Buying my first Rolex

[Littletommy]

That's the last one available? 130 sold?? Has to be bogus.

[JSolution]

Originally Posted by Benzsiam

Save a bit more and go for the brand new one at Rolex boutique/AD. You might have to wait 3-6 months but you get the best one.

Agree with Benz here.

I made a mistake with a day-date some time ago not only did I buy a 36 rather than a 40, I bought a 5 digit 18038 which had no date quickset function it just wasn’t as good as the newer ones. I did this purely because of cost but in the long run I bought what I really wanted anyway. If we can save a few k for a watch we can save some more over some time.

As a side note the end links look very loose on that model and that creates a horrible rattling effect which is vast difference in quality to newer models.

[Mendota]

Originally Posted by TheVision

I NEVER buy any luxury watch without box/papers. The fake Rolexes are almost as good as the real deal (minus the shitty movement inside).

And Ebay authenticity is a joke.

Now they are replicating the 3130/3135/3185 movements and even installing genuine Rolex parts into the movements to improve overall quality, so it truly is a minefield.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

[goldenboy80]

Originally Posted by Alxmichaud

So let’s say I buy a brand new rolex and then want to sell it 1 year later, will I be able to sell for the price I paid ( or even more ) or i’ll have to sell it under retail?

It used to be the case that you'd lose around 15% by wearing a watch, but these days, any stainless steel Rolex generally holds its value in full. This is certainly the case for a popular dial variant. However, I would recommend not selling your first Rolex for many reasons, particularly if you want to develop a relationship with the AD. The idea is to wear it every time you go in to visit the AD so they know you're buying for the right reasons. It took me several years to develop the confidence to buy vintage. For a first Rolex, I highly recommend the new 36mm Rolex Explorer. I think they are available with a 3-6 month wait, it has all the best attributes of a modern Rolex, it has classic vintage appeal, it holds its value well, and "getting in the game" will help you build the confidence to buy vintage as your next watch. Another factor is getting the "AD experience". Someone once told me, you owe it to yourself to shop at Wempe on 5th Ave at some point in your life. So I walked in, bought a new Tudor Black Bay, full warranty, they fixed it for free when I dropped it, and they treated me like gold even though my purchase was small by their standards. This was a good way to build appreciation of the hobby- if I had purchased an older Datejust with some non-original parts and over-polished on Ebay as my first watch, I may never have gotten to the point where I am now because I might have become disillusioned. Fifteen watches later, I now have connections with some of the best vintage sellers in the U.S. and can properly assess what I am looking at when I buy vintage.

[Gobee]

A new Datejust might be easier to get in QC. The value will depend on the configuration that you buy. However the day you want to resell the local market is limited and you will probably have to sell on chrono 24 to get a better price. There is a maison birks in Ste Foy.

[Alxmichaud]

Hello guys,

first of all I want to thank you all for all your answers I really appreciate all your times ! As a "newbie" its nice to see people who are interested to help you.

I found this watch on a local reseller. Some of you said to not go with a 1601 since its a little bid old, but this is one have all the papers and box and in a good price range.

I still want to go to a AD and see what I can have, but I would like to have your comments on this one .

[goldenboy80]

Originally Posted by Gobee

A new Datejust might be easier to get in QC. The value will depend on the configuration that you buy. However the day you want to resell the local market is limited and you will probably have to sell on chrono 24 to get a better price. There is a maison birks in Ste Foy.

Gobee, I think you might be right about a new one being easier to get in QC. Small market ADs are pretty friendly to new buyers. A local watch shop in QC might also be a good place to buy a vintage Datejust versus Ebay. The benefit to buying local is that you can hold the vintage piece in your hand and decide if you really want to own it. Some new watch buyers are taken aback by how light weight the old ones are compared to the new ones. Plus you either dig the acrylic crystals or you don't. You might decide you love the vintage piece in your hand. If you are able to buy a new Datejust from an AD in QC, and you do want to sell it one day (which I don't recommend but assuming you do), you can always sell on the Rolex Forums and get a better deal than if you sell it to a dealer or have to pay Chrono24 fees. Everyone I've ever dealt with on this forum has been a like-minded trustworthy person and very cool.

[goldenboy80]

Originally Posted by Alxmichaud

Hello guys,

first of all I want to thank you all for all your answers I really appreciate all your times ! As a "newbie" its nice to see people who are interested to help you.

I found this watch on a local reseller. Some of you said to not go with a 1601 since its a little bid old, but this is one have all the papers and box and in a good price range.

I still want to go to a AD and see what I can have, but I would like to have your comments on this one .

I am definitely not an expert on vintage Datejusts (I'm better on Subs), but the seller is representing that this watch is from 1960-1971. I think this watch is supposed to have Tritium lume on the hands, which aren't visible in the picture (could just be blurry) so the hands might be service hands. The dial could also be a service dial unless they just got the date range wrong. If they can give you the serial number you can look up the exact year and check whether the dial and hands correspond to the case. You can cross-check it by looking up Datejust examples from the same year on Chrono24 or other sources online. The value in the watch for collectors is based on the originality of the parts and condition- the case and bracelet are definitely polished. Certainly the box and papers are a plus. Their originality and whether they correspond to the watch is also important. The serial numbers on the paper and case should at least match. A good seller should be able to provide all the info you need in addition to a picture of the movement with the caseback removed. Sometimes it looks shiny on the outside but the movement could have problems. It takes some real work to authenticate vintage but its worth it when you know everything is correct and you have a good example. Or, if you just like the watch, trust the seller, and don't want to nerd out on every detail then buy it if it makes you happy.

[JSolution]

I have a feeling you’re very impatient to buy straight away which I can relate to as it’s in an exciting experience but please take your time before you make a decision!

A good idea would be to find a good local pre owned dealer they always have loads and loads of watches in stock so you can at least try some on.

[goldenboy80]

Another good idea to avoid any vintage pitfall would be to join your local Red Bar watch club chapter. I think there's at least a Montreal group of members that meet and have an Instagram group and probably a Whatsapp thread. There might be some Quebec-based members. In addition to being able to vet a watch purchase with fellow vintage enthusiasts, members will often trade among themselves. If you buy from a fellow Red Bar member, the watch is probably pre-vetted for originality and quality by a collector / enthusiast. You could then flip the piece in a year to a fellow member if you get sick of it and the provenance has been established. That way you avoid having to deal with potentially scammy dealers or the hoi polloi who may not appreciate that your example is all-original. Then again, perhaps you don't want to go as deep into this rabbit hole and just want to buy a watch, in which case ignore.

[Benzsiam]

Originally Posted by JSolution

I have a feeling you’re very impatient to buy straight away which I can relate to as it’s in an exciting experience but please take your time before you make a decision!

A good idea would be to find a good local pre owned dealer they always have loads and loads of watches in stock so you can at least try some on.

[jimcameron]

I'd say the DJ is over priced. Go on some watch shop sights that sell new and used Rolex.

Look up Govberg jewelers in Philadelphia.

See what they're selling a decades old DJ for.