AP’s “The Watch Keepers” pre-owned program is launching a digital platform in Europe and Switzerland.
In an ever-booming pre-owned watch market, luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet is now giving collectors better access to authenticated pieces with the launch of its new digital platform, “The Watch Keepers.”
Buyers in Switzerland and across Europe will soon get their first shot at a selection of Audemars Piguet watches that are at least two years old, including the famed Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The watchmaker opened its own “AP House” in Miami earlier this year, and debuted a buzzed-about collaboration with Swatch. In the digital world, the Le Brassus horologist promises a comprehensive experience via the Watch Keepers Program, all in pursuit of a coveted luxury watch at the certified pre-owned level while “ensuring clarity and peace of mind every step of the way,” the company noted.
As watch publication Hodinkee notes, sellers will require approval before securely shipping their covetable AP watch back to the company. Timepieces undergo certification to ensure authenticity, before being documented and photographed. Watches are then either listed at a set price or put up for bidding via Watch Keepers, and once sold, each jealousy-inducing timepiece comes with its own two-year functioning service guarantee.
Hodinkee adds that the move is a milestone for the venerable watchmaker. “The launch of the Audemars Piguet CPO program marks a significant expansion of the brand’s sales channels, as it already sells most of its new watches through company-owned boutiques,” the publication reports. An array of colorful, themed digital rooms are virtually staffed by Audemars Piguet watch experts, while the watches themselves are transported back to AP by insured courier, remaining the property of the seller until the sale is complete.
The company certainly wants buyers to shop with a high level of trust in mind, Audemars Piguet said, noting that “each watch carries a level of confidence that only Audemars Piguet can provide.” At the moment, more than 40 watches are for sale via the platform, including hidden gems like the Selfwinding Chronograph Royal Oak. About 100 watches will be listed via the platform at a time, acting as a “trusted gateway” into the world of the luxury atelier.
Elegant wrist candy like the Ref. 26238OR.OO.2000OR.01 Selfwinding Flyback Chronograph are also on the auction block for bidding across the next roughly 11 days, an illustrious start for a certified pre-owned program that joins the likes of similar offerings from Rolex, which debuted in 2022.
As Hodinkee adds, the long-awaited program “responds to strong demand from collectors and reinforces our commitment to supporting the long-term lifecycle of our watches,” according to a statement from program director Marc Montagne. Look for a larger international rollout of the Watch Keepers Program in the months ahead, and be prepared to update your wish list accordingly in the meantime.
