.
On the day they were announced I contacted the nearest Swatch dealer to me (Pearces, Melton Mowbray) to express interest - they got straight back to me: at that moment they hadn't even been contacted by Swatch to let them know this watch was imminent!
Then we hear just 100 - 200 watches per store!
And only when the ordure-has-impacted-the-air-distributor do they start to make it clear this will be available in unlimited numbers online, so 'nobody panic'.
Rumours on social media that arrests were made in London... For a £200 plastic trinket...
I mean, I like plastic trinkets, not least this one, but this is a woeful mix of insanity and incompetence.
Just saw a YouTube unboxing. Maybe it was just a poorly shot video but in the ‘plastic’ the watch looked underwhelming.
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Update from Zürich: Walked past on my way to lunch. Much quieter. Asked a member of staff what’s happening; “sold out in 90 minutes”. At least 100 stood in a queue, with people joining at the back.
Doesn’t look like luxury to me.
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Imagine the carnage if they'd found out there was a steel sports Rolex available to buy!
I'd imagine quite a few of the pre order eBay scalpers are going to be disappointed lol
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One just went on the Bay for £5100.00 another is at £5900.00 probably shill bidding but nevertheless total madness reckon i will wait to give one a try
I FEEL LIKE I'M DIAGONALLY PARKED IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE
I think they look really cool. I have never been a fan of the moon watch as I find the design a bit bland for me. But in these colours they look really cool and at £200 odd a pop, a nice little “toy”.
I live in London so luckily have access to two Swatch shops. Not going to brave the crowds so will probably wait a few months and see if I can walk in and get one.
If any members get one, will be great to see some live Photos!
BW,
Chi Kai
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Sold out in Edinburgh 15 mins ago
Let's keep it real! Having watched some 'Tube unboxings, £207 is quite expensive for what you get; looks really cheap plastic.
Last edited by J J Carter; 26th March 2022 at 13:16.
None of this madness is about watches. It’s about money. Just like when crowds physically fight over the cheap TV in Black Friday sales. I assume there are a lot of people out there with little income, minimum wage, and will fight over the chance to make a couple of hundred quid. I think this is what Swatch underestimated.
Can`t believe what I`m reading, the watches look like plastic replicas, yet folks are fighting to own them. I find the space theme a bit pathetic, these things are just cheap tacky tat.
Clearly, it's all about money and making a quick profit, sad to see but that's the power of the internet.
Unreal that it's come to that, feel bad for the genuine fans queuing.
People have no decency, it's gross. Problem is these days even calling people out for it does nothing because they simply don't care, in their heads they're in the right.
That's hilarious, got to wonder how they screwed that up so badly. It's not like the locations were kept secret! Perhaps they've all just been inspired to go buy Speedmasters by the MoonSwatch hype.
Nor is it being promoted or sold as luxury. It's a £200 Swatch.
That queue jumping would have me livid. Glad I didn't make the trip this morning, was tempted but guessed it would go nuts.
How so? Presumably they sold the stock they had. Are Swatch responsible if people are arrested for committing crimes? Personal accountability comes to mind.
It's sad isn't it. That said, there's always the minority % that just lacks decency and only has a mind for themselves. It's even more sad in truly desperate situations, at least here people are only screwing each other over for a Swatch. Having done a bit of work with refugees (not Ukraine), the vast majority are good people in hard times and very grateful for support, supplies etc. But there's always that small minority who are happy to screw over others with nothing if it means they can get more for themselves. I genuinely found this the hardest thing to deal with, it's so mentally draining.
I wondered about the unit cost, figured maybe 20 quid so similar ball park.
Somebody commented these thing're not promoted or sold as luxury but the pricing vs production costs suggests at least an element of the thinking at play when folk 'justify' other luxury purchases, just an observation, otherwise how else can a 10 x markup be justified on a plastic toy watch...and they've got Omega printed on them after all...so aren't they positioned as offering a taste of affordable luxury.
Last edited by Passenger; 26th March 2022 at 13:38.
What’s income got to do with it? People are turning a profit every day on Rolex, Patek and VC. But apparently these people are shrewd, financially savvy, in it for the love of the watch etc…..
Those people fighting over a 200 quid swatch are no different than those it’s just easier to look down on the Swatch crowd.
Best video of the madness I've seen so far.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbjpn6Fu2Wa/
London Oxford street was shut by the police just after 10.00am. They are going to try an open again tomorrow but didn’t know what time.
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This is the only on wrist picture I have seen and to me it looks great.
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That looks great to me. But no way would I join that lunacy. Put the watches on sale at all dealers on the same day. No queueing allowed or issue place tickets. Even better, online and in person at the same time. Well done Omega. You achieved max publicity for a cheap item. All that effort promoting 007 and special editions and all it needed was a plastic watch. Rolex et al must be furious they've missed out. Don't believe they want exclusivity. It's like BMW vs Mercedes vs Audi. They all want that consumer spend.
Yep, that looks great fun. That or the solar. Bring on the online ordering!
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I didn't hear about this until yesterday when my brother told me he was planning on coming down to London.
I told him about the ebay sales, the people queueing that I learnt from this thread and told him to not bother. He is very, very pleased he didn't.
So I have a 'reduced' which I love, and I regard the Speedmaster as the most iconic watch to be produced...so I was tempted by these. As a more useful beater I can wear daily. Neptune, Mercury, Pluto all appealed.
I have to travel through London next weekend, so if I am lucky everything will have calmed down a little and I might pop in and get one. Otherwise, online it is.