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Old 18 July 2019, 01:10 PM   #1
cluelessfiance
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First purchase 16233 help please

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a preowned Rolex for my fiance as a wedding gift (something classic like a two toned DJ 16233). Preowned because I figured like a brand new car, you lose some value as soon as you walk out of the store with it. It would be his first luxury watch and I figured our wedding is a better time than any but I need some general advice since I'm clueless!

- How important is it that it come with original box and papers if the watch comes from a reputable seller? I feel like I see an upcharge with these watches

- Can anyone explain the variability in price? I know some of it has to do with how its running, original finish, if its all original parts and the year but what matters the most to you all?

I've seen a few watches anywhere from early 2000s with "light to moderate wear," all original parts that have been polished that are in the 5K range. I've also seen the same watch, maybe 2005-2009 with factory stickers still on it that are anywhere from 8-9K. I understand it's pretty much brand new and would obviously cost more but does double the amount seem reasonable?? Or is it that much more because its newer? I think the newest version would cost around 11K but I could be wrong.

Thanks in advance for reading this lengthy post, I figured you all would be the best people to ask.
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Old 18 July 2019, 10:55 PM   #2
iliketime
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Box and Papers help with authenticity and origins but take that with a grain of salt because box and papers can be forged. They add a few hundred dollars to the price usually. When it comes to pricing, condition is key, and that comes from doing your homework. Knowing what the chamfers look like, the dial condition, bracelet condition, etc are all factors that play a part in gauging what a price is worth. You should buy the seller before you buy the watch. Trusted sellers on the forums for example thrive on their reputation, if they sell a bad watch or frankenwatch, no ones gonna buy from them again. Final thoughts, Datejusts are quite plentiful and always will be because the market is focused more on steel sports currently. My second rolex was a two tone datejust from the 80s with box and papers that went for under $2500 actually, so be patient and search carefully if you are buying on the forums.
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Old 23 July 2019, 10:38 AM   #3
cluelessfiance
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Thank you so much for your help! I am looking at a DJ that I am told the date wasn't functioning initially so it required servicing/overhaul. All I m told is that it was disassembled with replacement of defective components with reassembly, oiling of movement and time/pressure tested when recased. Is this typically more desirable to know that it was recently serviced than other vintage watches where there is no service history available?
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Old 23 July 2019, 10:45 AM   #4
cluelessfiance
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Thank you so much for your help! I am looking at a DJ that I am told date was not functioning correctly so it was was serviced/overhauled with replacement of defective components with new, oiliing of movement, time and pressure tested when recased. Is this typically a more desirable item to know that it was recently serviced than a watch that you just know is to rolex spec but date of last service isn't known?
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Old 23 July 2019, 03:49 PM   #5
Richard Carver
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Servicing is always an issue with used Rolex. It's something you will have to deal with sooner or later. I would love a 2000 era watch with a fresh Rolex service, you're set for the next ten years or so and you're in the 5-6k range with fresh Rolex service papers.

Rolex will make the watch brand new, you'll have peace of mind and hubby will be over the moon. :)

Best of luck and have a great wedding. :)
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Old 9 August 2019, 04:30 AM   #6
Kjian414
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1. It all comes down to your personal preference and if you plan on selling the watch in the future or not. box and papers definitely command a premium and help the watch sell when you decide to sell it. If you don’t plan on selling it in the future then it honestly is up to the individual some people must have the “full package” while most other people honestly don’t care as long as the watch is authentic. On the subject of parts of course it’s best to have all original Rolex Parts but often times with vintage Datejust many people go for an aftermarket crystal replacement which looks the same as an Original Rolex Crystal and costs under $50 where as a Rolex crystal can cost up to 300 fitted.

2. Pricing depends on who/where you buy it from. For example a watch shop has overhead (rent, utilities, wages, marketing etc) so they list the watches for a higher price. If you buy from eBay there are fees associated with that so the watches are priced to accommodate those fees. The cheapest option should be buying face to face from a private individual because there are no fees associated with the transaction. And as you mentioned the age of the watch matters. (Although this mostly applies when there is a big age difference. For example a 1995 example vs a 2002 model would have similar pricing where as a new model such as the 116233 (new model of 16233) from 2005 vs a 116233 from 2017 would have a quite noticeable difference in pricing.)


I have a 16233 that has been my daily wearer for the past few months but I’m looking to sell it for a stainless model. Let me know if you’re interested. Congratulations on the wedding and good luck on watch hunt!
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Old 9 August 2019, 04:31 AM   #7
Kjian414
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Carver View Post
Servicing is always an issue with used Rolex. It's something you will have to deal with sooner or later. I would love a 2000 era watch with a fresh Rolex service, you're set for the next ten years or so and you're in the 5-6k range with fresh Rolex service papers.

Rolex will make the watch brand new, you'll have peace of mind and hubby will be over the moon. :)

Best of luck and have a great wedding. :)
Servicing is definitely something you should take into account. Servicing is usually quite expensive. I’d say maybe $700 for this model depending on what it needs and where you take it.
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Old 9 August 2019, 04:35 AM   #8
Kjian414
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cluelessfiance View Post
Thank you so much for your help! I am looking at a DJ that I am told date was not functioning correctly so it was was serviced/overhauled with replacement of defective components with new, oiliing of movement, time and pressure tested when recased. Is this typically a more desirable item to know that it was recently serviced than a watch that you just know is to rolex spec but date of last service isn't known?
On the topic of having a service without proof I would definitely get a watchmaker to open the watch and check it out. If the seller says the watch has been serviced within the year but the lubricant has dried or parts have serious wear then you definitely know that the seller lied. This is if you’re buying fave to face and take it to a watchmaker to get it authenticated just let the watch maker know that the seller says the watch was serviced within so and so date and ask him to check if the condition matches what the seller is saying.
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