Rolex DateJust Purchase (eBay)

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28th November 2019, 11:55
boring_sandwich

Rolex DateJust Purchase (eBay)

I have agreed to purchase the below watch from eBay subject to having it authenticated at a watch maker.

The seller seems like a genuine watch enthusiast and has owned the watch from new. He is happy to meet me at my place of choice for a F2F and authentication along with providIng ID confirming who he is etc.

As a first watch purchase from eBay I am obviously slightly nervous with some of the horror stories I have read. I just wondered if there is anything else / checks I should be doing.

The watch was also serviced last year at RSC and comes with receipt and service card.

Some images of the watch, appreciate they are not the best of images. Any thoughts?

https://i.postimg.cc/3xY3DZ1Q/7-D75-...894-B1-E36.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/R0q5cpny/7353-F...-D92748-E6.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/wM8CY6bY/B2-EF8...F5-B14-C81.jpg
28th November 2019, 15:10
Robbo12

Who asked for the face to face ? Iam only thinking, are you paying Cash ? If you Paypal and collect you are covered . Pay cash and turns out to be stolen or fake or you get robbed , you ve just lost a load of money.

Thats my only initial thoughts , i dont know enough about Rolex to advise but the pics are not good , can you get some better ones dial close up , close up of lugs, case back close up, other more experienced members should be able to help you
28th November 2019, 15:19
boring_sandwich

The seller asked for a F2F to ensure I as the buyer am happy with the watch. I have asked for additional photos which the seller is going to send over. I have been speaking to the seller and he seems like a genuine chap.

Am I right in thinking that you are still covered if purchased through eBay but paid via a BT upon collecting the watch or do you have to pay via PP for buyers protection?
28th November 2019, 15:48
BillN

Quote:

Originally Posted by boring_sandwich

The seller asked for a F2F to ensure I as the buyer am happy with the watch. I have asked for additional photos which the seller is going to send over. I have been speaking to the seller and he seems like a genuine chap.

Am I right in thinking that you are still covered if purchased through eBay but paid via a BT upon collecting the watch or do you have to pay via PP for buyers protection?

I think to get the eBay security you have to pay by Paypal - that's how they can cover it as they get commission on your payment

Paying by Bank Transfer, if you had a problem, I think that eBay will "open a case" but I don't think that it is secure a the PP route

Happy to be corrected

I recently had a problem with a £190 purchase - seller wanted payment by PP - I sent the item back and got a refund within a few days

But there is a lot of sense in the expression "buy the seller" - never 100% but you know what I mean
28th November 2019, 15:51
Robbo12

The latter I think. Just to let you know a quick story a watchmaker I know , one of his customers brings in a Breitling chronograph mid 90s model. The guy who should know better according to the watchmaker buys it cheap from ebay , goes to collect from the sellers house and pays Cash . Takes it in to watchmaker as the strap was broken and wants a service , he opens the genuine looking watch to find a cheap chinese movement TOTAL FAKE . Guy is sick as he purchased for alot of money thinking it was genuine .

No recourse as No pay Pal ! ebay wont care as down to buyer to make sure its genuine. You just need to get it checked out at a rolex dealers.
28th November 2019, 15:51
Onelasttime

Quote:

Originally Posted by boring_sandwich

The seller asked for a F2F to ensure I as the buyer am happy with the watch. I have asked for additional photos which the seller is going to send over. I have been speaking to the seller and he seems like a genuine chap.

Am I right in thinking that you are still covered if purchased through eBay but paid via a BT upon collecting the watch or do you have to pay via PP for buyers protection?

There is no proof of a sale through eBay if you pay by BT. And why would you if you already have doubts?

Also, where are you going to get this 'authenticated'? It all sounds like a faff too far for my liking, but it's your money.
28th November 2019, 15:56
Wallasey Runner

I would be concerned about who is doing the authentication unless it was someone like Haywood. A suit in a national chain store is a waste of time, you might as well ask the ticket collector at your local station to check it out.
28th November 2019, 16:03
BillN

There is the receipt for the last service with the serial number - There are the papers which will show the serial number

It is easy to remove the Bracelet to check the serial and model number

If you can take it to a Rolex AD he will check if it is stolen and I am sure for a small fee he will take the case back off to ensure that the movement is genuine

That's as far as you can go

If there is a problem with the movement - e.g. it stops running after a hour or a day etc., that's a chance you will always take

If you sort the above out and pay by PP, I would think that's as good as you can get on eBay - if the watch is not as described and you discover this after a day or so, PayPal will assist you to claim a refund etc.,
28th November 2019, 16:09
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelasttime

There is no proof of a sale through eBay if you pay by BT. And why would you if you already have doubts?

Also, where are you going to get this 'authenticated'? It all sounds like a faff too far for my liking, but it's your money.

I don’t have any doubt I am just asking as I am unclear of how eBay & PP work. As the seller seems like a decent guy I am sure we can discuss using PP for protection.

I am going with the seller to Russell Talarman for them to authenticate it for a fee which I am happy to pay.

I used RT a few years ago and they seemed very good telling me that the watch I was purchasing was fine but the spring bars Non Rolex.

The service invoice from RJC.

https://i.postimg.cc/28v7XK6s/6-E3-A...4119427-D1.jpg
28th November 2019, 16:36
boring_sandwich

So If I purchase the watch through ebay, meet the seller at the watchmaker who will open it up and assuming all is fine I then make payment via PP. The seller hands the watch over to me then I am fully covered should the watch be stolen etc.
28th November 2019, 16:49
Onelasttime

Quote:

Originally Posted by boring_sandwich

So If I purchase the watch through ebay, meet the seller at the watchmaker who will open it up and assuming all is fine I then make payment via PP. The seller hands the watch over to me then I am fully covered should the watch be stolen etc.

Yes, although how would you know if it's stolen?
28th November 2019, 16:51
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelasttime

Yes, although how would you know if it's stolen?

Well I guess I won’t until it was serviced again or went back to Rolex under warranty.

Surely a receipt from the seller along with seeing his ID is fine along with the transaction all going through eBay/ PP.
28th November 2019, 16:55
mr.chef

If you have concerns why are you even bothering? You are clearly not comfortable in doing so. Buying a watch from eBay with their buyer protection is a safer bet then buying from here.
28th November 2019, 16:59
Onelasttime

Quote:

Originally Posted by boring_sandwich

Well I guess I won’t until it was serviced again or went back to Rolex under warranty.

Surely a receipt from the seller along with seeing his ID is fine along with the transaction all going through eBay/ PP.

There's a time limit of abut 180 days for making a claim through PP.
28th November 2019, 17:02
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.chef

If you have concerns why are you even bothering? You are clearly not comfortable in doing so. Buying a watch from eBay with their buyer protection is a safer bet then buying from here.

I don’t have concerns I was simply asking how eBay & PP work and if there is anything I should be doing to protect myself and It seems the question has been answered,

eBay, watchmaker check, PP, receipt from seller and sight of his ID.
28th November 2019, 17:11
golf

Could you meet a Rolex ? Sure someone said if you buy a link and get them to fit it the will check it against the stolen register while they do it.
28th November 2019, 17:11
paneristi372

If the seller has been forthcoming and is happy to meet at a place of your choosing I'd take cash and pay him there and then. After all there is no way of stopping people from selling a watch, keeping copies of the documentation and reporting it stolen months or years later. His feedback looks legit, he is selling other nice premium products. I'd take him at face value and hand over the cash when you physically see the watch. No need to remove the bracelet as the serial number will be visible on the rehaut. Make sure it matches warranty card and service card. Happy days. Nice looking watch too.
28th November 2019, 17:18
boring_sandwich

RJC is currently closed until the summer for refurb.

I am happy with the seller and his responses having been chatting watches via WhatsApp today. He is clearly an enthusiast having recently had a IWC, 40mm Airking and talking about wanting to pick up a 5 digit sub.
28th November 2019, 17:35
Onelasttime

Quote:

Originally Posted by golf

Could you meet a Rolex ? Sure someone said if you buy a link and get them to fit it the will check it against the stolen register while they do it.

And then they take the watch away to be killed with fire if it is stolen.
28th November 2019, 17:39
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelasttime

And then they take the watch away to be killed with fire if it is stolen.

What stops any watch being sold/ traded with a dealer or on SC and reported later as stolen?

As the seller has the service invoice in his name and is happy to meet at a watchmaker of my choice as well as showing me ID I am confident I am as safe as can being without purchasing brand new from an AD.
28th November 2019, 17:55
Onelasttime

Quote:

Originally Posted by boring_sandwich

What stops any watch being sold/ traded with a dealer or on SC and reported later as stolen?

Nothing. I was responding to someone who suggested buying a bracelet link to find out if the watch was on the stolen register. If it is, they take it away from you.

That's a pretty painful way of finding out.
28th November 2019, 18:06
boring_sandwich

I was looking at the ARL Watch register but it seems you need to be a business to access the service for watches, one off art searches can be done privately for £70.
28th November 2019, 18:19
T1ckT0ck

Rolex DateJust Purchase (eBay)

Contact the original AD and ask if they have a record of selling the watch from new. They won’t say who to as GDPR but they *may* confirm they sold it.

It’s something, if not much.

I did this once and the AD actually said the region in which the buyer lived as it was quite a distance from the AD store. It matched with the ID the seller gave me. They were very helpful.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
28th November 2019, 18:41
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by T1ckT0ck

Contact the original AD and ask if they have a record of selling the watch from new. They won’t say who to as GDPR but they *may* confirm they sold it.

It’s something, if not much.

I did this once and the AD actually said the region in which the buyer lived as it was quite a distance from the AD store. It matched with the ID the seller gave me. They were very helpful.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Unfortunately the seller is from Sydney, Australia and now lives and works in the UK from what he has said.
28th November 2019, 18:42
RustyBin5

Just don’t buy it on eBay - for whatever reason you are very uneasy about it. It’s not a rare watch so just buy it from a different source?
28th November 2019, 18:45
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyBin5

Just don’t buy it on eBay - for whatever reason you are very uneasy about it. It’s not a rare watch so just buy it from a different source?

I am not uneasy about it Rusty. All I was asking was what I need to do to ensure I am protected.

As someone posted earlier on the thread it’s as safe as anywhere to purchase and possibly safer than SC providing I follow the correct process.

The seller has also joined the forum as although he had visited the site he was not a register member.
28th November 2019, 18:51
RustyBin5

Quote:

Originally Posted by boring_sandwich

I am not uneasy about it Rusty. All I was asking was what I need to do to ensure I am protected.

As someone posted earlier on the thread it’s as safe as anywhere to purchase and possibly safer than SC providing I follow the correct process.

Fair enough. Ebay isn’t for everyone - certainly many folk won’t go near it, where others won’t go past it.
28th November 2019, 19:03
boring_sandwich

I have just spoke with the buyer and he is happy to follow the correct eBay processes and receive payment through PP along with having the watch checked over by Russell Talerman also providing me with a receipt and showing me his ID confirming all matches to the RSC service invoice.

I do not think I could ask or except anything more from him than that so I am happy.
28th November 2019, 19:36
Tomaitch

Seller would be a fool to accept Paypal on a F2F transaction as Paypal require proof an item has been delivered by a legitimate courier . So if you collect it you could claim it was never received and claim your payment back This is what the scammers do . Obviously not tarring you with this brush but its worth pointing this out to the chap for the future,
28th November 2019, 19:39
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomaitch

Seller would be a fool to accept Paypal on a F2F transaction as Paypal require proof an item has been delivered by a legitimate courier . So if you collect it you could claim it was never received and claim your payment back This is what the scammers do . Obviously not tarring you with this brush but its worth pointing this out to the chap for the future,

It says in the PP notes the following.

Collection
Contact seller after checkout to arrange collection
You'll collect in LONDON
Collection in Person
Free
28th November 2019, 20:05
jameswrx

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner

I would be concerned about who is doing the authentication unless it was someone like Haywood. A suit in a national chain store is a waste of time, you might as well ask the ticket collector at your local station to check it out.

Indeed. There’s a thread on TRF where the guy bought (off a trader) and sold a tudor BB and couple of years later the buyer comes back saying he’s found out it’s fake! It’s a ‘good’ one with signed mvt etc but the guy’s on there asking for advice and it seems to me the most likely scenario was the trader passed it on as is. The chap who first bought it even had it resized at dealer and was questioning that saying surely they’d have known, no chance of that in a normal store when they can be so ‘good’
28th November 2019, 20:22
boring_sandwich

Quote:

Originally Posted by jameswrx

Indeed. There’s a thread on TRF where the guy bought (off a trader) and sold a tudor BB and couple of years later the buyer comes back saying he’s found out it’s fake! It’s a ‘good’ one with signed mvt etc but the guy’s on there asking for advice and it seems to me the most likely scenario was the trader passed it on as is. The chap who first bought it even had it resized at dealer and was questioning that saying surely they’d have known, no chance of that in a normal store when they can be so ‘good’

I guess the only true protection is buy new from an AD.
28th November 2019, 20:40
golf

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelasttime

Nothing. I was responding to someone who suggested buying a bracelet link to find out if the watch was on the stolen register. If it is, they take it away from you.

That's a pretty painful way of finding out.

But they wouldn’t be taking off him they would be taking it off the seller. So the op wouldn’t have lost anything.
28th November 2019, 21:00
benwisback

The watch itself looks like a nice one to me, hope it works out for you and is enjoyed for many years to come!
28th November 2019, 22:28
Onelasttime

Quote:

Originally Posted by golf

But they wouldn’t be taking of him they would be taking it off the seller. So the op wouldn’t have lost anything.

So the seller is going to agree to take the watch to a Rolex AD, with the buyer, and ask for a new link to be fitted, so the buyer can establish if the watch is stolen or not?

In what dimension will this happen?
28th November 2019, 22:44
Wallasey Runner

Quote:

Originally Posted by jameswrx

Indeed. There’s a thread on TRF where the guy bought (off a trader) and sold a tudor BB and couple of years later the buyer comes back saying he’s found out it’s fake! It’s a ‘good’ one with signed mvt etc but the guy’s on there asking for advice and it seems to me the most likely scenario was the trader passed it on as is. The chap who first bought it even had it resized at dealer and was questioning that saying surely they’d have known, no chance of that in a normal store when they can be so ‘good’

That's an interesting scenario with a watch being passed down the line in good faith that ultimately turns out to be problematic - where does the liability rest. Certainly for purchases on e-bay using PayPal I would suggest within the 180 days buyers protection period the buyer could return the watch for a full refund, after that surely the final buyer is on his own.

What did TRF guys think?
29th November 2019, 00:21
LondonNeil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelasttime

So the seller is going to agree to take the watch to a Rolex AD, with the buyer, and ask for a new link to be fitted, so the buyer can establish if the watch is stolen or not?

In what dimension will this happen?

When I sold my no dat SubC a few months ago, to another forum member, we went to RSC St James and got them to add a link for this purpose. it was convenient and gave the buyer confidence, and cost nothing.
29th November 2019, 00:40
golf

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelasttime

So the seller is going to agree to take the watch to a Rolex AD, with the buyer, and ask for a new link to be fitted, so the buyer can establish if the watch is stolen or not?

In what dimension will this happen?

I didn’t say an ad I said Rolex.

People do do it for the reason Neil just explained!
I just gave an answer that would guarantee it was real and not on the stolen register at present for very little cost.

Some dealers will use this to get a receipt with the serial on it of a watch no b&p
29th November 2019, 01:46
Onelasttime

Quote:

Originally Posted by LondonNeil

When I sold my no dat SubC a few months ago, to another forum member, we went to RSC St James and got them to add a link for this purpose. it was convenient and gave the buyer confidence, and cost nothing.

The link was free? What am I missing here?
29th November 2019, 06:29
murkeywaters

It’s difficult, the good in me says do your due diligence to a level and get the deal done, but with all the scams around it seems like a right royal faff for buyer and seller, even then your not 100%.

Makes you think how trusting we are on here using SC, with lots of new members getting access it’s only a matter of time before someone pics up a shady deal.
29th November 2019, 06:41
boring_sandwich

A few clearer images the seller sent me.

https://i.postimg.cc/x8jGjZXs/841-A8...33-C4-EF59.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/9MkXzRMv/DF9-C0...-A880-F632.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/L8sHk31r/3-EE08...1-C9-C89-E.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/KcsQvZ5B/393-F5...-CFCC31-E8.jpg
29th November 2019, 17:39
theylive

From the photos by boring_sandwich: When did Rolex start putting red date numbers on the datejust ? Or is my browser (palemoon) rendering colours incorrectly ?
29th November 2019, 17:53
theylive

Answered my own question (for 36mm datejust),

Which References Have a Roulette Wheel Date?

You can get the Roulette style date on Rolex Datejust 36 models with the following reference numbers: 116200 / 116201 / 116203 / 116231 / 116233 / 116234 / 116238 / 116243 / 116244
Dial Color/Hour Markers Matter

Getting a Datejust 36 with a Roulette Date may seem like luck of the draw, but Rolex isn’t the gambling type. Whether or not you get the red & black date has to do with the dial color of the watch. Here are your options:

Dials with white gold hour markers:

Black (stick markers)
Blue (stick markers)
White (stick markers)
Black Arabic Concentric (Arabic markers)

Dials with yellow gold hour markers:

Black (stick markers)
White (stick markers)
Bronze Arabic (Arabic markers)

Dials with pink gold hour markers:

Black (stick markers)
Black Arabic Concentric (Arabic markers)

Note: the roulette dial is not offered as a stock option on dials with Roman markers, diamond markers, floral motif, etc. Only on stick/baton dials and some Arabic dials.
Other Models

The Roulette Date wheel is only available on the Datejust models with the dial options mentioned above, however, since the Datejust is powered by the Rolex caliber 3135 you can have it custom installed in other watches with the same movement. It makes for a fun mod on a Yacht-Master, Submariner, Sea-Dweller or Deepsea – it will also work on a GMT-Master II (Ref: 16710 caliber 3185/3186) which would look amazing with a Coke bezel!

Interesting note: Some vintage Tudor Prince watches also have Roulette style calendar wheels.
Part Number

The official reference number or part number for the roulette datewheel is: 3135-16206. The “3135” prefix is because it is a part for the caliber 3135. Unrelated, but if you happen to be looking for the all red datewheel (found on Turn-O-Graph models) the part number is: 3135-16205. Just like the Roulette style datewheel, the all red will work on the other models listed above as well. It is also an exchange only part, so it’s not easy to find!
Good Luck!

This of course is if you can get your hands on one… it is not possible for an AD with an official Rolex parts account to simply order a new Roulette calendar wheel from the factory. To get the part itself, one would have to send in an original part for swap.

The watch featured in the video above is a Z serial Rolex Datejust 116203 with with a black dial, 18K gold smooth bezel, and a two tone Oyster bracelet.
29th November 2019, 20:38
LondonNeil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelasttime

The link was free? What am I missing here?

No, I had all the links, RSC added one to the bracelet. Before the do any work on a watch they take your name and address, then they take the watch and check it is not stolen and it is indeed a Rolex. So once the link was added, and the lovely man in his lab coat returned to the desk with a smile and the watch, complete with added link, the buyer had confidence to complete the purchase.