Protective Stickers on brand new watch

[Watchmanaz]

This would be like buying a new car and leaving the white wrapping on it! They are stickers and should be removed by the AD!

[David5807]

Any suggestions for getting stickers off that are really stuck on there? I don't want to accidentally scratch the watch.

[rmagoo57]

Originally Posted by David5807

Any suggestions for getting stickers off that are really stuck on there? I don't want to accidentally scratch the watch.

A fingernail is all you should need.

[WilsdorfNDavis]

Originally Posted by rmagoo57

A fingernail is all you should need.

Omg, you're just asking for a scratch that way!

[joli160]

I like my new watches stickered and not seized.
Just like to do that myself at home with a cup of coffee, enjoyable moment for me. I paid more for it.

[David5807]

Originally Posted by WilsdorfNDavis

Omg, you're just asking for a scratch that way!

honest question, these ones are hard to get off and I didn't know if soaking it, etc may loosen em up.

[Rado63]

To answer those who may ask that unless you are a flipper why would you want the stickers on it? A collector may wish to leave the watch as intact as possible. Many people buy watches and never wear them and may want the watch intact with stickers, and all boxes and paperwork that was present from the beginning. Unfortunately the dealer looks at all of us as resellers and therefore the stickers must come off and no you can't have the shipping box either.

[faimag]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Personally I like that they remove them.

I usually find one or two that they miss anyway …

This! It is surprisingly to me they still keep missing some. As if they have never done it before.

[Nairn1980]

Buy the watch, get it on, enjoy it.
Congratulations

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by brucethemanlee

Yes they remove as Rolex policy to deter flippers as much as possible

It might be AD policy. It is not Rolex policy in the UK. I suppose it might be in the USA.

[dlrolex]

Originally Posted by Watchmanaz

This would be like buying a new car and leaving the white wrapping on it! They are stickers and should be removed by the AD!

Flipper dolphins are so mad

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by David5807

honest question, these ones are hard to get off and I didn't know if soaking it, etc may loosen em up.

A soak in warm water may help to soften the adhesive, and use a wooden cocktail stick to pry up a corner if necessary.

Transport stickers are usually extremely easy to remove as the adhesive is very low strength and leaves no residue (old caseback holographic stickers aside)

[David5807]

Originally Posted by Devildog

A soak in warm water may help to soften the adhesive, and use a wooden cocktail stick to pry up a corner if necessary.

Transport stickers are usually extremely easy to remove as the adhesive is very low strength and leaves no residue (old caseback holographic stickers aside)

This I will try. Thank you for being the one person with the kind and helpful response

[SkyDFan]

My AD's always remove the stickers, which is fine by me, however there is something oddly satisfying about removing them myself. I've done that on many of the other brands in my collection.

[TheVTCGuy]

I purchased my GMT about three weeks ago, and… they removed the stickers. I am not offended, but honestly it was kind of a game with me in the old days. I left them on and was interested how long they would stay on. Yeah… I’m weird

[Norbert]

I have a good relationship with my dealer, they know I'm not a flipper, so they leave the stickers, bezel guard and tags and lately they even give me the coffin.

[DeVille]

I always enjoyed the green hologram sticker that came on the 5-digit models and kept it on there.
The new models... meh, if they take them off in the AD then whatever. As others have mentioned they usually miss a couple anyway...

[Coldlimey]

I bought a Deep sea JC after working a nightshift and genuinely wanted the stickers left on so I could take it too work that evening and not get it dinged etc, even though my AD knows me, there was no chance he would leave any stickers on, or even give me the bezel protector.

[John Doyle]

Just buy stickers yourself and stick them all around the watch to protect it if that bothers you so much.

[Sgooter]

Sounds like there's a grey market opportunity emerging for creating custom sets of stickers.
Geneva would soon respond by adding a laser-etched crown on all OEM stickers.

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by Sgooter

Sounds like there's a grey market opportunity emerging for creating custom sets of stickers.
Geneva would soon respond by adding a laser-etched crown on all OEM stickers.

This is a thing already

[dtwer]

Originally Posted by Watchmanaz

This would be like buying a new car and leaving the white wrapping on it! They are stickers and should be removed by the AD!

That's a hilarious analogy, lol.

On the other hand, people do pay money to have their cars wrapped.

[pmvanwie]

If the AD misses one, the RSC won't!

[sxdcfv911]

OEM stickers or aftermarket sticker for protection are fine. There are to many people who actually have an opinion on this. The only correct opinion on this is mine: There is no correct opinion!

[yankeeromeo]

Originally Posted by H25B

I don’t care, but I think it’s a silly policy and there are other measures they could easily take if they were really serious about minimizing the flippers.

Yeah stupid policy.

I mean might as well sell you a watch and require you to present the watch in 12 months time or be struck from the ADs "list"

[Tools]

A decade or so ago they went in the back, picked out a new one and put it in a box for you. You would take it home and unbox and unsticker to your hearts content.

Now days it is about presentation and prestige. They put on their white gloves, take the stickers off, steam clean it and wipe it down with a lint free cloth and present it to you shiny and brand new.

Stickers on or off isn't going to make a whit of difference for a flipper.