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Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 7:16 am
by Alou
I got a chance to have in my hand an Audemars Piquet offshore diver from a friend who owns own one,
I dont want to go into details but he built quality is so so low!Felt like it could easily break!
If i didn't know the brand as a name and how highly rated it is a would have said its a chinese watch !
How come they have this brand so highly rated i don't know ,
have a look at the crown of a watch supposed to be a 300m diver compared to a micro brand (Five Fathoms look alike with ETA 2824) watch.
And the 2824 is more accurate then the AP calibre 321 ,after watching them for 2 days.
I could compare with a higher quality watch like an Omega or a Pam but my friend happen to wear his everyday
micro brand watch ,so we compared these!
I have seen many micro brands (Swiss made or not) with way more build quality costing less then 1000$
I cant believe they sell this one for 20,000 $ (perhaps they charge you for the rotor inside wich is 22k solid gold)....still the gold grams
are not that expensive .
AP diver crown.jpg
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 7:36 am
by Nottingham
I may be wrong but are you sure this is not a High end clone? No offense, i have a friend of mine who has à rlx sub and tells it is gen but i had it in my hand and can tell it is a rep. But it is possible, ratio money/built quality is unbeatable on some micros
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 7:44 am
by Alou
No problem ,most of us have seen or handled a cloned or similar .
Have not seen an AP clone up close but ,
No this a a real one ,bought from local AD in Bern,we opened the caseback and its the real 321 cal,
My friend also wrote a review on the watch at watch collectors forum!
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 8:12 am
by bmsm
Could you share the review url?
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 8:15 am
by Alou
Will have to ask him ,but i dont think its in English.
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 8:18 am
by bmsm
Google Translate can give an help. Never saw a review covering those details, normally only the WoW factor and luxury.
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 8:22 am
by Albatross
I've handled a few Offshores, both my brother and father owned in the past. The real APs do not feel cheap. They have a weight to them and you can definitely feel the quality when you hold one, at least I did. Never had the privilege to open one up.
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 8:24 am
by Alou
I guess most wow buy this watches only go for the wow factor and are not so "watch educated" ,
when i went to buy a Pam Rubber strap at the local AD ,someone who had purchased a daytona chrono from the store
some years back asked if they can replace the battery because the watch stopped working !He was surprised to hear the watch was
mechanical with a rotor inside winding the watch and the person replied that he occasionally heard a noise when moving his hand but thought it was the electron motor moving inside !!
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 8:26 am
by Alou
Albatross wrote: ↑April 3rd, 2020, 8:22 am
I've handled a few Offshores, both my brother and father owned in the past. The real APs do not feel cheap. They have a weight to them and you can definitely feel the quality when you hold one, at least I did. Never had the privilege to open one up.
Well it no way feels like a 20,000 watch ,and now way built as "diver" ,its well made yes but i wouldn't call it high end!
Some vintage ones i have handles in the past were pretty good but back then in the 60-70s they were not so expensive,still pricey but not to the extremes!
Re: Low Built quality on Highly rated expensive Swiss Watch brand!
Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 11:29 am
by blueradish
That AP name on the front is a big part of the price.