Reference Number Mismatch on Warranty Card

[creedence623]

Hi all. I've been a long time lurker, and recently added my first Rolex to my watch collection.

My search for a new watch took me through a number of the Boston area's grey dealers as well as ADs while I narrowed my choices down. I came across this 116613LB in one of the more predominant grey dealers in town which he was offering at a reasonably attractive price. To the best of my knowledge, everything looked good on it, but I couldn't get over a discrepancy with the warranty card out of my head. I eventually came to the conclusion that the ~$2,000 premium was worth the piece of mind with this purchase so I went and got one from the AD.

Having said that, this is still bugging me. The serial numbers match on the watch and the card, but the reference number on the card is 116613LN rather than LB. I'm hoping someone here can settle my suspicion that the dealer likely bought a box and paperwork, and paid to have a card fabricated which led to the reference number error. If that's the case, I get buying the box and booklets, but having a card fabricated feels a little uncomfortably shady from a business practice perspective for a ~$11,000 purchase.

Like I said, this was enough to scare me away from the purchase, but this is the first instance I've seen through my casual/moderate searching of a serial number match with a reference number discrepancy. The scary thing is, the card looked pretty legit outside of that issue.

[Tools]

Having a card fabricated would not be on my list, although I suppose that it happens.

I would have figured that somebody changed the dial and insert..

[Lordofrolex]

It could be possible but i doubt unlikely.

But you never know. Sorry couldn't help you.

[creedence623]

Thanks for the replies. Considering it takes so much time and effort to get a single watch off the line, I find it hard to imagine Rolex messing up a detail like the model number on the warranty card (further considering how particular they are on which watches qualify for warranty services).

Forgive my relative lack of knowledge with Rolex's, but is it easier to change the dial and insert than it is to forge a convincing warranty card?? (scary prospect)

[SpaceWanderer]

Blank Rolex warranty cards are only a few clicks away for anybody with internet access, and dirt cheap. You did the smart thing.

[creedence623]

Originally Posted by SpaceWanderer

Blank Rolex warranty cards are only a few clicks away for anybody with internet access, and dirt cheap. You did the smart thing.

Thanks! Having purchased a few Breitlings and Panerai's, it was STILL hard to part with the MSRP (or close to it) for a new, AD Rolex, but in the end, I think it was worth going the AD route in this cricumstance given these particular concerns with the local market in my recent search.

Anyway, I ended up going with the 116613LN, but this way I'm not waking up at 2 am wondering about the authenticity of my warranty card, insert, or any number of other variables.

Still very interested to hear about everyone's thoughts on the card and the reference number mismatch.

[SpaceWanderer]

Originally Posted by creedence623

Thanks! Having purchased a few Breitlings and Panerai's, it was STILL hard to part with the MSRP (or close to it) for a new, AD Rolex, but in the end, I think it was worth going the AD route in this cricumstance given these particular concerns with the local market in my recent search.

Anyway, I ended up going with the 116613LN, but this way I'm not waking up at 2 am wondering about the authenticity of my warranty card, insert, or any number of other variables.

Still very interested to hear about everyone's thoughts on the card and the reference number mismatch.

Great photo, BTW. But that Sub is a long way from Sea Level!

Fly Safe-

[Trailblazer]

The card from the photo looks legit to me, it could be an after market swap on the dial and insert.

Have you tried contacting the AD on card or RSC?

[creedence623]

Originally Posted by Trailblazer

The card from the photo looks legit to me, it could be an after market swap on the dial and insert.

Have you tried contacting the AD on card or RSC?

No, I hadn't reached out to the AD, and the scary thing is how close I came to pulling the trigger on that watch. I was so fixated on the watch that I was almost ready to overlook the mismatch. Really glad I passed in the end.

Thanks again for all the input!

[AK797]

Did the serial number match the rehaut's? If so could be a simple error.

[shoppy]

It could be as simple as the grey dealer has swapped the dial and and bezel. The card looks legit, if in doubt just ring the AD and ask them the details about the watch.

[1210tech]

Did you ask the grey dealer what the score was with the watch? Yes, he could've lied through his teeth but he might have given you the full background

The card looks legit to me including the model/serial printing

[creedence623]

I didn't really dig too deep with the grey dealer at the time. The disparity was just enough to scare me off. I've actually never bought a watch from a grey dealer so I wasn't really armed with all of the intelligent questions that particular purchase probably warranted.

Interestingly, the watch was being presented as brand new, so had I bought it and the dial and ring had been replaced- or any component for that matter, I'd be pretty sour right now.

It may be a good purchase for the right buyer, but I'm not that guy in the end. Ultimately, I feel good about the decision to go with the AD, but the card thing was eating at me even a couple weeks later which is why I wanted everyone's input. I wasn't sure if there is some known practice of doctoring up legit warranty cards. The ring and face replacement scenario makes a lot of sense.

[tomchicago]

Yep that's definitely the wrong card. Run, don't walk, away.

[g-boac]

I think Mike's response is the most likely, and agrees with the Ockham's Razor ("theory"), which states that among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions (i.e., the simplest) should be selected first. In this case, it seems both much more likely, and much simpler for a seller/grey market dealer to execute a bezel and dial swap, than it would be to generate an erroneous warranty card.

Even in the Rolex factory - it is very likely that a number of quality assurance provisions AND manufacturing processes would have to go wrong, in order to either build a watch incorrectly, document it incorrectly, and then erroneously clear it as correct. I mean, this is three consecutive mistakes that need to happen, at the most basic level. If watches are built in batches, then it becomes even MORE improbable that the first nine are built looking one way, and the tenth is entirely different.

So in this case, the simplest theory with the fewest assumptions is a simple conversion after production by a seller.

Regardless, you made the right call staying away!!!!!

[dera]

Nymans Uhr is a legit Swedish AD.

Have your nearest Rolex AD swipe the card and see what it says.

[anothernewphone]

I don't care what the story is behind it, I'm not buying a watch with a warranty card that doesn't match. I'd sooner buy a watch with no papers (I have), but passing off something as "new with papers" and having them be a mis-match is enough to make me walk and find watch somewhere else.

[watchwatcher]

Well...I guess it's a moot point now.

I would think it was a dial/bezel swap, although I can't imagine why. And we'll never know.

[cho1987sw]

I don't think it was fabricated. as you can see, the green line between serial and reference is not simple line, that is letter if you see with magnifying glass.

and there is no reason to make fabricated card, and if they want to make fabricated card, they would not make that simple mistake. everything can happens. maybe that's why the watch was sold to grey dealer from AD.

or 1 more thing we can consider is bezel and dial was changed. originally watch was 116613LN.

[DeeTee]

The watch looks legit

[cho1987sw]

I read once again, if the watch was new and stickers or barcode on it, there is low possibility that dial was swap. because grey dealer is just dealer, not technician, and there is no reason to do that things for grey dealer. becuz they know they can lose trust if they do that kind of thing, and that is really easy to find by customer.

all the rolex watches are tested and checked. but checking warranty card would be done by human. and they could do mistake. so same case would be happen even if you bought from AD. and warranty card and watch was just matched by 1:1.

the fastest way and the most clear way is just going to RSC and let them check. or you can contact that AD.

i think this case is just human error.
most of grey dealer dont do that kind of risky thing.

[Flstfirider]

I have a hard time believing that a dealer, AD or Grey, would swap dials and bezels on a modern ceramic model. They are readily available and easy for a grey dealer to source a blue or black watch if needed for a customer.

I'm going with human error.