Your help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Carly]

Hi all.

Complete newbie to the forum and to all things Rolex related.

Massive long story short my man turns 40 next year, he loves a nice watch - particularly Rolex's and I would love nothing more than to buy him his 1st for his Birthday.

I know that he really likes the green Submariner but realistically I don't think I will manage to save that much in time......

I am UK based and wondered where would be the most reasonable and safe 2nd hand places to buy a Rolex and how much I am looking to save....?

He was born in 1977 so didn't know if that might be a nice place to start with the older watches?

Please help - I really have no idea haha!

[Carly]

Anyone?

[beshannon]

Welcome, nice gesture.

What is your total budget? Buying pre-owned can be tricky without knowledge.

[Amex4711]

germany is fantastic to buy 2nd watches

[Quailhunter]

Since you are new to Rolex, you are ideal prey for people selling fake watches. I would strongly suggest buying your first Rolex from an authorized dealer.

[NewEnthusiast]

Hi Carly

Lovely gesture; your other half is a lucky man!

Welcome to the forum. There are several threads covering what to look for in a pre-owned watch that are written by people far more knowledgeable than I am. These can be found using the search box. The best piece of advice I can give is; if a deal seems to good to be true, it probably is. Walk away.

As to the where; the trusted sellers here are a good place to start. Once you have a clearer idea of what you want to get your other half, you could even post a WLTB notice. I don't know where you're based in England but many high-end jewelers often have pre-owned sections. They won't necessarily be able to source things to order, nor are you going to get the biggest discounts but it would be a good place to start and get an idea of what the watches look like and the sort of money you should expect to pay. There are also several online pre-owned watch dealers operating in the UK and especially London. Again, it's worth checking them out. When looking at these sites, a business with a physical bricks and mortar shop is a good indication that they're legitimate.

The savings you will make depends very much on the watch you end up going for. Popular models tend to hold their value well so you are unlikely to see a saving of more than a couple of hundred pounds (some models even go for above their "new" price due to their scarcity). For others, you can expect to make savings of over a thousand pounds.

Birth year watches are a great idea (I got one for my 30th). Again cost is variable on the model chosen; some pieces from around this era are considered highly collectible so command a premium over slightly newer pre-owned models.

Hope this has helped a bit.

James

[mato123]

Go to chrono24.com and search for watches sold by UK based sellers with lot of sales. Choose those that have physical store where you can walk in, see a watch in person and decide.

[AgentHsu]

The classifieds section here has a few trusted sellers. Look around and post here if you have any questions about legitimacy and trustworthiness?

[HeartRolex]

Originally Posted by Quailhunter

Since you are new to Rolex, you are ideal prey for people selling fake watches. I would strongly suggest buying your first Rolex from an authorized dealer.

I agree.

[keschete]

I have purchased twice from the forum and if you want any help let me know. There are sellers in Europe and England that advertise. Buy the seller!!!

[locutus49]

There is a UK dealer - Paul Thorpe - who has made Youtube videos on Rolexes and I think he is respected. You could call him and then meet with him. I am in the US so have never dealt with him.

[mjclark32]

What do you think your budget will be?
Can also look into Tudor

[AK797]

Watchfinder have the largest supply of used watches in UK. Look at their submariners, I'm sure there is one you will like for the right price, but push for at least 5% off their price. Also look at Watchcentre and Blowers.

[GMTMasterDallas]

Yeah, I can't really recommend anything unless I have a budget to follow. If he likes green, the Milgauss with the green sapphire crystal would be nice, it's about a thousand less than the green Sub ($9050), but otherwise, a black Sub no-date would retail for $7500.

[OmegaJJH]

Carly - lovely gesture.

You can't really go wrong with a Rolex Submariner of any age or variation. It is the ultimate Rolex to many and a timeless classic.

If you can stretch it i'd strongly recommend buying a brand new one from a Rolex AD. Yes, this will cost more but you get 100% peace of mind, full warranty etc plus you can make a day of it to go and pick it up, get the bracelet sized etc.

My wife bought me a Submariner for my 30th so your husband is very lucky !!

If you can't stretch to the green Sub how about a black Sub C (without the date window) - It's the watch 007 wore! If he's anything like us, he'll like that

Something brand new but a little cheaper would be:

Oyster Perpetual 39 which has an RRP of £4,150.
Air King which has an RRP of £4,550
Datejust 36mm (Domed bezel) has an RRP of £4,950.

Hope this helps.

James (Also based in UK).

[mtgjr]

Originally Posted by OmegaJJH

If you can't stretch to the green Sub how about a black Sub C (without the date window) - It's the watch 007 wore! If he's anything like us, he'll like that

007 wore a ceramic Sub?

[GolfPunk]

Originally Posted by Carly

Hi all.

Complete newbie to the forum and to all things Rolex related.

Massive long story short my man turns 40 next year, he loves a nice watch - particularly Rolex's and I would love nothing more than to buy him his 1st for his Birthday.

I know that he really likes the green Submariner but realistically I don't think I will manage to save that much in time......

I am UK based and wondered where would be the most reasonable and safe 2nd hand places to buy a Rolex and how much I am looking to save....?

He was born in 1977 so didn't know if that might be a nice place to start with the older watches?

Please help - I really have no idea haha!

Where are you based in the UK?

If NE England I'd strongly recommend contacting Nick Westall from East Boldon on 07815 158414. www.mgrayluxurywatches.co.uk

[jonnylax]

buy from a trusted seller on this forum, its probably the best pricing you will find,

[GolfPunk]

Originally Posted by jonnylax

buy from a trusted seller on this forum, its probably the best pricing you will find,

Trusted sellers aren't really viable for us living in the UK.

[OmegaJJH]

Originally Posted by mtgjr

007 wore a ceramic Sub?

Come on Mike... you know what I meant!


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[DrySub]

Given where GBP is in relation to other currencies it's probably best to buy in the UK. If he really likes the green Sub, that's the one to buy IMO. Not that he wouldn't appreciate other watches but that's the one he wants and it's his 40th.

Buying birth year classics is a real crapshoot. There are so many fakes, FrankenRolex and other rip offs out there that I'd stick with a current model at the least. Used from a trusted UK shop or new from an AD.

Why not put down what you have with an AD, and try to get the rest together by Xmas? It sux not presenting the actual watch to him on his birthday, but if it were me, and I really wanted THAT watch, I'd really appreciate your effort, and the fact you didn't compromise but got me what I wanted.

[hornchurch]

Iconic watches are very good price.
Some pre owned