Buy Used

[mountainjogger]

Originally Posted by joli160

Never buy from a private person you don't know. Pay the extra and buy from a trusted seller. They stand behind their products

Bingo. In other words. If you have doubts, move on.

[uhren917]

Maybe you can try calling DavidSW and asking them to check the SN for you through their validation/screening process. He is a nice guy and maybe would help you out as a Goodwill gesture and as a potential future customer. Wouldnt hurt and all he can say is no.

[RolexNorth]

UPDATE:

I was contacted by seller who has provided me the serial number and he has agreed to go to a watchmaker of my choosing to get the watch authenticated.

Debating if I will go to my dealer, or straight to Rolex Service Center in my city and get them to both authenticate AND make sure it's not stolen.

First, I will call the US Rolex SC's and give them the serial number and see what they say.

I'll keep you guys posted.

[TempoKing]

Originally Posted by TswaneNguni

Very unlikely taht a thief will steal and sell the complete set with box and papers .

Still do the checks

Usually when I buy a full set preowned Rolex I do not check “honesty”
If I do not have recourse
... I will open the watch and check the movement
Many buy full set accessories ...stick a Rolex clone and then...you cry.

When I buy used without accessories
I check the movement and I check the serial number
If you don’t And you go to the RSC for any reason and the watch is in their system
Not only as stolen ...but inheritance ...or marital disputes also exist
Then they will keep the watch

[djyolky]

No

[rolehex]

If I was buying I would check with few of the stolen watch database online. The one I have used before is www.thewatchregister.com. You can search serial numbers there for a small fee.

[subtona]

The likelihood is reduced if the watch includes box and papers.

I am confident Most stolen watches are not the result of home burglary.
According to the myriad of stories available most seem to be taken off someone’s wrist or out of a gym locker.

Box and papers showing up under these circumstances would be highly unusual.

[Rori]

Originally Posted by Yess

I always struggle buying secondhand - my bank account can see the benefits - but my head just can't make the same leap (or maybe its my heart).

Whenever I do the math, I always return to three key points (not necessarily to do with watches, nor in this order): Warranty, Stolen/Fake, (Mis)treatment concerns.

Of course, if you are buying something extremely difficult to get new, or indeed, you can no longer buy new, then the equation changes.

I'm also very glad for those who are more than happy to buy secondhand - it means I can move on all my out of warranty, mistreated, fake stuff at a good price!

[m j b]

Originally Posted by subtona

The likelihood is reduced if the watch includes box and papers.

I am confident Most stolen watches are not the result of home burglary.
According to the myriad of stories available most seem to be taken off someone’s wrist or out of a gym locker.

Box and papers showing up under these circumstances would be highly unusual.

I agree with statement #2, however statements #1 and #3 can be easily refuted with a quick eBay search for Rolex box and Rolex owner's manual.

Good forgers (and there are some good ones) can easily print up a warranty card.

I hate to perpetuate this thread any more, since there is so much wrong and misleading information on it.

[RolexNorth]

UPDATE 2:

I made a bunch of phone calls this afternoon, one of which went to Rolex Dallas Service Center. I got a hold of someone in service and gave them the serial number and asked if the watch had ever come in to Rolex for service. She asked me to give her a few minutes because she had to put the info through a couple of systems. She came back and said "No, this watch has never come in for service to a Rolex centre". I ask her if she could tell me anymore info and she said that was all she was able to access. She could not tell me from which AD it was purchased or anything much more. She did tell me that, she could only give me information about the USA. She said Rolex USA does NOT keep record beyond the country's border. FYI, the watch is of US origin.

I tried calling the AD, however, the AD is a franchise and the card does not specify which franchisor sold it. I picked one of the AD's to call and asked them if they could verify via shared inventory which store may have sold this watch. She said I would probably have to call their head office.

Lastly, I took a posters advice and called DavidSW and asked if they had a database to check for serial numbers. He said they had no such system and asked why. I asked him, how would you check to see if the watch you're being offered is stolen or encumbered otherwise. He kept saying, "Call the local police and ask". So, not much help there as I'm not 100% sure where the watch was bought.

I have a couple more things to check and then I'll have to make a decision by tomorrow night. I'll have to have the watch confirmed either way, so a visit to my watchmaker who's also a Rolex vendor is definite, unless, I can work out something with the seller and send the watch directly to a Rolex SC and find out if it's encumbered.

A poster mentioned checking out a pay-site for serial number verification for a fee, so I'm going to try that now.

[roystrex]

Same issue here.

On November I Called London Center and asked about it, since I made a deposit for a Daytona without B&P, so the seller would share pictures of the watch with the SN showing. The lovely lady on the phone transferred the call and another lovely lady and to my question of "check before I buy" told me, that they don't have it on UK system, and I can bring it to service it.

Right before I take it to AD close to me, on 03/01/2020, I did "the watch register" check with "NO MATCH'' certificate.

Also the AD told me, that it is good idea to have picture of me wearing the watch, which might work as future proof of ownership, since I payed PayPayl and the 28 days of protection is long due, and I had to close that account.

[AlexFrank]

To make me feel at peace, I definitely would call with the serial number.
good luck man

[RolexNorth]

UPDATE 3

So, I did two things the past 24 hours. Checked the serial number against the watch registry and called the head office of the AD Franchise.

Regarding the watch registry, the confirmation came back as "No Match", so this helped some, on top of Rolex Dallas telling me the watch has never come in for service.

Second, I spoked to a high up at the head quarters of the AD Franchise from whence the watch was purchased. He could only confirm that NO stolen watch had been reported to ANY of their franchise store in the past year (FYI, watch was purchased less than a year ago). He confirmed also that the franchises embossment on the warrantee card was correct, as well as confirming that their AD's handwrite the buyers name and purchase date onto the card before it leaves the store. Just to note (as he gave me his name, AND is a high up), he mentioned to me that Rolex would be turning the taps back on for their watches, so he left me with the impression that the bubble has burst. He made a point that as demand went up, Rolex wasn't going to forsake quality control in order to meet demand, hence why it's been difficult to accommodate demand.

I will be meeting the seller at my watchmaker to go over the watch in full and qualify it as 100% authentic. Fingers crossed.

[porschejeff]

My buddy bought a preowned Submariner from a Trusted seller on here. He had an issue and sent it to the RSC and found out it was a stolen watch. He went back to the seller who was willing to to reimburse him for the cost he paid. My friend was able to re-purchase the watch from the insurance company that technically owned the watch with the proceeds received back from the seller. Everything turned out well for my friend.