No more Patek watches for retail sale...that's an interesting solution...albeit depicting a complete 'bury your head in the sand and wait for someone else to fix the problem' attitude.
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/patek-p...-value-salons/
An 'April fool', in particularly bad taste? Nevertheless it shines a light on the the watch industry being in a state of FUBAR. As such, someone BIG needs to try to fix it. AP has the bravery to clearly be radical, maybe they have a superhero that can fix the problem?
Here's my solution (naturally there are PROS and CONS):
SOLUTION
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1. Every watch sold by AP to be sold under a contract that gives AP the first right of purchase in the event that the customer wishes to EVER sell their watch.
2. AP’s right of buy back to be set at original purchase price plus inflation rate per annum (if AP declines to purchase, then customer is free to sell to whomever he choses).
PROS
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1. In one fell swoop the flippers exist no more.
2. The grey markets ONLY get watches that AP have declined to buy.
3. AP controls the significant flow of its product, new and used.
4. AP’s CPO programme becomes THE secondary market for AP watches.
5. AP’s products make their way ONLY to owners that buy for the appreciation of the watch itself and not the appreciation of the watch's secondary value.
6. Theft/Robbery becomes less 'lucrative'.
CONS
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1. AP has fewer customers as x% were flippers and investors (AP has 100 times more customers than it needs, and could spend decades servicing back orders from genuine existing customers).
2. AP's customers don’t have an ‘asset’ greater than their purchase price + inflation and thus AP loses customers, goto point 1.
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Of course this 'solution' is more complex than I have described.
So, April fool or not, the problem exists, what's your solution? Maybe 'we' can fix the world.