Question about buying a "starter" Rolex

[watch watcher]

Hey guys, my very modest "fleet" consists of a Movado and just last week I complemented it with a very beautiful all flat-black Citizen Eco Drive Stiletto. I also have a $10 beater watch that I bought at The Sports Authority of all places that looks clean (no scratches) after about 12 years of abuse. It's a no-name brand and one of the best watches I've ever owned. I also inherited an all-gold Omega from my father. Unfortunately, I couldn't find his Accutron tuning fork watch that he had. I remember that watch as a child and lusted after it at a young age.

Anyway, onto my question. Simply put, I've gotten bitten by the Rolex bug for some reason. I found one on eBay that speaks to me (that style of Rolex). Here it is: (Are we allowed to post links?)http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Would it be false economy to buy it because to make it complete it would likey need a service (~$700) and a proper band ($300-plus)? That watch does look spectactular, though. What is the maximun bid you'd place on that watch?

[Tools]

Welcome to TRF..

Buying on e-bay is always a crapshoot because it is a photo you are looking at.. You need to research the seller to get an idea if what you receive is anywhere close to that photo.. The watch does look very nice..

If authentic, that watch will go for about 1,200. However, an authentic Rolex Two Tone Jubilee bracelet for it will cost 4,000 new; hence, it is on leather..

You can find plenty of Two Tone Datejusts available with original bracelets for less than you would put into that one..

[Tunacan26]

Good luck in your search. You'll hopefully no doubt have a "happy Rolex ending." Great place to be!

[bulldogdaddy]

Welcome to the forum! I'm a relative noob here, too. This is a great place to learn everything you need to know to make a wise purchase. Just hang around and read some threads, and ask some questions.

[chicfarmer1]

To me the false economy comes in making an uninformed, or underinformed, purchase at any price. If you need to take more time to study the brand and try ones on your wrist in person (have you done that yet?), by all means take the time. There are zillions of Rolexes available for purchase at any time. Don't feel compelled to buy before your thought process and knowledge base are fairly well along. As an example, using aftermarket parts like a bracelet could well be a complete waste of $$ should you ever resell--and I would assume you meant a non-Rolex bracelet if you estimated $300. So, things like this should be factored in, and only with knowledge can you judge whether the economy of a given purchase is true or false.

Good luck. The learning curve is both fun and worthwhile.

[GradyPhilpott]

I can't speak to the authenticity of the watch, although it does look good, or the credibility of the seller, I have to say that for a 1967 DJ that bezel is in outstanding condition.

[Speed]

As Larry said...be very wary of eBay. I would go so far to say don't shop for watches there.

[tkc324]

Good luck with your search... you will prob do better searching the for sale forum here.

[ed54]

I don't know the seller, but he certainly has moved a lot of watches, with only one complaint. If you choose to bid, you should plan on having someone authenticate the watch by opening it up for inspection, just to confirm that you got what is in the picture. And you will have to spring for a service, which and run from $600 for Rolex service to maybe $250 for a good independent watchmaker. Since an authentic new bracelet is kind of a non-starter, the price bid should reflect the fact that you're paying only for the watch head. OTOH, it looks pretty good with a leather band.

[conrail]

You'll find some amazing watches and prices in the For Sale section here that are perfect for a "starter" Rolex! Happy hunting.

[SPARTAN2161]

Welcome to the forum! My advice to you is skip the search on ebay and look on the for sale section here. There are a lot of trusted buyers here and you wont end up with a franken watch or worst case a "replica/fake" POS good luck though and post pics when you do make your purchase!!!

[skyedog]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN2161

Welcome to the forum! My advice to you is skip the search on ebay and look on the for sale section here. There are a lot of trusted buyers here and you wont end up with a franken watch or worst case a "replica/fake" POS good luck though and post pics when you do make your purchase!!!

+1

[Kapture1]

Stay away from eBay, like mentioned above. The only place I would ever buy or sell is here or on WUS, either way, you have to buy the seller, not the watch. Good luck and please feel free to post any question, there are tons of folks here that will be happy to help.

[Fiery]

My recommendations would be:

1) Stay away from eBay. As others suggested, TRF sales section has a lot of reliable sellers, while eBay is a lot more risky.

2) I'd stay away from any gold content and leather straps, on the basis that replacement parts (and goodies like a bracelet) may be pricy or hard to get. Gold bracelets may have exceeding stretching too.

3) I know it may be bit far from old DJ prices of let's say $1500, but I'd much rather pick a nice Sub NoDate as a "starter" Rolex.

[mrbill2mrbill2]

Any first Rolex you buy is a "starter". It just starts the urge for another. To echo previous responses - stay away from e-bay unless you know Rolexes and trust the seller - buy here. Search the threads there are plenty of trusted sellers on TRF with history and references. Have fun on your journey.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by watch watcher

Hey guys, my very modest "fleet" consists of a Movado and just last week I complemented it with a very beautiful all flat-black Citizen Eco Drive Stiletto. I also have a $10 beater watch that I bought at The Sports Authority of all places that looks clean (no scratches) after about 12 years of abuse. It's a no-name brand and one of the best watches I've ever owned. I also inherited an all-gold Omega from my father. Unfortunately, I couldn't find his Accutron tuning fork watch that he had. I remember that watch as a child and lusted after it at a young age.

Anyway, onto my question. Simply put, I've gotten bitten by the Rolex bug for some reason. I found one on eBay that speaks to me (that style of Rolex). Here it is: (Are we allowed to post links?)http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Would it be false economy to buy it because to make it complete it would likey need a service (~$700) and a proper band ($300-plus)? That watch does look spectactular, though. What is the maximun bid you'd place on that watch?

Most of us on this forum have been where you are now, as you can tell from my name when I started on this forum I didn't own a Rolex but I wanted one... BADLY!! LOL

I did a lot of research and bought from a grey reseller who posted here, but before I did anything I asked a ton of questions from members and other resellers and I "bought" the seller before I bought his watch. If you go grey or used that's is what I suggest for you as well.

Find out as much as you can about the actual watch and the seller and set up as many reasonable protections for yourself as you can. Feel free to PM me if you have questions.

[moviefreak]

Welcome to the forum.. A DJ TT is a nice starter and it has the Rolex look 100%.. In Rolex the right price is the price you are glad to pay with no regrets.. You will always hear stories of extremely great deals for low price but those are not common at all.. Just set yourself on how much you want to spend and start from there..good luck

[rmfnla]

Well, there has to be a dissenting opinion so here it is...

That's a pretty watch. The listing says it has been polished and I am sure the bezel has been replaced but if it could be had for a decent price I see no reason not to go for it.

As you said, the seller has good feedback. If you look at the items he has sold there are alot of comparable watches so this is not a one-time deal; this guys sells watches. He also offers a 3-day return period so you would have plenty of time to have it checked out by a competent watch person.

Plus, eBay has a $$ back guarantee so if you get burned they give you a full refund.

I would compare to similar watches being sold elsewhere to make sure of it's real value and don't bid above that.

Then, if you end up with it you can post pictures in the Vintage section and everyone will go "ooh" and "ah"...

[bighaole]

I came very close to getting burned on ebay, many moons ago. I had received my first "real" work bonus and thought, "Hey! I should buy a Breitling Chronomat!" My brother was an early adoptor of ebay and suggested I look there. We found one that looked to be in great shape, at a great price. I was the 2nd highest bidder (which was lucky!). When the high bidder dropped out, the seller asked me if I was interested. "All it needs is a new battery," he told me.

BATTERY??? In a Breitling automatic?? Having dodged the bullet, I vowed to never buy a watch off of ebay, without being VERY careful.

[z0mghenry]

How much are you willing to spend?

This being your first Rolex, I would consider buying from an AD. It's not just buying a watch, it's an experience. I enjoyed it but now that I've gotten that out of the way, I have been looking at the sale section on TRF and there are many deals to be had.

[dieseldragon]

I think all the eBay bashing is a bit harsh. I hate them with a passion as a regular seller, but it is a great place to browse and buy. If the seller has good high feedback for all watch related sales, then whats the problem?

Do not buy from someone with zero or virtually zero feedback.

When you buy your first watch, originality is everything. Make sure dial and bracelet are genuine parts. If the watch is supplied on leather, then account for getting a bracelet as opposed to buying a watch with original bracelet. Refinished dials are a complete no no.

Servicing - I might ruffle some feathers here, but if the watch is 60's-70's and looks good and is keeping good time, chances are its been well looked after and will go on for a good long while. My dad wears a 2 tone DJ non quickset that was last serviced in '88. He wears it at weekends, it keeps great time. If worse comes to worse and a watch of this vintage does pack up, there is nothing that can not be repaired.
If the watch is of the mid-late 90's vareity I would expect to see evidence of a service history.

Buying a used watch is much like buying a used car, if its relativly new its going to have main dealer history, if its a bit older expect to see receipts from an independant. If really old expect nothing and make a judgement on condition.

Before you jump in, keep researching, know the model numbers and learn what to look for, depending on your budget.

And last lesson- Buy the Seller, not the watch!