I visited every AP boutique in the US

[Gandor]

I visited every Audemars Piguet boutique in the United States.

I’ve been traveling across the US and as a little side quest I’ve decided to visit every Audemars Piguet boutique across the United States. I was curious as to the consistency of the AP experience across the US and this log details my experience at each store.

The TL;DR is that most AP boutiques are highly consistent in delivering an experience that enthusiasts can respect. Staff is always highly knowledgeable about the brand and focus on hospitality above all else, this is something that other brands seem to miss. When you become an AP customer you really join a club of people that appreciate the craftsmanship and history of these timepieces. Wherever there is an AP store, it’s worth a stop as you’ll always be welcomed as a friend.

Bal Harbour 10/10:
My journey starts in Miami at the Bal Harbour boutique. I’ve been visiting this boutique for a little over 5 years now but only recently became a customer. This is my home boutique and I am very grateful that it is. The crew working this store is amazing, truly world-class service and love for what they do. I feel like I’ve become friends with everyone here at the store and love to stop by just to say hi. The Bal Harbour mall in general is also one of the best high-end malls in the US with plenty to eat, drink, and shop as well as many turtle and koi fish friends to keep you company.




Dallas 2/10:

Unfortunately my first AP stop in my travels was not the greatest. From online reviews of this boutique it seems your experience can vary wildly depending on what S.A. you work with. Unfortunately there is one S.A. that most people have a poor experience with and I was meeting with him on my visit. The experience was oddly confrontational, I requested to see one of the 43mm offshores they had on display and while he let me see it as soon as I went to touch the crown he told me not to do that. I came into the store wearing my AP offshore so the guy knows I’m a client and this is an exhibition piece of a relatively ubiquitous watch, no need to be so weird about it. I obliged and then basically ended the interaction and headed out. If this store is your only option, pick your SA carefully or try and build a distant relationship somewhere else, from what I've heard the other SAs at this shop are lovely. The store itself was nice and Highland Park in general was great. The rolex shop just down the street was also really nice and had great people working there.





Las Vegas Crystals Shops 9/10:

This is the main boutique in Las Vegas and if you plan on visiting make sure to make an appointment as they only provide demos to visitors with an appointment, I imagine this is due to the large amount of foot traffic this boutique gets due to its central location. Overall my experience was great during my appointment. I had the fortune of working with a sales associate that truly had a passion for horology and was able to exude that passion when demoing watches to me. Had my initial visit been as good as my appointment I would rank this one higher.



Las Vegas Palazzo 8/10:
This boutique is much smaller than the one at the Crystals shops. It’s attached to the Roberto Coin boutique which is roughly the same size as the AP section of the store. Selection for exhibition models was fairly limited with only a single code available on my visit. My experience here was fair but it didn’t give the same grandeur of walking into a dedicated AP store. Interestingly I did see a diamond punk in the display at this location when walking by one day which is something I’ve never seen at any other AP boutique. The staff working at this location when I visited were extremely nice and provided the hospitality expected from an AP boutique.



Beverly Hills 9/10:
The Beverly Hills shop was fantastic, I was greeted and shown the demo models around the store. The SA I worked with here had such great energy and enthusiasm for AP. This store in general seems to be pretty busy due to the location on Rodeo Drive and is interestingly designed with a (slight) multi-level floor plan. The experience I had here is what I expect across all AP stores for all customers.



South Coast Plaza 9/10:

My experience at this location was phenomenal. The staff here was kind and showed a great passion for the brand.I would highly recommend visiting this location if you’re looking to start a relationship with AP. It’s located in the south coast plaza mall which is very much a central hub for all things luxury hosting other brands like VC, JLC, and ALS. The mall itself is a bit weird since it’s packed with all these high end brands but structured like any typical simon mall property. This mall also lacks a food court but there’s plenty of restaurants nestled around the mall.



Aspen 9/10:

Maybe it’s the Aspen air, but the vibe here was amazing. The experience here was super casual and the staff goes above and beyond to make sure that your AP experience is none other than top-class. I would highly recommend a visit to this store, and a trip to Aspen in general.


Chicago 8/10:

The Chicago boutique is probably one of the smaller AP boutiques. It’s nestled in the back of the Swiss FineTiming shop on the magnificent mile which carries several other brands such as Tudor and Zenith. This is one of the only multi-brand AP store left in the US but special care has been taken to highlight the AP section of the store. Exhibition pieces at this location were extremely limited with only a single code on display. This store stresses appointments in order to visit so please take that into consideration when visiting.



Atlanta 9/10:

My experience with the Atlanta store was great. This store is very small yet all the AP details you would expect are present. The SA that worked there was happy to assist and provide great service. The mall itself was a bit odd with lots of security and metal detectors in the common walk areas like the food court which was a weird juxtaposition after getting out of the AP boutique. The rest of the mall was more like any standard mall you would find and nothing to write home about.



Boston 9/10:

The staff here is great, just an amazing energy with the passion for the brand to match. I wouldn’t think twice about starting a relationship with this store if I lived in the area.



Manhasset 8/10:

Just a train ride on the Long Island Railroad away from the hustle and bustle of NYC lies the Manhasset store. There recently has been some rumors that this store is closing following the closure of the East Hampton location; however the staff there assured me that they’re still operating with no current plans of closure. This location is part of the London Jewelers store which sells other brands such as Patek and Rolex. Staff here was pleasant and provided the kind of experience one should expect from AP. I forgot to take a picture at the store, so please enjoy this picture of the sign at the train station.



New York City Flagship:
9/10
The new york flagship store was phenomenal and would have been an easy pick as a primary boutique prior to the introduction of the AP house, and even after the introduction of the house there is still reason to pick this as your primary location. The store itself is incredibly spacious and the staff did an amazing job at hosting me there for a chat. Amazing staff working here with a great attitude and appreciation for the brand.


AP House NYC:
10/10
The AP house is a boutique experience like no other, if AP were a club this is the club house. You enter through a fairly hidden door next to the restaurant downstairs. You are whisked away into a small museum of important AP pieces and told the history of the brand and these pieces (which was incredibly cool) after that you are transported to a lounge area to have a lovely chat and discuss watches with an SA. The SAs they chose for this location mostly come from a hospitality background and it shows, everyone here was amazing and I cannot stress how much effort they will put to ensure your visit is great. They have basically every single size of piece available to try so it's a great experience if you're curious about dabling into a larger or smaller size that you don't usually wear. The house really is an attraction in and of itself and every fan of AP should make the trek to visit one!



All in all this was a fun trip and it definitely made me appreciate the AP brand more :)

[Cease676]

Thanks for the great write up!


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[squall1]

Great post OP, thank you!

[neal.jy]

Great write up! Really interesting to hear how the boutiques compared. I’m visiting AP House NYC in a month or so, your description has only further built my anticipation!


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[Booth9999]

Great adventure! Thanks for sharing.

[DadFuelBBQ]

I’m sorry you didn’t have a great experience at the Dallas boutique. It’s very surprising to me as I’ve had nothing but amazing interactions with everyone there since it opened. Even their security guard is an awesome guy!

[arnage]

wow, thanks for taking the time to write this up. it's also a neat idea that you came up with, and accomplished.

[malba2366]

Do you know if all the corporate boutiques maintain the same allocation lists for the watches. Ie. would it benefit a customer to register at multiple boutiques?

Also, while you had a positive experience the allocation process at Manhassett (London Jewelers) and Atlanta (WOS) will probably be accompanied with the typical AD games vs one of the corporate owned boutiques.

[russ86]

Oh wow

[Gandor]

Originally Posted by malba2366

Do you know if all the corporate boutiques maintain the same allocation lists for the watches. Ie. would it benefit a customer to register at multiple boutiques?

Also, while you had a positive experience the allocation process at Manhassett (London Jewelers) and Atlanta (WOS) will probably be accompanied with the typical AD games vs one of the corporate owned boutiques.

Yep all boutiques were able to look me up and see my history, there's really no way to register interest at multiple boutiques, AP recommends you stick to one and build a relationship there. And I agree, that while my experience was good as a visitor, that is not an indication of ease of purchasing a watch. From what I gather allocations require approval from AP and the joint AD manager at those boutiques.

[VogelPhoenix]

Excellent! I'm stuck at 3 out of 13...

[DadFuelBBQ]

I really appreciate the effort put forward in the write up and making all these visits happen. Truly awesome! I love both Dallas and Aspen boutiques and all that work in both. Haven’t been to others yet, but sounds like AP House needs to be at the top of my list next time I visit New York (or London)!

[eonflux]

Thx for sharing!!!

[AEV]

That must have been quite nice. Thanks for sharing the experience.

[Vivalas]

Great post, thanks for sharing your experiences

[westbeach]

Originally Posted by Gandor

I visited every Audemars Piguet boutique in the United States.

I’ve been traveling across the US and as a little side quest I’ve decided to visit every Audemars Piguet boutique across the United States. I was curious as to the consistency of the AP experience across the US and this log details my experience at each store.

The TL;DR is that most AP boutiques are highly consistent in delivering an experience that enthusiasts can respect. Staff is always highly knowledgeable about the brand and focus on hospitality above all else, this is something that other brands seem to miss. When you become an AP customer you really join a club of people that appreciate the craftsmanship and history of these timepieces. Wherever there is an AP store, it’s worth a stop as you’ll always be welcomed as a friend.

Bal Harbour 10/10:
My journey starts in Miami at the Bal Harbour boutique. I’ve been visiting this boutique for a little over 5 years now but only recently became a customer. This is my home boutique and I am very grateful that it is. The crew working this store is amazing, truly world-class service and love for what they do. I feel like I’ve become friends with everyone here at the store and love to stop by just to say hi. The Bal Harbour mall in general is also one of the best high-end malls in the US with plenty to eat, drink, and shop as well as many turtle and koi fish friends to keep you company.




Dallas 2/10:

Unfortunately my first AP stop in my travels was not the greatest. From online reviews of this boutique it seems your experience can vary wildly depending on what S.A. you work with. Unfortunately there is one S.A. that most people have a poor experience with and I was meeting with him on my visit. The experience was oddly confrontational, I requested to see one of the 43mm offshores they had on display and while he let me see it as soon as I went to touch the crown he told me not to do that. I came into the store wearing my AP offshore so the guy knows I’m a client and this is an exhibition piece of a relatively ubiquitous watch, no need to be so weird about it. I obliged and then basically ended the interaction and headed out. If this store is your only option, pick your SA carefully or try and build a distant relationship somewhere else, from what I've heard the other SAs at this shop are lovely. The store itself was nice and Highland Park in general was great. The rolex shop just down the street was also really nice and had great people working there.





Las Vegas Crystals Shops 9/10:

This is the main boutique in Las Vegas and if you plan on visiting make sure to make an appointment as they only provide demos to visitors with an appointment, I imagine this is due to the large amount of foot traffic this boutique gets due to its central location. Overall my experience was great during my appointment. I had the fortune of working with a sales associate that truly had a passion for horology and was able to exude that passion when demoing watches to me. Had my initial visit been as good as my appointment I would rank this one higher.



Las Vegas Palazzo 8/10:
This boutique is much smaller than the one at the Crystals shops. It’s attached to the Roberto Coin boutique which is roughly the same size as the AP section of the store. Selection for exhibition models was fairly limited with only a single code available on my visit. My experience here was fair but it didn’t give the same grandeur of walking into a dedicated AP store. Interestingly I did see a diamond punk in the display at this location when walking by one day which is something I’ve never seen at any other AP boutique. The staff working at this location when I visited were extremely nice and provided the hospitality expected from an AP boutique.



Beverly Hills 9/10:
The Beverly Hills shop was fantastic, I was greeted and shown the demo models around the store. The SA I worked with here had such great energy and enthusiasm for AP. This store in general seems to be pretty busy due to the location on Rodeo Drive and is interestingly designed with a (slight) multi-level floor plan. The experience I had here is what I expect across all AP stores for all customers.



South Coast Plaza 9/10:

My experience at this location was phenomenal. The staff here was kind and showed a great passion for the brand.I would highly recommend visiting this location if you’re looking to start a relationship with AP. It’s located in the south coast plaza mall which is very much a central hub for all things luxury hosting other brands like VC, JLC, and ALS. The mall itself is a bit weird since it’s packed with all these high end brands but structured like any typical simon mall property. This mall also lacks a food court but there’s plenty of restaurants nestled around the mall.



Aspen 9/10:

Maybe it’s the Aspen air, but the vibe here was amazing. The experience here was super casual and the staff goes above and beyond to make sure that your AP experience is none other than top-class. I would highly recommend a visit to this store, and a trip to Aspen in general.


Chicago 8/10:

The Chicago boutique is probably one of the smaller AP boutiques. It’s nestled in the back of the Swiss FineTiming shop on the magnificent mile which carries several other brands such as Tudor and Zenith. This is one of the only multi-brand AP store left in the US but special care has been taken to highlight the AP section of the store. Exhibition pieces at this location were extremely limited with only a single code on display. This store stresses appointments in order to visit so please take that into consideration when visiting.



Atlanta 9/10:

My experience with the Atlanta store was great. This store is very small yet all the AP details you would expect are present. The SA that worked there was happy to assist and provide great service. The mall itself was a bit odd with lots of security and metal detectors in the common walk areas like the food court which was a weird juxtaposition after getting out of the AP boutique. The rest of the mall was more like any standard mall you would find and nothing to write home about.



Boston 9/10:

The staff here is great, just an amazing energy with the passion for the brand to match. I wouldn’t think twice about starting a relationship with this store if I lived in the area.



Manhasset 8/10:

Just a train ride on the Long Island Railroad away from the hustle and bustle of NYC lies the Manhasset store. There recently has been some rumors that this store is closing following the closure of the East Hampton location; however the staff there assured me that they’re still operating with no current plans of closure. This location is part of the London Jewelers store which sells other brands such as Patek and Rolex. Staff here was pleasant and provided the kind of experience one should expect from AP. I forgot to take a picture at the store, so please enjoy this picture of the sign at the train station.



New York City Flagship:
9/10
The new york flagship store was phenomenal and would have been an easy pick as a primary boutique prior to the introduction of the AP house, and even after the introduction of the house there is still reason to pick this as your primary location. The store itself is incredibly spacious and the staff did an amazing job at hosting me there for a chat. Amazing staff working here with a great attitude and appreciation for the brand.


AP House NYC:
10/10
The AP house is a boutique experience like no other, if AP were a club this is the club house. You enter through a fairly hidden door next to the restaurant downstairs. You are whisked away into a small museum of important AP pieces and told the history of the brand and these pieces (which was incredibly cool) after that you are transported to a lounge area to have a lovely chat and discuss watches with an SA. The SAs they chose for this location mostly come from a hospitality background and it shows, everyone here was amazing and I cannot stress how much effort they will put to ensure your visit is great. They have basically every single size of piece available to try so it's a great experience if you're curious about dabling into a larger or smaller size that you don't usually wear. The house really is an attraction in and of itself and every fan of AP should make the trek to visit one!



All in all this was a fun trip and it definitely made me appreciate the AP brand more :)

Your experience at Dallas was exactly the same as mine. They are operated by Material Good.

[1William]

Great writeup. Thank you.

[RTG]

Fun quest! Thanks for posting.

[Potawatomi]

I don't usually bother going to watch stores anymore because I feel like I'm wasting their time and It's certainly a waste of mine. However you have given me a reason to drop in to the boutiques and maybe let them in on the fact I'm trying to see all the US locations. If I can't get a watch I might as well have some kind of AP side quest. Great idea !

[WatchEater666]

Exact same experience here with the TX location. Rodeo Drive was similar too. Miami was fine.

[brandrea]

What a great share, THANK YOU

I have to see the AP House in NYC, sounds awesome

[SCP_PR]

What an informative review.

Happy you enjoyed South Coast Plaza's AP.

I would love to learn more about your impressions, including how the overall collection of watch boutiques at South Coast Plaza compares to other luxury centers and districts.

If you noticed.
We appreciate your attention was focused.

Your attention to detail is extraordinary. One of the very unique things about South Coast Plaza is its evolution. The classic Gruen structure is akin to other shopping centers of the 1960s, with expansion over the next decades.

So the basic physical plant is not unique. What is intriguing is how the family ownership pivoted to luxury. While most contemporary centers are well past their prime, South Coast Plaza's merchandising and brand selection makes it a destination.

As far as the food court (or lack thereof), correct again. And that is also by design.

A recent story in Eater LA delves into the culinary culture (apologize for inability to link directly).
"From Dumplings to Handbags: How OC’s South Coast Plaza Pulls in $2 Billion a Year"
In an era of closing malls, this massive (and still privately owned) retail development manages to hold dozens of restaurants, Michelin stars, and some of Asia’s biggest hospitality groups all at once.

Again, thank you for your post. The best thing we've read recently, and useful. Very useful.

[herts9]

This was quite the ride! Great post!

[fluffybunny]

Great idea and post. Thanks for taking the time to share.


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[malba2366]

Originally Posted by westbeach

Your experience at Dallas was exactly the same as mine. They are operated by Material Good.

Material Good also operates the AP boutique in Aspen and AP House in NYC.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by malba2366

Material Good also operates the AP boutique in Aspen and AP House in NYC.

Boston boutique as well, IIRC.

[sensui]

This seems like a fun round. Glad AP mostly held up with their boutique model. Thanks for sharing.

[supernova]

Great write up and thanks for the read!


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[gretch6364]

Originally Posted by Gandor

Aspen 9/10:

Maybe it’s the Aspen air, but the vibe here was amazing. The experience here was super casual and the staff goes above and beyond to make sure that your AP experience is none other than top-class. I would highly recommend a visit to this store, and a trip to Aspen in general.

They are pretty great...glad you had a chance to stop by. The store looks better from the front with the bigger AP sign and Ajax in the background ;-) Sometimes I forget everywhere is not like here. I like that you used the word casual. It is definitely still luxury and proper, but like much of Aspen, it has a feel of familiarity and friendliness.

In this town, the stores treat everyone well, because it is almost impossible to tell the billionaires from everyone else. The team at the boutique all live here....so they certainly have a friendly local vibe.

When you visit, be sure to say hello to the security team as well. They spend all day on their feet as basically the only people in town in a suit. They are as nice as the sales/management team.

[m3tek44]

You've certainly visited around great locations!! Thank you for taking the time here.