Quote:
Originally Posted by Pongster
Like the SS craze, FPJ itself does not directly benefit from the inflated secondary prices right?
The boutiques sell at retail. And besides, no supply to sell.
Benefit i suppose is other lines getting noticed and bought? Or maybe boutiques bundle as well.
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Well, the halo effect of the CB is pretty pronounced given the low volume of watches FPJ produces annually. It was not so long ago that many pieces were available on the secondary for below MSRP. A couple years ago, I could have purchased a CB at MSRP with no wait after trying it on. Last year, the AD in Chicago constantly had a few in the case to buy without a wait, including a CS, a QP, an Octa, and an Octa Lune Automatique. I had inquired about getting a rose gold CS from them, and ended up purchasing one on the secondary. With just one inquiry and leaving my phone number, I got a call the next month when one came in. Granted it's never been a hot piece, but I had no purchase history.
Now, I suspect that times have changed. Who would've thought that there would be waiting lists for the CS, which is essentially the entry level piece for the brand? I'm guessing we will start seeing less of the more desirable pieces at non-boutique ADs and waitlists for those pieces at the boutiques.
Good news is that as opposed to AP and Patek wanting to dump Codes and Calatravas on first-time customers just to get in line for a desirable piece, I at least find the majority of the FPJ line-up to be winners. I'm glad they don't waste time producing high numbers of less desirable pieces all in the name of variety, while choking access to the pieces people want. Instead, there is a pretty unifying design language that you can get in any of their pieces, and to boot it's not reliant on a rehashing Genta's contribution to horology over and over again.