Building a New Patek Relationship – Seeking Insights

[PrivateWrist]

Hi everyone,

Greetings from a long time lurker (probably +10 yrs). First of all, you guys are great.

I wanted to share my recent experience and get some advice from fellow collectors. My go-to Patek AD recently shut down (as many of you have also experienced), and unfortunately, the neighboring AD hasn’t been the easiest to work with.

That said, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to visit the Patek Philippe Manufacture and, in the process, have somewhat established a relationship with a regional Patek sales representative. After waiting many years, I finally found the means and occasion (first born son) to put my name down for my grail the salmon PCC, which was discontinued shortly after. However, that journey led to my salmon 5172G, which I purchased from my AD.

It took me many years to purchase my first Patek, probably because I wanted it to be special and perfect in the sense that I wanted to find a model that j knew I would keep ‘forever’ and preferably have it conside with a special occasion.

Now, as I look ahead, I’m considering establishing a new relationship with an official Patek salon, possibly in Paris. I know this can be a different experience from working with a local AD, and I’d love to hear from those who’ve gone this route.
• How has your experience been with the official Patek salons?
• Are they more accommodating for repeat clients compared to traditional ADs?
• Any advice on making the transition smoothly?

Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Thanks in advance!

[TunaTuna]

You don't need to build a relationship, just buy anything in the shop window.

After several purchases you will be noticed and then maybe they will throw you a mid tier piece

Good luck

[jon_jon]

The 3 Salons used to accept a lot of clients from outside their respective areas. However I heard they have changed over the years to cater mainly to local clients. l don't think it would hurt to visit the Salon and ask. It really depends on what your long-term goal is. The Salons have many clients with deep pockets who own 20, 30 or even over 100 Pateks...

[Calatrava r]

Building a new relationship is tough anyway I would think. As said, just buy what is available and go from there. After a few purchases you will have started your relationship. There are so many clients ahead of you, purchase history wise, which will always be the challenge wherever you go.

[mrmoto88]

This is the tricky thing. Distributors have been told to prioritise local customers. I’ve heard that in our travels to Thailand/Hong Kong when browsing.

Sure, you can purchase the Ladies Calatrava in the window but the desired watches are all exhibition/locals only.

London Salon told me happy to waitlist for pieces as a UK based customer, but there are so many registered ahead.

But I appreciate tricky if you have no local AD.

Truth of the matter is relatively limited production, still.


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[dauster]

Do you have $500k-1m to spend ? Then go to Paris salon. If you are regular joe that buys 1-2 watches per year under 100k go local AD


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[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by mrmoto88

This is the tricky thing. Distributors have been told to prioritise local customers. I’ve heard that in our travels to Thailand/Hong Kong when browsing.

Sure, you can purchase the Ladies Calatrava in the window but the desired watches are all exhibition/locals only.

London Salon told me happy to waitlist for pieces as a UK based customer, but there are so many registered ahead.

But I appreciate tricky if you have no local AD.

Truth of the matter is relatively limited production, still.


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I kind of think production is limited also. The overall watch market is very soft here with luxury goods sales in general declining. It makes no sense for any manufacturer to ramp up to full capacity into such a market and see their products ending up on secondary markets at huge discounts. Remember the luxury industry is an industry which will buy back goods and destroy them before they will allow over supply and price slashing.

[aa_watch]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

However I heard they have changed over the years to cater mainly to local clients.

I can confirm, the salons told me the same thing a couple of years ago

[John Doyle]

Originally Posted by dauster

Do you have $500k-1m to spend ? Then go to Paris salon. If you are regular joe that buys 1-2 watches per year under 100k go local AD


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I think that's a tad exaggerated, although obviously high spenders get priority.

If there is a possibility for you to get what you want (for instance a nautilus), they would tell you up front whether you can get it or not. When you get it is a different story though - impossible to get a clear timeline, it would come as a complete surprise, but i do think that if they tell you the request is noted, your turn would come at some point in the future (hopefully less than 2 years wait).

[77T]

Originally Posted by PrivateWrist

•How has your experience been with the official Patek salons?
•Are they more accommodating for repeat clients compared to traditional ADs?
•Any advice on making the transition smoothly?

Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Thanks in advance!

I can't help with the first two bullets, but I can with the third one.

First, welcome to participating on the forum after years of reading our musings.

I presume you are already registered with Patek's online Members section, and receive your regular editions of the print magazine directly. If not, take that step now for all your existing references that you have. https://www.patek.com/en/contact/fre...r-registration

Next, engage with Geneva. Start with your dilemma directly - or choose a more artful approach. The transition to salon clientele mode won't be in the FAQs - and your query will at least get a corporate position hopefully.

Personally, I took the more artful approach - but it was aimed at just getting the remaining area PP AD in line regarding my transition to them (from one that had closed locally).

At least I got offered a couple of pieces - however not the Aquanaut I wished for...

Much success in your journey to salon goer it is rarified couture for sure...


(Not my photo)


I can't help but think that it is going to be a more expensive route than the secondary market. But I get it - if you want new then it's the AD or a boutique or a salon.


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[FromDRCtoPP]

As new to the brand I have no idea what’s the best between AD or Salons to have access to watches generally speaking but for my short experience:

1/ I can confirm that even if they accept foreign clients Salons will give priority to local ones for difficult to get watches (Paris Salon told me they would be happy to sell me my 5205G but I won’t get a 5811G while London where I live promised me an Aquanaut quickly and the 5811G later).

2/ Paris Salon has the most arrogant SA I’ve ever met (and I’m French). I’ve experienced it myself and it has also been confirmed to me by my SA at the London Salon and at other brand shops in Paris that they have the same feedback from their customers.

So for both these reasons I would avoid it…

[starship33]

There is no established rule. But a couple of things that are sure at least with the Paris Salon (I am french and I am dealing only with them. I got Aquanaut, Complication, Nautilus and Grand Complication there).
1. Don’t be in a rush. Spend time with them, show you are knowledgeable about the brand, history, references etc… Show that your watches spend wrist time and are not sitting in a safe! I helps *a lot*. (Because those things are meant to be worn, as simple as that and the brand cares about that. It might sound silly but it’s true.)

2. They will allocate hot pieces for locals first.

3. No Aquanaut/Nautilus if you are not an existing customer and if you didn’t buy at least one very high end reference (read Grand Complication here) or two « regular references ». You also have to respect a certain delay between the purchases. For instance I got a 5270P-014 with them. Then I asked if I could get a 5740. They said « yes of course but when did you get the 5270P ? I told « two years ago ». Then it was « ok, you are not wanting to get everything too fast ».

4. I don’t think SAs there are « that bad » if you follow point number 1 of my answer. They are basically tired of getting 100 phone calls a day/seeing 50 customers a day that are like « I want to put down my name for a Nautilus/Aquanaut ». Those are nice references, don’t get me wrong but it should be a side quest with Patek.

[subtona]

Quoting a recent conversation with a patek boutique salesperson.

“We have nothing to sell”


Same place told me they took 78 orders for the 5740 the day after it was announced.



Find what you want on the secondary market and move on with your life.

[FromDRCtoPP]

Originally Posted by starship33

There is no established rule. But a couple of things that are sure at least with the Paris Salon (I am french and I am dealing only with them. I got Aquanaut, Complication, Nautilus and Grand Complication there).
1. Don’t be in a rush. Spend time with them, show you are knowledgeable about the brand, history, references etc… Show that your watches spend wrist time and are not sitting in a safe! I helps *a lot*. (Because those things are meant to be worn, as simple as that and the brand cares about that. It might sound silly but it’s true.)

2. They will allocate hot pieces for locals first.

3. No Aquanaut/Nautilus if you are not an existing customer and if you didn’t buy at least one very high end reference (read Grand Complication here) or two « regular references ». You also have to respect a certain delay between the purchases. For instance I got a 5270P-014 with them. Then I asked if I could get a 5740. They said « yes of course but when did you get the 5270P ? I told « two years ago ». Then it was « ok, you are not wanting to get everything too fast ».

4. I don’t think SAs there are « that bad » if you follow point number 1 of my answer. They are basically tired of getting 100 phone calls a day/seeing 50 customers a day that are like « I want to put down my name for a Nautilus/Aquanaut ». Those are nice references, don’t get me wrong but it should be a side quest with Patek.

Thanks for all these fair points but I maintain that with the same purchase history (zero at the time, 1 complication now), knowledge of the brand, history and references and so on I’ve been treated much better in London than Paris (where I was also considered as a local being French and having a second home address in the country).

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by starship33

There is no established rule. But a couple of things that are sure at least with the Paris Salon (I am french and I am dealing only with them. I got Aquanaut, Complication, Nautilus and Grand Complication there).
1. Don’t be in a rush. Spend time with them, show you are knowledgeable about the brand, history, references etc… Show that your watches spend wrist time and are not sitting in a safe! I helps *a lot*. (Because those things are meant to be worn, as simple as that and the brand cares about that. It might sound silly but it’s true.)

2. They will allocate hot pieces for locals first.

3. No Aquanaut/Nautilus if you are not an existing customer and if you didn’t buy at least one very high end reference (read Grand Complication here) or two « regular references ». You also have to respect a certain delay between the purchases. For instance I got a 5270P-014 with them. Then I asked if I could get a 5740. They said « yes of course but when did you get the 5270P ? I told « two years ago ». Then it was « ok, you are not wanting to get everything too fast ».

4. I don’t think SAs there are « that bad » if you follow point number 1 of my answer. They are basically tired of getting 100 phone calls a day/seeing 50 customers a day that are like « I want to put down my name for a Nautilus/Aquanaut ». Those are nice references, don’t get me wrong but it should be a side quest with Patek.

I know that Paris Salon's experience can go sideways but you summarized accurately how it works.
I'm a client there since 2011 (I'm French too). Excellent relationship when you show simply that you like the brand and want to learn more, appreciate what they do, without being arrogant. I've spent years spending nothing but still visiting them trying watches, they've always greeted me with a warm welcome, showing me things and have a chat. But if you come once and they understand you live abroad, yes they can be cold and that's of course not normal.

[santiago]

1. Build a relationship with a local AD. Despite how many watches you purchase it will take years before you are in the inner circle.
2.Most importantly, everyone thinks: "I've got money so doors should open". Reality: Patek collectors all have money,
3. I have purchased from their Salon's (Geneva and Paris) but always do better with my local AD.

You cannot rush the relationship; but you have to start sometime.

Enjoy the process.

[Unwind_Asia]

It depends what your endgame is.

I have a relationship with The Salon in London and it is hard work. I have a decent spend of £500k+ but have been waiting nearly a year for my next reference.

If you don't particularly want hot references, you can go to Bangkok - in the Patek in Central Embassy the SA said I could buy everything on display. (No Aquanauts or Nautilus) but everything else.

It's owned by Cortina Watch and you'll get 7% tax back at the Airport.