Things to look out for when buying a preowned AP?

[revvd]

Hi all sifus,

So this is it! After years of contemplating and yearning after AP ROOs, I'm finally quite close to pulling the trigger and get my first ever luxury watch!

Wondering is there anything I should look out for and be aware of when it comes to preowned APs? Or preowned watches, for that matter? 

Definitely don't want to buy one and only regret getting slapped with a hefty servicing bill at AP or worse, warranty voided.

Thanks!

[dpkong]

Just make sure that the watch is covered by factory warranty and that ownership is transferrable. The service cost for an AP ROO is a eye-opener that quickly makes any "good deal" turn sour very soon

[revvd]

Those are good points, thanks!

That means if the watch is already more than 5 years old then that would potentially be a deal breaker. Though after researching, looks like high service costs are indeed part and parcel of owning an AP.

Wondering how frequent do you guys service your watches - or how do you tell if a watch needs servicing?

[dpkong]

Those are good points, thanks!

That means if the watch is already more than 5 years old then that would potentially be a deal breaker. Though after researching, looks like high service costs are indeed part and parcel of owning an AP.

Wondering how frequent do you guys service your watches - or how do you tell if a watch needs servicing?

If the watch doesn't have any issues with any functions or timekeeping and manual winding is still smooth, I'd say the watch is fine.

And never let anyone other than AP polish the watch because if they find the watch has been opened by a 3rd party then any remaining warranty is void.

An out of warranty watch is fine to buy but do remember it may be needing a service so count that into your price considerations

[revvd]

Thanks again!  Will be heading to a few preowned watch shops this weekend for some window shopping with these in mind!

Also found a sticky thread in TRF on things to consider before buying AP preowned from Submarino - gonna quote him here as well as the link https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=219760 as I feel would help future buyers as well -

1. If you own a vintage AP and don't know the service history on the watch do not send it in for service at AP unless it stops running. Don't let an independent watchmaker work on a vintage AP no matter what. The money you save today, you'll have to pay it tomorrow.

2. If you buy a pre-owned modern AP RO or ROO try to get one that is not very old (F series and up) ideally with some service history and in overall great shape. Don't by a beater even if it's a good deal! You'll pay the difference afterwards.

3. If you buy a 5402 be very careful with the crown and avoid using the quick-set calendar advance feature that comes with cal. 2121. (While the watch doesn't have a date setting crown position, you can quickly advance the date by going with the hands past midnight to around 1am or 2am and then back to 10pm to adjust the date without having to go around 24hrs for each day). This is not an isolated case as on the four 5402s that I've owned I always had problems with the crown stem breaking and the crown coming off will pulling it out to set the time. On one of them this happened twice in a two-year period. When pulling the crown out to set the time, pull very slowly! Another thing to consider will be to wind the watch via the crown by turning it no more than 5-7 turns.

4. On 5402s even after being serviced, AP doesn't guarantee any water-resistance. Don't even get it wet while washing your hands.

5. If you buy a ROO (Pre F-series) make sure it comes with service papers or service history. Otherwise stay away, unless you know the owner or the watch is really flawless.

6. Do not have the watch or bezel polished by independents. You might lose the AP bevels and bezel will become rounded over time and thin out. AP uses a special machine to keep the octagonal shape intact and polished/brushed areas perfectly balanced.

7. If you buy an AP still under warranty make sure to get the warranty registered and get your third year sticker. If the warranty is close to expire send the watch in and work will be done under warranty giving you another 2 years.

8. If you open a case back on a ROO do not attempt to open the anti-magnetic casing that holds the movement inside as those screws are very delicate. If you open the case back you are voiding any warranty on the watch as AP will know it was opened. Get it pressured test it if you do.

9. If you want to go AP make sure you have done your research, tried the watch on and have money ready for the service when the time comes. As Ken accurately mentioned, the service on modern APs will be expensive but not as expensive as it is on a Vintage piece like mine unless something is seriously wrong or other watchmakers before your ownership messed up the movement.

10. Stay away from a RO Quartz as changing the battery is something that needs to be done every 2-3 years. To change the battery you need to disassemble the whole watch. Remove the bezel, dial, hands, crown, etc. to access the movement and then replace the battery. If done by an independent there are a ton of things that can go wrong. Then again you will need to have AP do it and it gets really pricey even when it's just a battery change as they will still force you to do a periodic service.

[dpkong]

TRF post sounds like pretty good advice.

Last tip, the RO Offshore models aren't as hot as they used to be 5 years ago. That means there's a lot of room to negotiate if you're after one. And the beauty of the Offshore outweighs all the cons about the costs of ownership and how delicate they sometimes are.

[revvd]

TRF post sounds like pretty good advice.

Last tip, the RO Offshore models aren't as hot as they used to be 5 years ago. That means there's a lot of room to negotiate if you're after one. And the beauty of the Offshore outweighs all the cons about the costs of ownership and how delicate they sometimes are.

Really? I actually went to a few shops to ask on preowned AP ROOs. The consensus were, now that Rolex prices are sky high APs are getting more attention than ever. Hotter dials were sold in matter of hours / days. Not sure if its salesman talk, but I didn't really get to see lot of choices, wasn't really expecting that. But looks like I'll pull the trigger on an AP vampire for quite an eye-watering price..

I do agree on the beauty of ROO - When I wore it on my wrist, all questions of price and common sense flew out the window..  Will post some pictures soon!

[dpkong]

TRF post sounds like pretty good advice.

Last tip, the RO Offshore models aren't as hot as they used to be 5 years ago. That means there's a lot of room to negotiate if you're after one. And the beauty of the Offshore outweighs all the cons about the costs of ownership and how delicate they sometimes are.

Really? I actually went to a few shops to ask on preowned AP ROOs. The consensus were, now that Rolex prices are sky high APs are getting more attention than ever. Hotter dials were sold in matter of hours / days. Not sure if its salesman talk, but I didn't really get to see lot of choices, wasn't really expecting that. But looks like I'll pull the trigger on an AP vampire for quite an eye-watering price..

I do agree on the beauty of ROO - When I wore it on my wrist, all questions of price and common sense flew out the window..  Will post some pictures soon!

Just enjoy the watch and ignore the comments. If wearing it makes you lose common sense then the right thing to do is to write out that check. Enjoy the AP!

[revvd]

Nice AP Navy you have there bro! AP Navy was actually my #1 choice (blue dial though), just couldn't find any in the preowned market. But black was similarly appealing as well.. Cheers bro!

[G.MAC]

Congratulations on a great pick-up.

[pleasuresaurus]

Nice AP Navy you have there bro! AP Navy was actually my #1 choice (blue dial though), just couldn't find any in the preowned market. But black was similarly appealing as well.. Cheers bro!

Lovely piece of hardware there mate, that's some serious wrist presence right there 

[revvd]

Thanks guys!