Howdy - I am excited to be here. Need your expertise.

[BBL]

Hi everybody who has a minute to help me.

Just retired, and am exploring the Rolex world to treat myself with a Rolex. Taking my time looking, trying to make the most of my budget.

Looking at an pre-owned 18K President ladies watch that has a silver dial. It has aftermarket stones as hour markers. I am wondering how durable a silver dial is. Does a silver dial have any negatives/drawbacks to value/wearability? It is a 1991 model.

Thanks a bunch.
And have a nice day, of course. :-)
BBL

[brandrea]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your recent retirement!

I can't speak to that specific piece, but what I'd say is take your time and enjoy the experience of finding just the rightiece that fits your lifestyle.

[Jef_]

Welcome to TRF!

Deducing from your interest in a ladies watch, I'm going to assume you are a lady. There are many nice Rolex out there that work great for woman, but in order to narrow it down, it would be helpful to have some more information on what you're looking for.
For example budget, style (dress or sports), preferred diameter, etc.

Pretty much all Rolex dials are very durable. It's important to note that aftermarket (non-rolex) gems and markers usually negatively impact the value of the Rolex.

[Tools]

Welcome to the Forum..

A silver dial does not mean that the dial is made of silver, it is simply a color designation.. Like a Champagne dial is not made of champagne..

I think that the silver dial is easier to see in the sunlight than either the Rhodium or Champagne dials but not as readable as black or some of the higher contrast colors..

[Draxler]

Welcome to best Rolex forum on planet

[BBL]

Thanks everyone. I am absolutely a new member today. :-)

Hunting for a nice Rolex in my budget range has put me in the pre-owned category. I wish I could afford new, but not in the cards just yet.

I need to educate myself, but as a new-be, it is daunting not to make a mistake.
I do like diamonds and emeralds, but concerned how much aftermarket additions will devalue a watch that I may not be able to recoup most of my investment when I trade up.

Is there a general rule of thumb on how much devaluing aftermarket additions may affect a Rolex?

edited
Thanks, BBL

[Tony-GB]

Welcome to TRF.

Personally I would be extremely cautious of any high end watch that has aftermarket additions. I would prefer originality with proper Rolex history.

If you're new to watches and specifically Rolex, do your research, take your time and use the search function here. There are a hell of a lot of members who'll give good honest no bull advice on here.

Please let us know how you get on. One caution though- once you buy your first expensive watch, you may find you'll want another...

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by BBL

Hunting for a nice Rolex in my budget range has put me in the pre-owned category. I wish I could afford new, but not in the cards just yet.
...
Is there a general rule of thumb on how much devaluing aftermarket additions may affect a Rolex?

edited
Thanks, BBL

Welcome to the forum, BBL.

I wouldn't feel bad about buying a used Rolex at all; none of mine were bought from a Authorized Dealer and they are all nice. Having a watch serviced by Rolex will give it a warranty and documentation for authenticity. They will not allow one out of the shop with modification that make it other than what was available when the watch was made or the model it was intended to be however. The other issue with buying used is buying from a reputable source (a trusted seller here on the forum is a great way to buy a good Rolex at a discounted price). If you buy say a stolen Rolex and turn it into Rolex for servicing, if they find it is stolen they will keep the watch to return to its rightful owner.

If a modification is done it can either increase or decrease value; the issue is what the market is like with regards to the desirability of the watch more than any rule of thumb. If the watch won't sell because of the change then the decrease in value can be gauged by the cost of putting the watch right. Note again that Rolex won't service modified watches without setting them right. There are other options for servicing Rolexes beside using Rolex Service Centers however; there are some excellent independent repair shops and some who are active on the forum.

[tkerrmd]

scan the for sale section for prices and ideas

welcome and good luck!

[Urosfan]

Welcome to the forum

[iazrollie]

Welcome! Personally, I would never buy an aftermarket, modified Rolex. Too many problems with authenticity and servicing (RSC). You should look for an original dial, IMO.

[Jef_]

Aftermarket additions are indeed not recommended. Also, when you bring it in for service, the RSC will modify the watch to its original look and condition. And everything that has to be replaced will be charged to the owner. So applied to that Rolex, the dial will be replaced with what was originally in it, and you will be charged for the part.

You might be interested in buying from one of the sellers here on TRF. http://www.rolexforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9
I've heard some good things about DavidSW for example.

[watchwatcher]

Welcome to the Forum.

Second what others have said about aftermarket. If you want the precious stones, look for the watch that has them from the factory. Too much money to be taking chances.

I like the silver dial, but unfortunately legibility is not great, as Larry (Tools) said. Good luck in your search!

[Hairdude1]

Welcome to TRF!

[Copasetic]

Depending on how dressy or sporty you are looking for, you might consider a small to medium sized mens' watch such as an Explorer I.
I'm retired and find I rarely get dressy.
I also think a mans watch looks great on a woman.

[Rogdogg]

Welcome to the forum. You will get lots of good advice here. I too would stay away from anything aftermarket. The watch is more valuable and will be easier to move on in its original condition. Maybe contact some of the trusted sellers from the forum and give them your budget and an idea of what it is you are looking for and they may be able to help source you something that you can fully trust and will be worth what you pay for it.
They can be found by reading and researching through the "who's who" section.

[nick c]

Welcome aboard

[Lpugliese]

welcome to the forum, good luck on your search. That is a great model

[Mr DateJust]

Silver is a nice neutral colour that can be match with anything. However it's middle of the road when considering legibility. The aftermarket diamonds will probably have a negative effect on the value a little. I would look for one without unless you are really sold on the diamond look.

[Naz737]

Welcome! I'll defer to the professionals!

Happy retirement!

[Invictus Maneo]

Welcome to TRF! This is probably the BEST place on earth to learn about Rolex and the members here are fantastic and always willing to help.
If your looking at pre-loved watches be sure to do your due diligence before buying. Unless your buying a watch from one of our many trusted sellers my advice is to get pictures, lots of them if possible, and as much information as you can obtain. After you've compiled that data put in a post here with as much information as you can get with pictures .
Good luck on your search and remember that half the fun is in the hunt!

[997.2]

Don't buy an aftermarket dial. You'll notice little (or big) asymmetries and it'll drive you wild. Not to mention the fact that it'll look fake because the dial technically is a fake. Run from the aftermarket dial. As for the durability don't worry about the durability of the dial. There are a lot of great watches out there. Check out watchrecon.com and type in reference numbers or 'day date', 'president', 'Rolex 18k' etc to educate yourself on the market and see what you like. Contact a forum dealer like AFC1 or DavidSW or OCROLEXGUY for leads on watches you like in your price range. It'll save you a boatload over going to a brick&mortar.

Enjoy your Rolex... They're awesome watches. They absolutely live up to the hype and will outlast us all if treated right!




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[Etschell]

buy the newest rolex you can afford imo, unless you are looking for a vintage piece.

[kunlun]

Welcome!

Please take your time, there are plenty of deals that aren't really deals at all when it comes to the watch market. I would try to meet with a trusted seller (look around on TRF for that) or an Authorized Dealer (AD) for Rolex, then try on a few pieces and see how they really look on your wrist.

[Wisher]

Hi and welcome, and good luck in your search.

I was wondering if you had considered getting an 18K President with real Rolex diamonds.Would that be an option for you? It would have the glittering diamonds but be a true Rolex, without any concerns about aftermarket stones affecting value, looks, and serviceability by Rolex.

Have fun finding that right Rolex that you will enjoy.