Help in choosing first AP thank you!

[PPPP]

Dear friends,

I’m buying my first AP and the following choices are accessible to me:

1. ROC 41mm blue dial at list price from grey dealer
2. 15400 blue dial, used 2016 circa, at same price as above from grey dealer

I have been reading TRF for the best part of last 2 weeks, and I am torn between the ROC (unsure value retention + not so prestigious) vs 15400 (unsure about value retention given 15500 coming out and it’s used).

I intend for the watch to be a daily wearer. Would really appreciate your views to help me choose. Honestly, is the ROC blue dial steel really considered a “lesser” watch compared to the 15400? Are production numbers considerably more compared to 15400/15500 line? I note that if an in house chronograph is produced in the near future, this might be good for the ROC?

Is the 15400 a risky choice given 15500 emergence? Personally looks wise I like both because it’s really hard to compare a time only to a chronograph.

Not looking to flip the watch, but to me, it is important that I don’t lose value in the future should I wish to trade it for something else. Thank you!!!

[AK797]

The 400 will hold value better but not by much so I would dismiss this and go with which you prefer, I like the ROC colour combo and having a chrono at the 41mm size.

[Burlington]

You can’t go wrong with either - I don’t think the ROC is considered lesser than the RO by any means.

Personally of those options, if the price is right I would go for the RO. Blue dials will also retain value the best (at the moment anyway) but who knows in 10 years time the desire may be for grey dials.

No one knows the impact of the 15500 yet, but if you look to how well the 15300 holds value that is an indicator for sure.

[masterserg]

Buck more buck less you'll be ok either way. Get what you love and makes you happy, especially if it is a keeper. We all buy cars and lose a lot more with half the analysis.

[SMD]

Originally Posted by PPPP

Dear friends,

I’m buying my first AP and the following choices are accessible to me:

1. ROC 41mm blue dial at list price from grey dealer
2. 15400 blue dial, used 2016 circa, at same price as above from grey dealer

I have been reading TRF for the best part of last 2 weeks, and I am torn between the ROC (unsure value retention + not so prestigious) vs 15400 (unsure about value retention given 15500 coming out and it’s used).

I intend for the watch to be a daily wearer. Would really appreciate your views to help me choose. Honestly, is the ROC blue dial steel really considered a “lesser” watch compared to the 15400? Are production numbers considerably more compared to 15400/15500 line? I note that if an in house chronograph is produced in the near future, this might be good for the ROC?

Is the 15400 a risky choice given 15500 emergence? Personally looks wise I like both because it’s really hard to compare a time only to a chronograph.

Not looking to flip the watch, but to me, it is important that I don’t lose value in the future should I wish to trade it for something else. Thank you!!!

If you flip to trade for anything else you will probably lose money, that's simply a function of paying retail and trading wholesale.

But I have to say, I read your post and nowhere in there was anything about which you prefer, only about value retention, "prestige", etc. IMO the wrong reasons for choosing one model over another. If these are your primary concerns I am not sure I would recommend buying an AP. You need to be able to absorb a loss on the piece or you should not purchase it.

[HK Islandboy]

Originally Posted by SMD

If you flip to trade for anything else you will probably lose money, that's simply a function of paying retail and trading wholesale.

But I have to say, I read your post and nowhere in there was anything about which you prefer, only about value retention, "prestige", etc. IMO the wrong reasons for choosing one model over another. If these are your primary concerns I am not sure I would recommend buying an AP. You need to be able to absorb a loss on the piece or you should not purchase it.

Very well put!

If you are making 20k discretionary luxury purchases, whether you make or (more likely) lose a couple of thousand really should be an irrelevant consideration.

[Kaioken x20]

Hi !
First post here

Go with the 15400 in blue. I'ts gorgeous and that's your best bet for investment down the line IMO (based on current demand at least)

[yyzpam]

Originally Posted by HK Islandboy

Very well put!

If you are making 20k discretionary luxury purchases, whether you make or (more likely) lose a couple of thousand really should be an irrelevant consideration.

I agree with the above.

With all due respect you should really rethink this whole “investment” thing. Buying watches and then hoping they don’t loose value is a fools game. Buy what you like.

For me, If the price is the same I go for the ROC every time.

[PPPP]

Originally Posted by SMD

If you flip to trade for anything else you will probably lose money, that's simply a function of paying retail and trading wholesale.

But I have to say, I read your post and nowhere in there was anything about which you prefer, only about value retention, "prestige", etc. IMO the wrong reasons for choosing one model over another. If these are your primary concerns I am not sure I would recommend buying an AP. You need to be able to absorb a loss on the piece or you should not purchase it.

Thanks everyone for sharing! I appreciate all your input. I just hope to reply to you on this: excluding the UHNW, to myself and probably some others its important that the watch does retain most of the price you paid for. If this sounds offensive to you, I quote a great posters here from whom I learnt that the "purchase price" is an important factor when you buy from a grey dealer/2nd hand, not least from the PP forums with regards to the annual calendars. Please note that I am not buying at list price for both watches, and then speculating.

Applying this principle to my question here, I suppose I asked a difficult question (which is why I seek the wisdom of the crowd in the first place) - both are very good watches so your opinions reflect that both the 26331 and the 15400 should retain most of their value. This is well noted. The rationale is the worry that the 15400 had rose quite alot above the list price in recent years i.e. it may drop closer to the list price in the future and I would have overpaid.

So TLDR if anyone else can chip in:
at the same price from a grey dealer, a brand new ROC blue dial vs. a used 2 year old 15400 blue dial, which do you choose, and why?

[Bearxj86]

I would not pay $24000 for a used 15400 blue. That is my opinion especially with 15500.

$24300 for a ROC is a decent deal, if you can get a used one for $23000 that would be the better value retention of the two.

[kb24]

I personally had the ROC and sold it for the RO.

- i didnt have an easy time selling the ROC - its not as much in demand as the RO despite being a higher complication
- the RO holds more value over time when you resell.
- despite wanting to pay 10-15% above retail, I had a hard time finding the RO

in your case, i would wait for the 15500 blue and not go for the 15400. Just put ur name at an AD or a reseller with access and get that instead.