Omega Forums began as a place for enthusiasts to discuss the brand outside the scattered conversations on broader watch forums. In a 2023 interview with Fratello, co-founder Ashley Budgen looks back on its launch, the role of Speedmaster fans in its growth, the value of a searchable watch-community archive, and the challenge of keeping discussion open while moderating a large forum.
Why Budgen and Curtis started Omega Forums
Ashley Budgen says he and Trevor Curtis began working on Omega Forums around 2010 and launched it in March 2011. Their aim was to give Omega enthusiasts a dedicated place to talk after finding those conversations fragmented across existing watch forums. In Robert-Jan Broer’s June 6, 2023 Fratello interview, Budgen described the forum as a home for that community.
Despite its name, the forum was not intended to exclude discussion of other watch brands. Budgen says Speedmaster enthusiasts were a major part of its growth, but he did not want their interest to overshadow communities focused on the Seamaster and Constellation.
How the Speedmaster and MoonSwatch shaped the forum
Budgen says his second Omega was a Speedmaster Professional reference 145.012-67SP, powered by caliber 321. He also describes an interest in project watches, incomplete watches, and parts—a collector’s perspective that fits the detailed, reference-oriented discussions that can develop in a specialist community.
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He credits Speedmaster fans with helping Omega Forums become more popular. He also remembers the MoonSwatch launch as a striking moment for the site: in his account, traffic tripled and remained high for a week, prompting the creation of a Swatch sub-forum. That is Budgen’s reported experience, not independently audited traffic data.
Budgen regarded the MoonSwatch as a fun entry point into Speedmaster interest, rather than a replacement for the watches that inspired it. The interview also touches on limited editions and his preference for watches to remain accessible to enthusiasts. Those are his views, not a universal verdict on collecting or a buying recommendation.
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What Budgen says makes a forum work
For Budgen, a specialist forum needs room for members to express opinions, even when disagreement follows. He told Fratello: “For a site like this to succeed, you need to give people a decent amount of freedom to be themselves and have their views and opinions, which can cause conflict.”
That freedom has to coexist with moderation. Budgen argues that too much restriction imposed by a watch brand can make a forum feel like public relations rather than an independent place for discussion. This is his perspective on community management, not a claim that every forum or brand handles moderation the same way.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →His enthusiasm is also rooted in the people who join. Reflecting on new collectors, he said he valued “Seeing young people get into their first watch, whether it be a vintage Genève or Seamaster or a used Seamaster Pro, and knowing they’ll be watch enthusiasts for life.”
Forums, social groups, and the value of an archive
Budgen sees long-form threads with photographs and searchable discussions as a strength of specialist forums. He contrasts that format with the faster-moving conversations he associates with Facebook groups; the interview presents his view, not a controlled comparison of the platforms.
Over time, Budgen says, Omega Forums’ accumulated knowledge, data, images, and discussions took on a broader role: “Over time, we realized that Omega Forums and the knowledge, data, images, and so on served as an important historical archive and reference library.” That kind of material can help enthusiasts and people researching watches revisit older discussions rather than relying only on a fast-moving social feed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Budgen said about Omega Forums’ future
In the June 2023 interview, Budgen said a new forum platform was being developed to make the site faster and more convenient to use, while improving access to educational and reference material. That describes plans he shared at the time; the interview does not establish whether the platform subsequently launched.
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He also reported that Omega Forums averaged about 210,000–250,000 users per month. The figure belongs to his June 2023 account: he said it was slightly below peaks around 2021 and that traffic varied seasonally. It should not be read as a current audience count.
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