Official Rolex Service Centers You can walk into the service center, pay the fee and a professional will authenticate right there. After their inspection process is finished, they will mail your Service Authentication Papers/Card to you within 7 to 10 days.
The Rolex Certified Pre-Owned guarantee card, delivered at the time of the sale, officially confirms that the watch is genuine and guarantees its proper functioning. This card bears the words “Certified Pre-Owned” and serves as an official certificate of authenticity.
“I lost my guarantee card, what do I do?” / “Can I replace my guarantee card?” The Rolex guarantee card cannot be re-issued under any circumstances. Please contact the Official Rolex Retailer from which you purchased your Rolex watch for assistance.
But generally speaking, the papers will almost always increase the value of your watch and make it more attractive to buyers. It is possible to sell a Rolex without the papers, but expect slightly less than for one in the same condition that includes the original papers.
Green seal tag, indicating the watch's categorization as a Superlative Chronometer (-2/+2 second accuracy) Plastic guarantee card with the watch's serial number and model number.
Getting your watch authenticated at a Rolex Service Center holds the most credibility but also costs, on average, about $150. You can walk into the service center, pay the fee and a professional will authenticate right there.
Take it to an authorized dealer or watchmaker
A surefire way to check if a Rolex is authentic is by taking it to an authorized dealer or watchmaker. These will be able to instantly tell if your Rolex watch is real or not.
If you have merely misplaced your Rolex box and papers, it is certainly worth taking the time to look for them. However, if they have been lost, it should not stop you from selling the timepiece at a fair price. The manufacturer produces roughly one million products per year, and each one is uniquely special.
But some people fail to hide the serial numbers in their adverts, allowing Rolex to see the serial and identify which retailer sold it. And if it's a Rolex retailer that does the research, they will be able to determine if they have sold that specific watch.
People also ask: “I lost my guarantee card, what do I do?” / “Can I replace my guarantee card?” The Rolex guarantee card cannot be re-issued under any circumstances. Please contact the Official Rolex Jeweler from which you purchased your Rolex watch for assistance.
3. Find the Reference Number. If you don't have the original receipt for your Rolex watch and can't remember how much it cost, that's not a problem. Simply locate the reference or model number on the watch.
Etchings and Serial Numbers
Authentic Rolex watches will have their serial numbers deeply engraved, not something that is just scratched at the surface. Since 2002, Rolex has been micro-etching a crown logo at 6 o'clock. This is visible to the naked eye without a magnifying glass.
Rolex does not have an official online registration system, so you can't just register your Rolex at will. However, Rolex does register watches that have been serviced at Rolex Service Centers. In the U.S., there are three Rolex Service Centers (RSC): Rolex Service Center New York.
If a Rolex doesn't have a serial number, then it isn't genuine. Serial numbers can be faked, but this is extremely difficult to do well — especially on the inner bezel, where you find the serial number of Rolexes made after 2005.
Providing an authentication certificate or service history can help reassure potential buyers. How much does a Rolex watch's value decrease without its box and papers? The resale value of a Rolex watch without its box and papers can decrease by 10% to 30%, depending on the model, condition, and market demand.
Does Your Broken Rolex Still Have Value? In most cases, a broken Rolex can be repaired and, for this reason, it will still have some value. With that being said, the value would understandably be less than a watch in excellent condition.
Jewelers (local or online):
This is by far the best option for selling a pre owned Rolex watch.
If you wish to check the serial number on your Rolex watch, this can be found between the watch casing lugs at the 6 o'clock position.
That is why it's best to not only take care of your investment, but also make sure you have assurance of its safekeeping. We're here to help - Can Rolex watches be traced? Yes, they can. And, we want to encourage you to take the following steps to protect your Rolex.
How can you tell if a Rolex is stolen? To determine if a Rolex watch is stolen, you can ask for the watch's serial number and contact Rolex or a local law enforcement agency to check if the watch has been reported as stolen. You can also use the watch register database to find out if a Rolex is stolen.
The sooner you take action the better chance you have to recover your stolen watch. If your Rolex has been stolen, you need to: File a police report and include the serial number of the watch as well as any other unique engravings. Submit a copy of the police report to the Rolex database.
Purchasing a Pre-Owned Rolex
The original boxes, papers, and sales receipts all contribute to the provenance of a watch. For older vintage watches, the original paperwork helps verify authenticity. In addition, it adds to the watch's provenance, especially when the original owner was famous.