So the question these days is really, is it ever worth buying a brand new Rolex watch? Paul Newman’s vintage model remains the most expensive watch ever sold at auction in North America. Get on the waiting list or rush and get gouged on the used market, Rolex makes too few Daytonas to satisfy what seems to be an endless demand. A reputable jewelry store is usually the best place to find a quality, authentic, second-hand Rolex, but they don’t typically offer the best deals. In short, always buy the seller. Our selection of used Rolex watches for women are guaranteed authentic and offer something for everyone. The difficulty, though is making a proper analysis based on images only. On Chrono24 and other online market platforms, you can narrow your search down to Rolex watches offered in your country or region (European Union, for example), enabling it for you to visit them in their shop and to ensure you don’t have to bother with customs. If you buy only a Rolex watch without a box and booklets, you can easily find a spare box and booklet on eBay or Chrono24. As long as you buy things for the right reasons, and can live with those reasons, why not? In the past two decades, I have purchased a pre-owned Rolex watch more than once. You want to see all the details. Better to make sure upfront that something is real or not. It is about doing your homework and calculating your risk. Learn how your comment data is processed. You’re potentially going to spend the value of a compact car on a watch, which is (i) not really special compared to other watches, except for the brand recognition, and (ii) functionally and technologically hilariously inferior to a device that you carry with you anyway and costs 95% less. Discount shops and good prices, tax free in Tokyo. Buying that very first Rolex is a milestone only afforded to the hard working, successful, and driven denizens of this world — and if the road to that success wasn’t hard enough, there’s a significant amount of research that goes into the buying process when you finally decide to take the leap. I wasn’t sure what a Rolex was but I saw one on Sean Connery’s wrist in Dr. No back in the 60s and decided to eventually get one. Are there scratches, dings, blemishes, and so on? In that case, it is a matter of focusing on the right Rolex model and the condition it is in. “Rolex watches are not mass produced,” Altieri says. A Rolex service does not come cheap, and if you’re tight on budget, it is something to consider. Oyster – The name Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf gave to the first waterproof watches from the 1920s. Some of these things were already removed by the authorized dealer. If you want to live risk-free, buy only from an AD. This can’t be said for most watch brands. Sapphire crystal measures 9 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, followed by Diamonds on 10. Don’t just buy a vintage Rolex watch based on the blue-eyed seller. As with everything, there are both benefits and negatives of buying a used Rolex. The wheeling and dealing in used Rolex watches has become a game that everyone wants to play, so we advise you to stay away from private sellers. These should be identified in the pictures and not surprise you upon receiving the watch. Owning a Rolex is easier now than ever before. The vast majority of second-hand Rolex watches return to full working condition after little servicing. The instruction manual and service booklets are generic for a watch, meaning they do not belong to a certain serial number or whatsoever. Watches are really nice, and I love looking at the pictures and following the scene. Ensure you’ve checked your bracelet’s condition by looking at the extent of stretch in the bracelet. To better fit your budget we're going to focus on the pre-owned market. Discussing extremes and exceptions in an article like this doesn’t make much sense imho. With a new Rolex watch, the problem is availability. If you would walk into a “barn find” Rolex, with serious wear and tear, do you think Rolex servicing (in Rolex’s atelier de Restauration in Geneva) would be a good option or would you prefer to hand it in to a local (expert) watchmaker? This is of course difficult to see in pictures, so you need to focus a bit on the distance between the links of a bracelet. Are you looking to purchase a secondhand or used Rolex then look no further than Watchfinder.co.uk one of Europe's leading secondhand Rolex dealers. If you’re hunting for a used Rolex, how will you tell if what you are getting is authentic? I am a regular at Burberry by the British Airways airport lounges at Heathrow T5 (pictured above). For us Europeans, buying a watch from the USA or Japan might seem very attractive, but the import duties and VAT will make it an awful experience in most cases. In the interest of accuracy and fairness this whole article should be titled “Don’t buy a Rolex from anyone but an authorised Rolex dealer unless you really know what you’re doing”. Not saying this applies to you in any way, but I want to underline that buyers should be aware of the fact that they need to do more homework (upfront) in case of buying from a private person. If you have the spare cash to buy new, fantastic – go for it. Buying even a second-hand Rolex is a lot of coin. Rolex Watches History Rolex’s history is linked to 24-year-old Hans Wilsdorf, who in 1905 founded a unique company in London that specialized in timepiece distribution. They need a place to start. But buying a pre-owned Rolex watch isn’t easy either. 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