AP Boutique How To Get Royal Oak

[Vince_76]

Originally Posted by adi365

My wife received the allocation even before me, she got her 15551ST within 3 months.

That’s the most important detail to why you got your watch. Enjoy

[GW44]

Originally Posted by AshAP

Maybe I’m lucky, along with a few other members here, that my relationship is with AP House in London because my experience is entirely different to yours. What does stand out however is your apparent reluctance to buy other models from AP, you refer to it as “appreciating the brand”. If you were truly into the brand and the watches available then buying something other than a RO would feel entirely natural and so buying an Offshore would not be seen as a stepping stone but as the fantastic watch that it is. Also, it’s easy to see a member here post a picture of a new RO and assume that they acquired it easily without much of a wait when in reality they probably had interest registered for 2-3 years prior to receiving it.

This is a great, and very accurate, post that mirrors my own (and friends too) AP House experience from the great team there

[adi365]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

That’s the most important detail to why you got your watch. Enjoy

ohhhh.... I've always thought it was because of my special relationship with the SA. Haha. I've got to thank my wife now, she'd be furious because he bought it with her money. Cheers!

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by adi365

My wife received the allocation even before me, she got her 15551ST within 3 months.

That, rather than the monthly visits, was the key to kickstarting your relationship. Having a wife/SO that is also a regular customer carries a lot of weight. I'm sure it was essential for AP treating me as well as they have.

[adi365]

Ohhh lol, I've always thought it was the special relationship with the SA.

Gonna tell my wife about it tonight, she would be furious since she bought hers with her own money. haha.

Cheers!

[johnsonsxusfrt]

Originally Posted by adi365

I'd say every 2 months or so, most of the time, and whenever I drop-by (with appointment of course) I never ask about the watch with him, we usually talk about something else and whenever he brought up the waiting time I'd just tell him that I understand the q and that I am waiting patiently. And we usually chat via whatsapp weekly or so. He is a very lovely guy.

My wife received the allocation even before me, she got her 15551ST within 3 months.

I am very fortunate that i've met such a lovely SA. One of my best experiences in my watch journey.

You should've put that in your initial post LOL!

But it's great to have a wife that is also into the watch game, it opens the doors to getting some nice pieces.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by Johnsim

Yesterday, I visited the AP boutique for the first time and had my name listed for the 26240ST Black. The salesman informed me that the wait for this model could be as long as 3 to 4 years. He suggested that if I purchase a Code 11:59, I might be able to bypass the queue and receive it within 1 to 1.5 years. However, I'm not particularly fond of the design of the Code 11:59. Considering buying from the grey market, even though the prices are steep, and being informed that the ownership/warranty card will only change to me after 3 years, also concerns me about not having a direct connection with AP. What move would you recommend? Additionally, I'm curious to know how long you waited for the Royal Oak series.

Personally, I value having a connection with the AP house. As such, I don't mind getting a Code 11:59 solely for the royal oak. However, I'm worried that even if I purchase the CODE 11:59, I might still endure an extensive wait of over a year for the Royal Oak, or worse, never get the chance to obtain it. Since the salesman is aware of my preference for the Royal Oak and my lack of enthusiasm for the CODE 11:59 design, I wonder if the choice of the salesman could significantly impact this process. I would highly appreciate guidance from any experienced expert on the intricate dynamics of this waiting game.

Appreciate it.

I saw a white and black dial 15500 and 15510s for sub 40k not sure I would buy a code for that. As always if you have a lot of money in the immediate watch fund and are ready to go, establish the relationship. Only a few watches aka one royal oak and an ROO go grey


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[Watchguynyc8300]

Originally Posted by AshAP

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Haha yes, I feel like 55k is not *that* different from 35-50k for Royal Oak. Plus the aquanaut is thinner

[Watchguynyc8300]

Originally Posted by AshAP

Maybe I’m lucky, along with a few other members here, that my relationship is with AP House in London because my experience is entirely different to yours. What does stand out however is your apparent reluctance to buy other models from AP, you refer to it as “appreciating the brand”. If you were truly into the brand and the watches available then buying something other than a RO would feel entirely natural and so buying an Offshore would not be seen as a stepping stone but as the fantastic watch that it is. Also, it’s easy to see a member here post a picture of a new RO and assume that they acquired it easily without much of a wait when in reality they probably had interest registered for 2-3 years prior to receiving it.

Yes I am reluctant to purchase a watch I won’t wear. I tried multiple codes on - couldn’t get them to sit on my wrist properly. The base strap is too short. Also the lack of a quick interchangeable strap system like the ROO has is sort of annoying. Asked rep if they have longer strap, he said yes , but couldn’t change it for me to try on. lol plus the thing was wrapped in plastic.

My point is now with codes 3 handed listed for 40-50% of new pricing - if you wanted one easiest to buy one gray. My wife would rather I buy her van clef necklaces than the ladies royal oak (so it’d literally be spending money on something she doesn’t care for). Also being forced to buy a watch you don’t particularly care for is effectively gatekeeping. Just pointing out if you’re going to sidestep that by going gray, why bother w the relationship with AP house?

I will say this - basically every model they offered me is one that is basically discounted in the gray market.

[Mr.GL]

Originally Posted by Watchguynyc8300

They try to jam down ladies pieces or codes that don’t fit well if they think you’re a good long term purchaser of other watches. Given the way aftermarket prices are moving, just pay the premium and continue to express interest so you can always get another one later if availability improves.

“Appreciating” the brand is a joke played by brands to diversify their potential revenue stream. Aftermarket code prices show how little actual demand there is for that watch. Candidly they’ve already reduced list prices on some more of their egregious prices (ie gold ROO). It’s also funny we see constant reports on the forum of watches being +/-30 seconds.

I’ve been flat out told by AP NY you’d need to buy code or gold ROO before RO. At 35k or so in gray market for a steel watch, you start to think maybe why not jump into the gray market and go patek aquaunaut/ other sport watches.

Actually, most of the brands are doing exactly the same thing. Try walking into ADs to ask for Rolex professional models or Pp Nautilus /Aquanant. You probably get a similar response . It's what it is.

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[Mr.GL]

Originally Posted by Watchguynyc8300

Haha yes, I feel like 55k is not *that* different from 35-50k for Royal Oak. Plus the aquanaut is thinner

Nautilus would be a better comparison to Royal Oak.

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[dauster]

Originally Posted by Watchguynyc8300

Yes I am reluctant to purchase a watch I won’t wear. I tried multiple codes on - couldn’t get them to sit on my wrist properly. The base strap is too short. Also the lack of a quick interchangeable strap system like the ROO has is sort of annoying. Asked rep if they have longer strap, he said yes , but couldn’t change it for me to try on. lol plus the thing was wrapped in plastic.

My point is now with codes 3 handed listed for 40-50% of new pricing - if you wanted one easiest to buy one gray. My wife would rather I buy her van clef necklaces than the ladies royal oak (so it’d literally be spending money on something she doesn’t care for). Also being forced to buy a watch you don’t particularly care for is effectively gatekeeping. Just pointing out if you’re going to sidestep that by going gray, why bother w the relationship with AP house?

I will say this - basically every model they offered me is one that is basically discounted in the gray market.

Honestly here is your answer- seems like you made your decision

https://nashvillewatch.com/product/a...-box-papers-2/


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[Halothane]

Go grey market. Prices are way down and you won't have to buy a code and risk AP screwing you over in the future.

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by AshAP

Maybe I’m lucky, along with a few other members here, that my relationship is with AP House in London because my experience is entirely different to yours. What does stand out however is your apparent reluctance to buy other models from AP, you refer to it as “appreciating the brand”. If you were truly into the brand and the watches available then buying something other than a RO would feel entirely natural and so buying an Offshore would not be seen as a stepping stone but as the fantastic watch that it is. Also, it’s easy to see a member here post a picture of a new RO and assume that they acquired it easily without much of a wait when in reality they probably had interest registered for 2-3 years prior to receiving it.

What if you don't like the code or the ROO is too big? I understand your angle but it's weird that you need to purchase other watches just to be eligible. Then again, it's 2023 and not the early 2010s anymore.

[AshAP]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

What if you don't like the code or the ROO is too big? I understand your angle but it's weird that you need to purchase other watches just to be eligible. Then again, it's 2023 and not the early 2010s anymore.

I actually agree with you but it’s no different with Rolex or Patek and while demand is as high as it is things are unlikely to change.

[Vivalas]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

What if you don't like the code or the ROO is too big? I understand your angle but it's weird that you need to purchase other watches just to be eligible. Then again, it's 2023 and not the early 2010s anymore.

On all the Rolex forums for the last 3 years there’s been a lot of chat and discord over people saying that they have to spend X amount on stuff they don’t want like jewellery etc, to get what they do want - people generally reply with various responses, but that they only make 1 million watches a year and demand is 10, 20 or even 50 fold so they can never supply everyone a Daytona or Pepsi. The irony is that if they could people would be so fickle they wouldn’t want them anyway!

Thankfully AP don’t operate that way, but they supply less than 50,000 watches maybe? Of that how many are RO’s? A lot less. They can never supply everyone. It just won’t happen. So I don’t think it’s about eligibility so to speak, but due to the limited amount, someone showing a broader interest in the brand may get there quicker.

[l_chissle]

On this forum, you'll hear that the ones that are successful aren't necessarily the ones with bags of money. A lot of it is about developing a rapport rather than just 'playing the game'

[mickyd329]

Originally Posted by l_chissle

on this forum, you'll hear that the ones that are successful aren't necessarily the ones with bags of money. A lot of it is about developing a rapport rather than just 'playing the game'

100%! I don't have bags of money like many of the collectors that buy at my boutique. I'm nowhere near the spend level of some of those clients I've met through events. We have become friends now and I've seen what they have spent there. I obviously don't get the pieces at the same rate as they do, but I have been able to attain some dream pieces through relationship alone. I was never asked to purchase anything I didn't love. I even offered to purchase a basic Code to strengthen my profile and was told not to. They didn't want me buying watches I wasn't going to enjoy.

[AshAP]

Originally Posted by l_chissle

On this forum, you'll hear that the ones that are successful aren't necessarily the ones with bags of money. A lot of it is about developing a rapport rather than just 'playing the game'

Defo 100%


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[Watchguynyc8300]

Originally Posted by dauster

Honestly here is your answer- seems like you made your decision

https://nashvillewatch.com/product/a...-box-papers-2/

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Thank you I saw this - waiting for a white / silver dial actually! Glad that warranties transfer and there’s a 5 yr theft guarantee

Re the other questions on Rolex / PP - I feel like the answer when reading the forum is fairly straightforward - go gray since the dealers (at least in NYC) are more explicit and say you need to bundle x or whatnot and even then you can tell they are cagey / won’t guarantee anything, plus most of them sell a wide variety of jewelry. I haven’t heard the appreciate the brand speech as explicitly form like Wempe or Bucherer.

That said I wouldn’t bother going to an AD for a Patek or highly popular Rolex (seems like they have more wide availability at gray due to production).

[In-N-Out]

Originally Posted by mickyd329

100%! I don't have bags of money like many of the collectors that buy at my boutique. I'm nowhere near the spend level of some of those clients I've met through events.

lmao you got some crazy heavy hitters

[mickyd329]

Originally Posted by In-N-Out

lmao you got some crazy heavy hitters

lol. Only out of pure luck in having established the relationship 7 years ago.

[rcwatchcollector]

Originally Posted by Watchguynyc8300

Thank you I saw this - waiting for a white / silver dial actually! Glad that warranties transfer and there’s a 5 yr theft guarantee

Re the other questions on Rolex / PP - I feel like the answer when reading the forum is fairly straightforward - go gray since the dealers (at least in NYC) are more explicit and say you need to bundle x or whatnot and even then you can tell they are cagey / won’t guarantee anything, plus most of them sell a wide variety of jewelry. I haven’t heard the appreciate the brand speech as explicitly form like Wempe or Bucherer.

That said I wouldn’t bother going to an AD for a Patek or highly popular Rolex (seems like they have more wide availability at gray due to production).

Was just at NYC Bucherer asking about precious metal sports or meteorite dial watches. SA said they don’t get the meteorite in usually and that I need to buy some stupid diamond DJ that are available NOW to build my relationship or pre owned gold gmt to be considered for new watches. I’ve gotten 2 ss sport models from this store only past 10 years. They don’t allocate to me because I won’t buy lame watches they try to sell me. SA wanted me to buy a pre owned rose gold gmt for 55k to get put on list for new green ceramic sub. I politely declined.


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[GW44]

Originally Posted by l_chissle

On this forum, you'll hear that the ones that are successful aren't necessarily the ones with bags of money. A lot of it is about developing a rapport rather than just 'playing the game'

Absolutely this.