which watch holding groups are better? Swatch vs Richemont

[###IcySpicY###]

goodies to everyone here...
guys, when you buy watches, does the group it belongs to somehow influence your decision? there are two biggest Groups, the Richemont and the Swatch. both have under their control big names like Omega, Breguet, Longines, Blancpain, etc.. if it somehow influences you, what's the group you most prefer?
If it doesn't, which watches do you mostly own (from Richemont or Swatch)?
I know my question might sound a bit strange, but I have currently had a dispute with one of my colleagues. He was claiming that Richemont is much better. I don't agree. they at least are at the same level. For example, only Breguet makes the Swatch Group as elevated as Richemont. and there are plenty of other examples. still, it made me think to what extent people are influenced y the big company behind each brand. am I missing something?

thanks for sharing any thoughts

 

[EmPoWeReD]

no, you're nit missing anything... people have no idea about the brad belonging to any king of big holding groups. at least, I dont give a damn on it, if I like the watch I buy it, without paying much attention to the group behind it.

and, in general, is Breguet under the Swatch group? I thought such a historic brand must have been on its own, like Rolex for example. Didn't know that...

 

[concientE]

I also knew little about these holding groups until I found out that Omega is also not independent but under the jurisdiction of the Swatch group.
As far as I remember, Blancpain, Breguet, Harry Winston, Jaquet Droz, Longines, Omega, Hamilton, Mido,Rado, and Tissot are under the Swatch.


Lange & Sohne, Babe & Mercier, Cartier, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, Vacher Constantin are under the the Richemont.

The group itself doesn’t influence me at all. When I get a watch, I never wonder what group drives it. But, as it turns out from my watch collection, most of my watches refer to the Richemont group. In the Swatch group there are some brands that are even nonexistent in the replica industry

 

[CoVriGoooU]

in terms of revenue and extension, swatch is the biggest watch holding in the industry. at least, it was some time ago, but I don't think much has changed since then. tbh, some of the Swatch brands are poorly familiar to me. but, I have to admit that Omega and Breguet, Tissot and Longines are more than valuable. at the same time, Vacheron, IWC, Jaeger, Cartier are a big blue for the Richemont. idk, the belonging to these group doesn't matter for me, but Richest definalety wins at the quantity of iconic brands in its portfolio

 

[Nobbing]

Nope, not influenced at all. Just buying what resonates better with me. By chance, the major part of my watches is from Richemont (just figured that out). I’ve read an article some months ago, by the way, concluding that actually, independent watchmaking companies are the cream in the industry, covering most public preferences.

As for these two giants, I think Richemont has gone way further with its production, covering only watches, but all that means luxury as well. Swatch is a bit inferior I disregard, limiting to watches predominantly, with few jewelry exceptions.

 

[SwInEIGh]

I’m more sure that most of the community here has more Richemont than Swatch in their watch collections if we talk particularly about the replica segment. Richemont makes more expensive pieces, and therefore, imitations are more available for them, as people don’t afford the expensive luxury. Swatch is more oriented toward the average customer and many of its watches are pretty available in their original version.

So, people buy the genuine swatch, as it’s not pricey and there is no need to make imitations on them. That’s probably the main difference between them: the different target audiences. This explains why Swatch produces more because there are more average people than “high-status”

to answer the main question: I like the design of expensive watches; but since I can't afford an expensive one, I choose cheaper versions but with the same design which is richemont-related imitations

 

[BrIerNAN]

Partially disagree here with Richemont’s abundance. From what I see in the forum, plenty of users have Omegas and Longines, so I’m prone to think that there is a 50/50 proportion.

The difference between them is actually in their technical profile. Swatch has no problems in getting mechanisms and movements from affiliated groups like ETA. That’s a common practice for it. The competitor “pushes” its brands to develop their own movements, each brand with its own in-house mechanism. Still, it also can “borrow” movements and use shared mechanisms like Panerai or IWC. But, either way, its brands are more focused on developing their own movements

 

[ondOntra]

To me, these both are great. In any of them, there are brands that take the breath away with their watches. Richemont with its Vacheron, A Lange, Cartier, and Jaeger, and the Swatch with its Breguet, OMEGA, and Blancpain. True that Richemont is overall more expensive, but it does not make swatch inferior. As someone said here, it’s about the different customers’ audiences.

The competition between them is what makes us happy with so many great watches. Without competition, we would have had only a couple of new watches a year.

And don’t forget about independent companies. Why not a single word about them? I think there is where the name of the brand plays a significant role only say "Rolex" and the customer melts)))

 

[chip&dale]

Tbh, I align better with Richemont over the swatch. Except for some big names in the Swatch group, it seems that all the watchmaking houses are micromanaged to follow a very close product concept, more or less. In contrast, I find Richemont more libertine in the good sense, I mean the brands within the group have the freedom to develop their collections more organically, independently from the business goal. And the outcome is visible: more luxurious watches, different designs, and more unique styles.

and when I buy a watch, the belonging to the swatch or Richemont doesn't play any role for me. but, without even thinking about it, I mostly embrace Richemont

 

[dailydose]

to answer your first question, the group behind the watch brand makes no influence on me. can buy a swatch, or a Richemont, or an individual brand watch, without giving a damn on where it comes from. as for the second question, richemont watches I have in majority. I mostly align to that group, though not to all brands within it. for example, Baume & Mercier watches are strange to me, dont have any single piece. Panerai is also somewhat far from my taste and preferences.
on the other hand, I must say that in the swatch group, there are far more brads with which I dont resonate at all. Harry Winston, Jaquet Droz are also outlandish for for me, even if these have a pretty beautiful history and expertise behind.
tbh, it's the brand that makes me opt for a certain watch, and not the group behind it. names like Breguet and Constantin Vacheron are epic, no matter the big corporation behind them. it's hard to pick only one of them in terms of value

 

[ArnoldTHEgreat]

It’s hard to say which one is better, as only experts could make a deep analisys of the share market, revenue, value of each brand, etc, to declare which one is better. We can only share subjective opinions based on our personal tastes, and that’s most important: financial status. I can love the Breguet brand to the moon and back, but what’s the point if I don’t afford one, and only have money for a Rado average-priced watch? It’s just an example to make you understand how subjective the entire question and answers are.

And still, if you’re curious, all my reps are associated with the Richemont brands, while all the gens (3 I have) are from the swatch group. Basically, because Swatch gives more chances to affordable watches in comparison to Richemont. Some of my Swatch watches are the same price as the Richemont replicas



I don’t do it deliberately. I never think about the group behind the brand when I get a watch. Even the Rolex reps have been bought because I liked the model and the price, and not because its independence somehow influences me

 

[###IcySpicY###]

"which watch holding groups are better?" so wrong the question, sorry, but so wrong...
it's like comparing BMW and Mercedes, or Lionel Messi with `Ronaldo Look at the brands inside each group... both have strong members, pulling the business forward and both have "weakies" in the family, pulling the whole thing down...
you will need an entire enterprise of experts to receive a relevant answer to you question. otherwise, everything is only subjective opinions
"which is better" depends on so may factors. Budget-friendly, for example- Swatch is better with more afordable options. Luxury?- Richemont is better because it has more prominent names in it. Engennering? both are identically capable, in my view.
So, it wl depends the perspective you look from

 

[sundoryrock]

I hardly think that someone is influenced by the Holding Group behind the watch brand. Price can influence, quality can influence, complications and personal taste can influence… but who gives a damn about the group behind?!

Swatch is larger by nature, with more brands and more employees. Richemont is more restrained. But it doesn’t mean anything. Both provide spectacular pieces and technical marvels, that’s what matters

 

[KaraTisH]

I'm shocked about how much yo knew about these two groups ad there watches, and not a single word about independent factories, not necessarily Rolex. too bad that less popular brads dont get so much attention, when they also create mind-blowing watches, and they are o their now completely...

 

[peGASus4338#!]

Rishemont is better in style, sophistication, and luxury sense... swatch is more "average", but has a wider community

 

[igivente]

swatch is more to my liking from budget point, riche-from design point. many of people I know have real Swatch watches like Rado, Mido. when it's about reps-it's almost always richemont

 

[PpiroJookK88735]

that's exactly the topic we were discussing with my friends during the beer Friday we recently had. met people are o. the same page: swatch is more affordable, richemont is more luxurious. at east, that's the general impression of the big groups among the watch community

 

[ObeisDexter]

LVMH: why no one mentions it? Like only the swatch and the Richemont hold all the watch industry…Moet Henessy Louis Vuitton: to be more specific.

Blgar, Hublot, Tag Heuer, Zenith, Chalet, Fred, Diar. Sorry of course, but I just can’t understand why to exclude these brands from the discussion, when this group has similar resounding brands as the swatch and Richemont?! And to be honest, this group is the most modern of all existent, In my view. The other two, are classic, traditional, and with an “old” air. The LVMH is focused on the new generations, which is not less important.

P.S: wit al due respect to Swatch and Richemont!!

 

[bagaBOO57335]

The best of them are independent brands!!! Amin!!!!

Patek, Audemars, Chopard, Rolex, Grand Seiko, and Bremont are the best. So sorry for Vacheron, it would have made great and artistic work on its own. For the rest, it’s more watchmaking PLUS business. For the independent ones, the watchmaking always goes first!

 

[PpiroJookK88735]

by me, the question is a little bit bad formulated. better in what? in share market? in quality? in number of employees or in number of brands und them? a little specification will do no harm...
technically, both have impressive brands building really crazy pieces...
from the design perspective, it's hard to say which one is better, because design is a matter of personal taste.either way, both AGAIN have brands making spectacular marvels...
all this is also available for some independent brands as well... so I can talk about this a lot, but I think that the comparison should be based on clear and specific criteria...