Audemars Piguet Enters the Pre-Owned Luxury Watch Market

The platform functions as a bridge between the manufacture and the secondary market. Rather than acquiring inventory, Audemars Piguet facilitates transactions between owners and buyers, handling inspection, authentication, and certification. To qualify, watches must be at least two years old, with serial numbers and ownership history verified before the piece is sent to the manufacture for assessment. Buyers receive a two-year functional warranty and a certificate of authenticity, with initial availability focused on Switzerland and Europe.

For CEO Ilaria Resta, the strategy centers on integrating secondary market participants into the brand’s ecosystem. Purchases made through the platform are recorded in the same customer history as boutique sales, potentially influencing future access to highly coveted models like the Royal Oak. This approach contrasts with the model adopted by Rolex, which utilizes authorized retailers to manage its certified pre-owned program, and Richard Mille, which operates dedicated points of sale. By controlling the platform, Audemars Piguet secures direct access to secondary market activity without assuming the financial risk of holding inventory, a timely move as the pre-owned sector continues to see projected annual growth of up to 11 percent.