SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Launches CPO Platform
Audemars Piguet has finally launched its long-rumoured certified pre-owned (CPO) programme, The Watch Keepers. The digital platform acts as an intermediary between buyers and sellers, giving consignors the choice of selling at a fixed price or through an auction. Audemars Piguet is neither a buyer nor the seller, instead it is the facilitator. The move comes at a time when the secondary market for luxury watches is becoming increasingly professionalised, with brands taking a more active role through CPO. As noted earlier this year, the opportunity goes beyond earning revenue from watches already sold: it gives brands greater control over the pre-owned buying experience previously left to dealers and auction houses. A unique CPO model Unlike Rolex, which leverages its global network of authorised dealers to handle pricing and customer interactions for its own CPO programme, Audemars Piguet’s direct sales model means that it has to take on a bigger role. As a result, The Watch Keepers becomes the intermediary between the seller and the buyer, registering both parties and validating the authenticity of the watch. The Watch Keepers also handles all photography, and prepares the listings with verified technical details and a condition assessment. This takes much of the preparation off the seller’s hands and should give buyers greater confidence in the watch’s specifications and condition. It also helps level the playing field between sellers with different levels of exper...
