Used and Pre-owned Rolex Watches for Sale

Buying preowned Rolex watches can be intense. There is a huge price discrepancy between seemingly identical watches. Preowned Rolex watches is the only way many people will be able to buy a Rolex at all. Due to one of the best marketing departments on earth, ADs basically pick and choose who gets their allocation. This is quite the feat considering Rolex is one of the very few private owned Swiss watch companies left. Unless you are a repeat customer, you may have to look at buying preowned. This makes the marketplace for Rolex seem like a minefield, albeit a necessary minefield for most of us in the world.

Since you almost have to buy a preowned Rolex, let’s take a look at some reasons why it’s a good idea. 

• Rolex Watches have the best marketing behind them.
• Rolex Watches actually appreciate
• Timeless designs that last forever
• People want to be involved in the brand

Rolex Watches Have the Best Marketing Behind Them

The chance are, if you ask any random person in the street what a Rolex is, they would know. They could think watches are the worst invention in the history of mankind, but they will know what a Rolex is. This is especially true if they grew up before the information age. If you asked someone who started working during the 60s and 70s, they may say that owning a Rolex is a sign that you “made it in the world”. Why is this the case though.

Buying a preowned Rolex means following in the footsteps of amazing achievements. In the early days of Rolex there were a number of massive innovations, such as the first self-winding movement, and the first waterproof watch, the Oyster. On the heels of these technical masterpieces, they just had a way with showcasing their talents. Mercedes Gleitze famously wore a Rolex Oyster when she sway the English Channel. It wasn an Oyster Perpetual on the wrist of Edmund Hillary at the top of Mount Everest. You can add to it the ridiculous list of athletes and celebrities that wear Rolex, and you can see that buying a preowned Rolex puts you in high company. 

Rolex Watches Actually Appreciate

Counter to the majority of watch brands out there, you will be hard pressed to find a preowned watch that costs less than new from an authorized dealer. Since we are forced to buy preowned, we are forced to pay more than MSRP. The great part about it is, Rolex supplies a limited number of watches. Rolex watches are guaranteed to sell out. The demand is far greater than the supply. You won’t have to worry about losing money buying a preowned Rolex. In fact if you were to buy a preowned Rolex, there is a good chance that you will actually make money wearing it. Just look at the current prices compared to MSRP. Many consider Rolex to be one of the very few investment grade watches, especially their ultra popular sport models. Just remember you will have to pay a premium and buy preowned watches to get in on the brand.

Timeless Designs that Last Forever

If you want a timeless, classic design, you buy a preowned Rolex. The Rolex design doesn’t have to change, so you get decades of pieces, that outside of modern updates, don’t change a whole lot. Look at, for instance, the classic Submariner. If you hold a 2020 next to a 50 year old 1970 Submariner, the differences are not very noticeable. One can say “That is a Submariner” no matter what year the watch hails from. The same goes for the Daytona. In newest Daytona bears a striking resemblance to one that is 20 years old.

On top of classic designs that don’t need to change, buying a preowned Rolex means buying a watch that will last for ages. Many Rolex from 75+ years ago are still operational today. If you need further proof of the durability of Rolex, look no further than Ed Viesturs. The only American to climb every 8000 meter mountain in the world. After his third 8000m climb, Rolex handed him an Explorer II. This watch travelled up the remaining 11 peaks, and he still wears it today. 

People Want to be Involved in the Brand

This may sound odd, but just the fact that people want to be involved with Rolex, means you will always be able to buy a preowned Rolex. Being such a prominent name, people will buy them no matter what. That doesn’t mean they won’t find something they want more in the future. This allows the rest of us to buy a preowned Rolex without any issues. There is also the possibility of trading their older model for a more current one. This is evident in the fact that Rolex dominated the preowned watch market on every major platform. Buying a preowned Rolex is as easy as turning on your computer. Just look at the listings above if you don’t believe us. 

However, being involved in the brand isn’t limited to the sales of preowned Rolex, but also includes Rolex servicing. Because of the prestige linked to the brand, many watchmakers will tell you they got their start working on Rolex. Combine that with the fact that Rolex doesn’t make a lot of changes throughout the years, means quality service without having to send that preowned Rolex you will buy to the Rolex service center. It’s almost a guarantee that if a watchmaker services watches, they will service a Rolex. 

Things to Look for When Buying a Preowned Rolex

Like I said, buying a preowned Rolex can be like walking through a minefield. Not only are the prices everywhere, but the prevalence of the brand has led to unscrupulous people making their dime off the everyday fan of the brand. Counterfeit Rolex has been a persistent issue for years. “Frankenwatches” are also a thing with the brand. It may have started life as a genuine product, but they get taken apart and have pieces from other watches, Rolex and others, and put together like Frankenstein’s monster. When buying preowned Rolex, these are things you have to look out for. 

By choosing the right seller, he will guarantee his watch to be authentic, and you can eliminate your fear of buying a fake preowned Rolex. This is where most of your work comes in. Google is your friend and can help you find much of the information you need to find that right person. 

If you find the right seller, they can also help you source your perfect Rolex. If you don’t mind paying the premium, just ask and you can buy your preowned Rolex without even looking. As stated in the beginning, Rolex owns the preowned marketplace, so there is no shortage of quality pieces, and a good seller has all the resources he needs to secure that grail for you.

One of the things you will notice is that condition is not as important on some of the more important models available. You do want one that works properly, but “scars” are seen as a sign of dignity among many Rolex collectors. Of course for the best resale, you want to buy a pristine preowned Rolex, but don’t let a few dings and dents stop you from purchasing that dream piece. Your heart wants what your heart wants. 

How Can You Find the Perfect Rolex?

You can either search yourself and put in the legwork, or have a trusted seller find one for you. Value Your Watch offers a great selection of Rolex for sale, and many of the people on this site are fantastic and finding the one you want if it’s not listed currently. 

Just remember, the seller is the most important part of the journey for you. If a deal seems just too good to be true, it most likely is. You don’t want to risk getting a counterfeit, or Frankenwatch, just because the price was too good to pass up. There are just enough dishonest people looking to scam you out of your hard earned money.

If you do find your perfect Rolex on a watch marketplace, remember buying a preowned watch can incur some significant fees for both you and the seller, especially when buying something as pricey as a Rolex. Tax alone can be up to $800 on that $10.000 Submariner. On Value Your Watch, we are not required to collect sales tax, unless local law requires in state sales to collect. 

If you want to read more about Rolex, just check out the blogs on Value Your Watch.