how do u verify that the watch u bought is brand new?

[ken21sg]

Hi all,

I am just curious. Everyone here talks about verifying yr Rolex at rsc to see whther it is genuine or not. But is there anyone ask how to verify that the watch is new? Can a watch be recondition or polish and than the seller advertise and sell it as new? How do we check?

[jackjack]

Using loupe? Too much of a hassle.
Hee hee... I just buy as long as it look new with all the protective stick. The scratches will come anyway. As long as my naked eye can't detect the flaws.

Go to a preowned shop and ask the owner to show you what a polished and unpolished watch watch look like and treat him coffee. You will know whether the watch u are handling is genuinely new.

Trust me, all the watch will look very bad if you use a super microscope to view all the parts of the watches.

[Ronyyk76]

new watches will come with factory stickers intact on the case lugs, the bracelet clasp and the caseback

the bracelet must be unsized - use loupe to see if the screwslot on all the removable links have any slightest screwdriver marks, they should not if the bracelet is unsized

of course check for hairlines as well, especially on bezel and case - these may not be visible to naked eye, use loupe under good lighting. i have seen brand new rolex sitting on ADs shelves with hairlines and worse, very tiny dents on bezels, due to bad handling by the sales person or the customers

Very good information!
Selling old as new is not right at all. Nobody wants to be that victim.
AD should handle all Rolex with great care. Hope they realized that nobody will buy those poorly handled & maintained ones.

[Ronyyk76]

i understand why ADs try to act 'blur' and sell those badly-handled watches with dents and hairlines to unknowing customers - because rolex will not take back these watches or accept them as 'factory defects'

all salespersons have to be trained to handle the watches with great care

Ya, no excuse for mishandling the masterpiece. Accident happens, so admit it without covering it up. Hope buyer know nothing about it?

If the selling price(adjusted) is fair for the quality, then some not fussy buyers may still consider. Fair trading, I call this.

[Ronyyk76]

Buyers have to beware and check before payment

Too much unethical selling, newbie got really to be careful.

"people who treats Rolex just like another watch, may has forgotten their good resale actually came from the love of millions Rolex collectors world-wide"

[dogtalkcock]

I have been a victim before ...... there are always unethical sellers polished the watch and then sell brand new.

For Rolex I always look at the hologram sticker at the back, a sign of watch is in original state.

For Panerai there is a factory sticker together with the new watch, once broken cannot be reattached.

As for tiny mini hairlines scratches as long not visible by naked eyes is ok for me. Even brand new piece from local AD might comes with such flaws due every day handling of the watch for potential walk in customer viewings

My 2 cents basic views

[triton]

polish hairline scratches also take off some metal. it is just a different degree of how much metal is 'removed' compared to polish to remove dings/dents.

unless you are indicating that polish hairline scratches does not equal to loss of material (metal), then share this type of polishing technique. i believe many watch owners especially the lovers will like to know.

Hairline 1 or 2 ok but not dent
Because hairline can polish easily dent will take off some metal

[triton]

base on your post here, it seems that you are saying that hairline polish will not take off metal.

Hairline 1 or 2 ok but not dent
Because hairline can polish easily dent will take off some metal

kindly read my response again. i have underline for you

polish hairline scratches also take off some metal. it is just a different degree of how much metal is 'removed' compared to polish to remove dings/dents.

unless you are indicating that polish hairline scratches does not equal to loss of material (metal), then share this type of polishing technique. i believe many watch owners especially the lovers will like to know.

No metal removal for hairline polish?
Must be magic

[Ronyyk76]

I have been a victim before ...... there are always unethical sellers polished the watch and then sell brand new.

As for Even brand new piece from local AD might comes with such flaws due every day handling of the watch for potential walk in customer viewings

My 2 cents basic views

Bro, sad to know your experience.

Too many walk in customers should not be an excuse, as their professional sales person should only serve/attend to one customer each time. They should be carefully helping customer to try each watch.

[triton]

sometimes it is not the fault of sales staff, it is the customer. i have seen some of them after trying the watch then just put down heavily on the display cabinet top, u can even hear sound. but what can a sales staff do?

on their side, they use glove and watch tray, but customer dont place them there.

Bro, sad to know your experience.

Too many walk in customers should not be an excuse, as their professional sales person should only serve/attend to one customer each time. They should be carefully helping customer to try each watch.

[Ronyyk76]

sometimes it is not the fault of sales staff, it is the customer. i have seen some of them after trying the watch then just put down heavily on the display cabinet top, u can even hear sound. but what can a sales staff do?

on their side, they use glove and watch tray, but customer dont place them there.

Agreed, this is a common problem to all ADs, maybe it is the risk of this business.
In view of buyers interest, if the scratches found, who will be happy to purchase those? me or him? 2 cents.

[Ronyyk76]

scratches and dents can be due to bad handling by the sales person or the customers
regardless who is the guilty party, i wont buy a piece that is scratched or dented
1 or 2 hairline not visible to naked eye is marginally ok, but dent is a no-no
no matter how slight
rationale is - i shouldnt be paying for somebody else's mistake

Agreed.
I think that even a fishmonger will face such problem, and I believe he could easily understand this is part of his business risk/problem. He simply can't point his finger at his customer, and that's it.
Unless, fishmonger stall does't need to display the fishes or letting customer to touch the fishes. At the end of day, customer will still bergain more for those unfresh fishes.