New watch from grey dealer - warranty

[Chadkd]

I bought a new DJ for my wife from a trusted jeweler friend. I’m not sure what I should do with the papers, sign them or leave as is? Would Rolex service the watch under warranty if needed?

[Rado63]

I would leave it blank for now, and sign if you needed service. I don't have any firsthand experience, but when the watch is sold by the AD the warranty started with the in service date. Don't have experience if the card is needed for the warranty. Others can please share their warranty experience.

[joli160]

Write your wife's name on it. She'll be thrilled, at least mine was.

Most probably you never need your warranty any way and a simple regulation i.e. is dirt cheap without it

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Chadkd

I bought a new DJ for my wife from a trusted jeweler friend. I’m not sure what I should do with the papers, sign them or leave as is? Would Rolex service the watch under warranty if needed?

There is no point in filling them out, that doesn't magically make a warranty valid.

No, Rolex will not do warranty work without a valid, provable warranty. However, a complete overhaul is relatively cheap if it does fail, which is not a very likely event in the near term.

[DaVinci Watches]

A personal preference really, if there is any inkling of selling it at some point, just leave the card open.

I doubt you will ever need it, but you can always just sign your name and date purchased if you need the warranty

[NachoNeal]

Originally Posted by Tools

There is no point in filling them out, that doesn't magically make a warranty valid.

No, Rolex will not do warranty work without a valid, provable warranty. However, a complete overhaul is relatively cheap if it does fail, which is not a very likely event in the near term.

Assuming the watch was originally sold by a US AD, woudln't proof of purchase and an executed warranty card be enough to properly activate a warranty claim?

[Tools]

Originally Posted by NachoNeal

Assuming the watch was originally sold by a US AD, woudln't proof of purchase and an executed warranty card be enough to properly activate a warranty claim?

Grey Market watches are always imported, which is the original question.

If the watch was purchased, retail, from a US AD, the warranty card would have been filled out by the AD at the time of purchase, or at a minimum, dated. If the watch was sold at wholesale to the Jeweler Friend, it is unlikely to have been properly activated.

[Pantheon]

The warranty will still be invalid so you can write anything you want on the card. ADs have to activate the card by swiping it through a card reader. Some ADs like mine print on them directly, I don't know if that is a requirement by Rolex as all the AD's I've been to recently don't handwrite anything on the warranty cards

[jsukey]

Amazing video, but pay attention at the 2:51 mark!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Y4bmbh1KY

[H25B]

Originally Posted by Pantheon

The warranty will still be invalid so you can write anything you want on the card. ADs have to activate the card by swiping it through a card reader. Some ADs like mine print on them directly, I don't know if that is a requirement by Rolex as all the AD's I've been to recently don't handwrite anything on the warranty cards

My AD still hand writes the purchaser name and date.

[EndlessEight]

Keep the warranty card “open” until it needs service.

An “open” card is worth more if you ever need to sell it.

[Doc Savage]

Originally Posted by jsukey

Amazing video, but pay attention at the 2:51 mark!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Y4bmbh1KY

[vicsdca]

If the warranty was activated by an AD, not sure why Rolex would even need to see the warranty card.

[EllenD]

good to know.