Gor a very special Patek in November, no more Pateks from AD for me?

[russ86]

Hi all, I have a very very good relationship with my AD, and after 2 years of hints and countless purchases in November I finally got a very special Patek, the one I always wanted, 5968G-010. My AD is located in Miami and they sells other brands as well and I got a lot of hot Rolex models from them over the years.

So anyway, I was by my AD the other day and I mentioned that I wanted to get a Nautilus because my Aquanaut itch was finally fulfilled and I am ready to move my way up to get that.

My sales rep cut me off right away and told me that because I got such a special watch from them I can forget about Pateks for the next 3 or more years, they wont sell me any other Patek. He literally told me that my purchase history resets with them and I have to work my way up again to get a Nautilus. I was listening to him and nodding and I was thinking in my head what a load of bs!

Anyone had similar experience over here? All those years of purchasing and running after Patek and for what? To hear that my purchase history resets and I have to buy shit ton of watches AGAIN that I dont need to get a Nautilus! Mind you, I spend A LOT over there over the years, A LOT. I honestly think there is no point or running after those watches to get them at retail anymore. I maybe should have got that Aquanaut grey 2 years ago and not waste my money and time chasing. Maybe instead of buying 100k worth of useless watches I don’t need I should just put that money together and buy grey Nautilus and be happy.

[Mbbgysam]

Firstly, congrats on the aquanaut!

I've had basically the same experience. And what really irks me is that I got my Nautilus back when the market wasn't that crazy, especially for the white dial. IIRC it was only trading in the ~$40k range. I've asked for much less popular models (AC, Calatrava), but the message is very much that I should be happy with the Nautilus and shouldn't expect anything else. The silver lining is that AP has been great so I've shifted a lot of spend in that direction that would've otherwise been invested in Pateks.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by russ86

Hi all, I have a very very good relationship with my AD, and after 2 years of hints and countless purchases in November I finally got a very special Patek, the one I always wanted, 5968G-010. My AD is located in Miami and they sells other brands as well and I got a lot of hot Rolex models from them over the years.

So anyway, I was by my AD the other day and I mentioned that I wanted to get a Nautilus because my Aquanaut itch was finally fulfilled and I am ready to move my way up to get that.

My sales rep cut me off right away and told me that because I got such a special watch from them I can forget about Pateks for the next 3 or more years, they wont sell me any other Patek. He literally told me that my purchase history resets with them and I have to work my way up again to get a Nautilus. I was listening to him and nodding and I was thinking in my head what a load of bs!

Anyone had similar experience over here? All those years of purchasing and running after Patek and for what? To hear that my purchase history resets and I have to buy shit ton of watches AGAIN that I dont need to get a Nautilus! Mind you, I spend A LOT over there over the years, A LOT. I honestly think there is no point or running after those watches to get them at retail anymore. I maybe should have got that Aquanaut grey 2 years ago and not waste my money and time chasing. Maybe instead of buying 100k worth of useless watches I don’t need I should just put that money together and buy grey Nautilus and be happy.

did you spend a 100k in order to get the aquanaut or significantly more? obviously crazy but also good that they are this straight up with you. they could have easily strung you along for a while.
also, are you sure that won't get any PP at all - not even a 5270J or 5205 ? Meaning stuff that's harder to move?

[kaiserphoenix]

I bought a 5235R in January 2021 and then in December got a 5968G-010. AD did not tell me anything about resetting and happy to take my wish list so this resetting thing seems BS and just a way for the AD to try and get more money.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by kaiserphoenix

I bought a 5235R in January 2021 and then in December got a 5968G-010. AD did not tell me anything about resetting and happy to take my wish list so this resetting thing seems BS and just a way for the AD to try and get more money.

wow so you got the aquanaut after only buying one watch ? that's amazing

[liljctl]

Originally Posted by russ86

My sales rep cut me off right away and told me that because I got such a special watch from them I can forget about Pateks for the next 3 or more years, they wont sell me any other Patek. He literally told me that my purchase history resets with them and I have to work my way up again to get a Nautilus. I was listening to him and nodding and I was thinking in my head what a load of bs!

Did the sales rep mean all Pateks? or just the ''special ones''?

[TomCarter]

If that's the AD on the beach I have it on good authority that the director sells all of the desirable models to 1 client 15 or more Pateks last year alone so consider yourself lucky and move on would be my move. If it's Kirk's not as bad as the alternative but your SA did show his hand so personally I would move on regardless and just go grey and quick, grey Nautilus prices for all models are increasing daily.

[Calatrava r]

Never heard of purchase history re-setting. ADs need to remember it may not always be a seller's market and tact goes a long way. It's much nicer to say we need to spread the Patek products across our entire customer base or something to that effect.

[Fenrira]

Yes, this concept of resetting is quite common amongst Asian AD’s.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by russ86

He literally told me that my purchase history resets with them and I have to work my way up again to get a Nautilus.

So, like airline status? The heart wants what it wants, but at some point it might be worth considering a different hobby.

[russ86]

Originally Posted by liljctl

Did the sales rep mean all Pateks? or just the ''special ones''?

I got an impression that only applies to Aquanaut and Nautilus, I am pretty sure they will be more than willing to sell me whatever doesn't move and sits in cases for months.

[russ86]

Originally Posted by dauster

wow so you got the aquanaut after only buying one watch ? that's amazing

I am pretty sure he bought other models as well. I for example purchased a lot of other brands from this AD but only had 1 Patek prior to Aquanaut, a ladies piece just to start a relationship with Patek brand.

[qrc36]

That is very common in Hong Kong, and this is also what they tell people visiting the Salon in Geneva.

From my trips to the Salon in 2018 and 2019 (to buy straps that I cannot order in Hong Kong, such as the 5525G blue calf strap), I overheard very clearly what was said at another table. Essentially, the Salon staff explained to the guests (who did not live in Switzerland) that they have to buy several watches in order to get a first Aquanaut/Nautilus, and several more watches in order to get a second Aquanaut/Nautilus. The Salon staff said the watches in between could include dress watches, perhaps an annual or perpetual calendar, or ladies watches. They made it clear it wasn't just one watch, but several watches in between each Aquanaut/Nautilus.

[Fenrira]

Originally Posted by russ86

I am pretty sure he bought other models as well. I for example purchased a lot of other brands from this AD but only had 1 Patek prior to Aquanaut, a ladies piece just to start a relationship with Patek brand.

At one of the ADs I work with, only Patek purchases count towards a sport model Patek.

[cascavel]

So, as a reward for your purchasing loyalty your AD sold you, at MSRP, a watch that, in the secondary market, sells for $150,000 over MSRP. Two months have passed and you drop in and ask for another watch at MSRP but one that only sells for $100,000 over MSRP in the secondary market and your SA told you "No". The nerve.

[Ichiran]

Mind sharing what watches you bought from your AD before you get the Aquanaut please? If you have been buying numerous PCC, SS, MR and Grand Sonnerie, then it will be quite harsh to reset such a history.

[kaiserphoenix]

Originally Posted by russ86

I am pretty sure he bought other models as well. I for example purchased a lot of other brands from this AD but only had 1 Patek prior to Aquanaut, a ladies piece just to start a relationship with Patek brand.

Nope. This was the first Patek I ever bought from this AD in Japan. And I think I posted this in my incoming but I was extremely surpirsed to get a call for the 5968G around 11 months later. I havn't bought anything else and the building is Patek only.

However I will caveat this by saying that the it seems at least in japan, they CARE which ones you bought and seems like the 5235R I bought gained alot of points with the head of the AD and Patek distributor rep. Also being in the mid 30s seemed to help my case as well as they wanted to increase their younger customer base.

[russ86]

Originally Posted by Ichiran

Mind sharing what watches you bought from your AD before you get the Aquanaut please? If you have been buying numerous PCC, SS, MR and Grand Sonnerie, then it will be quite harsh to reset such a history.

Yes of course I don't mind. This year alone I bought few PM Rolexes, some SS Rolexes, 1 Omega, 2 Cartier, 3 Girard-Perregaux, 1 Breitling, 4 Longines, 1 Hublot, 2 Oris, 2 Ulysse Nardin and 4 Tudors. I think I might be missing 1 or 2 watches also because hard to keep track at this point. The ones that I decided not to keep I gave away as presents to relatives or friends or just resold on chrono24.

[liljctl]

Originally Posted by russ86

I got an impression that only applies to Aquanaut and Nautilus, I am pretty sure they will be more than willing to sell me whatever doesn't move and sits in cases for months.

Oh good. You can buy other PPs then. Now that most things sell for above list price (when one does a Chrono24 search) it has created a distortion where everyone buys anything they can get their hands on to ''build a profile'' and then sell it. With what you listed below, I think we have very similar collecting habits.

For example, I have every BB58 variation, almost all the Freaks and every 5205 in the different metals and dial and I am still waiting for my 6119G to ''complete the set''.

Originally Posted by russ86

Yes of course I don't mind. This year alone I bought few PM Rolexes, some SS Rolexes, 1 Omega, 2 Cartier, 3 Girard-Perregaux, 1 Breitling, 4 Longines, 1 Hublot, 2 Oris, 2 Ulysse Nardin and 4 Tudors. I think I might be missing 1 or 2 watches also because hard to keep track at this point. The ones that I decided not to keep I gave away as presents to relatives or friends or just resold on chrono24.

I think we can assume if the Longiness, UNs and GPs gets us SS Rolexes, the 5204 and 5370s will get multiple Nautiluses and Aquanauts.

[russ86]

Originally Posted by liljctl

For example, I have every BB58 variation, almost all the Freaks and every 5205 in the different metals and dial and I am still waiting for my 6119G to ''complete the set''.

Besides Aquanaut and Nautilus I would not mind buying 6119r-001 from PP. I really like that watch but apparently its a hot watch now and its also hard to get.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by russ86

Yes of course I don't mind. This year alone I bought few PM Rolexes, some SS Rolexes, 1 Omega, 2 Cartier, 3 Girard-Perregaux, 1 Breitling, 4 Longines, 1 Hublot, 2 Oris, 2 Ulysse Nardin and 4 Tudors. I think I might be missing 1 or 2 watches also because hard to keep track at this point. The ones that I decided not to keep I gave away as presents to relatives or friends or just resold on chrono24.

holy moly - do you own a company and give watches as gifts or something ?

[dauster]

Originally Posted by russ86

Besides Aquanaut and Nautilus I would not mind buying 6119r-001 from PP. I really like that watch but apparently its a hot watch now and its also hard to get.

Idk I have been trying to get one too and heard the same from most people/ ads, but thankfully a local AD in my area is straight forward with me and they checked their computer in front of me and there is nobody on the list for a 6119G and my spend history is only like 60k last year.

apparently I'm the next one on the list - Ill let you know if it works out... it appears the other Ads might keep it in the vault for a big spender or so - hard to believe people are running in the door for a calatrava these days

[WatchTodd]

I have both and 3 of the 5 I bought from the same AD. What I’m finding is even though I’m spending a lot (well north of 100k) someone is spending more and that’s why you get shoved down the list. You can thank the grey market for a lot of this. Even though it’s frowned upon the economics are too lucrative. I hold all of mine and have never bought or sold on the grey market. Onto vintage for me as there are watches to learn and buy that are really cool. Takes more due diligence and thought but much more fun than playing the “position game” with the ADs

[Arthur Daley]

A perhaps contrarian opinion: see it from Patek and the AD's point of view.

The stainless models are their low margin, fast moving products. They can sell them all day long (and demand far exceeds supply), and a great number of them end up going gray which doesn't directly impact Patek and the AD's pockets.

So, in order to incentivize purchasing of higher margin products, they ask/expect you to buy some of their slower moving, higher margin pieces in-between.

Makes total economic sense to me.

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