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Old 16 October 2018, 12:41 AM   #1
Sal_UKSheffield
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Ap diver

just tried an AP diver 2018 model on - omdz i don’t know what to say

Time to research AP and get to know the brand

This watch is now my grail - i need one ASAP

Who better to ask questions than my fellow terfers

What do I need to know when looking at AP

I will be looking at a used one one without the see through caseback, what are the differences between this one and they new one?

Beautiful watch lost for words
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Old 16 October 2018, 12:43 AM   #2
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Old 16 October 2018, 12:46 AM   #3
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I was at the omega AD in manchester city centre and the manager had it on - he asked if he could see my sub and i replied only if i can see your diver lol

Really nice experience so accommodating

Was hard to look at any watch after seeing the AP - i think I’m in love


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Old 16 October 2018, 12:53 AM   #4
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love the original diver with its cut/wet dial although the see through case back on the new version is a nice addition to see the beautiful 3120 movement.

Its a great all around watch but it can ruin you on non HH brands.
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Old 16 October 2018, 01:14 AM   #5
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That looks amazing on you. It’s a great watch, no doubt!
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Old 16 October 2018, 02:22 AM   #6
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It looks great on your wrist! Glad it fits well, on my wrist on the other hand... Looks like a clock because of the flaring rubber strap.
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Old 16 October 2018, 02:46 AM   #7
Sal_UKSheffield
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Oh thanks guys - honestly did not realise how much of a beast the diver is

Its massive but its amazing

I deffo want one now - what do i look for? Whats the diff from the new and old?
Apart from finding one that been recently serviced what do i look out for?

The store manager who showed it me did say the AP movements where not fantastic and are known to have their issues and he mentioned the £1k service costs

Either way I’m in love with the watch! And i need one asap lol



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Old 16 October 2018, 03:28 AM   #8
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3120 is a great movement that is plenty robust enough for daily duty. The crown stem is much smaller so just be gentle setting the time/date and you should be fine.

Most of the issues (but still not very common) come with adding the DD module to make the 3126 chrono in the offshore. Usually once an issue surfaces its with newer watches and they are taken care of under warranty and dont return.

Service is $930 from APSC Clearwater in the US.

https://www.watchtime.com/featured/concept-caliber/

https://www.watchcollectinglifestyle...t-caliber-3120

there was another really good article on the 3120 from a few years back that I cant find right now.

I've worn a FC diver as a daily beater for over 6 years and it was far more robust than my Rolex DSSD that was my daily beater before that. I'm now back on the updated JC DSSD 3235 as a daily beater so we'll see how this one holds up. Already has way more scratches after only two weeks and had to go back to RSC for debris on the dial and running too slow. Other than that I'm really enjoying it.
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Old 16 October 2018, 04:16 AM   #9
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Ap diver

Dealers seem to be asking £13-£15k and new from AP they are £16,900 but will benefit from the full 5 year warranty, so personally if that was the case I’d be looking at buying direct.



Also as far as I’m aware the cal 3120 is pretty solid and as above the only issues I seem to see is the crown issue, as above a lot of the AP issues relate to the 3126/3840 with the chrono module (but still a small amount)



And who says AP movements are not fantastic

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Old 16 October 2018, 04:26 AM   #10
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Ap diver

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Originally Posted by SC11 View Post
Dealers seem to be asking £13-£15k and new from AP they are £16,900 but will benefit from the full 5 year warranty, so personally if that was the case I’d be looking at buying direct.



Also as far as I’m aware the cal 3120 is pretty solid and as above the only issues I seem to see is the crown issue, as above a lot of the AP issues relate to the 3126/3840 with the chrono module (but still a small amount)



And who says AP movements are not fantastic



Epic shot there mate!

Well basically he was trying to sell me the omega

Fair play for trying... all I’m saying is the AP is amazing - will do some reading and searching over the next few days - would you guys pay the extra 3k for a new one?

The old diver and new diver look bang the same to me, what are the differences?


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Old 16 October 2018, 04:28 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by singe89 View Post
love the original diver with its cut/wet dial although the see through case back on the new version is a nice addition to see the beautiful 3120 movement.



Its a great all around watch but it can ruin you on non HH brands.


Ruin you on non HH brands? What you mean? Cheers


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Old 16 October 2018, 04:34 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sal_UKSheffield View Post
just tried an AP diver 2018 model on - omdz i don’t know what to say

Time to research AP and get to know the brand

This watch is now my grail - i need one ASAP

Who better to ask questions than my fellow terfers

What do I need to know when looking at AP

I will be looking at a used one one without the see through caseback, what are the differences between this one and they new one?

Beautiful watch lost for words


Looks great. What is the RRP on this piece?


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Old 16 October 2018, 04:47 AM   #13
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Epic shot there mate!

Well basically he was trying to sell me the omega

Fair play for trying... all I’m saying is the AP is amazing - will do some reading and searching over the next few days - would you guys pay the extra 3k for a new one?

The old diver and new diver look bang the same to me, what are the differences?


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Thanks mate

Personally I’d need the saving to be at least 3-4K clear for me to consider going to a dealer for the sake of a few K on a 16k watch i’d rather get it from AP be the first owner and get the full warranty.

The old Diver has a solid case back and the dial is the typical AP “grand tapisserie” dial opposed to the stamped one you now find across the Diver and ROO 42/44 range, the older dial also has a gloss sheen to it giving it a wet look hence the term.
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Old 16 October 2018, 04:48 AM   #14
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Looks great. What is the RRP on this piece?


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MRSP is now £16,900
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Old 16 October 2018, 05:50 AM   #15
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Ruin you on non HH brands? What you mean? Cheers


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HH is haute horology - so the 'holy trinity' (AP, PP & VC) plus other high end brands such as ALS, RM, FPJ etc..

Its an amazing watch, and your reaction was exactly mine when I first tried it on. And also now when I try on other watches, I appreciate them, but haven't tried anything which could steal wrist time from my diver.

I've worn it daily for year now and not been particular gentle with it in terms of activities and no issues, so I would say the 3120 movement is plenty robust enough.

The 2 big differences between the old model (15703) vs. the newer one 15710 is that the new one has a stamped dial as opposed to a machine turned one (as per the RO/ ROC line) I've not seen the old one in person, but apparently it has more of a wet glossy look to it. Its a lovely process to make a dial on the original very old machinery, and for me the only downside to the newer version....but more than compensated for by the addition of a sapphire back so you can see the gorgeous movement.

Its a big watch in a way, but I find it wears smaller than the 15400, and even though I cant carry off the 44s, the diver fits me perfectly in my view (but a lot comes down to not just wrist size, but forearm and body too I think.)

New from an AD or boutique is the way to go, the warranty for 5 years is well worth it for peace of mind. Should anything go wrong it will be early on in ownership, but its nice to know you have 5 years to put it through its paces and the warranty is there to cover should anything go wrong.

You won't be disappointed !
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Old 16 October 2018, 05:53 AM   #16
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Ap diver

in case you want more encouragement

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=573916







Perhaps the only downside, although I'm still not sure one way or the other would be the addition of a ceramic bezel..I've picked up a couple of small dings and some minor scratches but nothing major and nothing which detracts from the watch. On a 'tool' watch as well ceramic holds less of a useful place too as the SS bezel won't crack or chip if really whacked hard on something.

It would be awesome to see what it might looks like though if anyone is able to mock one up on photoshop !

It is that much of versatile daily wearer, I gave my IWC away to my bro as it just wasn't getting any wrist time at all since adding this to my collection.
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Old 16 October 2018, 06:06 AM   #17
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HH is haute horology - so the 'holy trinity' (AP, PP & VC) plus other high end brands such as ALS, RM, FPJ etc..

Its an amazing watch, and your reaction was exactly mine when I first tried it on. And also now when I try on other watches, I appreciate them, but haven't tried anything which could steal wrist time from my diver.

I've worn it daily for year now and not been particular gentle with it in terms of activities and no issues, so I would say the 3120 movement is plenty robust enough.

The 2 big differences between the old model (15703) vs. the newer one 15710 is that the new one has a stamped dial as opposed to a machine turned one (as per the RO/ ROC line) I've not seen the old one in person, but apparently it has more of a wet glossy look to it. Its a lovely process to make a dial on the original very old machinery, and for me the only downside to the newer version....but more than compensated for by the addition of a sapphire back so you can see the gorgeous movement.

Its a big watch in a way, but I find it wears smaller than the 15400, and even though I cant carry off the 44s, the diver fits me perfectly in my view (but a lot comes down to not just wrist size, but forearm and body too I think.)

New from an AD or boutique is the way to go, the warranty for 5 years is well worth it for peace of mind. Should anything go wrong it will be early on in ownership, but its nice to know you have 5 years to put it through its paces and the warranty is there to cover should anything go wrong.

You won't be disappointed !
Ohhhh lol i was out on my walkies for about 7/8hrs im shattered

I cant even explain the feeling when i saw and tried the diver on - bearing in mind this is the first time ive seen one in person

The omega seamaster i went to see felt like a toy after handling the AP, dahm even my sub felt meh after the AP !
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Old 16 October 2018, 06:12 AM   #18
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in case you want more encouragement

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=573916







Perhaps the only downside, although I'm still not sure one way or the other would be the addition of a ceramic bezel..I've picked up a couple of small dings and some minor scratches but nothing major and nothing which detracts from the watch. On a 'tool' watch as well ceramic holds less of a useful place too as the SS bezel won't crack or chip if really whacked hard on something.

It would be awesome to see what it might looks like though if anyone is able to mock one up on photoshop !

It is that much of versatile daily wearer, I gave my IWC away to my bro as it just wasn't getting any wrist time at all since adding this to my collection.
Do you know whats funny - i read the thread you started a few days ago about the diver being your only watch, when i read that i nah, after all i just got my dj41 which i am loving. But now i have tried on the AP i totally understand

On my way home from manchester all I could think about is do i save up for the AP and try finding a used one for 12k (watch finder have one on for 12.7 and a year old one for 14ish) or do i trade up my sub and datejust 41 for it

Need to sleep onit and do some reading
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Old 16 October 2018, 06:13 AM   #19
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Ohhhh lol i was out on my walkies for about 7/8hrs im shattered

I cant even explain the feeling when i saw and tried the diver on - bearing in mind this is the first time ive seen one in person

The omega seamaster i went to see felt like a toy after handling the AP, dahm even my sub felt meh after the AP !
Yep - It's a really amazing watch

The first time I tried it on I almost bought it there and then, but luckily had some self restraint and waited to really check it was the one. Luckily this was at a time when it was possible to find them out and about in ADs...haven't seen one for a long while though in a display case which is a shame.
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Old 16 October 2018, 06:15 AM   #20
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Ap diver

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Do you know whats funny - i read the thread you started a few days ago about the diver being your only watch, when i read that i nah, after all i just got my dj41 which i am loving. But now i have tried on the AP i totally understand



On my way home from manchester all I could think about is do i save up for the AP and try finding a used one for 12k (watch finder have one on for 12.7 and a year old one for 14ish) or do i trade up my sub and datejust 41 for it



Need to sleep onit and do some reading


Yes no rush to decide, it should be an easy enough watch to get hold of relatively speaking compared to a blue dial 15400 for example. Its the perfect blend of absolute quality and sporty ruggedness, just adore it

Edit: The watchfinder 15710 looks like a pretty reasonable price for a 2018 watch, especially given the RRP increase recently.
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Old 16 October 2018, 07:16 AM   #21
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love the original diver with its cut/wet dial although the see through case back on the new version is a nice addition to see the beautiful 3120 movement.

Its a great all around watch but it can ruin you on non HH brands.
I too prefer the original wet dial, 15703, but the new open caseback, 15710, is a nice touch ofc. Try them both on if you can and make a choice, I assume the older models with closed caseback run a bit cheaper too.

Those 2 WF ones could be worth going for, check on chrono24 for market prices.
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Old 16 October 2018, 08:34 AM   #22
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Always wanted a diver but ended up with two of the big boy 44's first. Been on the lookout for a nice example of the full ceramic with orange accents however ...
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Old 16 October 2018, 09:36 AM   #23
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The details on an AP are extraordinary
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Old 16 October 2018, 09:20 PM   #24
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I just got the silver tone/white dial which is now discontinued, but the best dial in my opinion, mine has the open caseback and is a late 2017 with the extended warranty and I paid £13,950
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Old 16 October 2018, 09:23 PM   #25
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Also to add I know WF are normally expensive but that's where mine was from, same price for a 2018 black model and you can prob negotiate a few more quid off that, that's not a bad price IMO considering the recent price hike to £16,900
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Old 17 October 2018, 04:39 AM   #26
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Also to add I know WF are normally expensive but that's where mine was from, same price for a 2018 black model and you can prob negotiate a few more quid off that, that's not a bad price IMO considering the recent price hike to £16,900
I’m suprised that the used price isn’t higher than rrp if they are that hard to get?

How well do APs hold their value? Not looking at this in the sense of an investment but I would probably have to sell my sub and Dj to fund if i want one sooner than later.
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Old 17 October 2018, 05:00 AM   #27
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I’m suprised that the used price isn’t higher than rrp if they are that hard to get?

How well do APs hold their value? Not looking at this in the sense of an investment but I would probably have to sell my sub and Dj to fund if i want one sooner than later.
Intresting question!

As a rule the ROO doesn’t hold as well as the RO (will ignore the other models for now) but two factors to take into account, in recent times we have seen the surge in demand filter over to AP and AP’s move to cut out dealers the discounts have all but disappeared so residues should improve.

Have a look over the likes of Chrono and take the worse case scenario and then factor that against what you would pay and figure if the loss is acceptable!

Ok the Diver is missing the iconic RO bracelet but the case finish is amazing to behold and won’t be long before you realise there is a step up the ladder from Rolex.

But be warned you are in £15k plus territory so it will get expensive
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Old 17 October 2018, 05:06 AM   #28
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APs (ROs/ROOs) like rolex, PP and RM have been doing very well overall right now. Certain models are doing better than others, 15400 15202, 15407, 15305, and many others are going over retail as well. 5-6 years ago I got my white dial 15400 NIB for around $10.5k and now they are going for full retail on a wait list or $18K+ on the secondary market.

Its a solid brand with LONG history so just buy the model you're looking for well and it will hold value. APs long term business plan of cutting ADs and getting into the secondary market will help value.
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Old 17 October 2018, 06:35 AM   #29
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I’m suprised that the used price isn’t higher than rrp if they are that hard to get?

How well do APs hold their value? Not looking at this in the sense of an investment but I would probably have to sell my sub and Dj to fund if i want one sooner than later.
Well the APD is in the midst of a complete turnaround as it used to be great value, I turned down a new unworn one for £8.5K a few years ago, albeit later it emerged the seller was bringing them in from abroad on the quiet and did time. I suspect prices will only tighten as that is AP's aim now.
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Old 17 October 2018, 06:41 AM   #30
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I am surprised to see the new model going for what it is on WF - I hate to use the word bargain but I do think it represents good value vs. retail pricing seeing how other prices have been going of late.

Of all the watches selling over retail, I think it’s just the aquanaut which is steel on rubber ?!

Will be interesting to see how long it stays up for sale for as that will be a guide on pricing level.
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