Rumor: New X-Metal

[CarGuy]

I believe the rumors since Oakley trademarked "badman" last August and renewed it again in late July of this year.

 

[kronin323]

I respectfully disagree. Using the X Metal moniker will keep the values of our X Metals aloft and continue to expose new eyes to our old versions. Without Lux sticking the name out there and marketing it how would those without knowledge of our X Metals discover them? Hopefully they will price them at $500.

Well I hope you're right and really I'm reserving judgement until something comes out. Those of us "in the know" may know, but my concern is the majority mass of neophytes who don't know the difference, don't really care, and will consider the originals comparable to the new releases. So I think it could go either way; we'll see.

 

[Rustpot]

I like the early morning optimistic Rustpot! That is your being optimistic, isn't it?

I just think that until you see the pairs, try them on, and see how they feel you can't really pass judgement.

The original wire frames weren't all that great. Now they're better. The old O Matter was stiff and brittle. Now it's wonderful stuff. Apply the same logic to magnesium, I doubt they'll be anywhere close to the same quality. I've seen some fun stuff with Aluminum/Magnesium hybrid alloys. Super light, no corrosion issues, takes a coating wonderfully.

Add to it the old mag frames had weak coatings, once eaten away the raw magnesium was at the mercy of the elements.

 

[Carrera1963]

If they're magnesium and they are marketed in their own right, then surely there's no compulsion to compare them to the x-metals of yore?

 

[CarGuy]

If they're magnesium and they are marketed in their own right, then surely there's no compulsion to compare them to the x-metals of yore?

It's a win-win.
Lux win: There is no reason to create a sub-brand when you've already got a strong one. Google "Oakley X Metal" and you get one million eight hundred thousand hits.
Collector's win: if they price it right- and Lux will- it exposes new folks in all of their retail locations and online to "X Metal" to our benefit. I'm guessing at a $200-300 price point and then new eyes see our older stuff at $400-500. Our stuff is better because the styles are better and there is a greater variety.
It does help explain in a way why they are killing the Juliet lenses- they want to sell new pairs. But I don't understand why a company sells $5-25 odds and ends like key chains, fake carabiners and such would walk away from the profit that they make on a pair of Juliet lenses. Unless the demand simply isn't there but I can't imagine that there is not a relatively good amount of demand with what, a million pair of Juliets out there?

 

[atty_65]

will this assumption of making our xmetal goes up in value will
lead to ebay prices for them doing the same? thats scary unless we start hoarding now

 

[Dallas O Hog]

will this assumption of making our xmetal goes up in value will
lead to ebay prices for them doing the same? thats scary unless we start hoarding now

Already started lol

 

[mjt42]

these sound like they'll be great in their own right, but if they are marketed in anyway as an x-metal someone at lux should have their nuts chopped off. it's bad enough when even forum members describe their mags as 'x-metal'!

 

[CarGuy]

lead to ebay prices for them doing the same? thats scary unless we start hoarding now

Hasn't that boat essentially sailed?

 

[atty_65]

Hasn't that boat essentially sailed?

i guess but that is due to supply dwindling coz more and more people collect them because of collectors value. As long as it isnt a copycat of juliet or mars so they say in all aspects i think it wouldnt affect anything. The problem is when we couldnt tell the difference but i doubt it would.