Thoughts on buying used watches/rolex/etc?

I don't think the Omega rep would say something so untrue. Or he really has no idea, he should change professions.
Rolex manufactures their own movements, they are not the same as Rolex. Omega is owned by the SWATCH GROUP, who own several movment manufacturers, one of them being ETA. Which you will find in 95% of Swiss Watches. This topic can be discussed for ever. PM me if you have any detailed questions. This is my profession, fo 20 years....

 

Rolex makes their own Movement. Omega uses ETA I believe.

Movements can last forever. I've got a small collection of old watches. All but one of them is more than 20 years old. My oldest is a Harwood, from around 1930. So roughly 75 years old. Buy the watch, get it a overhaul/maintenance and it will quite possibly last longer than you.

Not really.

Are you sure you don't wear it often? Case scratched, crystal scratch sure... but an hour marker fell off?

 

Buying a used piece is fine, as long as it has not ben altered. Many dealers tend to upgrade the older Datejust and Prsident models from acrylic crystals to sapphire. These you don't want. If you decide on a used one, verify the serial number on the case and have someone open it up and make sure the movement is the one that is supposed to be in the watch.
Condition is very important when deciding on a used piece.

When you find one, you can check the serial number and get a production date for the model.

hope this helps

chris

 

i don't think thats correct. i've read they buy (or used to) the movement for the daytona and some other models.

 

They used to use a Zenith El Primero (which is not an ETA calire) in the Daytona until 2001. Now it is their own in house movement.
To my knowlege, ALL of their models use Rolex in house movements.
I am not sure about the Cellini models, especially the quartz Cellini, these I am not sure what they use. Not many calls on these models.


C

 

There are plenty of used Rolexes floating around. Make sure you get one from a reputable guy!

 

Are you sure its a real Submariner? I have used my Submariner for 10+ years now as my daily wear watch including the office, working out, diving, sailing, working on cars/motorcycles, ect...it it has held up like new. FYI, I have never had it serviced. As far as a new watch is concerned, I have an Omega, Cartier,Longine and several others but am now looking at getting a Breitling Navitimer. They are great looking watches and not that expensive unless you go with the 18k gold. http://www.lussori.com/Information/BreitlingWindow.aspx

 

Ditto comments about Rolex and their own movements.

What do you want in a second watch? Sports watch (steel case/band)? Chronograph? Alarm? Recognizable/prestige? Price range? Besides Rolex & Omega, look at Breitling, Tutima, Fortis, Panerai, etc.

 

That's why 60's muscle cars are hitting 6 figures or more!

 

For the Omega's I like these two...
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I also recently saw a Rolex Explorer II in white dial that I thought looked pretty elegant for a steel Rolex compared to the usual GMT/Submariner look.
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Very true, but at some point you're gonna have to look around and maybe decide that an upgrade from your high school fantasies is in order.. You've already done the Rolex thing as well.

Unless maybe you'd be comfortable driving around town in the TR wearing the Rolex, a Members-Only jacket, boat shoes w/no socks, a pastel shirt, and blasting Phil Collins while you make your way to the Scarab.

That's not a mid-life crisis, it's teenage-life confusion.
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be careful. if the belt that actuates the movement breaks that will take out clock spring and balance wheel and that will involve an expensive rebuild!

 

many rolex's including the daytona use a zenith movement. w/ rolex, you do not pay for the movement, you pay for the case.

there are few watchmakers that are vertically integrated as in the good old days.

 

This is incorrect. Rolex makes their own movements for the most part. The Daytona was an exception (made by Zenith) up until 2000-01 when they began making that movement also. You can tell the post-Zenith Rolex movement by the linear alignment of the center of the chronograph registers with the center of the dial.

This is mostly correct, but there are a still a lot that do their own. Major watchmakers that make their own movements include the Swatch group (ETA is owned by Swatch and supplies the brands within the group as well as independents), Rolex, Patek, Zenith, JLC, Lange, etc. Many premier watch brands start with an ETA movement and rebuild it to a large extent (refinishing, changing components and adding new functions/plates creating a new movement), they don't just buy an ETA and re-case it. Lower quality brands just do casing and dials.

 

We cant forget Girard Perregaux, especially on this site. Jaeger is also an in house movement

 

Yes, that was who I meant by JLC (Jaeger Le Coultre)

 

The only reason to have a Rolex serviced would be because it is giving bad time or has completely stopped I have had 4 of Them and only had this problem once (after 15 years) so do not worry about that.

 

I bought a 6 month old, never-worn all-stainless Rolex Datejust here in Dallas in 1990, no box or papers but bought from an established and reputable "unauthorized" dealer...$1,300.00 + tax; with service, a dial face I liked better and a change from "jubilee" to "oyster" style bracelet and a smooth steel crystal bezel to replace the serrated one, I've got about $2K in it now. It's a really elegant, high quality, understated watch and keeps as good time as any quartz...I hardly ever wear it, maybe once or twice a month. The point: from my experience, Rolex is a good watch.