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12 July 2020, 06:11 AM | #31 | |
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Here's what finally became clear in my head - Why would I pay $5k to $7k more for a watch when you're basically telling me nothing is available now, and there was literally no interest in agreeing to work with me towards something more exclusive OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS? At some point, you really have to pull yourself away and admit you're playing a sucker's game. Which, lead me to what I said. I now try and keep multiple channels open. This approach has already paid dividends for me. |
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12 July 2020, 06:35 AM | #32 | |
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12 July 2020, 07:05 AM | #33 |
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Interesting times we live in where we have to kiss someone’s ass so that we can throw $$ at them.
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12 July 2020, 07:25 AM | #34 |
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Truly pathetic
You're absolutely right and no watch is worth that. If I can't have Italian food than Chinese is a perfectly viable option. I would never play this game for a timepiece.
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12 July 2020, 07:53 AM | #35 |
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Absolute insanity.
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12 July 2020, 08:17 AM | #36 |
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Supply and demand is basic economics.
We the consumer are driving this demand and AP can't (or won't) supply. Try buying a new Ferrari...or getting tickets to Hamilton...or centre court tickets to Wimbledon on finals day...or the biggest nonsense of them all, a new iPhone on launch day!!! Nothing new in any of this and nothing 'interesting about these times', just SSDD. Let's remember, this isn't a waiting list for kidney, its just a watch. Carry on... |
12 July 2020, 08:20 AM | #37 |
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Apple still lets me pre-order on launch day, and I'll receive it a couple weeks later.
I can't pre-order a 15500 Blue dial and receive it a year, or two, or three later. There's no "pre-order." I hear you on supply/demand, but let's be honest, AP can easily up the supply here (and reduce supply of garbage pieces). Ferrari doesn't have garbage models they can reduce production to increase capacity for hot models. Hamilton can't produce more theatre space. |
12 July 2020, 08:27 AM | #38 | |
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I might suggest to the OP that age and perception as a long term customer might be playing an issue resulting in getting 'disqualified' as a true prospect for the specific boutique or sales associate. |
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12 July 2020, 08:32 AM | #39 | |
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Still, that requires expanding production between brands / factories / autonomous corporate entities. My AP argument simply requires them to reduce output of lower selling references in favor of increasing output for better selling references. :) A much, much simpler action. |
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12 July 2020, 08:43 AM | #40 |
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I haven't read through the entire thread but a few points that might help the OP:
1. Don't waste your time with partner boutiques or AD's. My understanding based on my own experiencing is that Corp AP boutiques get the most allocations and those allocations are sold to real customers. Partner boutiques and AD's are lower priority as many simply sell out the back door to established grey dealers. Think about is this way, as a partner boutique or AD who really doesn't have a vested interested in the customer perception of the brand, why would they go through the motions and trouble selling to unknown customers (returns, chargebacks, etc) when they can just shoot the inventory right out the back door to established grey dealers who likely pay full price anyway? 2. AP is supposedly phasing out the partner boutiques and AD's. This means establishing a relationship with either of these is a giant waste of time as the purchase history will likely mean very little when those dealers are phased out. 3. I purchased my first AP, a 15500ST from the Corp boutique in NYC. My experience was top notch and I received my watch in a very reasonable amount of time. I see a lot of benefits establishing the relationship with Corp as I continue to build my AP collection over the coming years. So in summary, deal with a corp owned boutique and try to avoid the grey dealers. They are just buying the watches from the partner boutiques and marking them up. We need to try and discourage this practice as a community. Hopefully, once the transition to all Corp owned boutiques is finished, this will be a thing of the past. |
12 July 2020, 08:46 AM | #41 | |
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We live in times of actual supply and artificial demand. I bet if the 15202 was readily available on a walk in basis and AP supplied everyone that wanted one, then no one would want one. If a luxury brand ever produce enough product to fulfil demand then they stop being a luxury ("exclusive") brand. Let's be honest, we are all delusional, paying ridiculous money for watches made out of the same steel that cutlery is made from. Any one ever buy a Scotty Cameron GSS putter? I'm guilty of that sin too. I really don't think there's an answer, play the game, or don't, I think that's all we have. |
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12 July 2020, 08:47 AM | #42 | |
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In the mean time, I do applaud them on the boldness of trying to increase a desirable line, even if the Code has not found it's stride yet. the open work Code shows potential of the line though. I genuinely hope they succeed since I am preferring AP over PP as the current era of the brand. Back to the OP, I think if there was a specific ROO you wanted, I don't think the NY or BH botiques would have difficulty sourcing, but they will be noncommittal in person, and they also won't deal over the phone which can be difficult in the current travel hassels. I sincerely hope you're able to get your foot in the door. |
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12 July 2020, 08:50 AM | #43 |
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That is not true. My entire purchase with NYC was done over phone, text and email. Shipped to my door in LA.
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12 July 2020, 09:10 AM | #44 |
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I wear my ROO 42mm and omega moon watch all the time. Sometimes I steal my wife’s grand seiko in gold for a dinner party or so... that’s why I like AP because it’s casual. I’m not big on Rolex but like PP but even crazier than AP and less entry level watches though.
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12 July 2020, 09:12 AM | #45 | |
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It’s not quite as simple as flicking a switch to produce more of watch A and less of watch B. That’s just not how manufacturing works. Sure it’s possible with some planning but that would go directly in the opposite direction AP want to head in so don’t see it happening soon. If it was your business would you use more or less production slots to manufacture entry level SS pieces or higher value PM/ complicated watches knowing virtually every single watch you will make that year will sell anyway ? Why flood the market with lower profit pieces, which when kept scarce self fuel hype and drive desirability. They are planning for many years ahead, not just the next quarter.
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12 July 2020, 09:17 AM | #46 | |
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12 July 2020, 09:20 AM | #47 | |
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12 July 2020, 09:20 AM | #48 |
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I disagree, I wholeheartedly encourage the practice of grey dealers marking up the watches! If the grey dealers didn’t mark up the popular watches we’d have to wait on silly waiting lists at the grey dealers too! As others have said, market prices are determined by supply and demand, nothing more nothing less.
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12 July 2020, 09:25 AM | #49 | |
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12 July 2020, 09:37 AM | #50 | |
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To put a long story short. I prefer buying new at the boutique and would love nothing more than to attend golf events and such and also see myself being a long term AP collectior. I don’t have millions but I can buy a watch per year and hope to buy more once I get older. Can I buy grey ? sure but only if the situation won’t improve at all over the next year or so. |
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12 July 2020, 09:38 AM | #51 | |
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The partner boutiques not selling to real customers while they secretly sell to the greys is a totally separate issue. AP wants their watches to go from the factory, to the boutique and to the end customer. They don’t want the greys involved and I see no reason to believe the greys are contributing to anything but frustration. AP doesn’t make enough watches to satisfy demand and that’s all that matters when it comes to market values. Also, the greys don’t actually have the watches they are listing for sale... Most of the listings you see on Chrono24 are from greys that know they can call the local boutique and have the watch within 24 hours. And none of this really helps the secondary market. Your chances of actually getting those prices as a private seller are slim to none. |
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12 July 2020, 11:44 AM | #52 | |
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In other words, is it easier to get a hot model via AP house? |
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12 July 2020, 01:07 PM | #53 |
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12 July 2020, 02:00 PM | #54 | |
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Are you sure that you can’t pre order a blue dial 15500? Do you mean that you can’t or no one can? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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12 July 2020, 03:23 PM | #55 | |
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12 July 2020, 05:23 PM | #56 | |
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12 July 2020, 05:25 PM | #57 |
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Not to say there are not a lot of people with ridiculous money but who buys consistently a watch every couple weeks ? Really? I guess I really live in “poor ville”.
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12 July 2020, 05:38 PM | #58 | |
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Really? I have to find new friends. May be that way I land a jumbo faster.
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12 July 2020, 06:19 PM | #59 | |
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I don’t believe this is happening as AP are careful to make sure that people aren’t buying watches to flip, anyone who is buying a brand new watch every 2-3 weeks is more likely to be flipping them than keeping them. I doubt even Conkers buys that many watches, although I could be wrong. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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12 July 2020, 06:48 PM | #60 | |
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