Some watches are known to be extremely close to the originals and often even deceive experienced buyers. This is why you must be very careful when looking for a Rolex and not any other pre-owned watch on the market. Of course, Rolex is not the only watch that has been cloned, although you are more likely to stumble upon a fake Rolex than any other high-end watch manufacturer. That’s why we’ve created this handy buyer’s guide to help you avoid those pesky fake watches that pop up.
I’m sure most of us will be considered this at some point in our lives, but it’s considered for a reason, and that’s to help us avoid getting ripped off. If a watch is too cheap or looks too good for its price point, then it’s probably fake or stolen, which is something you don’t want. Typical sellers of these replica watches tend to offer discounts of 30% to 70% off the retail price. But with Rolex, it’s a little different because sometimes they can sell used for more than new. This is one of the side effects of the way Rolex handles things and the difficulty of buying a new watch.
If a used watch seller is selling it for £10,000 or less, then you know they’re up to no good and it’s probably stolen or fake. Ideally, these watches should cost around £25,000 second-hand, as replica Rolex watches retail for around £29,350 new and are often sold through resellers for £30,000 or more. Therefore, our advice is to do thorough research to find out the current market value of your watch as well as the pre-owned price.
Another important thing you need to do when buying a pre-owned Rolex is to research the seller. Here, you’ll want to delve into the seller’s reputation to see if there are any outstanding, concerning areas. Some of the red flags aren’t obvious, so here are a few things to look for when researching a seller. The first thing is to check their social media; if they have any, also check third-party review sites and of course Google the seller to see if there is any information about them. Another good sign to look for in a physical store.
Any good seller who has a solid reputation for trustworthiness and reliability, and wants to maintain that reputation, will provide any information about them without complaint. Bad sellers or scammers will give you the lie that the history of the watch doesn’t matter and that their product is 100% authentic; if they do, don’t pay any money. The history of a watch is important, especially for luxury items; if they don’t have a history, it may be worth a lot less because its history will let you know exactly where the watch has been and if it’s all authentic.
If you are interested in the copy watch and wish to purchase it, but there is no mention of history, contact the seller and ask if it came with the watch, as it should be documented. If it doesn’t, then you might want to think twice – unless you like a bit of risk.