I got my 15202 back from its 2nd service this year.

Dec 10, 2015,04:45 AM
 


The rotor did not move freely and the watchmaker in the AP Service Centre admitted that the watch was not assembled correctly when made in the factory.

Now it seems to work and I left my RO perpetual for service. That watch had the same "symptoms" as my 15202. To prepare for non-functioning automatic movement, I got the tool.





AP's Service Centre probably managed to fix my RO. However, they messed up with my wife's watch and I need to take it back.

I wore my 15202 for a couple of days. It is such a lovely watch. It's just sad that the quality control in the factory is bad and that the service centres are not much better.

Best, Kari


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Mine had exactly the same issue

 
 By: Arie - Mr Orange : December 10th, 2015-05:48
straight out of the factory. And we were not the only ones. No explanation. No excuse. No nothing. I find it appalling and unacceptable. It has even made me consider selling it straight away because of the current lack of trust in the watch and the compan...  

Yes, I got many PM telling about the same problem.

 
 By: dr.kol : December 10th, 2015-06:12
First the manager of after sales told that "he has never heard about similar problems" but now I had a more honest, very nervous watchmaker, who told "we know". I bought my watch 11 months ago and now it's hopefully working after two services. My RO perpe... 

btw

 
 By: Arie - Mr Orange : December 10th, 2015-05:50
May I ask were to get that tool? Because setting the date is a pain in the *ss too!

The watchmaker in the Service Centre gave me his tool

 
 By: dr.kol : December 10th, 2015-06:14
when I joked that I need it if the rotor is getting jammed again. This tool makes the winding and adjusting so incredibly easy! Best, Kari

Here you go

 
 By: GuinnessForMeAndTheWatch : June 15th, 2020-10:59
...  

Looks like

 
 By: TS1987 : December 10th, 2015-06:21
I will skip the Royal Oak and buy the Nautilus instead

I have both

 
 By: dr.kol : December 10th, 2015-06:49
and even I like the RO design a lot, I would not hesitate which one to give away if I could keep only one. Furthermore, Nautilus has 120 m water resistance while RO has only 50 m. Best, Kari

This is what happens when a factory pay more for parties than for R&D

 
 By: piccolochimico (aka dsgalaxy1) : December 10th, 2015-13:51
Don't believe PP is better (manufacture too many pieces) , the famous and old maisons are just turning into any other company, they sell dreams, history, appeal, status, but no more good watches...just expensive stuff with a logo on the dial.

When 15202 is concerned,

 
 By: dr.kol : December 10th, 2015-13:55
R&D is not the issue. JLC made good job about 50 years ago. The issue is just lack of quality control. Best, Kari

Indeed

 
 By: Arie - Mr Orange : December 10th, 2015-15:15
.

The lack of quality control is the biggest concern for potential customers. It really should be taken care of more seriously.

 
 By: Luis6 : December 10th, 2015-16:17
Although mine RO Dual Time works perfectly, I do hear quite a few similar stories like yours from local AP owners. Hopefully everything (including your wife's watch) will be sorted out in a professional and satisfactory fashion. Best, Luis

Hmmm...

 
 By: dr.kol : December 10th, 2015-16:47
In dual time there's no manufactured movement. Perhaps that helps to produce quality. Best, Kari

They do not control because people do not care

 
 By: piccolochimico (aka dsgalaxy1) : December 11th, 2015-13:03
People just care about the BRAND. For people i mean common, rich customers who can afford luxury watch without knowing the difference between anglage and quartz movement.

I hope there are not many of those around

 
 By: dr.kol : December 11th, 2015-14:06
spoiling our joy and hobby. Best, Kari

same issue

 
 By: watch-er : December 10th, 2015-15:29
I bought a 18k RO from Tiffany in the 1980's. The watch did not wind right and I had it serviced and it came back with the same short power reserve with constant wear. I spoke to their then service at the time and was told mine was a older design and the ... 

My both AP ROs are new models

 
 By: dr.kol : December 10th, 2015-15:47
and I also bought them new. Very very disappointing watches - although looking good. Best, Kari

i also had problems with my RO diver....

 
 By: cesare1976 : December 11th, 2015-09:53
the internal bezel wasn't working as it should, had to send it to assistance under warranty , it took something like 6 months to have this issue solved. but came back perfect. i also have 2 more friends that have somekind of issues with their RO's.... i r... 

Sorry to hear but great that it was settled.

 
 By: dr.kol : December 11th, 2015-10:02
AP used to be on the Top Three but I am afraid that they have focused too much on limeted edition ROO where the movement has never been anything special. AP has recently introduced some great watches and I love their new RO perpetual with the new complica... 

such a lovely watch...What a shame

 
 By: beejo : December 11th, 2015-15:22
You had to wait all of that to receive your newly bought lets be optimistic at least you have on your wrist know and will enjoy it hopefully for many years to come. Best, Ahmed.

I ordered also a nice custom made oscillating weight

 
 By: dr.kol : December 11th, 2015-15:32
having a white rotor frame and a red gold Aframax tanker rotating the movement. This watch was supposed to be something special but now I feel very distant and disappointed. It's hard to imagine that I would wear this watch must - perhaps just on a shitty... 

15400 wasn't any better

 
 By: artyca : December 12th, 2015-03:49
Hi, sorry to hear about your 15202. I recently got a brand new 15400 and as my first ever AP, it was also an eventual disappointment. The apparently super reliable in-house AP caliber 3120 started having problems with manual date adjustment after less tha... 

I had also problems with my 15400,

 
 By: dr.kol : December 12th, 2015-05:00
got it repaired and sold it away. Then I thought 15202 is the high quality, original RO. So I bought first the perpetual RO and then the anniversary 15202. Now after 11 months the latter seems to work and AP's Sevice Centre promised that if February I'll ... 

Been following along your episode with AP

 
 By: ED209 : December 12th, 2015-18:34
I hope your AP RO PC is serviced in a timely manner. Glad to see you have your 15202 back and on your wrist. Good luck. Regards, ED-209

I guess it is going to work.

 
 By: dr.kol : December 12th, 2015-23:42
Now they know in the Service Centre what was done wrong in the factory and can repair the watches. That's good news but naturally, the whole situation is far from being acceptable. Best, Kari

Your horror stories are not the only ones I've heard about AP QC and After Sales Service

 
 By: reintitan : December 13th, 2015-03:00
I really love the like the look of the 15202 and was contemplating selling some of my collection to buy one. I currently have no APs. However, after all these stories and experiences I'm reading about I'm rather considering a 5711/1A or 5712 and otherwise... 

I really can't say which design I like more:

 
 By: dr.kol : December 13th, 2015-03:30
my AP 15202 or PP 5711. But my Nautilus 5711/1A has worked perfectly just like my Nautilus 3712 just like my Nautilus 5980 just like Nautilus 3710... While both of my Royal Oaks have been unfortunately rubbish. However, the internal quality of my Royal Oa... 

Hi

 
 By: Uhrencollector : April 21st, 2020-01:56
Hi Kari, Hope this mail finds you well. This is Gaurav and i live in India and a avid watch collector. Ive been searching for this AP jumbo date set tool as pictured in one of your old posts for many months but cant find. Would be great if you could tell ... 

I'm sorry to hear your story...

 
 By: SRG : April 21st, 2020-21:17
I have a forged carbon diver that had an issue shortly after I purchased it in 2013. And whenI had it serviced, they noticed that the bridges were scratched. They were extremely apologetic. It was a resolved by the U.S. service center very quickly and ver... 

I have two 15202s...

 
 By: Swaye : May 1st, 2020-06:17
both have always worked flawlessly (I haven't had the white dial long, but have had the blue dial). Perhaps because the white dial is a 2007, and the blue dial is a 2012, the QC was better back then? I love mine. I hope for no issues. The blue is at servi... 

I’ve been wanting to get my hands on one of these tools for years!

 
 By: stabilizer : May 8th, 2020-16:30
Even as an owner of 3 RO’s, I have never been able to

Yikes! Things happen!

 
 By: patrick_y : May 11th, 2020-12:50
This movement is probably made on an assembly line. Meaning multiple watchmakers add on their modules to the movement. So, let's say hypothetically one watchmaker assembles the winding gear train module, and he always does so incorrectly, then just about ...