ownership history question

[RolLee]

Is there a way to tell if an allegedly "new" rolex has been pre-owned?
For instance, can you check somewhere if the serial # has been previously registered?
Thanks in advance.

[Wolfgang427]

No, there is no registry of serial#'s that are retailed. Some ADs have brand new watches that are unsold many years after manufacture and are still new.

[marke]

Your Ad can send a request to geneva sking for information about your watch, Rolex Hq will confirm which dealer originally purchsed the watch and the year it was supplied to them, the only other info you can get is the service history when the watch has been into service, but the problem here is the data protection, they cannot give you copies of service reports, all they will confirm is that they have have had the watch in for service.

hope this helps
marke

[mailman]

OK, maybe this is off topic a bit but still related.

Say you purchase a BNIB Rolex from an authorized AD with open papers. The time comes to have the watch serviced. Would the owner of the watch be able to send it to a RSC in the USA of their choice without anything happening to the watch and or the AD?

I'm asking this because when the time comes to service my watch, I think I would like to send it off to either Dallas or Beverly Hills on my own. My AD used RSCNY and doesn't charge a premium on top of the service cost. My only concern is the horror stories I've heard about RSCNY.

Thanks

[Tools]

Paul,

You can send your Rolex to any RSC you choose. Your "papers" are yours and have nothing to do with the service, and are not needed for anything except a warranty issue.

So, keep your open papers in a safe place, send your watch off to Dallas for it's routine service call, and they will return it to you with the service papers and a 1 year warranty. Take those papers and add them to the originals, and you have the best of all worlds....original papers, and service papers that show what a great care-taker you are.

[DSJ]

To compound the confustion, AD's CAN get new papers for a returned watch.

[wantonebad]

Open papers require the "gift" excuse to have warranty work I'm told, that's the way around a grey purchase with open papers... in theory?!?!?!!!

<<BITING NAILS AS I TYPE>>

[mike]

Originally Posted by Tools

Paul,

You can send your Rolex to any RSC you choose. Your "papers" are yours and have nothing to do with the service, and are not needed for anything except a warranty issue.

So, keep your open papers in a safe place, send your watch off to Dallas for it's routine service call, and they will return it to you with the service papers and a 1 year warranty. Take those papers and add them to the originals, and you have the best of all worlds....original papers, and service papers that show what a great care-taker you are.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Tools

Paul,

You can send your Rolex to any RSC you choose. Your "papers" are yours and have nothing to do with the service, and are not needed for anything except a warranty issue.

So, keep your open papers in a safe place, send your watch off to Dallas for it's routine service call, and they will return it to you with the service papers and a 1 year warranty. Take those papers and add them to the originals, and you have the best of all worlds....original papers, and service papers that show what a great care-taker you are.

Thanks Larry

[delldeaton]

Originally Posted by mailman

OK, maybe this is off topic a bit but still related.

Say you purchase a BNIB Rolex from an authorized AD with open papers. The time comes to have the watch serviced. Would the owner of the watch be able to send it to a RSC in the USA of their choice without anything happening to the watch and or the AD?

I'm asking this because when the time comes to service my watch, I think I would like to send it off to either Dallas or Beverly Hills on my own. My AD used RSCNY and doesn't charge a premium on top of the service cost. My only concern is the horror stories I've heard about RSCNY.

Thanks

Earlier this year, I inquired of Rolex in New York about their stolen watches registry. I asked what was required to put a watch on that and they said a police report or similar; then I believe they said that having a warranty for the watch would help.

My concern, akin to yours, was a malicious report = my watch being seized (not that particular watch, but, well, you know what I mean).

As that discussion went on, we talked about the idea that even if someone had the serial number and attempted such a thing, there were safeguards. In other words, a service provider itself would be a bit out on a limb for seizing a watch that was rightfully yours. And, even if you could not prove you'd bought it, there's that old saying about possession being nine-tenths of the law; ie, you were the one who sent it in. That means the burden is on the "complainer" who said it was stolen (under the scenario we're talking about here), to have it returned to them and taken from you.

Although I wouldn't give legal advice here, I believe you'd have recourse and remedies against the seller (to you) if the watch was, in fact, "hot."

Good question. Hope this helps.