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Thread: Watch price inflation - surpised how cheap some icons used to be.

  1. #1

    Watch price inflation - surpised how cheap some icons used to be.

    Reading an old review of the AP Royal Oak 15202 form 2009.

    The retail back then on a 15202 was €8,500 apparently - about £7,500 at the 2009 exchange rate of 1.13~ish to the pound.

    Current retail for a 15202 is £19,200. I make that about 12.5% per year compounded.

    At £7,500 it is a great buy. At £19,200 not so much.

    Still ,you gotta charge what the market will bear...

  2. #2
    Craftsman AKM's Avatar
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    I remember seeing a couple of AP Royal Oaks in a jeweller in Nottingham for around £6.5k each in 2007. I keep thinking it was a dream but perhaps not.

    Those were the days when the Goldsmiths around the corner had multiple new Sea Dwellers in their window.

    Sent from my XT1562 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Grand Master
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    Youre spot on AP had one of the largest price jumps of all brands, some might say they were underpriced previously and are now reassuringly expensive, regardless they are a very popular piece
    RIAC

  4. #4
    Pound has roughly halved in value versus the Swiss Franc in the last 10 years

  5. #5
    Master
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    That is quite painful to read! It's a grail for me but I'm just not inclined to pay the current price. When I look at how many other great watches in my collection would have to go to fund just one watch that's too expensive to wear every day it just doesn't add up. Frankly I'd also be uncomfortable with having £19k strapped to my wrist as a statement most of the time, unless I was in a suitable environment where that fits in. I just like the watch, I don't need the baggage of its value to like it. I can see why the market demands some iconic watches made in small numbers to occupy a range of painful price points, it's just a pity that one of my favourite designs has ended up in that category.

    I wonder though, was the 2007 version the old logo at 12 one? Wasn't the logo at 6 version based on the original RO introduced (or re-introduced) more recently for Genta purists? Also, how are people feeling about it holding its value in the long term? I guess they make few enough of them to ensure it remains in demand. But a lot of that price increase is the increase in CHF itself, which some consider unsustainable in the long run. I've often wondered if these will ever become more affordable as per-owned watches, or if they will always be painfully expensive.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Tokyo Tokei View Post
    Pound has roughly halved in value versus the Swiss Franc in the last 10 years
    Good point.

    In 2009 1CHF~0.6 GBP -

    Now 1 CHF ~ 08. GBP

    So, in current prices £19,200 is CHF 24000.

    Back in the day £7,500 would have been CHF12,500 - so just inflation is ~ 8.5% per year compounded.

  7. #7
    Master
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    Given average income over the same time will have struggled to increase more than 1% p.a. , the 8.5% figure is very large.

    Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    This isn't a viable hobby in 2017 unless you're pretty wealthy. 20, even 10 years ago they were realistically priced, now you're gouged up the wazoo (and let's not kid ourselves it's all the financial markets etc - it's gouging)


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  9. #9
    Master
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    Worth noting (having checked) that the logo at 6 'extra thin' was only introduced in 2014, so the comparison is with a slighly different model. Not that it makes a whole lot of difference. And if Chrono24 is any guide, prices of the old model are holding firm at around £14.5k minimum for a worn 2005 example that's due for a service and refinish. Whoever bought those had a free watch for 12 years and a very nice profit! Probably not the case at the current price, though they might hold up well enough, hard to say.
    Last edited by Itsguy; 21st August 2017 at 11:54.

  10. #10
    Master
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    The royal oaks and Nautilus are having its moment right now, probably will continue to rise for a bit longer but it doesn't feel like it can continue the values once it gets to a certain level
    Last edited by ac11111; 21st August 2017 at 12:40.

  11. #11
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ac11111 View Post
    The royal oaks and Nautilus are having its moment right now, probably will continue to rise for a bit longer but it doesn't feel like it can continue the values once it gets to a certain level
    One would think, but I'm waiting for Rolex to come back to reality and it's not happening. I fear these prices are the new normal.

  12. #12
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobDad View Post
    This isn't a viable hobby in 2017 unless you're pretty wealthy. 20, even 10 years ago they were realistically priced, now you're gouged up the wazoo (and let's not kid ourselves it's all the financial markets etc - it's gouging)


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    Got to agree with this.
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  13. #13
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobDad View Post
    This isn't a viable hobby in 2017 unless you're pretty wealthy. 20, even 10 years ago they were realistically priced, now you're gouged up the wazoo (and let's not kid ourselves it's all the financial markets etc - it's gouging)


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    True. Here in sunny Oz, an Omega CoAx Speedie is now over A$10,000. I'm sure there are members who will tell me it's "good value"

    https://www.omegawatches.com/watches...1130445101002/

  14. #14
    Master
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    A friend has a couple of early Nautiluses, unworn. He paid less than £4000, new, for each. However, there is another statistic.....depreciation. The current depreciation on a Nautilus seems to be....nil. Cost to own is also nil. So it depends how you look at it.

  15. #15
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobDad View Post
    ...now you're gouged up the wazoo (and let's not kid ourselves it's all the financial markets etc - it's gouging)
    Quote Originally Posted by Neil.C View Post
    Got to agree with this.
    Yes, there's a definite gouging sensation in the old wazoo looking at these prices. At the 2007 price I'd like to think I'd be sipping champagne in the AD and wearing one right now, but at the time that price probably seemed pretty high, and my eye was on more affordable watches.

    It's hard to imagine them ever falling below five figures for a knackered example now though, unless fashions change drastically or something even more cataclysmic than usual happens to the economy.

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