The Watch Appreciation Thread - Part two (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger LeCoultre,

[Phileas Fogg]

Daytona is nice with zenith movement but too small for my wrist.

I don’t believe the Daytona has used the Zenith movement for about 20 years.

 

[Dino944]

I don’t believe the Daytona has used the Zenith movement for about 20 years.

That’s correct.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I know someone who buys watches new from Rolex in bulk. I will leave it at that.

 

[chocomallo]

Wow, those are some relatively high prices. However, with the AP I'm wondering if it needed some parts replaces being from the 1960s. I haven't heard of them having a service cost that high, at least not on newer pieces.

As for the Cartier mono-pusher, $2,000 is a lot to service a watch. However, I know at least as of a few years ago Patek was charging $1,800 as a base cost to service their chronographs. In addition, keep in mind the movement in the mono-pusher is very complicated and special. It's not merely a re-decorated ETA that lots of people have experience servicing. From what I understand there is an issue with some of the earlier single pusher chronographs, and so they replace the entire movement when it goes in for service. I don't know if that has anything to do with your own watch, or the cost of servicing it. It does not seem to be an issue for later versions that were in the larger XL cases.

I serviced my Cartier monopusher about five years ago and it cost USD 2500. I am sure it is more now. The movement was not replaced but there were some modifications to the springs and bridges at the 4 o'clock when viewed from the backside. My watch serial number is around number 50 of the first series (I have seen both CC and CE if i recall correctly). So I agree it is an expensive watch to own long term. Although I think it was the only service the watch has had in 20+ years. I serviced my Patek 5026 last year with the 240 microrotor movement and it was about USD 1500. Both through the brand service centers. The Cartier took 9 or 10 months. Patek was 6 months if I recall.

 

[Journeyman]

Daytona is nice with zenith movement but too small for my wrist.

I don’t believe the Daytona has used the Zenith movement for about 20 years.

That's right - the Daytona used the automatic Zenith El Primero movement from 1988 to 2000.

Rolex did modify it quite extensively, and gave it the designation Calibre 4030.

 

[Jamesbond1]

I wish you all the best in your Rolex hunting. The price increase was significantly this year and they just are trying to become Patek which they are not. I was told yesterday that this hype will cool off but not for sport watches having said that the trend of them selling above MSRP will stay for a few of their models. The next two watches on my list to purchase are not from Rolex.
Cheers

 

[mockingboy]

Quality, style and company objectives are night and day different between Rolex and brands like AP and PP.

Estimates of Rolex annual production are also in the 800,000-900,000 watches per year

PP is about 60,000 and AP approximately 80,000

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Quality, style and company objectives are night and day different between Rolex and brands like AP and PP.

Estimates of Rolex annual production are also in the 800,000-900,000 watches per year

PP is about 60,000 and AP approximately 80,000

please define quality in the context you’ve described.

 

[mockingboy]

More hand finishing, attention to detail, more focused on complications, better and more elegant movements, whereas Rolex focused on sturdier tool and sport watches.

I guess one could argue that the “tool” or “sport” watch qualities of Rolex’s are actually better than PP (the sea dweller is certainly more sturdy than a nautilus 5711) but undoubtedly the craftsmanship, finish and feel of an AP or PP vs a Rolex is night and day different.

to your point, I guess we should define quality

please define quality in the context you’ve described.

 

[am55]

please define quality in the context you’ve described.

I read it as finally someone acknowledging Hajime Asaoka's supremacy (5 watches/year).

 

[Texasmade]

Quality, style and company objectives are night and day different between Rolex and brands like AP and PP.

Estimates of Rolex annual production are also in the 800,000-900,000 watches per year

PP is about 60,000 and AP approximately 80,000

AP is 40,000 in a normal year. Their CEO said that they've capped production at no more than 40k a year to make sure the market isn't oversupplied. With C19 this year and the various lockdowns, production was probably like 1/2 to 2/3 of 40k.

 

[Scuppers]

AP is 40,000 in a normal year. Their CEO even said that they've capped production at no more than 40k a year to make sure the market isn't oversupplied. With C19 this year and the various lockdowns, production was probably like 1/2 to 2/3 of 40k.

2020 was 14,000.

 

[Dino944]

I serviced my Cartier monopusher about five years ago and it cost USD 2500. I am sure it is more now. The movement was not replaced but there were some modifications to the springs and bridges at the 4 o'clock when viewed from the backside. My watch serial number is around number 50 of the first series (I have seen both CC and CE if i recall correctly). So I agree it is an expensive watch to own long term. Although I think it was the only service the watch has had in 20+ years. I serviced my Patek 5026 last year with the 240 microrotor movement and it was about USD 1500. Both through the brand service centers. The Cartier took 9 or 10 months. Patek was 6 months if I recall.

Thank you for correcting my post. I knew there was an issue with the movements on earlier version of the Tortue MP, and clearly my recollection of whether those movements got replaced or modified was off. One might hope that once the modifications were made to the movement, that there would be no further need for modifications, and possibly the cost of service might not be quite as high the next time around. However, if its another 20 years between services, who knows what service costs will be by then. That being said, not sure if you serviced your watch in the US or abroad, but if serviced in the US, I would imagine the turn around time was due largely to the complexity of the movement and the parts needing to be replaced. The last Cartier watch we sent into Cartier for service (Pre-Covid times), was my wife's automatic Tank Francaise. They had it back to us in just under 4 weeks, and the cost was about $150 less than a servicing a 16570 Rolex Explorer II that I had Rolex NY service around the same time.

 

[Texasmade]

2020 was 14,000.

Holy shit, production really fell. No wonder there's such a large demand now.

 

[dauster]

Quality, style and company objectives are night and day different between Rolex and brands like AP and PP.

Estimates of Rolex annual production are also in the 800,000-900,000 watches per year

PP is about 60,000 and AP approximately 80,000

actually AP is about half approx. 40k watches per year. seems crazy low right ?

But did production really go down to 1/3? holy moly.