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Help me choose wife's 40th Bday Watch! Omega vs. Rolex

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#1 ·
Hi All! I'm turning to the experts here for a very important gift for my wife's 40th birthday + our 15th Wedding anniversary present. She has great taste...and really likes the diamond bezel look with the black mother of pearl dial.

I've narrowed it down to the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Co-Axial (220.15.38.20.57.001) vs. the Rolex Datejust 36mm (Black Mother of Pearl Set with Diamonds, steel case and band).

She would be fine with certified pre-owned...The Omega doesn't seem to be on the second hand market, while the Rolex does seem to be available.

Can you help me weigh the pros-cons? This would be her first nice watch...and would be something that she would love to pass down to our daughter!

Thank you for the help!
 
#5 ·
Rolex. A good friend of mine just his wife a Rolex for their anniversary last week. Not that you're planning to ever sell it but IMO the Rolex will have better long term value.
Agreed, even though I didn't expect to sell mine, it was nice to have the value they have. Sold it for more than I paid.
 
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#9 ·
Rolex is always the safer pick with a watch for a gift. It's got more cache than any other watch brand amongst 99.9% of people. And since the Omega's not a quartz, it doesn't even have the simplicity to fall back on.
 
#10 ·
No question, Rolex ... and then you can buy her less expensive watches for the rest of your life, b/c that Rolex will always be king of the hill
 
#11 ·
I just googled both watches and have to say, unless your wife has expressed a preference for the Omega or there is a cost concern, the Rolex is a nicer looking watch.
 
#19 ·
Ugh, no box and papers, sometimes offered way too cheap. Rolex like many luxury brands for 100% authentication requires being sent to the factory. Now some have said a Rolex service center and do it, but I don't know for sure about that. You can also limit who you buy from, stick to jewelers with a business and reputation, but there are many honest private sellers out there also.
 
#21 ·
Rolex.
 
#23 ·
New for being a special occasion; Rolex for being the ultimate crown?
 
#25 ·
Gift?

Rolex.

We picked up two watches from another brand for our parents' 50th anniversary -- the name doesn't matter, but the brand's reasonably well-respected around here, and fit within our budget -- and my mom's reaction was, "Oh...."

Dad loves his, but he's like that with any gift. Mom has told friends about hers, "It's a [brand]-something. It's pretty nice."

I'll guarantee that she would've been floored with a Rolex. Too bad we didn't have the funds.
 
#29 ·
Yup. I want to like Omega's Co-Axial, since it's such a great performer and the entire range is becoming fully antimagnetic (no worries about the iPad on my couch or the speaker magnets in my work laptops). But unlike Rolex, or any plain-Jane ETA-powered watch, there probably won't be a watchmaker near me who'd service one.

Hopefully the number of Omega certified watchmakers will go up over time, and the teething problems (pun noted) should be gone by now. But there's still enough doubt in my mind to make me second guess a new Omega purchase.
 
#30 ·
What about a lady's with a fluted bezel? Out of the budget? I chose the polished bezel for my datejust primarily because of the budget but secondarily because I think on that size watch, 41 mm, the fluted best was a little overwhelming. I feel like on that tiny ladies watch it could use a little something like the fluted bezel to give it a little bit of Pop.


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#31 ·
I recently went through this with my wife on her last birthday. We originally decided on a datejust (black 116234) but once she received the watch she didn't seem over the moon about it. Part of her hesitation was with the cyclops but the main issue was the "stigma" that went along with wearing a Rolex. I don't mean stigma in a bad way either, I have a 114060 and absolutely love it. Maybe more the attention and questions that would come from non WIS folk once they noticed a Rolex on her wrist.

We talked it over and she wanted something nice but a little more under the radar. So she picked the Blue 38.5mm Aqua Terra that just so happened to match my 41mm. We both love them! Although now I'm starting to lean more toward her 38mm size....

Maybe it's worth talking to her about it and seeing what she would prefer? Or disregard my comment if you want it to be a surprise.

Watch Analog watch Watch accessory Fashion accessory Strap
 
#36 · (Edited)
I recently went through this with my wife on her last birthday. We originally decided on a datejust (black 116234) but once she received the watch she didn't seem over the moon about it. Part of her hesitation was with the cyclops but the main issue was the "stigma" that went along with wearing a Rolex. I don't mean stigma in a bad way either, I have a 114060 and absolutely love it. Maybe more the attention and questions that would come from non WIS folk once they noticed a Rolex on her wrist.

We talked it over and she wanted something nice but a little more under the radar. So she picked the Blue 38.5mm Aqua Terra that just so happened to match my 41mm. We both love them! Although now I'm starting to lean more toward her 38mm size....

Maybe it's worth talking to her about it and seeing what she would prefer? Or disregard my comment if you want it to be a surprise.

View attachment 13201275
Thank ya'll all for the input!

@rbanks40....great advice. While I am love the idea of a diamond studded Rolex for her, after discussing it a bit, she held a similar opinion as your wife. She doesn't wear a lot of jewelry, and has been content with her timex or Apple Watch for years. Although I want to get her the "best of the best" in the watch world, it may not be what suits her the best. That being said, I am leaning towards this one: Watch Analog watch Watch accessory Fashion accessory Strap


Now, I STILL plan on getting here a Rolex one day, but she found this Omega on her own and showed some interest because of the Dark Mother of Pearl bezel, so I know she likes it. It can still be dressed down a bit to fit her every day style.

Again, thank you all for the valuable feedback! If I'm missing something....or if there is a similar styled Rolex, please let me know! But so far, all I could find was one that had the diamond bezel and was 19k (trying to stay under 10k).

The PERFECT watch for her would be this watch with the domed bezel. (She doesn't like the fluted look).
Watch Analog watch Watch accessory Fashion accessory Jewellery


So if any of you know any secrets on how to order that setup, please DM me!
 
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