AP Boutique/AD for new customers? Please help!

[Sg6067]

Hello all,
Looking for some advise! I have a milestone birthday coming up (at the end of May) and I was hoping to celebrate with the purchase of my first AP. Here are my questions;
1. Could any of you recommend a boutique or SA that works with new customers? My problem is that I do not live close to any of the boutiques so it’s difficult to visit in person. The closest to me would be NYC, but that’s a 6 hour drive... I’ve tried calling to speak with an SA but they have not returned my calls or email. The second closest is the East Hampton boutique, from which I did receive a vague email reply inviting me to visit the store in person. They could just be overly busy because of the holidays, but I can’t help but feel ignored. I wouldn’t want to make the trip to one of these boutiques without knowing they had a watch available I could potentially purchase.
2. What entry level watches are actually available for purchase as a new customer? I’ve been reading this forum for long enough to know it’s not possible to ask for a SS RO (which would be my first choice) and that anything blue is off limits without prior purchase history. I do not have an unlimited budget so I was hoping to stay in the 20-30k range. I have not seen one in person but my first impression, based on the pictures online, is that I’m not a fan of the code watches. I have a 6.5” flat wrist, for reference I have a subc that I daily wear and I’m fine with the size. Does anyone have an AP reference they would suggest?
3. I would prefer to purchase new however I’m starting to wonder if my best option would be to purchase a second hand SS RO?

I know this was a long post so thanks for reading! Thanks so much for any an all replies!

[thekman]

Personal experience I got a black RO SS as my first watch from NYC. Other than pretty much most divers will be available and chronos are not too hard to come by. Blue 15500 and 15202 are kinda impossible tho.

[Pantheon]

Hi there. So from my experience as a new customer to AP as well as being in NYC. There are 3 options for you as far as I know.

1. You have the corporate boutique in midtown that'll most likely tell you no chance in hell. (YMMV)
2. Material goods in Soho.
3. Boutique in East Hampton out in Long Island.

I stopped into material goods in late November to inquire about SS ROs. I was open to getting the 15500s and 26331s. Blue dial 15500s are boutique only so it's a no go here if that's exactly what you want. I was told by Rob (one of the owners) that to stay in touch and they could possibly be getting 15500s towards the end of the year. Never did get the call for the 15500s I guess either they didn't come in or customers who had priority over me got first dibs. I just got an email though yesterday that two 26331s came in and I had the choice of black or white dial. I stopped by the store and picked up the white dial on the spot.

Now the boutique out in East Hampton is actually co-owned by material goods. It's a joint venture between AP and the owners of Material goods. I don't know if my purchase history with material goods would hold any weight at the boutique but I guess time will tell.

I did reach out to the East hamptons boutique and a conversation with a nice lady about the blue dial 15500s since they're boutique only and I was pretty much given an honest answer I'd be unlikely to get in line for one as they've had trouble getting them to customers with purchase history of more than 5 pieces. Of course I mentioned I am open to any 15500s and 26331s that come in to the boutique (figures my chances would be better if I reached out to both stores) the lady did take down my information and told me she will email me and I wanted to follow up with a list of pieces I am interested in. Never got that email . Well that's pretty much my NYC AP experience


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GB-man]

Honestly I’d just grab the 15500 grey and be done with it, premium is ultra reasonable compared to most desirable Rolex or Patek.

[rumnyc]

For first AP go to a city like Hong Kong or Singapore where there are many watches and many boutiques and get something in stock and get on the system. They always have a nice one. With AP unlike other watches a little research does too much trouble and after a day of research you are looking for watches you have no chance of getting from AD/boutique cos people with long purchase history is waiting on them.

If you didn’t do any research and went to a few shops you would have found something you loved and been happy with and made a relationship towards the more sought after one.

Almost all RO and ROO are just stunning in person and not all photographs well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Token74]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Honestly I’d just grab the 15500 grey and be done with it, premium is ultra reasonable compared to most desirable Rolex or Patek.

Might wear a little big on a 6.5” wrist?

Might be able to pick up a silver or grey dial 15450 as although they seem to be gaining in popularity, they are probably still the least popular of the RO’s (despite me having two of them and banging the drum for them repeatedly!!!).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GS93108]

Originally Posted by rumnyc

For first AP go to a city like Hong Kong or Singapore where there are many watches and many boutiques and get something in stock and get on the system. They always have a nice one. With AP unlike other watches a little research does too much trouble and after a day of research you are looking for watches you have no chance of getting from AD/boutique cos people with long purchase history is waiting on them.

If you didn’t do any research and went to a few shops you would have found something you loved and been happy with and made a relationship towards the more sought after one.

Almost all RO and ROO are just stunning in person and not all photographs well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I totally agree.

AP's own site images are awful, they are renders rather than photographs. IRL the watches are amazing when compared to the renders or even our own photos that we all post here. So if you see one in store then relish that moment and opportunity and if you like it then buy it, don't fret about rarity or other people's opinions.

I bet there are gazillionaire's who never research anything, they walk into a store, see something they like and buy it, despite the fact that they could no doubt get a vvvvvvvip model pretty quickly, but they aren't swayed by resale values or 'our' opinions. I wish I could me more like that, but this bloody forum is a bad influence and taints my thinking :)

[macrowatch]

Go into the stores. I tried the 'appointments' system and never got any replies. Walk in when it wasn't busy in a weekday was just fine.

I believe all the ROC should be obtainable with a relatively short wait. No idea on RO Gray or Black.

Try AD and Boutique, but lean hard on the boutique route.

[rumnyc]

yes these forums tend to drive people towards super rare ones at both extremes (steel RO or perpetual calendards) while there are so many stunning entry points its actually ridiculous. i got my first just walking in and i have 4 now and my first is still my favorite and it gets no love here (26400Ti) but I would take it over any blue 15202ip if i had one AP. and i didn't even plan to but it (it photographs terribly. absolutely sparkles in person. it was also a size i didn't think would work for me but i tried it and goddam didn't want to take it off.

so go to a store and see and try and buy. its a long journey and most of the fun is getting there.

[Sg6067]

Originally Posted by Pantheon

Hi there. So from my experience as a new customer to AP as well as being in NYC. There are 3 options for you as far as I know.

1. You have the corporate boutique in midtown that'll most likely tell you no chance in hell. (YMMV)
2. Material goods in Soho.
3. Boutique in East Hampton out in Long Island.

I stopped into material goods in late November to inquire about SS ROs. I was open to getting the 15500s and 26331s. Blue dial 15500s are boutique only so it's a no go here if that's exactly what you want. I was told by Rob (one of the owners) that to stay in touch and they could possibly be getting 15500s towards the end of the year. Never did get the call for the 15500s I guess either they didn't come in or customers who had priority over me got first dibs. I just got an email though yesterday that two 26331s came in and I had the choice of black or white dial. I stopped by the store and picked up the white dial on the spot.

Now the boutique out in East Hampton is actually co-owned by material goods. It's a joint venture between AP and the owners of Material goods. I don't know if my purchase history with material goods would hold any weight at the boutique but I guess time will tell.

I did reach out to the East hamptons boutique and a conversation with a nice lady about the blue dial 15500s since they're boutique only and I was pretty much given an honest answer I'd be unlikely to get in line for one as they've had trouble getting them to customers with purchase history of more than 5 pieces. Of course I mentioned I am open to any 15500s and 26331s that come in to the boutique (figures my chances would be better if I reached out to both stores) the lady did take down my information and told me she will email me and I wanted to follow up with a list of pieces I am interested in. Never got that email . Well that's pretty much my NYC AP experience


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the insight! That is exactly what is frustrating me with AP, I understand the demand is greater than the supply. I’m no stranger to long wait times. I have a great relationship with my local Rolex AD and he’s very upfront with me about wait times. I feel that this transparency makes waiting less of an issue. However, if I’m going to spend upwards of 20k on a steel watch I would expect my phone call/email to be returned....
I normally prefer a clean dial so I wasn’t leaning towards the chrono. 26331 does look amazing, I’m sure that white dial is a stunner!

[Sg6067]

Originally Posted by Token74

Might wear a little big on a 6.5” wrist?

Might be able to pick up a silver or grey dial 15450 as although they seem to be gaining in popularity, they are probably still the least popular of the RO’s (despite me having two of them and banging the drum for them repeatedly!!!).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for bringing that up! I was thinking about the 15450 but afraid it would wear too small. Is it possible to find them new at a boutique? Do you have any pictures you’d be willing to share of them being worn?

[Token74]

Originally Posted by Sg6067

Thanks for bringing that up! I was thinking about the 15450 but afraid it would wear too small. Is it possible to find them new at a boutique? Do you have any pictures you’d be willing to share of them being worn?

I think it wears perfectly on my flat 6.5” wrist. You may find them at a boutique, they are becoming more popular and have just had a large price increase, but many still shy away because they are very size conscious. Here are some pictures of mine.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dmb359]

15400 or 15500 would probably wear a little too big on a 6.5 wrist.

15450 would probably be good, or you could maybe get up into a 39mm one.

[Locust]

Call Bal Harbour Miami.

[Locust]

Get new chrono since your wrist is smaller or 15450. They’ll help u

[RHIII]

It’s pretty sad when a person interested in the (a) brand - can’t walk into an AD and just buy a RO.

Hopefully inventories will need up a bit here in the new year.

Having said that - as already stated. The grey premiums on the 15500 are not ‘ridiculous’ so you might consider that option.

Good luck!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sg6067]

Thank you all for your advise! I made some phone calls to the Florida boutiques today and did get in contact with an SA. He chuckled when I inquired about the 15500 and, after I brought it up, he said that 15450 could be an option for me but that it would also be “challenging to get.” When I asked about alternatives that could be more available he said that in my price range (around 20k) there is nothing else for me. The conversation sort of ended at that point, I feel confident he will probably forget my name by tomorrow. I don’t feel it would do any good for me to call him back and ask about the new chronos.
Needless to say grey market is looking better and better, and as several of you have said the markup on RO SS doesn’t seem terrible as long as it doesn’t have a blue dial. My wife and I will be in Paris visiting relatives in February so I’m planning to stop at one of their boutiques in that area to get an idea of sizing and just go from there.

[LDN]

Is ref 26315ST.OO.1256ST.01 hard to get from the AD?

[maciej]

Originally Posted by Sg6067

Hello all,
Looking for some advise! I have a milestone birthday coming up (at the end of May) and I was hoping to celebrate with the purchase of my first AP. Here are my questions;
1. Could any of you recommend a boutique or SA that works with new customers? My problem is that I do not live close to any of the boutiques so it’s difficult to visit in person. The closest to me would be NYC, but that’s a 6 hour drive... I’ve tried calling to speak with an SA but they have not returned my calls or email. The second closest is the East Hampton boutique, from which I did receive a vague email reply inviting me to visit the store in person. They could just be overly busy because of the holidays, but I can’t help but feel ignored. I wouldn’t want to make the trip to one of these boutiques without knowing they had a watch available I could potentially purchase.

There have been some organizational changes in the NYC boutique with a new boutique manager being hired along with two new sales advisors, which would make sense as to why your requests may have fallen through the cracks. I recommend calling them again and asking for Selin specifically, she'll take care of you.

[Johndong888]

Originally Posted by Sg6067

Thank you all for your advise! I made some phone calls to the Florida boutiques today and did get in contact with an SA. He chuckled when I inquired about the 15500 and, after I brought it up, he said that 15450 could be an option for me but that it would also be “challenging to get.” When I asked about alternatives that could be more available he said that in my price range (around 20k) there is nothing else for me. The conversation sort of ended at that point, I feel confident he will probably forget my name by tomorrow. I don’t feel it would do any good for me to call him back and ask about the new chronos.

Needless to say grey market is looking better and better, and as several of you have said the markup on RO SS doesn’t seem terrible as long as it doesn’t have a blue dial. My wife and I will be in Paris visiting relatives in February so I’m planning to stop at one of their boutiques in that area to get an idea of sizing and just go from there.

Paris AD is worst than NYC in terms of inventory. Nice folks tho.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[macrowatch]

Originally Posted by Sg6067

Thank you all for your advise! I made some phone calls to the Florida boutiques today and did get in contact with an SA. He chuckled when I inquired about the 15500 and, after I brought it up, he said that 15450 could be an option for me but that it would also be “challenging to get.” When I asked about alternatives that could be more available he said that in my price range (around 20k) there is nothing else for me. The conversation sort of ended at that point, I feel confident he will probably forget my name by tomorrow. I don’t feel it would do any good for me to call him back and ask about the new chronos.
Needless to say grey market is looking better and better, and as several of you have said the markup on RO SS doesn’t seem terrible as long as it doesn’t have a blue dial. My wife and I will be in Paris visiting relatives in February so I’m planning to stop at one of their boutiques in that area to get an idea of sizing and just go from there.

From reading about others and my own experience, I found them non-commital on Chronos but do deliver inside a year. Obviously YMMV as the market keeps changing with the price hike but also growing demand for the brand in the tide lifts all boats environments.

[armidoro1]

If you ever in London then let me know! The boutique have just hired an amazing person as the branch manager. I dealt with her at JLC and she was amazing! I'll be visiting them in early Feb and will post about my experience.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

[Collector2019]

Originally Posted by Sg6067

Thank you all for your advise! I made some phone calls to the Florida boutiques today and did get in contact with an SA. He chuckled when I inquired about the 15500 and, after I brought it up, he said that 15450 could be an option for me but that it would also be “challenging to get.” When I asked about alternatives that could be more available he said that in my price range (around 20k) there is nothing else for me. The conversation sort of ended at that point, I feel confident he will probably forget my name by tomorrow. I don’t feel it would do any good for me to call him back and ask about the new chronos.
Needless to say grey market is looking better and better, and as several of you have said the markup on RO SS doesn’t seem terrible as long as it doesn’t have a blue dial. My wife and I will be in Paris visiting relatives in February so I’m planning to stop at one of their boutiques in that area to get an idea of sizing and just go from there.

Sorry to hear that, someone on here wrote a similar thread a week ago asking for help to acquire 15500st black. I reached out to sales person at the boutique to help him and he agreed to, however, the guy somehow vanished . I can introduce you instead of him and you take it from there.

Good luck on getting your first AP

[gretch6364]

I am still a bit away from buying, so please don't worry about hooking me up, but out of curiosity, if you live nowhere close to an AD and don't want to travel to buy a watch, etc., are you mostly just stuck buying grey?

I live in Aspen and don't travel to many of the cities with ADs. I am mostly stuck buying sight un-seen.

[Calatrava r]

Why not reach out to the private stores that still sell AP? There are a few left and maybe easier to deal with. Cannot hurt to reach out.

[gretch6364]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

Why not reach out to the private stores that still sell AP? There are a few left and maybe easier to deal with. Cannot hurt to reach out.

I guess I can walk around town and ask all the stores if they have any APs, as it seems only the boutiques are listed on APs website.

[chiscott_29]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Honestly I’d just grab the 15500 grey and be done with it, premium is ultra reasonable compared to most desirable Rolex or Patek.

I just picked up the 15500 grey ruthenium dial. Honest to God, pick it up. It's gorgeous and as stated above the premium is reasonable. Same with the Black, but I really prefer the grey.

If you don't have a purchase history, you're not getting one at retail. I don't like the reality either, but that's just where things are.

[uscmatt99]

Availability is pretty regional in my experience of browsing boutiques around the world. To date the best luck I've had recently was in Taipei a couple years ago and Bangkok a week ago. No hard to get pieces per se, but I was able to try on a 41mm ROC, 38mm ROC, 4x 42mm ROOs (ghost, vampire, blue dial, 26480TI). They also had a couple 44mm ROO, the Codes, some frosted lady ROs, and a black dial 15451. The 15500 and of course 15202 were a no go sadly. I didn't end up pulling the trigger as with the new pricing it was right around grey market pricing all in. I was reallllllly tempted by the 26480TI, perfect fit for me.

Edit: I should add that everything I tried on was available to purchase, no strings attached. The sales people were super friendly and accommodating, even after I took up at least an hour of their time.

[huncho]

Originally Posted by Sg6067

Thank you all for your advise! I made some phone calls to the Florida boutiques today and did get in contact with an SA. He chuckled when I inquired about the 15500 and, after I brought it up, he said that 15450 could be an option for me but that it would also be “challenging to get.” When I asked about alternatives that could be more available he said that in my price range (around 20k) there is nothing else for me. The conversation sort of ended at that point, I feel confident he will probably forget my name by tomorrow. I don’t feel it would do any good for me to call him back and ask about the new chronos.
Needless to say grey market is looking better and better, and as several of you have said the markup on RO SS doesn’t seem terrible as long as it doesn’t have a blue dial. My wife and I will be in Paris visiting relatives in February so I’m planning to stop at one of their boutiques in that area to get an idea of sizing and just go from there.

i couldn't get anywhere with the 15450 at the boutique here, just went grey instead

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by shatland

I just picked up the 15500 grey ruthenium dial. Honest to God, pick it up. It's gorgeous and as stated above the premium is reasonable. Same with the Black, but I really prefer the grey.

If you don't have a purchase history, you're not getting one at retail. I don't like the reality either, but that's just where things are.

Excellent choice