Why are so many APs on Chrono24 still wrapped?

[messikens]

Curious question as I am lusting after a number of ungettable APs from the store.

How come the majority of the watches on Chrono24 still come with all the factory wrapping, including the blueish tape on the bracelet?

Is the boutique or the AD just selling the watch like that to end customers without having the customer trying it on / sizing the bracelet or are people applying rhe tape after they get home, decide to "flip it" and the call it "unworn"?

[RolexZen]

Excellent question! I hope you get to the bottom of this mystery!

[illiguy]

See grey market

[maciej]

Originally Posted by messikens

Curious question as I am lusting after a number of ungettable APs from the store.

How come the majority of the watches on Chrono24 still come with all the factory wrapping, including the blueish tape on the bracelet?

Is the boutique or the AD just selling the watch like that to end customers without having the customer trying it on / sizing the bracelet or are people applying rhe tape after they get home, decide to "flip it" and the call it "unworn"?

They’ve sourced a similar film to what’s originally on the pieces in order to represent them as unworn.

[BatteryVoltas]

Rolex has been requiring full sticker removal for a few years now but AP doesn't seem to have that requirement.

When I got the call earlier this year and went to collect, my SA took it out of the box to show me it was completely new and stickered and proceeded to rebox it. I thought they were going to size it by guessing my wrist size so I just went with it and paid for the watch and we chatted a little bit about my next watch.

Someone brings the AP bag over and I ask to wear it out of the store. They gave had the surprised Pikachu look, first to each other and then both to me. My buddy, quipped "we gotta make sure there's a watch in the box and not a beanie baby." We sit back down and they show me the watch again, stickered and unsized. I ended up getting it sized and wore it out of the store. They made sure to include all the stickers (I didn't ask for them).

[77T]

Originally Posted by BatteryVoltas

Rolex has been requiring full sticker removal for a few years now but AP doesn't seem to have that requirement.

When I got the call earlier this year and went to collect, my SA took it out of the box to show me it was completely new and stickered and proceeded to rebox it. I thought they were going to size it by guessing my wrist size so I just went with it and paid for the watch and we chatted a little bit about my next watch.

Someone brings the AP bag over and I ask to wear it out of the store. They gave had the surprised Pikachu look, first to each other and then both to me. My buddy, quipped "we gotta make sure there's a watch in the box and not a beanie baby." We sit back down and they show me the watch again, stickered and unsized. I ended up getting it sized and wore it out of the store. They made sure to include all the stickers (I didn't ask for them).

I’m surprised they didn’t want you to sign a waiver against fingerprints and screwhead marks.

Smart WIS-dom on their part perhaps - pulling stickers and sizing a bracelet can trigger some buyers…


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[cascavel]

That's the way they come from the store. Most people today have never seen that, but it's true.

[Seddyspaghetti]

That’s how they give it to you. It was up to me if i wanted it sized or not. I left the blue sticker on the clasp until it came off on its own

[raclaims]

Weird. I just got two new APs. Both sized and stickers removed. No choice given

[Mini2]

Originally Posted by raclaims

Weird. I just got two new APs. Both sized and stickers removed. No choice given

I cant even get one so haven't even thought about the fact it might come with the blue sticker on it or not

[TunaTuna]

Originally Posted by Seddyspaghetti

That’s how they give it to you. It was up to me if i wanted it sized or not. I left the blue sticker on the clasp until it came off on its own

You wore the watch with the sticker on? Lol

[Seddyspaghetti]

Originally Posted by TunaTuna

You wore the watch with the sticker on? Lol

The blue sticker inside the middle of the butterfly clasp, yes.

[nickorette]

Delete

[NiJaRo1225]

Off-topic from OP question: Interesting that some here have received their watches fully stickered direct from AP; the NYC Boutique removes all stickers except a tiny blue one inside the butterfly clasp.


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[m3jasper]

Originally Posted by raclaims

Weird. I just got two new APs. Both sized and stickers removed. No choice given

Whatcha get?

[maciej]

Originally Posted by m3jasper

Whatcha get?

He’s too cool for us, he doesn’t tell us anything.

[AG_Watches]

Purchased my AP via phone/txt messages with Bal
harbor and they shipped after wire was received. Their policy on shipped
Orders was full sticker removal and bezel cover removed
Before shipping to me. They did not include any of them with shipment.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by AG_Watches

Purchased my AP via phone/txt messages with Bal
harbor and they shipped after wire was received. Their policy on shipped
Orders was full sticker removal and bezel cover removed
Before shipping to me. They did not include any of them with shipment.

This is consistent with what I am gathering from others I know of late. Not a huge deal in long-run, but a small joy when you’re literally the first to remove and then wear.

Is this small-sample size or now applicable across all AP Boutiques?

[AG_Watches]

I believe it is still boutique discretion, but got the impression AP corporate is pushing this direction to hinder the amount of new/unworn still stickered resell listings as they typically come with a premium.

It didn’t really bother me.. However, I requested they leave the bezel protector inplace for shipping purposes to protect the piece. They refused and sure enough it arrived with a horizontal scratch on the lug about 1cm wide.

I promptly communicated this to AP in which they attempted to say I did the damage. Thankfully I had a photo I had taken 2.5 minutes after the parcel delivery timeframe. So not even enough time to take the watch out of the box. Once I provided time stamped evidence that it is highly unlikely I caused this damage they offered to clean the lug up and ship it back to me which took about 7-10 days total turn around time. The watch maker was able to polish the lug without removing the movement from the case prompting pressure testing etc..

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by AG_Watches

I believe it is still boutique discretion, but got the impression AP corporate is pushing this direction to hinder the amount of new/unworn still stickered resell listings as they typically come with a premium.

It didn’t really bother me.. However, I requested they leave the bezel protector inplace for shipping purposes to protect the piece. They refused and sure enough it arrived with a horizontal scratch on the lug about 1cm wide.

I promptly communicated this to AP in which they attempted to say I did the damage. Thankfully I had a photo I had taken 2.5 minutes after the parcel delivery timeframe. So not even enough time to take the watch out of the box. Once I provided time stamped evidence that it is highly unlikely I caused this damage they offered to clean the lug up and ship it back to me which took about 7-10 days total turn around time. The watch maker was able to polish the lug without removing the movement from the case prompting pressure testing etc..

Ugh. This is the exact reason why it makes sense to enable the end buyer to determine. If intent is to curb flipping, how is that working out?

The scratches are inevitable, and watches are made to be worn, but frustrating no doubt when it happens to you.

[AG_Watches]

Flippers will flipp regardless of stickers.

Yeah, they really gave me two options.

1) send it back for them to fix the 1 lug.
2) have a free polishing to be used at a later date once I put more scratches in it.

This being my first AP and also having to wait for 2 single links to be mailed from AP factory I opted to have it fixed then so I could fully enjoy my first AP and am glad I did!


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[911AP]

Originally Posted by AG_Watches

I believe it is still boutique discretion, but got the impression AP corporate is pushing this direction to hinder the amount of new/unworn still stickered resell listings as they typically come with a premium.

It didn’t really bother me.. However, I requested they leave the bezel protector inplace for shipping purposes to protect the piece. They refused and sure enough it arrived with a horizontal scratch on the lug about 1cm wide.

I promptly communicated this to AP in which they attempted to say I did the damage. Thankfully I had a photo I had taken 2.5 minutes after the parcel delivery timeframe. So not even enough time to take the watch out of the box. Once I provided time stamped evidence that it is highly unlikely I caused this damage they offered to clean the lug up and ship it back to me which took about 7-10 days total turn around time. The watch maker was able to polish the lug without removing the movement from the case prompting pressure testing etc..

That is interesting. I got a brand new ceramic offshore from a grey dealer and it had a mark on it. AP took it and buffed it out without any issue. I didn't even buy from a AD or boutique. That was my first AP experience some time ago.

I slipped one time and broke the clasp on my 15500 and they fixed it for free too, even though it was clearly my fault. I'm surprised they gave you a hard time.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by maciej

They’ve sourced a similar film to what’s originally on the pieces in order to represent them as unworn.

mine came fully stickered from miami boutique. so doubt it's all just sourced blue stickers from a 3rd party.

[Vince_76]

Originally Posted by AG_Watches

It didn’t really bother me.. However, I requested they leave the bezel protector inplace for shipping purposes to protect the piece. They refused and sure enough it arrived with a horizontal scratch on the lug about 1cm wide.

Sorry to hear that. I’m surprised to see a scratch like that on a ceramic. Thought they were practically impervious to them.

[AG_Watches]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

Sorry to hear that. I’m surprised to see a scratch like that on a ceramic. Thought they were practically impervious to them.

It’s steel. Think the black from the AP box is reflecting in it.

26331ST-Panda


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