Finally found a Sea Dweller

[watchmancy]

so i finnaly found a 99 sea dweller for a decent price, he said it comes with the box and papers and is like new in box. one question we are meeting at a local ad and i was curious what to look for, he said it comes with the box and papers but could it still be fake? or does the case back need to be opened up? or can the AD tell by not opening it, and will it need to be re sealed if it has to be opened? sorry for the newbie question im just curious and i dont want to buy a fake!

[Rolex116520]

As you are meeting at your local AD one would presume the AD to know what to look for , don't you think ?

[mjm800]

Originally Posted by watchmancy

so i finnaly found a 99 sea dweller for a decent price, he said it comes with the box and papers and is like new in box. one question we are meeting at a local ad and i was curious what to look for, he said it comes with the box and papers but could it still be fake? or does the case back need to be opened up? or can the AD tell by not opening it, and will it need to be re sealed if it has to be opened? sorry for the newbie question im just curious and i dont want to buy a fake!

Since the seller is willing to meet at an AD that's a good sign. The sales person is not who you want determining if the watch is real. Have the watch maker open it he/she can tell for sure, you might have to pay $50 but it's well worth it for the piece of mind it buys you.

Oh I forgot it's a SD the AD may not want to touch it since it would need to be pressure tested after opening and many AD's are not equipped to pressure test SD because of the depth specs. Am I wrong in this assumption I only say it because my AD said they can work on any Rolex except the SD and SDDS because of the pressure test.

[Johny]

is the seller a local(to you) person? are you satisfied that they are who they say they are? who chose the ad? will you be carrying cash? i dont know if you have all of this covered but as is said on here time and time again... buy the seller first. just imho some things to consider. $50 ish to get the back off is not a lot so take your camera and get some pics of the inside...wish i had some pics of mine. i hope it all goes ok for you. oops almost forgot ,make contact with the ad before the appointment and discuss with them exactly what is happening and what you want checked and verified. they may be able to check the rolex stolen register while you are there.

[watchmancy]

thank you for the info, i just looked at how horribly wrong i spelled the title, any who. i made contact with both seller and AD its about 3 hours from me, i will be carrying cash but im not worried about getting robbed or anything. the ad is local to him, and he guaranteed there both genuine so i suppose im not too worried i suppose, its just my first Rolex and a little cautious is all.

[Johny]

Originally Posted by watchmancy

thank you for the info, i just looked at how horribly wrong i spelled the title, any who. i made contact with both seller and AD its about 3 hours from me, i will be carrying cash but im not worried about getting robbed or anything. the ad is local to him, and he guaranteed there both genuine so i suppose im not too worried i suppose, its just my first Rolex and a little cautious is all.

are you buying from someone on this forum?

[watchmancy]

no a guy off craigslist...

[Johny]

Originally Posted by watchmancy

no a guy off craigslist...

have you asked on here if anyone knows or has had dealings with him?

[mrbill2mrbill2]

mj800 is correct most if not all AD will not take a back off a SD. And you wouldn't want them to.

[Jason71]

Find out where he bought the watch (if he is the original owner), and call the AD to find out if they have record of the sale. It worked for me once.

[S52]

Also in the market for an older 16600, ive noticed they are steadily appreciating since being discontinued... mind me asking what he wants to let it go for?

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by watchmancy

no a guy off craigslist...

Dude......read my post on your other thread. You don't want to go down this road.

[Numismatist]

I'd be more concerned it's stolen

[nauticajoe]

Proceed with caution. Good Luck! Keep us apprised.

[mjm800]

My only problem here is it should be an AD of your choosing. Also be wary of a bait and switch. Most AD's will not allow you to conduct business under their roof, sure they will validate the watch (some will charge a fee). But once they determine the watch is authentic you cannot exchange the cash in the store, so be careful that the watch validated is the watch you take home.

I would recommend once validate to have the sales person place the watch in a bag and staple it shut then walk to a secure location to exchange the watch and cash.

Oh and don't go alone have a buddy either with you or shadowing you.

If possible don't bring cash and conduct business in the daytime, choose an AD that is within walking distance of a bank, verify the watch, place in secured bag, walk to bank, withdrawal money, and make exchange.

If this is not possible just make sure where ever you exchange the cash and watch that it is a safe location and never let the watch out of your sight I cannot stress the bait and switch factor it's easier to pull off then you might think, that's why I suggest throwing a curve ball and having it sealed in a bag that will never leave your sight.

This guy might be 100% legit and I hope he is but to be safe treat it as if he is going to rip you off.

[Michael M.]

Originally Posted by Jason71

Find out where he bought the watch (if he is the original owner), and call the AD to find out if they have record of the sale. It worked for me once.

I did the same on my Panerai! Good luck!

[Ski Dweller]

Let's see....if it is a 1999 it should be an A serial or maybe a B serial watch. You'll find that by removing the band. This watch was the first to use luminova in the dial. You won't see a t < 0,25 at the 6 o'clock position. The luminescence won't have a half life as tritium did. The tritium dial had a half life of 12.5 years. Two half lives and the watch doesn't show much glowing in the dark. The dial change in 1999 was ad hoc, so you'll find "Swiss" only dials, and two "Swiss Made" dials for that year. There are some differences in the fonts and kerning for original dials of that year. You should educate yourself on the sound of the tick, and the BPM for that movement. The stem will have a gasket, and you should understand how many clicks it can be pulled out. Understand what each click position does. Anyone can take parts or swap in original Rolex parts. I'm no expert. I will tell you this - if the watch hasn't been serviced, you should get it serviced. That will cost as much as $800 for the SD. Rolex will reject the watch if it is a fake, or has fake or aftermarket parts.

I wouldn't have the guts to buy a watch off of Craig's list. You can also get into a position where you're robbed for the cash. A dealer isn't going to place themselves in any position of guarantee for liability reasons. Vintage Sea Dwellers are always available on this forum.

[watchmancy]

thank you all for the info, i really appriciate it. i didnt know there was so much to look for, and now thinking about buying it from someone off craigslist really isnt soo smart, i will make contact with him again before getting it looked at and ask the proper questions on the watch. he is also asking 4450.

[mjm800]

Originally Posted by watchmancy

thank you all for the info, i really appriciate it. i didnt know there was so much to look for, and now thinking about buying it from someone off craigslist really isnt soo smart, i will make contact with him again before getting it looked at and ask the proper questions on the watch. he is also asking 4450.

Save yourself the 4450 plus some stress. Buy from a trusted seller or well known forum member just check the Who's Who Forum before buying and ask for references.

There are a lot of guys who sell vintage here who can hook you up (don't know about the price on SD) I would start with Steve Mulholland if you want an older watch.