AP have indeed clearly decided Boutique is the future and control all supply……if your based 250+ miles away thats a lengthy day / night trip to Londinium..
I recently made the trip as i made an appointment to look at models that took my fancy and to see what fitted my smaller / medium wrist to add to an older 2000’s RO which i love ….
The boutique is for those who have visited quite unique and nothing like an AD experience…no watches on display …
My appointment was a 1 hour interview about my watch history to date and featured heavily on awareness of how exclusive AP was right now how many multiples they were selling for on the secondhand market, then it was explained to me how the process of allocation worked and how it involved any individuals case including my own as an existing AP owner being put by the Senior Sales Executive to a panel including the U.K. Director before a purchase was considered or permitted….
From memory each of the Senior Executives do approximately 50 interviews a week X 2 executives so 100 weekly roughly 50000 a year so its not hard to work out the slim probability of being fortunate enough to be ‘the chosen one’….
I then asked to try on some watches (Jumbo, ROO, ROC) but sadly they had non in stock as everything sold..
Demand has clearly gone through the roof whilst at the same time reducing the number of sales points dramatically meaning the Boutique is juggling enquiries vs supply & demand..
New 50th models are nice but i fear winning the Omaze House might be easier right now…
If Liz Trusssttt Me puts sanctions on Russian nationals being able to make purchases on New Bond Street it may just slightly increase my odds
I went home a mixture of puzzled, saddened, dejected, poorer and dare i say feeling a bit well unworthy….which is a shame as I love AP’s creations and history..
It can’t be easy for anyone working at either an AP, PP or Rolex AD constantly having the same repetitive conversation or dealing with hundreds of emails mainly surrounding the word ‘No’..
Increasingly they are in a way turning passionate fans of their products into the hands of the competition such as IWC / Omega / Tudor etc who can accommodate an order..
But ‘First world’ problems …..