Shreve in San Francisco/ Palo Alto lost Patek status

[GK12345EMAIL]

Originally Posted by MrGrayD

On Patek - took 5711 and 5712 in for link removal...asked about an Aquanaut (and this was years ago) and the manager (Palo Alto - Jeffrey or Geoffrey) suggested buying lots of jewelry would *help*... of course he did lol

In SF they were even less interested ...gave Patek lady (I think she was called Alison) there my details for a couple of non sports watches ..she seemed keen, and ...tumbleweed after taking name/email/cell etc

No big loss I go to Kerns now

Same experience with Alison

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by dauster

Maybe it will be like the new boutique in Miami. I saw that Patek opened a mono brand store together with local AD


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Have we ruled out the possibility of Shreve being that AD? Would be odd to drop their regular stores prior to opening, but stranger things have happened.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by cbalster

One can only hope that someday there will be enough wealth in this part of the country

You're kidding, right? Perhaps what you mean is enough interest in watches amongst the vast amounts of wealth accumulating there... I think that's happening now with the most popular brands (Rolex, PP, AP) but there's an overall lag in interest in the hobby behind other areas that don't even have the Bay Area's capital base.

[anx21]

Any opinions on Kerns vs CH Premier vs Tiffany? Assuming Kerns is the least likely to get shut down in the future due to the service center. Tiffany sounds impossible even for something like a Calatrava based on previous comments

[pdnb]

Originally Posted by Flyingpoint

It is a truly sad news to me. I was lucky enough to got my first Rolex/Pepsi from Shreve half year ago. I was very pleased by the SA over there, and always wanted to work the way up approaching a PP one day. Guess I will have to figure another way for my dream of PP. However, I still keep visiting Shreve for needs of jewelries and Rolex.

Good for you to get a SS Pepsi within the past year! Did you buy jewelry their prior or are m a bundle?


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[Slumdogg]

Originally Posted by anx21

Any opinions on Kerns vs CH Premier vs Tiffany? Assuming Kerns is the least likely to get shut down in the future due to the service center. Tiffany sounds impossible even for something like a Calatrava based on previous comments

My honest thinking is that if a 100+ year local relationship can go away at the drop of a hat, no one but Tiffany is safe. Curious if other people feel the same way though

Honestly from this point forward my Rolex needs can be satisfied anywhere, I'm fortunate in that the hyped models I truly want I've managed to get, so I have almost no reason to shop at Shreve other than just loyalty

My main goals watch wise at this point are Grand Comps and a 5712, and maybe a 5990 if I get lucky down the road. Curious to hear people's thoughts as to the best way to pursue in the Bay Area. In my opinion it's Tiffany or bust but maybe I'm overreacting? I've never shopped at Kerns or Fourtane but would be open to it


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[PatekSF]

Originally Posted by Slumdogg

My honest thinking is that if a 100+ year local relationship can go away at the drop of a hat, no one but Tiffany is safe. Curious if other people feel the same way though

Honestly from this point forward my Rolex needs can be satisfied anywhere, I'm fortunate in that the hyped models I truly want I've managed to get, so I have almost no reason to shop at Shreve other than just loyalty

My main goals watch wise at this point are Grand Comps and a 5712, and maybe a 5990 if I get lucky down the road. Curious to hear people's thoughts as to the best way to pursue in the Bay Area. In my opinion it's Tiffany or bust but maybe I'm overreacting? I've never shopped at Kerns or Fourtane but would be open to it


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“go away at the drop of a hat” ? Patek Geneva/US is much more calculated than that. IMO this is something that has been brewing for quite sometime. It merely appears to the consumer as being over-night.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by PatekSF

“go away at the drop of a hat” ? Patek Geneva/US is much more calculated than that. IMO this is something that has been brewing for quite sometime. It merely appears to the consumer as being over-night.

True. For all we know Shreve ended it. Perhaps too many people only wanting too few watches ultimately costing them other sales. Like Patek and the 5711 itself.

[PBJ1925]

Originally Posted by anx21

Any opinions on Kerns vs CH Premier vs Tiffany? Assuming Kerns is the least likely to get shut down in the future due to the service center. Tiffany sounds impossible even for something like a Calatrava based on previous comments

Be prepared for the bundle or gotta have spend history talk at CH for any ‘hot’ pieces.


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[mooty]

Originally Posted by Slumdogg

My honest thinking is that if a 100+ year local relationship can go away at the drop of a hat, no one but Tiffany is safe. Curious if other people feel the same way though

Honestly from this point forward my Rolex needs can be satisfied anywhere, I'm fortunate in that the hyped models I truly want I've managed to get, so I have almost no reason to shop at Shreve other than just loyalty

My main goals watch wise at this point are Grand Comps and a 5712, and maybe a 5990 if I get lucky down the road. Curious to hear people's thoughts as to the best way to pursue in the Bay Area. In my opinion it's Tiffany or bust but maybe I'm overreacting? I've never shopped at Kerns or Fourtane but would be open to it


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Bay Area...
once you are a $2mm customer , a LOT OF DOORS open up

[pav333hp]

Originally Posted by mooty

Bay Area...
once you are a $2mm customer , a LOT OF DOORS open up

^This... 💯

[newonos]

Maybe this was mentioned earlier but I notice Betteridge in Vail is no longer (still has PP in Aspen and CT) and Tiffanys in Honolulu is also no longer authorized. There's a newbie AD on the auth retailer list *I think* but don't trust my memory from three months ago so won't mention in case I'm wrong

[charger_vital]

Originally Posted by GK12345EMAIL

Same experience with Alison

x3

If my experience with Alison was any indication of how Shreve approaches its customers in general (flakey and forgetful), I'm surprised that they kept their Patek status that long.

[Apheaven]

I like all of the sales staff there. In my opinion, they were stuck in the impossible situation of attempting to fulfill existing clients needs while give new clients an opportunity, all the while with a very limited amount of product…thus not everyone is getting a watch or enough watches (for existing clients) hence there will be some unhappy folks left at the end of the day.


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[Danny83]

Originally Posted by anx21

Any opinions on Kerns vs CH Premier vs Tiffany? Assuming Kerns is the least likely to get shut down in the future due to the service center. Tiffany sounds impossible even for something like a Calatrava based on previous comments

Ch sells everything to HK

[Yobrooks]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

It would be hard to believe Patek will open their own Salon in SF. Patek only has 3 Salons in Geneva, London and Paris that are Patek owned. As someone mentioned, the other Patek monobrand stores are owned and managed by a local watch/jewelry store.

TS has said repeatedly he doesn't want to cut off the ADs as they know their local clients and market the best. Some ADs lose their Patek license and others are added. We as outsiders do not know why, although people can speculate as to why. I am sure Patek insiders know the reason if anyone has connections to Patek NYC (aka HSWA).

My opinion is that PP will continue to open boutiques in partnership with longstanding ADs like they did in Miami. This way they retain excellent staff, loyalty from the AD and its customers and boutique only experience. Seems like a win.

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[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by Yobrooks

My opinion is that PP will continue to open boutiques in partnership with longstanding ADs like they did in Miami. This way they retain excellent staff, loyalty from the AD and its customers and boutique only experience. Seems like a win.

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Rolex certainly encourages and probably prefers the "boutique" concept where a local AD has a monobrand store. With Rolex, these boutiques located in major cities typically get the higher inventory and sales. I believe SF has a small Rolex boutique. Some of the largest Rolex boutique I have seen have been in Asia.

There are a few Patek monobrand stores or "boutiques". My guess is that the AD has to make a sizeable investment. The Miami Patek boutique is owned and run by Govberg and they are probably one of the largest Patek ADs in the US (by sales volume). My guess is the boutique concept for Patek AD has to make business sense. If inventory and sales are limiting factors, it may not necessarily make "financial sense" in having a boutique with empty display cases.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by Danny83

Ch sells everything to HK

is that a known fact or do you just assume this ? Because I heard whispers of similar stuff before

[Flyingpoint]

Originally Posted by pdnb

Good for you to get a SS Pepsi within the past year! Did you buy jewelry their prior or are m a bundle?


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Just noticed that I was been asked. The answer is yes, I ordered an Datejust 36 for my dad as a gift, and about $3k on jewelry while picking the Datejust up. In about a month later, got a call for the Pepsi.

[hlash99]

Originally Posted by Flyingpoint

Just noticed that I was been asked. The answer is yes, I ordered an Datejust 36 for my dad as a gift, and about $3k on jewelry while picking the Datejust up. In about a month later, got a call for the Pepsi.

Wow congrats, I’ve purchased way more than that from them and haven’t received the Pepsi I requested


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[hutchman]

Every Patek I own is from Shreve Palo Alto including a few not pictured. Shreve invited me golfing in Half Moon Bay, on a factory tour in Switzerland and to the Expo in NY City. Since I was notified of Shreve's Patek status several weeks ago I have called 4 AD's to introduce myself. No one is in the slightest interested in speaking to me or adding me to a waitlist for anything.

[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by hutchman

Every Patek I own is from Shreve Palo Alto including a few not pictured. Shreve invited me golfing in Half Moon Bay, on a factory tour in Switzerland and to the Expo in NY City. Since I was notified of Shreve's Patek status several weeks ago I have called 4 AD's to introduce myself. No one is in the slightest interested in speaking to me or adding me to a waitlist for anything.

Are some of these watches still sealed and unopened? Since you have a long history with them, did they tell you the real reason why they lost their Patek AD license? Could one of the reasons be that they were selling sealed Patek watches?

[IBDOC]

Originally Posted by hutchman

Every Patek I own is from Shreve Palo Alto including a few not pictured. Shreve invited me golfing in Half Moon Bay, on a factory tour in Switzerland and to the Expo in NY City. Since I was notified of Shreve's Patek status several weeks ago I have called 4 AD's to introduce myself. No one is in the slightest interested in speaking to me or adding me to a waitlist for anything.

Strike up a convo with Salon London or Geneva.

[IBDOC]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

Are some of these watches still sealed and unopened? Since you have a long history with them, did they tell you the real reason why they lost their Patek AD license? Could one of the reasons be that they were selling sealed Patek watches?

All of those are from the NY expo and 175th which afaik was before the sealed mandate was heavily enforced?

[hutchman]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

Are some of these watches still sealed and unopened? Since you have a long history with them, did they tell you the real reason why they lost their Patek AD license? Could one of the reasons be that they were selling sealed Patek watches?

I believe it was a surprise to Shreve. At least they let me believe it was a shock. I was expecting 3 Patek's this year and up until a few days before it seemed like everything was on schedule. Their status was off the Patek website long before it was removed from the Shreve website.

[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by IBDOC

All of those are from the NY expo and 175th which afaik was before the sealed mandate was heavily enforced?

Still curious what the real reason for an AD to lose their Patek license, especially if they have had a long relationship...

In the past, people have mentioned ADs selling a lot of pieces to gray sellers through the back door or to known flippers (especially the "hot watches"), selling single or double sealed pieces, heavy discounting (not sure if this is a cause or just speculation) and maybe a few other reasons. Usually an AD is given a warning or two or three because Patek will take action to remove them from the AD network. So I am sure it was not a single incident and not a sudden decision for Patek to pull the plug.

[dchang81]

How long was the sealed policy a thing? I thought it was only a few years ago?

[hutchman]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

Still curious what the real reason for an AD to lose their Patek license, especially if they have had a long relationship...

In the past, people have mentioned ADs selling a lot of pieces to gray sellers through the back door or to known flippers (especially the "hot watches"), selling single or double sealed pieces, heavy discounting (not sure if this is a cause or just speculation) and maybe a few other reasons. Usually an AD is given a warning or two or three because Patek will take action to remove them from the AD network. So I am sure it was not a single incident and not a sudden decision for Patek to pull the plug.

I have no inside information but I can't imagine any of the AD's are happy with their expensive store fronts, large square footage set aside for Patek and zero inventory.

[dchang81]

What about govberg building out their FPJ....

[Ichiran]

Originally Posted by hutchman

What a great collection you have. And a waste you lost all that spending record with this AD