First Rolex as Pre-Owned or New?

[Johndong888]

wow great story!!! Love it

[The Libertine]

New for me. Wanted to buy direct from an AD, all paperwork in my name, and just enjoy the moment.

[ahlee00023]

This topic has come up before and it's all a matter of personal preference. Personally, I would buy the first one new because I want to have my name on the warranty card, and would want my first Rolex to be 100% mine from day 1.

[TickTockChuck]

Considered pre-owned as my first but was too uneasy to buy without being further educated about the pitfalls. So all my Rolex and Tudors are new from the AD for piece of mind and warranty. These days with such severe shortages I would consider pre-owned with sufficient due diligence. It was so nice a decade ago when you could just waltz into an AD with full showcases, be treated like a King and walk out the same day with the watch of your dreams, yes indeed! Cheers!

[JK2Raptor]

Got very lucky...walked in to an AD last Friday morning on a quick trip to NYC, asked for what I was looking for and bought my first Rolex. They had just got it in the night before...brand new and at retail (+ tax)! So happy my first (virgin) purchase worked out. I’d been looking and researching for months and had put my name on a few waiting lists.

Now, I can be more patient and don’t think I’d mind my next to be new/used from a reputable dealer or wait for what I want from an AD.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens after Basel.


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[HogwldFLTR]

Bought an almost new 116000 for my first. It still had many of the stickers on it and had only three months of its two year warranty used. It cost under $3K which seemed like an expensive purchase at the time. I purchased on eBay and traded it in towards a SubC as I felt it was a substandard watch for the forum. At the time it met many things I was looking for in a Rolex which included the Rolex rehaut, sapphire crystal, and a modern bracelet. It also had the Harley colors thing going for it.

[dkg1616]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

first one, has to be new. For me that would be a must. I would be more flexible down the road.

Agree!

[BNA/LION]

Depends on the watch and the circumstances.

My Final Answer Either New or Pre-Owned.

[Rogdogg]

Originally Posted by directioneng

No preference for me.

Condition, price and package are deciders.

I would agree with this.

I have bought all of mine new purely because I don't know of used dealers to really trust here in Thailand and the used pricing can be quite high. If I lived in the US with all of the trusted sellers there I know I would have bought other used pieces by now.

[Greenwich Mean Time]

I voted new just because it's your first and it's a wonderful feeling being the first owner. That said, there's nothing wrong with a good used Rolex. Get whatever you want.

[CoveWatch]

New for me for the first.. the AD experience can be a good thing

[LazySumday]

I would purchase my first one new. It is a great feeling and you will remember for a long time. All the rest can be used after. Trust me, there will be more to come after the first!


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[Miguel Alvarez 2.0]

My first "expensive" watch was a Tag which I got at just over half price. But I say it depends what you are getting. I'd probably go for pre owned and let someone else take the depreciation hit. My Rolexes have all been pre owned. That being said with the way things are with waiting lists and the grey market I'd probably go for the "lottery" of buying new the thought of paying over the RRP doesn't sit well with me.

[boychild]

Originally Posted by Fabrice M

I didn’t buy my first pre-owned Rolex, I found it in the trash when I was a teenager. It was an oyster perpetual who had suffered severe water damages, the dial was rusting and the watch didn’t work at all. I showed it to my mom who told me that if I could get it fixed for less than $100 she would give me the money. I lived no too far from a very small watchmaker shop (I grew up in Paris ) , the shop was tiny, literally like a closet... the watchmaker opened the case the movement was all rusted. He told me he wasn’t sure if it was at all fixable, but to come back in one month. I did, he had removed the rush form a lot of the various gears and such from the movement, but he told me that he needed to source-out some parts and figure out how to have the dial re-printed... it took 6 month, but the watch was fixed, under $100 as agreed. Dial looked good, it was working perfect and suddenly realized I had myself a Rolex for less than $100. I wore this oyster perpetual for many years and then it was stored in a box for 20 years. Just before I got married I opened a drawer to get something, and here was the box. I took the watch out and as soon as it was in my hand, the second hand started moving again, just like magic. I couldn’t wear it because after 20 years in America I gained 50lbs and the wrist did not fit the watch anymore. I asked my wife to be, to wear it for a few days to see if it still kept accurate time. It did.

I decided to give it to her , but first I want d to have it serviced. This time I went to Rolex RSC in Beverly Hills. They took the watch to have it assessed and then 20 mn later, the nice woman behind the counter told me the bad news. My Rolex wasn’t an Oyster Perpetual... it was an Air king. I guess the watchmaker who 30 years ago fixed my watch couldn’t find an Air King dial, but probably found a used oyster perpetual one. At the time both watch were the same size and had the same case. Rolex put in a new Air King face (my wife got to choose the color) and new hands, a new crown, rebuilt the watch from scratch, replaced the sapphire Chrystal . The watch came out like new, and got a third life. That’s why I love Rolex so much, they just work...

A few weeks later, After reflecting on the amazing story of this watch, and realizing how great Rolex is, I decided to buy myself one . Got a 16740 coke from Patrick Aka OCrolexguy. Since then I have acquired a few more, some new but most pre-owned. Because of my Air King experience, I have a soft spot for pre-owned watches + I am getting into vintage... cheers.

Thanks for sharing! :)

[georgekart]

I say get new, perhaps from AD, get full experience of what it's like to own and buy a luxury watch (I assume it's your first luxury watch, not just Rolex. If you already have other luxury watches, ignore my advice.) Then for next piece you can go used.