Am I Dumb to Pay a Premium for a 5167a?

[offrdmania]

Since it is near impossible to find a 5167a at MSRP from an AD without a multi-year wait, a long purchase history or without bundling with an unwanted watch. I am considering paying the gray market premium to enjoy one now. Im not looking at it for investment purposes, im looking at it to enjoy for many years.

I tried one on recently and fell in love with it. The dial is so easy to read and it is so thin compared to my other watches.

Who else has paid the gray market premium for love of the watch?

[DayTona78]

everyone's opinion on this topic is likely to depend on amount of premium you'll be willing to pay up, and thus, differ. some people will say no, some will say yes...do what makes you happy etc etc.

seems to me like you already know what to do.

Originally Posted by offrdmania

Since it is near impossible to find a 5167a at MSRP from an AD without a multi-year wait, a long purchase history or without bundling with an unwanted watch. I am considering paying the gray market premium to enjoy one now. Im not looking at it for investment purposes, im looking at it to enjoy for many years.

I tried one on recently and fell in love with it. The dial is so easy to read and it is so thin compared to my other watches.

Who else has paid the gray market premium for love of the watch?

[Pim]

A lot of people are not going to agree with me and this has alway been a discussion on the forum but I say, pay the premium and go for it. I did it with the Sky-Dweller blue.

It is your money and if you make the choice that this is THE watch for you, then there is no one that can tell you what to do. Everybody coming out being all brave that they would never pay a premium don't have the money OR just don't want the watch enough OR have principals that are their own.

Do what you want first and formost !

[Pongster]

Youre jumping eyes wide open. So i guess not dumb of you. Good luck and enjoy.

[YYR]

Originally Posted by Pim

A lot of people are not going to agree with me and this has alway been a discussion on the forum but I say, pay the premium and go for it. I did it with the Sky-Dweller blue.

It is your money and if you make the choice that this is THE watch for you, then there is no one that can tell you what to do. Everybody coming out being all brave that they would never pay a premium don't have the money OR just don't want the watch enough OR have principals that are their own.

Do what you want first and formost !

Pay premium and enjoy, even at premium pricing, there is still deals to be had, especially now, I would see what the market is selling at and throw out ten offers for let’s say 5k less then asking and see if someone bites

[danicasi2002]

At this time, it is difficult to see this going very close to MSRP. Just negotiate as well as you can since they may not be selling as fast as it was pre-COVID. Saw one at a few weeks ago at 28k BNIB with a make an offer option from a reputable seller.

[kimsun]

If you really love the 5167a, find a good deal and go for it! Like you mentioned you are not looking to buy as an “investment” piece, so going grey seems the better choice compared to waiting for Retail which is virtually impossible. If the price is within your budget, and a reasonable price to pay for a 5167a, i say go for it! I went for it and i never regretted!

[offrdmania]

I will most definitely deal and haggle to get the best deal but it is still likely to be at least $10 grand over retail.
I was waiting and hoping that prices would considerably drop because of the pandemic but they havent come down as much as I thought they would.

[Tay821]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

I will most definitely deal and haggle to get the best deal but it is still likely to be at least $10 grand over retail.
I was waiting and hoping that prices would considerably drop because of the pandemic but they havent come down as much as I thought they would.

It is your choice. Be sure to contemplate the msrp + tax cost + cost of other things/watches you may need to buy to get at retail. In the end the premium may not be bad and worth it in your eyes. Only you can determine that

[enjoythemusic]

Max is msrp. Paid 17k usd, that's probably max imho for rubber strap with common movement PP.

[offrdmania]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Max is msrp. Paid 17k usd, that's probably max imho for rubber strap with common movement PP.

That is easier said than done. I would be happy to pay MSRP

[ansharma]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

I will most definitely deal and haggle to get the best deal but it is still likely to be at least $10 grand over retail.
I was waiting and hoping that prices would considerably drop because of the pandemic but they havent come down as much as I thought they would.

Personally I will not pay over retail for any watch, it is just a watch at the end of the day. I had the 5167 for a few years and sold it a year ago with no regrets. It is a nice piece but I just didn’t gel with it. One thing that particularly annoyed me was you could not resize the rubber strap for different climates, I just could not get comfortable with it.

I replaced it with a Breguet Marine 5817 for a fraction of the cost of the 5167 and to me it is a better and more comfortable timepiece but these are just my thoughts.

It is however your money and only you can decide how to best spend it so wish you all the best whatever your decision.

[epicurus]

MSRP or I dont need it. That goes for any watch.

[Calatrava r]

The premium is at or close to 2 X MSRP. I would pass on that. See how things play out in 12 months or so. Market may not be as strong then for this stuff.

[srvrf]

It’s a great watch and I love it because it flies under the radar. As for fit, I tend to wear mine a little on the loose side so it works in all seasons. It could easily be an everyday watch for me. As for the premium, you know the pros and cons. I was lucky enough to not have to pay one, but I’d definitely consider it


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[ganiccus]

for brands like AP and Patek, I think you should bite paying a premium for the desirable references like the 5167a. all those years waiting to get it at MSRP, you don't spend them enjoying the watch.

[cascavel]

In mid 2017 a dealer who, a year earlier I had told I was looking for a blue dial 5711a, called me, out of the blue, and offered me one, in excellent condition with B+P, for $38,000. He explained to me that the market had moved up and this was a good deal. I laughed and told him I would wait, the premium was ridiculous, and I would be able to get one, eventually, at MSRP. Eventually hasn't arrived, for me, and never will.
If you can get a 5167a at a decent price due to the market setback and it's a watch you really want, go for it. Or wait, and maybe, eventually, you can get one at MSRP.

[yoast]

Its a nice watch but not worth more than the retail price imo
Just wait until at least the end of the year, prices will come down more

[woof]

I would pay premium for it. Its a gorgeous watch.
Good luck and be safe

[chiscott_29]

I will always fall back to the simple advice of "you do you, and pay everybody else no mind".

This is a hot topic. You're going to hear some fervent arguments against it more so than you'll hear people saying to go for it. I feel I could write an essay on this and all the feelings retail vs. secondary/gray generates by those passionate about watches. Personally, I actually find it all a bit fascinating.

Anyway, the situation for now is:

- Production is likely to remain even more limited for AP/Patek/Rolex over the remainder of the year. They were shut down for several weeks and are slowly getting back online.
That's likely to keep prices relatively stable, although as the world economy gets gloomier, I can't help but think there will be ways to get deals from private sellers or dealers that have to generate cash. But, I have actually changed my view a bit and I don't see prices plummeting.

- You may never get a 5167A at retail. If you do, you very likely bought a couple of lemons to get it. Financially, it makes very little sense to play this game unless you truly love the brand. If you love the brand and see yourself with 5-6 Pateks one day, this could be a viable strategy and I would actually encourage you to go this route.

- The longer you wait, the longer you go without it. This can be good or bad. It's good because it may solidify your love of the 5167A and make it that much more special. It's bad, because you may drive yourself crazy trying to wait.

EDIT: Oh, to be clear. You absolutely are not dumb for considering this. As another poster said above, keep your eyes open and it'll be all good.

[The Argonaut]

Originally Posted by yoast

Its a nice watch but not worth more than the retail price imo
Just wait until at least the end of the year, prices will come down more

I'm with you. The real question is how much do you want it, and how much are you prepared to pay by way of premium?

I like the watch very much, and would like to get one also. However, I just don't see the value proposition in paying a 50% premium, and this is based on me keeping the watch (and not buying as an investment, or a making a social media statement.) . I'd pay a 25% premium sure, but $30k for an SS 5167 simply isn't worth it in my book. I don't want one badly enough to pay that much for it.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

That is easier said than done. I would be happy to pay MSRP

Then wait for msrp max. With such a limited 2 year warranty I'd wait for msrp for your own protection. Hopefully PP starts offering 8 year like many others as a show of quality. Five is minimum, as my next Panerai for 17k usd will have 70 year warranty (not a typo).

[offrdmania]

I have seen many with B&P for a couple grand under 30 so maybe only a 35-37% premium.
There are many still trying to get mid 30s for one but those are the examples that are still sitting idle for sale. The current market seems to be under 30 based on sold listings I have come across over the last 60 days.

[SL BRABUS]

If you want it and have the money..... Why not.....

It's only money, do what make you happy.....

You always can make money..... Why wasting time with your happiness....

[jon_jon]

There are some people paying over 100% premium for a 5711/1A, so a 35% premium for a 5167A is not as high as the 5711/1A. But it all depends on how quickly you want the watch and how much you are willing to pay.

If you don't mind paying the premium and you really want to get the 5167A and enjoy it, I say why not?

I purchased my 5167A from an AD with a discount, but that was many years ago and a different era. Times change and you can't compare today's situation with 5 or 10 years ago.

[AK797]

10% over is the most I would pay I usually contend, maybe 20% if it is certain to be a grail and keeper.

[sxdcfv]

Pay the premium, but negotiate with more than one seller. This will get you the best result and you won't lose much over the long term, you won't make much either. If you love it and you realize life is short, there's no point waiting for years in my opinion.

[Mr. Miami]

I would be okay with it. Life is to short. I plan on getting one sometime as well.

[chiscott_29]

Originally Posted by sxdcfv

Pay the premium, but negotiate with more than one seller. This will get you the best result and you won't lose much over the long term, you won't make much either. If you love it and you realize life is short, there's no point waiting for years in my opinion.

Great advice. I tend to always be kicking the tires on things if only to stay tuned to what is happening out there. My assessment is don't look for advertised deals. Talk to a couple of dealers and see what they can do for you. If you're serious, most secondary dealers can get you anything and can often get even better on pricing because they're moving the product immediately.

If you are looking for a couple of secondary dealers, PM me and I can make a recommendation. Also, while I haven't dealt with all of the dealers that post on the sale forums, they are all legit or they wouldn't be on here. I think it's safe to say you can deal with all of them in confidence.

[ts3]

I have never paid a premium but I would not rule it out either. Specifically, I'd rather pay a premium than working my way up to a hard-to-get piece by buying other stuff or getting pushed towards buying a bundle w other stuff (unless the bundle was a crazy good deal which wouldn't make sense for the AD).

So yes, if I had to have a 5167A I could see myself paying a 10k premium or so. However, when I tried it on a few times many, many years ago I didn't exactly fall in love (when it could be had at a discount to MSRP no less). Since then I have got other simple Pateks and the 5167A would have a hard time fitting in between those and my IWC Mark XV beater.