Well, folks, if you’ve been eyein’ them fancy Audemars Piguet watches and wonderin’ what’s been goin’ on with the prices in Singapore, let me tell ya—things have sure changed over the past year or so. These watches, they ain’t like your regular ol’ wristwatches you pick up at the market. No sir, these are high-end, fancy timepieces, and if you want one, you might have to wait a spell, and pay a pretty penny too!
Back in 2022, Audemars Piguet, or AP as the young folks call it, decided to raise their prices. Now, this ain’t the first time they’ve done somethin’ like that. They’ve been known to raise their prices every now and then, but 2022 was a special case. In January 2022, they hiked up the prices across the board. And I tell ya, this didn’t just affect one or two models, but pretty much all of ’em. From the well-known Royal Oak to the newer Code 11.59, everything went up. I reckon it’s because they like to keep things rare—limit the number of watches they make, so folks get all excited, thinkin’ they’ll be worth a fortune someday. And some of ‘em, sure enough, do get real valuable over time.
Now, let’s talk about them prices. If you’re lookin’ to buy an Audemars Piguet in Singapore, you’re gonna need a good bit of cash. The cheaper ones might start at around SGD 20,000, but don’t be fooled, ’cause them prices go up faster than a cat on a hot tin roof. The high-end ones, especially them Royal Oak models, can run you much more than that, up in the hundreds of thousands! And that’s just for a regular one—if you’re wantin’ somethin’ extra special, like the Royal Oak Concept or one of them Tourbillons, you better be ready to empty your pockets.
But here’s the thing—if you’re thinkin’ you can just waltz into a store and pick one up, you might be disappointed. Them stores, they don’t always have these watches sittin’ on the shelf. In fact, a lot of the time, you’ll have to wait. Sometimes, you wait months, or even years, just to get your hands on one! And even then, the folks at the store might not just sell it to you. They might want you to prove you’re a “serious buyer” by showin’ you’ve bought from them before or somethin’ like that. Some folks say it’s all about who you know, and I’ve heard stories of folks sendin’ their wives in first to make a good impression on the staff. Sounds a bit odd, don’t it?
Another thing, if you’re not the patient type, you can always go to the gray market. Now, be careful with that, ’cause them gray market dealers don’t always play fair. They might charge you more than the retail price, just ‘cause they got the watch in stock right now. But if you’re willin’ to pay a little extra for instant gratification, that’s one way to go about it.
And don’t think just because you’re payin’ all that money that your watch is gonna be worth a fortune down the road. Some models, sure, they might appreciate in value, but not all of ‘em. The ones that really go up in price are usually the rare ones or the ones with some kinda historical significance. Like the Royal Oak, that one’s been a classic since the 70s, and you better believe it’s only gettin’ more valuable with time. But if you’re buyin’ just for a fancy look on your wrist, don’t expect it to make you rich.
So, what’s the deal with the price increase in 2022? Well, in simple terms, AP raised them prices because they can. Their watches are in high demand, and they’ve got a reputation for quality. You can’t just go out and buy one of these like you can a regular watch. They’re a symbol of status, and if you want one, you gotta pay up. But whether it’s worth it or not? Well, that’s somethin’ only you can decide.
In the end, folks, if you’ve got the money and the patience, an Audemars Piguet could be a fine investment. But don’t go thinkin’ it’s gonna be easy or cheap, ‘cause it ain’t. You might have to wait, you might have to pay more, but if you’re lookin’ for somethin’ special to wear on your wrist, you might just get what you paid for.
Tags：[Audemars Piguet, AP Watches, Royal Oak, Singapore Watch Prices, 2022 Price Increase, Luxury Watches, Watch Collecting, Gray Market Watches, Watch Investment]
