First AP purchase - availability?

[MickyRocks]

Hi there,

I love watches I have 9 models of Rolex which I was blessed to acquire during my years I am into watches. Now I am little bit tired of Rolex and I am looking to purchase my first AP. I am not familiar with AP situation but I guess its the same as Rolex - you have to wait to get your watch, many times you will not get anything, you should build a relationship with your AD etc.

With that in my mind I am looking to buy something that is not that hyped but maybe I am wrong. I am looking for RO Offshore Diver khaki green. Is it reasonable to buy as a first model? Is there a chance I might get it within a year?

Is there a reasonable chance to buy later 15500 ST OO in some less popular colours? Or is it easier to get full gold models like Rolex - lets say 26239
OR OO or 26331BA OO ?

Also I heard there is no local purchase history when buying AP but you all your purchases are tracked all arround the world so you dont have to stay loyal to your local AD.

Thank you for sharing some info with me :) !

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by MickyRocks

Hi there,
Is there a reasonable chance to buy later 15500 ST OO in some less popular colours? Or is it easier to get full gold models like Rolex - lets say 26239
OR OO or 26331BA OO ?

No offense, but the fact that there is a $100k premium on the secondary market for the 26331BA should answer that question.

General advice would be to find the nearest AP boutique (preferably AP owned), introduce yourself, and see how they can help you. Not too long ago, the diver->RO path would have seemed very reasonable. ADs (as opposed to boutiques) for AP are going extinct rapidly, so unless you already have a strong relationship with one, I wouldn't bother.

[Vivalas]

^^^ This.

Go to a boutique/AP House and introduce yourself and take it from there. The sooner you do it, the better.

[bwakus23]

Originally Posted by MickyRocks

Hi there,

I love watches I have 9 models of Rolex which I was blessed to acquire during my years I am into watches. Now I am little bit tired of Rolex and I am looking to purchase my first AP. I am not familiar with AP situation but I guess its the same as Rolex - you have to wait to get your watch, many times you will not get anything, you should build a relationship with your AD etc.

With that in my mind I am looking to buy something that is not that hyped but maybe I am wrong. I am looking for RO Offshore Diver khaki green. Is it reasonable to buy as a first model? Is there a chance I might get it within a year?

Is there a reasonable chance to buy later 15500 ST OO in some less popular colours? Or is it easier to get full gold models like Rolex - lets say 26239
OR OO or 26331BA OO ?

Also I heard there is no local purchase history when buying AP but you all your purchases are tracked all arround the world so you dont have to stay loyal to your local AD.

Thank you for sharing some info with me :) !

I live in Dallas and went in several times as a brand new AP customer to the boutique. I was friendly with the staff, asked them about the different models of watches etc. There were Codes aplenty but nothing else, but I expressed my interest in a ROO and RO (knowing that latter was likely impossible).

Two weeks later, I got an offer to purchase a 42mm ROO but passed. That was a few weeks ago, and the SA texted me this morning saying she has something exciting to share with me in the next few days (likely a different model ROO).

We shall see. Long story short, as long as you're not tied to the two watches you mention, you can likely secure a piece, but it won't be exactly what you want if your heart is set on those two at least until you've bought a few things or get VERY lucky.

[Benzsiam]

Originally Posted by bwakus23

I live in Dallas and went in several times as a brand new AP customer to the boutique. I was friendly with the staff, asked them about the different models of watches etc. There were Codes aplenty but nothing else, but I expressed my interest in a ROO and RO (knowing that latter was likely impossible).

Two weeks later, I got an offer to purchase a 42mm ROO but passed. That was a few weeks ago, and the SA texted me this morning saying she has something exciting to share with me in the next few days (likely a different model ROO).

We shall see. Long story short, as long as you're not tied to the two watches you mention, you can likely secure a piece, but it won't be exactly what you want if your heart is set on those two at least until you've bought a few things or get VERY lucky.

It seems like there are plenty of Codes available at most AP boutiques.

Can we bundle Codes with Rose Gold ROC at the same purchase?

[macrowatch]

Originally Posted by Benzsiam

It seems like there are plenty of Codes available at most AP boutiques.

Can we bundle Codes with Rose Gold ROC at the same purchase?

If only it were that easy. I mean that sincerely. I think it will take until next year with SS new ROC before the demand for the RG cools off a bit (since no other ROC has an in house movement yet and how many threads do you read where the poster says I would get ROC if only it was in house)

To bwakus23, it will be so exciting if you can get a 43mm ROO. Any option there is a winner!

[dauster]

Originally Posted by MickyRocks

Hi there,

Also I heard there is no local purchase history when buying AP but you all your purchases are tracked all arround the world so you dont have to stay loyal to your local AD.

definitely only true for corporate owned boutiques, US AP did not and cannot track AD owned boutiques. In my case they did not know that I bought a ROO as my first purchase for example and that's recently not 10 years ago. Also, its the opposite, they encourage you to only buy from one boutique.

[AG_Watches]

My experience is that even though AP family boutiques track purchase history and I have purchased watches from Boston and Bal Harbor boutiques the Dallas boutique could see it but didnt seem to care. They were more interested in starting me through the process again of code/ ROO > RO. They suggested I should continue to work with those SA if I want my history to count.


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[MickyRocks]

OK thank you guys for helpful replies.

I visited that local ad few days ago. The lady was friendly and she told me they have no waiting list that they just work with their clients and they prefer to sell to loyal clients who enjoy their watches and not flip them (same game everywhere). She told me I can get ROO Diver in blue in reasonable time but I wanted khaki and she said I might wait until next year because they already allocated 2 pieces of khaki during first half of the year and they will probably not get more than 2 pieces of each colours. I told the lady that I am perfectly fine with that and I was even worried she will refuse to sell me any ROO because I am first time AP buyer. She said they prefer selling to local clients. There are many Russian and Asian clients so it might be little bit easier to get a nice piece for me.