Did Rolex watches used to come with COSC certification?

[Kanger]

The picture is credit to Jake's blog. I am about to purchase a Rolex from the 60's, and an identical certificate is included and it looks just like this picture. Any value in this certificate and did all Rolex from that time period have it or did you have to special order it like you do with an Omega?

[RolexDivers]

You can not order it but I do not understand what good it does Rolex to keep the certificates?
COSC's biggest customer is ROLEX. Maybe some hanky panky is going on behind the scenes
that we're not supposed to know. Afterall, with a customer like ROLEX, COSC might be bending
some rules .......

[landroverking]

Yes.

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by kanger

The picture is credit to Jake's blog.

Funny.

And a bit ironic.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

You can not order it but I do not understand what good it does Rolex to keep the certificates?
COSC's biggest customer is ROLEX. Maybe some hanky panky is going on behind the scenes
that we're not supposed to know. Afterall, with a customer like ROLEX, COSC might be bending
some rules .......

Rolex doesn't really keep any "certificates". They really aren't actually issued to each movement as such, it's just file data that demonstrated that the movement passed or failed.. When a movement fails, it is competely overhauled, then re-submitted. We'll never know if our movement passed on the first or second try, or any other..

The consumer certs were transcripts of results, and the later ones that you could order after-the-fact were also transcripts, not actual test data..

I'm not sure if they were ever included on purchase.. They used to be something you could order (like Omega used to be). Today, the red hang-tag is the "certification" that the movement had passed COSC testing, as well as a generic statement in the booklets.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by Tools

Rolex doesn't really keep any "certificates". They really aren't actually issued to each movement as such, it's just file data that demonstrated that the movement passed or failed.. When a movement fails, it is competely overhauled, then re-submitted. We'll never know if our movement passed on the first or second try, or any other..

The consumer certs were transcripts of results, and the later ones that you could order after-the-fact were also transcripts, not actual test data..

I'm not sure if they were ever included on purchase.. They used to be something you could order (like Omega used to be). Today, the red hang-tag is the "certification" that the movement had passed COSC testing, as well as a generic statement in the booklets.

I have read that each movement is issued a certificate with the movement number and all listed on it. I have seen other manufacturers show the certs and for two identical watches, the certs are unique due to unique movement #s.

[roadcarver]

Omega provided it for my 2531.80. I am not sure if their policy is still the same though.

[kymwatchlog]

the certificate is on the dial now :)

[Tri-Tip]

My Father's Rolex from 1970 came with one.

[Kanger]

Originally Posted by Tri-Tip

My Father's Rolex from 1970 came with one.

Bingo this is what I was looking for. Did it look like the picture?

[77T]

A paper does not make a watch more accurate. If it does exist or not exist, it is just a page once writ to declare a passing moment in time. Real world is not in a lab.

Put the thing in a case, ship it around the world for clerks to stock it in a store and eventually sell - and finally for us to wear. Then we rattle them around and bump into things, wind them up and compare their accuracy to some source.

Oh Bother, it's 4 seconds off...

[77T]

Originally Posted by kanger

The picture is credit to Jake's blog. I am about to purchase a Rolex from the 60's, and an identical certificate is included and it looks just like this picture. Any value in this certificate and did all Rolex from that time period have it or did you have to special order it like you do with an Omega?

A genuine copy may make a difference to a serious vintage collector...provenance matters to some.

[springer]

Most of the older Rolexes came with this certificate. I do not know exactly when Rolex stopped including them with the watches, but my guess would be around 1970.

[Kanger]

Originally Posted by springer

Most of the older Rolexes came with this certificate. I do not know exactly when Rolex stopped including them with the watches, but my guess would be around 1970.

Thank you!

[garpesce]

yes, "opc"s were delivered with this certificate, like a birth certificate, unique to the individual timepiece. of course, the specs change over time, but the pedigree, as issued retains it's value to collectors.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by 77T

A paper does not make a watch more accurate. If it does exist or not exist, it is just a page once writ to declare a passing moment in time. Real world is not in a lab.

Put the thing in a case, ship it around the world for clerks to stock it in a store and eventually sell - and finally for us to wear. Then we rattle them around and bump into things, wind them up and compare their accuracy to some source.

Oh Bother, it's 4 seconds off...

Have to agree and when the bare uncased movement is tested at COSC certification is only at the time of testing.Its just to say movement has been tested it does not guarantee the movement will perform to exactly the same as movements test results for the rest of its life.Although Rolex will do there best to see it perform within the now very outdated COSC spec.

[jessable48]

my dad past away he had a rollex he left me but his certificated has been lost can i get a new certificate
shannalee48@yahoo.com.au

[springer]

Originally Posted by jessable48

my dad past away he had a rollex he left me but his certificated has been lost can i get a new certificate
shannalee48@yahoo.com.au

No.

[kmleffler]

I believe Rolex stopped providing COSC certificates with new watches sometime in the 70's. The Rolex I purchased in 1969 came with the certificate and so did the one I bought in '74. I don't believe that COSC certification if very meaningful anymore.

[padi56]

At one time you used to have a paper certificate up until 1973/4 just after the COSC was founded but now all movement results for pass or fail are on computer.All the COSC test is that a bare uncased movement has passed the test at the time of testing only nothing more.And today most movements could if regulated correctly could pass the COSC test today.

The European Din standard for chronometers are to a slightly higher standard than the Swiss COSC standard below is the copy of the German Din certificate for my Dreadnought watch.Its a Eddie Platts Timefactors watch that cost then just £400 as you can see +0.4 seconds a day,not bad for a so called humble ETA 2824-T2 movement.Less than half a second a day and still the same today after several years of abuse underwater and very hard wearing but I have regulated it a few times since new..

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