Tomorrow will be THAT day! and Engraving question.

[gerobak]

Friends, I got THAT email yesterday from my local AD for SubDate black/black. I only told them my intent 1 1/2 week ago, and I will get the precious tomorrow.
This watch will mean a lot for me.
It will be my first rolex, actually the first rolex that will be owned by my family tree. I actually want to buy this for my children, so I can inherit this for them.

I am thinking to engrave it <LastName>'s First or "Only sell, in case of emergency"
who knows... they mess up in the future, they could sell the watch to prolong their lives for couple months or days

Question for you guys: How much engraving will reduce the resale?
I need serious answers guys for this could be the life and death situation for my children!

Meanwhile... Here is my current Tissot that will not be forgotten!

[Andrejb]

Not by much. At least here in Canada. Maybe just a few hundred bucks. I have a few friends that have taken engraved pieces they have purchased to RSC and paid to get a new caseback installed. They keep the old one. Few hundred bucks for the new caseback.

I believe other RSC around the world have different policies.


Congratulations on your first rolex!

[TswaneNguni]

Congrats.NO engraving.

[Rashid.bk]

Congrats, forget anything about resale if you plan to enjoy the watch. It's yours so build whatever relationship you want. But I wouldn't write all that stuff about selling on it...that would hurt value more than a name and date for example.

[Uhtred59]

Your watch. But I think in an emergency no engraving will fetch more.

[s.m.b.]

"Only sell, in case of emergency"

This!

[2nastie]

Yes, any type of engravings affect resale values unless you are a King of a certain country or Paul Newman.

But the real answer: who cares? It's a new family heirloom and you will be passing it on. "Only sell, in case of emergency" ... so don't worry about resale value.

[ashbaug2]

I can't speak to resale, and honestly who can predict what any of this will be worth in the future...? But I can say that when I bought my GMT Master II last year, my intent was for it to be passed down to my kid one day, maybe on his wedding or college graduation. I skipped the engraving, even though I wanted to (might still). I have my dad's watch, a Seiko diver he wore every day for almost 30 years, and I know its importance to him and to me, and there's nothing in this world that would ever make me sell it. I would be living on the street wearing that watch, if it came down to it. Point being, let the importance of it speak in how you teach your kids about it, not an engraving.

But if you do, might I suggest something simple like your initials and a year.

[Junior_]

Initials and date only.

[Lifeisarolliecoaster]

Originally Posted by ashbaug2

I can't speak to resale, and honestly who can predict what any of this will be worth in the future...? But I can say that when I bought my GMT Master II last year, my intent was for it to be passed down to my kid one day, maybe on his wedding or college graduation. I skipped the engraving, even though I wanted to (might still). I have my dad's watch, a Seiko diver he wore every day for almost 30 years, and I know its importance to him and to me, and there's nothing in this world that would ever make me sell it. I would be living on the street wearing that watch, if it came down to it. Point being, let the importance of it speak in how you teach your kids about it, not an engraving.

But if you do, might I suggest something simple like your initials and a year.

I would second this....at least postpone the engraving

[PatronMTL]

That's like giving your kid a car and keying the paint to make it more of a pain in the ass to sell, while incurring additional costs for both the engraving and the undoing of the engraving

[Seibei]

Please don't mess up your watch by engraving it.

[bobernet]

If the engraving is done lightly, it’s easy to polish out later. Caseback replacements aren’t crazy expensive .

You should plan to do one of the above before you sell. While a buyer could do it themselves, an engraving will absolutely reduce the price you receive and it will also drastically reduce the pool of potential buyers. Many people will see an engraved watch and immediately click past to other options.

I wouldn’t let resale fear stop me from engraving a watch if I wanted to do so. I don’t personally care for the proposed engravings, but that’s none of my business.

Enjoy.

[Just1More]

Enjoy the watch--no engraving...who is gonna see it anyway

[Dsmith1974]

Originally Posted by PatronMTL

That's like giving your kid a car and keying the paint to make it more of a pain in the ass to sell, while incurring additional costs for both the engraving and the undoing of the engraving

Exactly this.

[mjclark32]

Engraving is not a big deal at all. Casebacks can be purchased for ~$200 or less if you need a new one.
If it’s an heirloom engraving it just adds sentiment.

[zengineer]

Originally Posted by s.m.b.

"Only sell, in case of emergency"



This!

If you must, leave out the comma. " sell only in case of emergency" reads better.

Really though, it's bad form to give gifts with strings attached.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[ArtNouveau]

I have my late father’s gold Omega retirement watch. On the back is engraved his name and service dates, that’s absolutely the coolest part of the watch to me. Worrying about resale on an heirloom is a sad commentary on the times we live in.
That said, I simply engrave your name or initials and the day it was purchased.

[s.m.b.]

Originally Posted by zengineer

If you must, leave out the comma. " sell only in case of emergency" reads better.

Really though, it's bad form to give gifts with strings attached.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Definitely reads better... If it were me, I'd go with "Only sell in an emergency." Or maybe... "Only sell if you want me to come back from the dead."

[bblewis]

Originally Posted by venron

Enjoy the watch--no engraving...who is gonna see it anyway

His son, on the day he gives it to him.

[Burlington]

Could you not switch the original caseback for a replacement, then engrave the replacement keeping the original minty to add back on at a later date for resale if needed ?

A small extra cost up front to mitigate unknown resale issues or caseback availability in the future.

[WV2019]

Congrats enjoy your new beautiful watch!!

I’d suggest skipping the watch back engraving. Maybe have a small plaque made and stick it on the awesome green box you will get.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HogwldFLTR]

I'd say in general, no to engraving. I don't think it will do any more than diminish the value of the watch.

[101031-28]

I'd go with no engraving, initials and date if you really must

[jimcameron]

"Sell this watch and I'll come back to haunt you."

[alphasports]

Originally Posted by PatronMTL

That's like giving your kid a car and keying the paint to make it more of a pain in the ass to sell, while incurring additional costs for both the engraving and the undoing of the engraving

Haha love it :)

[donas]

Originally Posted by Burlington

Could you not switch the original caseback for a replacement, then engrave the replacement keeping the original minty to add back on at a later date for resale if needed ?

A small extra cost up front to mitigate unknown resale issues or caseback availability in the future.

Burlington beat me to it.

You are creating an heirloom, engrave what you want and enjoy it.

[Psmith]

Congrats

[junamuan]

Originally Posted by Andrejb

Not by much. At least here in Canada. Maybe just a few hundred bucks. I have a few friends that have taken engraved pieces they have purchased to RSC and paid to get a new caseback installed. They keep the old one. Few hundred bucks for the new caseback.

I believe other RSC around the world have different policies.

Congratulations on your first rolex!

Andre,

Where are you in Canada?

I'm contemplating of having my 2 Rolex caseback engraved which will eventually be passed on to my 2 sons when the time is right. Nothing fancy just initials.

[Seibei]

If I think my kids won't be able to remember my name when I have passed away I will give them Rolex watches with my name on the back.