Absolute AP Newbie UK - Bond St Invitation. Advice Please

[Rickkk]

Originally Posted by wb55

Not really, just it’s the internet and we all have opinions, often well educated opinions through experience, but ultimately we don’t make the call between who does and doesn’t get anything so they’re just opinions.

I would say Gareth’s opinion will be in the right ballpark. He’s a decent guy, has a few APs, obviously knows them fairly well but I think once any of us go from opinion to fact we’re straying off course. Myself included.

I was just messing hence the ‘haha’. I personally never think it’s a good idea to predict other peoples allocations. I’m very grateful for what I have

[Mini2]

Originally Posted by wb55

The online experts are out in force tonight.

We can say if things seem unlikely, or incredibly unlikely, but we can’t talk as if we are AP or have any authority regarding allocation.

Gareth, on another forum I said my friend was getting one of the last jumbos and I was down for a RO. You told me the jumbo was never happening and for me to enjoy my code. My friend did indeed get one of the last dozen and you didn’t seem happy. I never did buy a code but did get a ROO and a blue RO which you were adamant I would never get.

Ultimately allocation isn’t our call, a degree of pieces are held back for new clients, and sometimes things happen which we can explain. I know someone who got a blue RO 41 as a first purchase. It was the last of the pre anniversary as the 50ths were already out. He hasn’t bought anything since.

If the OP gets something great, if not who cares? We have no say.

[GW44]

Originally Posted by wb55

Apologies as I might have come across unnecessarily blunt in the first post but I’m happy when anyone on a forum gets a nice watch from a brand with allocation madness. Chances are anyone on the forum is a genuine enthusiast and not throwing it down the nearest grey dealer for a quick buck and the more genuine people who get watches at list the better.

Jumbo is the prom queen of prom queens so best of luck getting one. Given what you have you’re definitely more likely that me.

Sacrilegious but I wish I could remove the seconds hand from my RO. Just looks like an iPhone sim pin and can’t unsee it.

Cheers mate, apologies accepted

And in our little corner of the AP world here in the Uk it’s great when a true enthusiast gets a new AP they’ve waited for patiently. Thankfully AP manage the supply of new watches very well so that few get flipped onto the grey market but as we know it’s impossible to cover all bases on that front.

Thanks for the kind comments on the Jumbo, let’s wait and see how pans out for us both

[PeteWales]

Returning back to the subject. Two Questions

1) On the website the 50th Anniversary SS RO appears to be identical to 'standard'. I assume these are highly coveted ?

2) would a 37mm SS RO be more achievable than a 41mm? I didn't think to try one on but will ask next time.

Thank you!

[wb55]

Tell them Gareth said you can one of his allocations and go down for whichever one you want more

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by PeteWales

Returning back to the subject. Two Questions

1) On the website the 50th Anniversary SS RO appears to be identical to 'standard'. I assume these are highly coveted ?

2) would a 37mm SS RO be more achievable than a 41mm? I didn't think to try one on but will ask next time.

Production of the 50th Anniversary models stopped last December. Only difference is the 50th Anniversary rotor, which some like and some don't, and the signed certificate.

For some people the 37mm fits better and for some the 41mm. I would not let availability drive that choice.

[Rickkk]

Originally Posted by wb55

Tell them Gareth said you can one of his allocations and go down for whichever one you want more

Gareth and mini both willing to sacrifice their allocations for him

[Vivalas]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

Production of the 50th Anniversary models stopped last December. Only difference is the 50th Anniversary rotor, which some like and some don't, and the signed certificate.

For some people the 37mm fits better and for some the 41mm. I would not let availability drive that choice.

This ^^^

I don’t know for certain but I’d imagine the 41mm has more demand for the U.K. market than the 37mm.

As said the fit is more important. For me 41mm is the sweet spot and 39/38mm’s I’ve tried on before wear slightly too small so a 37mm just wouldn’t be suitable at all.

(That said AP if you’re reading this and have a jumbo with my name on it I’m sure it will fit perfectly well )

[PeteWales]

Thanks Stephen!

[EssexRolex95]

Hi All,

Relatively new to the forum and certainly new to this area!

I have been a customer with WOS for a while and after getting my steel sports grail late last year, I decided that I wanted to try and get my first AP. However, unfortunately this came exactly when WOS lost their AD status in London.

I then approached AP House at Bond Street, who invited me in and it was a fantastic experience with a very nice young lady there. I took my fiancé with me and probably got on better with the SA. We both tried on some pieces and I fell in love with the 15510 in silver, and she took a great liking to a smaller Royal Oak, which we were both registered for. It was certainly made clear that hers would likely come through before mine.

This was back in March and I have kept in touch tentatively since then and am planning on visiting again in the near future. My Mrs has lot a little bit of interest, and should her watch come through I don't feel like it is one that she would take. My view is that honesty is the best policy and that it is best to tell her now rather than when the watch is allocated. What would you suggest?

I am hoping the the 15510 in silver is a possibility, but as a first watch?

Thanks all

[l_chissle]

Originally Posted by EssexRolex95

I am hoping the the 15510 in silver is a possibility, but as a first watch?

Thanks all

If you or your fiancee hit it off with the SA and the SA remembers you, you'll have a good shot. First watch is def possible especially silver.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by EssexRolex95

My Mrs has lot a little bit of interest, and should her watch come through I don't feel like it is one that she would take. My view is that honesty is the best policy and that it is best to tell her now rather than when the watch is allocated. What would you suggest?

Probably not going to help to decline the first watch offered after initially expressing interest. I'd sort that out at the next visit.

[Vivalas]

Well like a lot of answers to questions here, we can’t speak on behalf of AP so don’t know for definite. I think like said above, it won’t help you to decline the first watch, if that’s what your fiancée asked for. That said if she doesn’t want it anymore, buying it isn’t an option, so you need to be upfront with AP. Whether you do that now or wait until the call comes, is a bit of a 50/50 guess. Even more so as we weren’t there at the meeting so can’t comment on how your relationship is.

Purely guessing here, but do you think that it will come over as she never really wanted it and was only saying she did to help you get yours? What was the watch she wanted?

I think I would personally be honest and upfront straight away so it’s not wasting the SA’s time. Explain the situation and hope that you still get yours (which may well be quite a wait anyway).

[EssexRolex95]

Originally Posted by l_chissle

If you or your fiancee hit it off with the SA and the SA remembers you, you'll have a good shot. First watch is def possible especially silver.

Thanks for the message.

The SA did advise us that the silver is the most attainable, she said she was glad I didn't ask for green or blue as it would be very difficult.

She was quite clear that my fiancés would come through first.

[EssexRolex95]

Originally Posted by Vivalas

Well like a lot of answers to questions here, we can’t speak on behalf of AP so don’t know for definite. I think like said above, it won’t help you to decline the first watch, if that’s what your fiancée asked for. That said if she doesn’t want it anymore, buying it isn’t an option, so you need to be upfront with AP. Whether you do that now or wait until the call comes, is a bit of a 50/50 guess. Even more so as we weren’t there at the meeting so can’t comment on how your relationship is.

Purely guessing here, but do you think that it will come over as she never really wanted it and was only saying she did to help you get yours? What was the watch she wanted?

I think I would personally be honest and upfront straight away so it’s not wasting the SA’s time. Explain the situation and hope that you still get yours (which may well be quite a wait anyway).

Thanks for the messages.

I think it is something that needs to be addressed when we next pop in, as I feel it would really hurt us if she then turned it down. I would like to think it was clear when we went in to try them on that she was very interested, just focusing on her other interests/collections at the moment.

[GW44]

Originally Posted by EssexRolex95

Thanks for the messages.

I think it is something that needs to be addressed when we next pop in, as I feel it would really hurt us if she then turned it down. I would like to think it was clear when we went in to try them on that she was very interested, just focusing on her other interests/collections at the moment.

That sounds like a plan and it would be a good idea to follow Stephen's recommendations about being honest/up front with your SA when you go in next time.

Best of luck.

[Chelsea1986]

Just reading down this forum and thought I would share my experience. I was in ap house Bond Street yesterday. A great discreet setup with great art and people. Fingers crossed I get a call and good luck on your journey.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by EssexRolex95

Thanks for the messages.



I think it is something that needs to be addressed when we next pop in, as I feel it would really hurt us if she then turned it down. I would like to think it was clear when we went in to try them on that she was very interested, just focusing on her other interests/collections at the moment.

Let me guess, handbags..

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[GW44]

Originally Posted by Chelsea1986

Just reading down this forum and thought I would share my experience. I was in ap house Bond Street yesterday. A great discreet setup with great art and people. Fingers crossed I get a call and good luck on your journey.

Good to hear. The team at AP House are great

[shammad10]

I visited AP house in London for the first time with a good friend a couple of months ago. They were absolutely lovely, it was both our first time there.

He walked out with a lovely new rose gold Code 11:59.

[Chelsea1986]

Originally Posted by shammad10

I visited AP house in London for the first time with a good friend a couple of months ago. They were absolutely lovely, it was both our first time there.

He walked out with a lovely new rose gold Code 11:59.

He's a very lucky guy because the lady I deal with said codes are not as available as people may think and the one I particularly have would be a much longer wait

[GW44]

Originally Posted by Chelsea1986

He's a very lucky guy because the lady I deal with said codes are not as available as people may think and the one I particularly have would be a much longer wait

That’s very true for any Code 11.59 in the Uk as they haven’t been freely available for the last 2-2.5 years.

[Marshall kowope]

UK ah!

[PeteWales]

UPDATE

Visited AP Lounge Bond Street to see my SA yesterday. As mentioned previously she is originally from the next village to me in South Wales so we spent a good amount of time shooting the breeze about home. The lounge is still far too nice for the likes of me but it's a lovely place to spend time. At one point I believe I was the only client in there. I wore a JLC Master Geographic Compressor so we had a short chat about other brands etc. I asked about the 37mm three hander Royal Oak SS as I wasn't sure if this might be classed as a ladies watch now and although I am six foot tall and quite broad i'm not a huge guy and i've worn 36mm Rolexes for decades. I tried one on alongside the 41mm I originally showed interest in and it did seem rather small. To be fair my JLC is on a bracelet and very chunky so it might have not been the best time to try on a 37mm. I prefer the 41mm RO and am hanging on for one of those!

No promise on when I might be able to buy one and certainly no expectations my end. It's no problem at all calling into AP a couple of times a year and sitting in a lovely lounge talking about watches and my home town. I've never really done the AD thing and i've certainly never waited for a watch but I like this process. I am happy to continue.

Hope everyone is well.

Pete

[Vivalas]

I’m sure you keeping in touch and popping in Pete will help you a lot - out of sight, out of mind and all that.

A watch will become available and you want your SA to think of you and keeping in contact and showing you really want a RO will get you one, possibly sooner rather than later

Originally Posted by PeteWales

UPDATE

Visited AP Lounge Bond Street to see my SA yesterday. As mentioned previously she is originally from the next village to me in South Wales so we spent a good amount of time shooting the breeze about home. The lounge is still far too nice for the likes of me but it's a lovely place to spend time. At one point I believe I was the only client in there. I wore a JLC Master Geographic Compressor so we had a short chat about other brands etc. I asked about the 37mm three hander Royal Oak SS as I wasn't sure if this might be classed as a ladies watch now and although I am six foot tall and quite broad i'm not a huge guy and i've worn 36mm Rolexes for decades. I tried one on alongside the 41mm I originally showed interest in and it did seem rather small. To be fair my JLC is on a bracelet and very chunky so it might have not been the best time to try on a 37mm. I prefer the 41mm RO and am hanging on for one of those!

No promise on when I might be able to buy one and certainly no expectations my end. It's no problem at all calling into AP a couple of times a year and sitting in a lovely lounge talking about watches and my home town. I've never really done the AD thing and i've certainly never waited for a watch but I like this process. I am happy to continue.

Hope everyone is well.

Pete

[John Doyle]

Originally Posted by GW44

Cheers mate, apologies accepted

And in our little corner of the AP world here in the Uk it’s great when a true enthusiast gets a new AP they’ve waited for patiently. Thankfully AP manage the supply of new watches very well so that few get flipped onto the grey market but as we know it’s impossible to cover all bases on that front.

Thanks for the kind comments on the Jumbo, let’s wait and see how pans out for us both

Few gets flipped because no one (and no grey) is buying , fyi. Same watch released in thousands iterations gets boring in the long run.
Try to flip a newly acquired royal oak, let's have a good laugh.

[ikincooper]

Originally Posted by John Doyle

Few gets flipped because no one (and no grey) is buying , fyi. Same watch released in thousands iterations gets boring in the long run.
Try to flip a newly acquired royal oak, let's have a good laugh.

Who’s talking about flipping an allocation? I imagine most on here are looking to acquire their AP to keep and enjoy.


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[PeteWales]

Originally Posted by Vivalas

I’m sure you keeping in touch and popping in Pete will help you a lot - out of sight, out of mind and all that.

A watch will become available and you want your SA to think of you and keeping in contact and showing you really want a RO will get you one, possibly sooner rather than later

Thanks! Hope all is well with you.

[GW44]

Originally Posted by ikincooper

Who’s talking about flipping an allocation? I imagine most on here are looking to acquire their AP to keep and enjoy.


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Well said Niki

If you want to flip, or are worried about a perceived market value, maybe AP isn't the the brand for the person in question.

And it's nonsense to say that "greys aren't buying" as the they clearly are and not many of those guys are on the bread line yet..........

[mickyd329]

Originally Posted by John Doyle

Few gets flipped because no one (and no grey) is buying , fyi. Same watch released in thousands iterations gets boring in the long run.
Try to flip a newly acquired royal oak, let's have a good laugh.

Hopefully, you'll contribute some substance in 2024.