Jump to content

Recommended Posts

In this post, I will share my thoughts about purchasing a preowned Rolex watch, notably vintage Rolex watches from the 1960s-80s.

Original Box and Papers

In conducting a sample pool of listings of five-hundred vintage Rolex watches, 98% of them did not come with the original box or papers. Whether this percentage slightly increases or decreases, it is safe to say most vintage watches  will not include the original box or papers.

What it means is the seller will usually not know the history of the watch or when the last time it was serviced.

Certificate of Authenticity

If the watch comes with a certificate of authenticity (COA), it has no bearing to the original factory papers and simply means the watch was inspected by a watchmaker.

What it means for the buyer is although the watch has been inspected and determined to be authentic, it does not extend to the watch being serviced (i.e., disassembled, parts inspected, worn parts replaced, parts lubricated, re-assembled and watch timed and regulated).

Warranty

Along with the COA, some sellers also offer a warranty anywhere from 30, 60 or 90 days or longer (i.e., one or two years).

What it means for the buyer is if the watch requires repair at some point, the watch is returned to the seller for inspection. Because the buyer has no control over the repair, who services the watch and what type of repair provided is entirely within the discretion of the seller/retailer.

Most retailers buy low and sell high, so investing in servicing the watch prior to selling is not the norm. If, for example, the retailer sells one hundred luxury watches that have not been serviced and five of them are returned for repair, the retailer will have saved considerable money, as opposed to servicing each watch prior to listing it for sell.

It would seem reasonable to conclude if a watch does not come with the original box or papers and the seller does not know the service history of the watch, then that watch is a good candidate for a thorough inspection and servicing.

Types of Retailers

Generally speaking, sellers will fall into three main categories: (a) a brick and mortar retailer selling luxury watches; or (b) an online retailer with no traditional storefront; or (c) a private seller with no connection to commercial retail sales.

Category (a) brick and mortar retailers will typically have an in-house watchmaker for servicing or otherwise outsource repairs to a watchmaker who may handle repairs for a wide variety and number of retailers.

Category (b) online retailers might be anyone selling watches as a sideline to somebody operating out of a garage. It's unlikely they will have an in-house service department, much less a warranty.

Category (c) private sellers are the most sketchy, as they might be selling a problem watch because they can't afford to service it. Don't expect any COA, warranty or customer support if the watch does not work properly. At the far end of the spectrum is the watch could be fake or even stolen.

Watchmakers

In the same way that a factory Mercedes or Rolls Royce automotive mechanic will know more about their particular brand, so too will a factory trained Rolex watchmaker know the intricacies of their brand, as opposed to a watchmaker who does not specialize in Rolex watches nor have the specialized tools to service them.

This is not to say, however, that a local watchmaker cannot repair a Rolex, only that they may not have the expertise and extensive knowledge of parts a factory trained Rolex watchmaker would have. Therefore, when a watch is returned for warranty work, you may or may not be getting the most qualified watchmaker working on your watch.

Suffice to say, international companies like Rolex are going to have abundant resources to provide the extensive training needed to service their watches. Former factory watchmakers offering their repair expertise in the private sector, would be a good place to look for servicing your vintage Rolex.

What to Look For

Ideally, when purchasing a vintage Rolex, if the service history is unknown, the watch should come fully serviced with documentation. You should also ask the seller who performed the service and what it entailed.

At the minimum, you should purchase a watch that comes with a minimum of a one year warranty upwards to a two year warranty from an established brick and mortar retailer. Ideally, the retailer should have an in-house service department and watchmaker, as it will avoid longer turnaround times when the retailer outsources their watches for repair work.

You should avoid purchasing a vintage Rolex watch from a private seller, unless they have documentation showing the watch was recently serviced. Secondarily, agreeing beforehand that you can return the watch if it is not working properly.

In sum, for the vast majority of vintage Rolex watches being sold, they usually do not include the original box and papers, and seldom does the seller know the service history. Not all retailers are on equal footing when it comes to selling and providing warranty repairs. Similarly, not all watchmakers have the expertise to service Rolex watches, so the end result can vary considerably.

If you are going to spend a considerable sum of money on a vintage luxury watch, following the preceding general guidelines may mean the difference between ending up with a good working watch - or one plagued with problems from a seller who is nowhere to be found.

Happy Rolex hunting!

 

Edited by Cliff
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Cliff said:

 

You should avoid purchasing a vintage Rolex watch from a private seller, unless they have documentation showing the watch was recently serviced. Secondarily, agreeing beforehand that you can return the watch if it is not working properly.

 

Or apparently blokes called Chris in Aus!

Interesting list but sadly I doubt I'll ever be in a position again to afford one, part of me wishes I had done back in 89 when I had the opportunity.

I think I'd certainly go the AD route if I were though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Cliff said:

Certificate of Authenticity

My mate Dave down the pub can do these for a tenner, whilst this is a flippant statement I do not think that most are worth the paper they are written on many well respected dealers have been caught out with fake, altered or dubious Rolex watches.

Anybody in the market for a vintage Rolex needs to do their homework before hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Many thanks for your advice (being borne in mind at present) & offer Dell. When I was given the clock the plastic anchor was loose on the arbour (it had split at the 'hole') &, after repairing this, I have been trying to determine whether the spindle (pin) should be perpendicular when the pallet is sitting on a flat surface; or whether, when installed, its L-R extremes (or alternatively its tick & tock points) should lie at equal angles from the vertical when moved with spring absent. I can get the clock to run but in every such configuration the top block has to be turned anti-clockwise (from above) by quite a bit in order to be 'in beat' & it always runs fast (despite the pendulum being set to as slow as possible). This makes me wonder if there is any particular feature of/fault in a torsion spring clock which determines which turn direction (if any) is necessary to get it 'in beat'; & whether there would be a different set of settings that would get it running nearer to time at somewhere around the mid timing/inertia position which would then allow tweaking of the fast/slow setting.
    • Now this has happened I bet China or India just to name two will start to produce none genuine parts.  I did. But idiot Boris Johnson failed miserably in his negotiations. The E U stitched up the UK like a kipper. Nigel Farage  offered his help but big head Boris declined. So this is why we are in this mess all because Johnson wasn't clever enough.  
    • Hands up all those who voted to leave the EU 😂, oopsie.  UK has just signed the Hague convention, next year that will provide cross border clout to British courts.
    • Ive heard about that oil before for the lever pins. I found it easy to work on , it didn't have a whole lot of pivot wear but i bit sloppy on the lever cock, i think you have to live with what you have or bin it. Stiff to wind and set ?  Not a cannon pinion issue that has no friction thats made up further back and if I remember the barrel drives the hour wheel. No problem on this one .Let me know when you start it as i have another that donated to this one, i can work alongside you with it, two heads are better than one. 
×
×
  • Create New...