AP watches vs Rolex/Breitling

[fabfive55]

Forgive my naivety, but WHY are AP and Patek watches a league higher than Rolex or Breitling?

Thank you for your responses.

[B. Doggy]

History, movement, finishing, pricing. Try some on and you'll see....

[clarencek]

Also exclusivity... they produce very few watches a year < 30,000 I think for AP.

[RRGHOST1]

I would never buy an AP over a Rolex,i dont like any of their style of watches.

[eric23]

Crazy quality!

[Timepeice]

APs are just on another level when you talk about decoration and finishing of the movement and case. I agree with above posts...put one on and you'll see.

[liptonnr]

Apples to oranges my friend...not the same!

[TSW]

Originally Posted by Timepeice

APs are just on another level when you talk about decoration and finishing of the movement and case. I agree with above posts...put one on and you'll see.

This

[Shade]

Its just like a c class and an s class.. Both are great but the s is definutely better..

[Submarino]

AP is 'Haute Horlogerie' while Rolex and Breitling is luxurious timekeeping. Different leagues, prices, manufacture, history and a very small number of APs (approx. 25,000 a year) vs. over 1,000,000 pieces combined between Rolex and Breitling. Exclusivity!!!!


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[capote]

Patek and AP also have some serious complicated watches that Rolex and Breitling could only dream about.

[fabfive55]

Like I said, I was naive.

What other watches are in the AP and Patek league? I only have a few Rolexes, which I love.

I'm definitely more a fan of the Rolex style (and Breitling) than the AP's.

[MrJ320]

I would say that VC and Lange are also considered in the same league as AP and Patek IMO.

[h999r]

Agreed to all above

[capote]

Originally Posted by mrj320

i would say that vc and lange are also considered in the same league as ap and patek imo.

+1

[AAMD11]

Yep from my Understanding VC, AP, PP are the Holy Triniti of watches. Simply awesome watches. My grail is a VC Overseas Dual Time

[Feras]

This might be off topic, but IMHO:if i was given the choice to get an AP or ROLEX AND A Breitling. I would get the Rolex and Breitning, and sell the breitling
I am just not into :IWC, AP, PIAGET OR HUBLOT

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by AAMD11

Yep from my Understanding VC, AP, PP are the Holy Triniti of watches. Simply awesome watches. My grail is a VC Overseas Dual Time

That's correct! Those three are the Holy Trinity of Haute Horlogerie. No wonder why Gerald Genta designed three watches for them. The PP Nautilus, AP Royal Oak and the VC222. Amazing grails!!!


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[ohfivepro]

It's all relative TBH - all of the brands will keep roughly the same time and all will be worse than a £100 G-Shock.

Patek is definately top-tier for off the peg watches. Finishing, history and complications can't be doubted.

APs are great if you like the styles but many of their popular models (ROO etc) don't have display case backs which negates the whole 'exquisite finishing' and their chronographs are generally cam-operated (cheaper to make, clunky feeling compared to column wheel chronos) and they're just bolt on complications to a standard base calibre - not an integrated part of the movement Hardly the end of the world but £18K for a 3hz, non-COSC, steel cased, cam-operated watch just doesn't cut it for me. Their history is 100% legit though and they do some unusual / modern pieces such as the forged carbon stuff so at least they don't just try to live off of past glory.

Lange is an odd one as the current Lange only got resurected in the 1990s via the Richemont Group - they don't own any of the original Lange history / archives as that's all owned by Glasshute Original (hence the many similarities). It's actually way more complicated than that due to companies getting disbanded / altered beyond all recognition during the 2 world wars but basically you'll never see either brand releasing 'historic' re-issues like Panerai do as neither of the brands really has a history that they can legally use.

VC are like Patek only with less marketing these days - I find some of their watches pretty dull but you can't argue with their heritage etc

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by ohfivepro

It's all relative TBH - all of the brands will keep roughly the same time and all will be worse than a £100 G-Shock.

Patek is definately top-tier for off the peg watches. Finishing, history and complications can't be doubted.

APs are great if you like the styles but many of their popular models (ROO etc) don't have display case backs which negates the whole 'exquisite finishing' and their chronographs are generally cam-operated (cheaper to make, clunky feeling compared to column wheel chronos) and they're just bolt on complications to a standard base calibre - not an integrated part of the movement Hardly the end of the world but £18K for a 3hz, non-COSC, steel cased, cam-operated watch just doesn't cut it for me. Their history is 100% legit though and they do some unusual / modern pieces such as the forged carbon stuff so at least they don't just try to live off of past glory.

Lange is an odd one as the current Lange only got resurected in the 1990s via the Richemont Group - they don't own any of the original Lange history / archives as that's all owned by Glasshute Original (hence the many similarities). It's actually way more complicated than that due to companies getting disbanded / altered beyond all recognition during the 2 world wars but basically you'll never see either brand releasing 'historic' re-issues like Panerai do as neither of the brands really has a history that they can legally use.

VC are like Patek only with less marketing these days - I find some of their watches pretty dull but you can't argue with their heritage etc

What about the AP RO ref. 15300 and the ref. 15202 with display case backs????

[RUpanerai]

The quality and work that goes into the ROO and ROCs are FAR superior in terms of complexity and uniqueness. It takes much longer to finish an AP case than almost any other on the market with the lines and case profile. Mix that in with the complicated way the movement gets pulled into the bezel and its much more complex. That being said, I LOVE Panerai for is simplicity and no non sense style and function, which AP is NOT.

[Etur]

Originally Posted by MrJ320

I would say that VC and Lange are also considered in the same league as AP and Patek IMO.

May I ask why the Breguet is never mentioned in this category?
The history, complications and finish is not far away from PP , VC or AP in my opinion…

[herbie911]

In my opinion AP other than the Off shore series is a good match vs PP and VC.

Breguet also have a rich history and their attention to detail is just as extreme.

[WJGESQ]

Originally Posted by B. Doggy

History, movement, finishing, pricing. Try some on and you'll see....

Finishing? Seen it. Nice, but no obvious improvements over Rolex and Omega.

History? Prey tell? AP moments of greatness in history?

Or marketing greatness to rap stars and govenors?

Fill us in.

[B. Doggy]

Originally Posted by WJGESQ

Finishing? Seen it. Nice, but no obvious improvements over Rolex and Omega.

History? Prey tell? AP moments of greatness in history?

Or marketing greatness to rap stars and govenors?

Fill us in.

Perhaps you're not looking close enough with regards to the first two comments. Really. Yes, AP could back off the SE's for varied celebrities.

[SubKing]

Originally Posted by capote

Patek and AP also have some serious complicated watches that Rolex and Breitling could only dream about.

Well said.

[SubKing]

this is what AP's new inhouse movements looks like inside the royaloak non chrono. they look the same inside the off shore as well, just look at that solid gold rotor and all the chamfer edges on every bridge and plate. redic time goes into it.. thats why you will pay close to 28k for a stainless offshore bracelet model.. all that work they do and then they cover it up with a steel caseback so no one can even see the beauty.. that says a powerful message right there..

[HL65]

Originally Posted by SubKing

this is what AP's new inhouse movements looks like inside the offshore. just look at that solid gold rotor and all the chamfer edges on every bridge and plate. redic time goes into it.. thats why you will pay close to 28k for a stainless offshore bracelet model.. all that work they do and then they cover it up with a steel caseback so no one can even see the beauty.. that says a powerful message right there..

A thing of beauty!

[SubKing]

[VetteBandit]

Originally Posted by SubKing

Well said. I love my Rolex pieces, but the AP just oozes a level of finish above Rolex.