Day-Date pre purchase help

[Sammmy]

Hi,
New to forum after lurking and would really appreciate your help. I am thinking of purchasing a Yellow Gold Day-Date 36. It has been recently serviced with new crown, hands and leather strap at an official service centre. It comes with the original box and papers and the new service card. The box is red. The purchase date shows 1998 - however the service card and warranty papers show the movement as M18038 and the serial number is 9XXXXXX - doing my own research dates the watch at 1987. It’s possible the watch was made then and sold in 1998. As it has been officially serviced I have no doubts about the authenticity - just curious about the dates.

What do you think?

[TuRo]

Back in the day some models took ages to sell at an AD - I came across a 1655 that was 10 years in at the dealer and a 79260 blue Arabic that was 12 years in dealer stock. DayDates were , and still are, one of the most expensive model of a dealers stock (and back in the day they'd depreciate 25% as soon as they left the shop and non-loaded buyers were a bit reticent) ....so it'd not be beyond the realms of possibly to be 10 years unsold especially if AD in a non-affluent Neighborhood or Territory or Country. As usual though check the engravings number against service card and punched papers, I've seen example of the number being transcribed wrongly !

[George58]

no way it was sitting 9 years at the ad something wrong with the paper work show the 1998 paper work

[Andad]

What is the serial number on the watch case and does it match the RSC service warranty number?

[joli160]

Apart from the date you would want a 18038 with a bracelet. Without it the watch has very little value

[Sammmy]

Thank you for the replies. The serial number is punched on the warranty paper and matches the service card and watch engraving. I’ve asked for the year of manufacture. I hear you on the bracelet - I have a GMT II 126715CHNR, Sub 126610LN and Explorer II 226570 - this was something a little different, I don’t mind about the value in terms of selling on etc.. That said I should take your advise and wait on a piece with a bracelet. I’ll see what they come back in terms of dates.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by Sammmy

Thank you for the replies. The serial number is punched on the warranty paper and matches the service card and watch engraving. I’ve asked for the year of manufacture. I hear you on the bracelet - I have a GMT II 126715CHNR, Sub 126610LN and Explorer II 226570 - this was something a little different, I don’t mind about the value in terms of selling on etc.. That said I should take your advise and wait on a piece with a bracelet. I’ll see what they come back in terms of dates.

I’m betting the ‘1998’ is a typo or misprint and it is supposed to be ‘1988’.

[George58]

Originally Posted by ronricks

I’m betting the ‘1998’ is a typo or misprint and it is supposed to be ‘1988’.

good guess