Rolex warranty card, how important

[sweepster]

How important is the Rolex Warranty card? I was offered a brand new Daytona but it is supposedly "grey market" and does not come with the Rolex printed card, only the box, the book and all the tags with plastic wrap. Just not the Rolex card. Do these cards help with resale even if the warranty is expired?

Thanks,

[Justinmg]

Resale value is always better when you have as much of the original paper work regardless if it's expired.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by justinmg

resale value is always better when you have as much of the original paper work regardless if it's expired.

x2

[HorologyK]

Very imp. IMO.

[T. Ferguson]

You'll hear differing opinions, but generally speaking it is worth something. If not more money on resale, than at least a bit more saleable. There are some buyers who will not consider a piece without full papers. Obviously there are none that will insist the warranty card be missing.

The big internet resellers do not provide the warranty card, but rather substitute their own warranty. My guess is that is the arrangement they have with the AD's they buy from. If you are looking at this kind of situation keep in mind you're not just foregoing the card itself, but you are also not getting the Rolex factory five year warranty.

[TickTockChuck]

No Rolex international warranty without the card I'm certain. Less options for servicing other than the gray market dealer's after-market warranty. So important IMHO. Cheers!

[beer]

not important

[xjeeunitx]

Originally Posted by beer

not important

You won't say that when you realize that you could have sold your watch for more...

[beer]

Originally Posted by xjeeunitx

You won't say that when you realize that you could have sold your watch for more...

if you buy it at a price that takes into account the lack of card, whats the issue?

with card: buy for $9k, sell at $8k (example)
without: buy for $8.6k, sell for $7.6k

only difference i can see is that without the card, you have 400 extra dollars in the bank accruing interest

[Sublovin]

Originally Posted by beer

if you buy it at a price that takes into account the lack of card, whats the issue?

with card: buy for $9k, sell at $8k (example)
without: buy for $8.6k, sell for $7.6k

only difference i can see is that without the card, you have 400 extra dollars in the bank accruing interest

This is exactly right! People love warranty cards and worthless items. If you're comfortable wit the deal you're getting, don't worry about it

[mkmk]

Very.

[Tools]

It's only important if it is important to you.

You do not "make a killing" when you sell a watch with the card, you can usually ask a couple of hundred more, at most, but then you likely bought it at a substantial discount too.

Condition of the watch and your comfort with the price is what matters.

[ilovewatchestoo]

Not super important in the grand of it all but I would require one especially for a very new watch. Also why no card in a watch that is so new. Seems strange that the stickers are there but not the warranty card.

[Rocket_Man]

When you buy grey market without the warranty card that value is priced into the sale price of the watch. If you look at a warranty as an insurance policy against defects, you just aren't buying that policy. So you save your premium in the hopes that the watch does not have a defect during that 5 years. If it does the repair is on you. Most grey market dealers offer their own warranty serviced by their own watchmakers. Repairs may not use Rolex parts or certified watchmakers.

When you go to sell, if it is during what the warranty period would have been, you will have to reduce the price to sell it. But as mentioned that may be only a few hundred dollars.

Once the warranty period is over, not having the AD card may make it a little harder to move, so again you may need to drop the price a little to make it attractive.

So the moral of the story is to buy it right in the first place.

Note that damage caused by the owner isn't covered anyway and that seems to be the most common reason a Rolex would need service in the warranty period. There have been some design flaws in new movements that have been fixed under warranty. But in the grand scheme of things I think it is rare.

[JimMiller]

Originally Posted by Rocket_Man

When you buy grey market without the warranty card that value is priced into the sale price of the watch. If you look at a warranty as an insurance policy against defects, you just aren't buying that policy. So you save your premium in the hopes that the watch does not have a defect during that 5 years. If it does the repair is on you. Most grey market dealers offer their own warranty serviced by their own watchmakers. Repairs may not use Rolex parts or certified watchmakers.

Unless one loves to gamble, it only makes sense to buy GM if the GM price plus the cost of a repair is significantly less than the AD price. If this isn't true (and it isn't for some popular Rolexes), then it makes sense to buy from the AD. If the watch has problems, you can pay for the repairs yourself, take it to any trusted/reliable watchmaker (even Rolex), and still come out ahead.

[PaulChronometer]

Originally Posted by JimMiller

Unless one loves to gamble, it only makes sense to buy GM if the GM price plus the cost of a repair is significantly less than the AD price. If this isn't true (and it isn't for some popular Rolexes), then it makes sense to buy from the AD. If the watch has problems, you can pay for the repairs yourself, take it to any trusted/reliable watchmaker (even Rolex), and still come out ahead.

It depends. Some grey market dealers provide the full set, including warranty card with the "originating" AD's name on it, and with customer's name left blank. Apparently these GM dealers have good connections to an AD.

So I think buying GM can be perfectly fine, but it helps to figure out beforehand the differences among GM dealers.

Based on what I have seen, a GM dealer that provides the original warranty, will be somewhat more expensive than other GM dealers.

[sweepster]

Thanks y'all. This is all very helpful.

[Lordofrolex]

I don't consider buying 2nd hand unless it's a full set.

[Amex4711]

Originally Posted by Lordofrolex

I don't consider buying 2nd hand unless it's a full set.

I 100% agree !
BNIB Daytona without warranty Card ?

[joli160]

Originally Posted by Lordofrolex

I don't consider buying 2nd hand unless it's a full set.

Like me and many others ... without warranty card you limit your market considering resale.

[Gaijin]

Seems a lot of watches on here for sale linger a lot longer in the for sale section that do not have the warranty papers or cards. So if you are planning to resale it and even if you're not but who knows you might flip it for something else someday then you should have it.



For me it's darn near a deal breaker. Unless the price is just too good to pass up.

[bondtoys]

People who will be telling you 'not important' will be the first ones that are lowballing your watch for sale 'because papers are missing'

[padi56]

Originally Posted by sweepster

How important is the Rolex Warranty card? I was offered a brand new Daytona but it is supposedly "grey market" and does not come with the Rolex printed card, only the box, the book and all the tags with plastic wrap. Just not the Rolex card. Do these cards help with resale even if the warranty is expired?

Thanks,

For some it might but myself always buy on condition of watch and not in most cases a out dated bit of paper or plastic card.And if watch was say 5 years old I would have watch serviced by RSC .Then you will get a service paper or plastic card with all the watch details on plus than will be a two year valid warranty.To me especially with any modern day Rolex the warranty is only good if its valid and you do have to make a claim.But in general Rolex watches seldom need any warranty work done in the warranty period.Except for perhaps some with OCD over a second or so and want to rush out and get it regulated for 2 or 3 seconds out of 86400 in a day.

[Mick P]

Originally Posted by sweepster

How important is the Rolex Warranty card? I was offered a brand new Daytona but it is supposedly "grey market" and does not come with the Rolex printed card, only the box, the book and all the tags with plastic wrap. Just not the Rolex card. Do these cards help with resale even if the warranty is expired?

Thanks,

In a commercial sense, it is advantageous to have all the paper work. The stupid thing being that it is dead easy and very cheap to forge papers. Still a set of papers turns an untrusting customer into a very trusting one, so hence there must be thousands and thousands of forged papers out there.

Regards

Mick

[Rolex fan 61]

The value is in the watch itself

[Etschell]

watch in warranty period extremely important, watch out of warranty not as important, vintage watch is important if you want the highest resale.

[bayerische]

It Adds value when you want to sell/trade.

[The Libertine]

When I searched for my 16710 (after it was discontinued), one of the best examples I found was from a trusted seller here on TRF. It was in truly excellent (and unpolished) condition. The Rolex came with the boxes, tags, instruction manual but no warranty card. To me, finding a 16710 in unpolished mint condition was more important than the inclusion of a (expired) warranty card. Ultimately, it was a non-issue because I sent it to RSC for a service, and was returned with the service warranty card documenting make, model etc.

So, in my opinion, there are other factors (such as watch condition) far more important than a warranty card.

[Tomas Eriksson]

The warranty card, at least in Sweden also works as a proof of ownership towards insurance companies. Someone with the warranty card could use it for an insurance fraud. That could potentially lead to the watch being flagged as stolen in Rolex database.

I wouldn't buy a modern Rolex without the card...

[Rolex addict]

I was going to trade in a GMT with a well known trusted seller here. Not having the card dropped the value $1000. Something to consider before buying without all the paperwork.