AP vs. Patek Philippe Vintage Service

dr.kol · 2016-08-04T07:41:06Z

Compare Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe vintage watch service. Dr.kol shares experiences with bracelet adjustments and customer care.

dr.kol

WPS member · Audemars Piguet forum

23 replies2174 views1 photos

Dr.kol shares a compelling account of his experiences with after-sales service for vintage Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe watches, highlighting a stark contrast between the two brands. This post offers valuable insights into the customer service philosophies of "Holy Trinity" watchmakers, particularly concerning vintage pieces and bracelet adjustments.

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Audemars Piguet was just serviced by the factory but Patek not.

I took Patek for service to London Salon and after that I asked then to measure the wrist of my wife and shorten the bracelet. That was done in less than a month and when I wanted to pay for the job, the reply was "our pleasure to help you - complimentary service from our side".

About one year ago I took the AP to the Singapore Service Centre for shortening the bracelet. I had both Patek with me as well as my wife. I told AP to make it just the same length as Patek is but they still measured my wife's wrist and marked to the bracelet how to cut it.

I picked up the watch on 10th February this year. They left the bracelet still about 10 mm longer than marked and ordered and the cut was the rudest job I have ever seen. Naturally, I said (and AP agreed) that the job was really rude and they did not perform the job as requested. They took the watch back but naturally, I had to pay it first!

I picked up the watch again on 2nd August and now the work was nicely done. Naturally, the length was not as ordered. For the delays I got a lot of apologies and I was told that the Master Watchmaker "was really sorry that he did not make decent job". On the other hand, he had only half a year to make it...

Sometimes we speak about the "Holy Trinity" of watchmakers. One of them is giving outstanding service and even offering it as complimentary, free of charge, service. The other one is charging a good amount of money before the job is completed. Funny business this watch world!

Anyhow, my Mrs. has now two nice vintage watches: the Ellipse is fitting perfectly, the other one is a bit loose.

Best, Kari

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Key Points from the Discussion

Patek Philippe excels in after-sales service, making customers feel special through complimentary services and exclusive events, which contributes to their strong brand loyalty and market value retention.
The excellent after-sales service from Patek Philippe, including complimentary work, reinforces customer confidence and may influence the strong secondary market value of their watches, making new purchases more appealing.
A collector inquired about A. Lange & Söhne's service quality compared to AP and PP, considering it a crucial factor for a 'serious' watch purchase, especially given the mixed reviews of AP's service.
A collector recounted positive experiences with Lange's service, including free repairs for a new watch under warranty and a complimentary lug replacement for an out-of-warranty honeygold moonphase, despite the repair time.
The author advises against platinum Patek Philippe watches due to their exceptional dials and unique feel, which can lead to an addictive collecting experience.
One contributor described Patek Philippe's quality control process, where new, fully functional watches are disassembled, checked for flaws, and reassembled to ensure 100% perfection.

The Discussion

sham1

Aug 4, 2016

In short

Patek's after sales service is second to none particularly among the larger manufacturers. They actually know how to make the customer feel special as if they belong to an elite club. This in the long run can only be good for business. Best wishes, Sham

dr.kol

Aug 4, 2016

100% agree! I have never received anything else than superb service.

That is like Baron correctly stated in his post: "Value". Best, Kari

sham1

Aug 4, 2016

The holy trinity

is perhaps flattering for AP and VC since Pateks tend to hold their values a lot better in general. And so they should bearing in mind the after sales service that they are able to provide. Perhaps it is because they are a family run company or the philosophy of the Sterns but something about Patek makes you feel that they have mastered the areas of marketing,product quality and after sales service. There may be one or two dissatisfied customers but these are a minority. Like you, I am hooked on

dr.kol

Aug 4, 2016

The Holy Trinity is history

as in my opinion AP is ROO and RO nowadays and especially ROO is really nothing special from the perspective of movement. Take my advice: don't go for platinum Patek. You might get badly hooked. The platinum versions have normally the nicest dials and the colour and feeling of the platinum models is something very special. Best, Kari

CastorKrieg

Aug 4, 2016

I also think the Trinity is done

AP has become a 'RO company' Vacheron is on a roll lately, but it takes a lot to get to the top - they made the most complicated watch, but everybody forgot about it already - what's the point boasting about something made with CAD and techniques 80 years after the Super Complication?

dr.kol

Aug 4, 2016

I guess VC is in deep sh*t

due to their Chinese strategies. Like said, AP is a RO company and companies like ALS, JLC, etc. are busily climbing to the top. Best, Kari

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