Quote:
Originally Posted by abrosz
After 4 years of inquiring with boutiques and my recent conversation with the NYC boutique manager, I’m done with AP. Straight from boutique manager’s mouth, purchasing a Code doesn’t guarantee allocation of a Royal Oak; it’s not quid quo pro. No sense paying Code retail when secondary market prices on the Code are better and there’s no commitment at a RO allocation or timing. Went down this road with a Patek dealer recently. It did not go well. Depending on the RO, the discount on the Code will offset the premium on the RO. AP is never going to not sell them and there will always be secondary market supply. There will always be somebody with a higher spend history that will take priority. I can wait to pull the trigger on the RO.
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I'm not sure your boutique manager is being straight with you. From my experience, they do have some visibility on pieces before they arrive. Not as in for the entire year, but within a month or so.
They will never give you any commitment on if or when they will get you an allocation for what you're looking for. Not even for high spend clients. Buying a Code or RO doesn't guarantee an RO allocation, but sure does put you in the mix as you are officially a paying client now. Whether we agree with this business model or not? I'm sure most will not agree with it.
I can't imagine that a PM Code Chrono would be that difficult for a new client. If you are leading with that, I don't see how it wouldn't be possible. If you're leading the conversation with a 41 RO, maybe a different story and thus the stand offish response. A 39 Jumbo is HIGHLY unlikely as a first piece anyways. That will likely be a non starter.
As far as competing against higher spend customers go, I guess we need to define higher spend first. From what I've seen, higher spend clients as in the hundreds of thousands or more category aren't asking for 3 hander and chrono RO's for the most part. They are not who you're really competing against for those allocations. The clients who have maybe already purchased a Code and or ROO are the ones you would be competing against for allocation.
As others have already said, no need to go through the boutique if you are not planning on collecting a variety of AP's including higher complicated pieces, especially when the secondary market prices continue to decline.
I do like your reasoning on buying the Code at a discount via grey that would offset the premium you would pay for a 41RO in the grey market. Hope to see some incoming pics soon.
