Chrono 24 Rolex purchase SCAM or not ?

[nice2cu2]

Dear community,

I am about to purchase Rolex GMT on Chrono 24. It is unworn with a year 2018.

Seller told me that he can even put my name on a warranty card. I am not super experience however this seems weird to me as usually the name is put on the card at the time of purchase, correct ?\

Sellers answer was :

Dear Artjoms, I have bought this GMT in London at Rolex Authorised Dealer. At the moment of purchase, I wasn't sure if I was going to present it to my son for his diploma or keep it as investment. So I asked the dealer not to fill the Rolex warranty card.
That's why. So the card is clean.

What do you guys think on this ?

Thank you for your reply.

[Matt_01]

Is that from a UK seller?

[nice2cu2]

Originally Posted by Matt_01

Is that from a UK seller?

From Italy.

[enjoythemusic]

i've seen Rolex cards that had no buyer's name. In fact, my AD once forgot to put my name and timepiece details on a warranty card on one of the timepieces i got from them (this wasn't a Rolex).

As am sure others will say during this thread, buy the seller, not the timepiece.

PS: Years ago the Everose Daytona on leather strap i got from Italy had no name on the card.

[AlreadyTracer]

I bought a 116710BLNR from AD. Doesn’t have my name on the card.

[nice2cu2]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

i've seen Rolex cards that had no buyer's name. In fact my AD once forgot to put my name and timepiece details on a warranty card of the timepieces i got from them (this wasn't a Rolex).

As am sure other will say during this thread, buy the seller, not the timepiece.

I guess it is hard for me to buy a seller because it is Chrono 24. He has no reviews and has been a seller since 2016. That is all I know about him unfortunately.

[Matt_01]

Originally Posted by nice2cu2

From Italy.

Fair enough - I can’t comment then. I was just going to say the language doesn’t look like what I’d expect a UK resident to use. Italy explains that!

[glamorama]

If the card does not have a date, that is very strange! If the card has no name, that is common practice in many European ADs that still write cards by hand.

But why should he write your name, just do it yourself.

[fsprow]

With no reviews or references, I would pass - even though Chrono24's policies are supportive.

[t3bkmzd]

no name on warranty card is normal but a seller with no review on Chrono24 is a lil sketchy, proceed with caution and hope it turns out well if u go ahead with it! The escrow can be a good assurance, it's often the emotions u gotta deal with and hassle of backwards freighting that gets to u if deal doesnt pan out.

From personal experience, Chrono24 has been a legit and pretty good platform.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by nice2cu2

I guess it is hard for me to buy a seller because it is Chrono 24. He has no reviews and has been a seller since 2016. That is all I know about him unfortunately.

Having a nobody put your name on a warranty card is meaningless.

[nice2cu2]

Originally Posted by glamorama

If the card does not have a date, that is very strange! If the card has no name, that is common practice in many European ADs that still write cards by hand.

But why should he write your name, just do it yourself.

He did sent me a photo of the card. It has a date however no name on it.

[nice2cu2]

Originally Posted by t3bkmzd

no name on warranty card is normal but a seller with no review on Chrono24 is a lil sketchy, proceed with caution and hope it turns out well if u go ahead with it! The escrow can be a good assurance, it's often the emotions u gotta deal with and hassle of backwards freighting that gets to u if deal doesnt pan out.

From personal experience, Chrono24 has been a legit and pretty good platform.

He is a private seller so maybe this is the first watch he is selling. If he would be a dealer that probably is sketchy.

[joli160]

I bought 7 Rolex grey and all with my name.

At the time of purchase from an AD you don't need to write your name since Rolex doesn't keep track of ownership.
You can write Donald Duck for all they care or simply nothing.

Nice to have the option to fill in your own name

[911991]

I have purchased 2 watches on Chrono24 including my Polar about 2 weeks ago and have had no issues. I agree with buy the seller as well as the watch. Personally, I stick only dealers that have good reviews and a large number of sales, I limit my search to US only so I can call the seller with of items that I want to confirm as emails can be misleading, after I do that homework, then I purchase the watch. This has worked great for me...

[zjd168]

years ago I saw plenty samples that even the purchase date were not filled in and they were all legit grey Rolex BNIB watches

[drrd]

Never bought off chrono24 but bought plenty off Ebay and they're a similar set up.

I'm wary and look out for things that maybe on their own aren't a big deal but taken as a whole things don't quite add up.

So there's no name on the card. That can happen but I've heard of this more as 'back door' dealing, ADs selling to traders they trust and have a relationship with. The word from Rolex is ADs must put a name or at least a line through the name box when selling through the shop.

The seller's in Italy but the watch was bought in London. Again it could happen but surely that would be with a readily available piece like an OP. For a GMT you have a relationship with the AD and for a private individual that usually means they're local, in your country at the very least. I'm thinking now this person has a different kind of relationship with the AD.

The seller says it was either for his son or an investment. On it's own makes perfect sense, combined with the above it does not make sense.

The seller has no history, nothing to lose. OK at this point I'm done.

If I sold a watch I bought from my local AD I'd have the watch, the box, the tags, the bezel guard, the CC receipt, my name and address on the card, the bag and ribbon, even the comp champagne. No story or explanations because none is needed.

The watch is probably absolutely fine but the story and therefore the seller are not credible. So who knows what happens come service time and where is this seller when you have some questions?

[glamorama]

Originally Posted by drrd

The seller says it was either for his son or an investment. On it's own makes perfect sense, combined with the above it does not make sense.

Why does he even mention that, or maybe OP asked?

I saw one watch for sale saying it was a heirloom piece from the grandfather that he would never wear hence selling. That is weird for me to even mention directly in the ad, nobody cares why you are selling it or why you bought it. Sometimes these sentences are combined with a slightly lower than market price, so it seems like the seller is not experienced and the buyer should get the impression he is getting away with a bargin.

In Germany they are obsessed with country of origin on warranty card. Like they will pay less for a watch sold in Hong Kong than Germany or even Italy. Don't know how that is in Italy, maybe why he mentions UK etc.

[m3tek44]

I have purchased Daytona without a name but it does have date of purchase. Took the the watch and warranty card to authenticate (Rolliworks) and tells me this is NOT first time they have seen this before. No red flag for me.

[emtee]

It could be totally legitimate but why take the risk? There are tonnes of GMT’s on Chrono24 being sold by dealers with solid reputations. Why not buy from one of those instead? Unless the price is too good to be true - in which case it probably is!

[gmtln]

Which GMT reference is it?

As mentioned, buy the seller.
There are plenty of sellers with GMTs on Chrono24 with plenty of reviews, any reason why you have you have decided to pursue this seller with 0 reviews?

[drrd]

Originally Posted by gmtln

...any reason why you have you have decided to pursue this seller with 0 reviews?

It's the cheapest (if it's the one I see fitting the description on C24). It saves less than £300 on one listed from a store with plenty of reviews.

OP this all sounds too naive, please think again. Even posting here to get the OK from people you've never met

Why not buy something available in an AD near to you?? There's nothing special about a black bezel GMT.

[C0d]

Many Rolex watches have clean cards. I have seen a fair share, especially those coming from gray market dealers.
Its not a red flag for me at all.

[drrd]

Originally Posted by m3tek44

I have purchased Daytona without a name but it does have date of purchase. Took the the watch and warranty card to authenticate (Rolliworks) and tells me this is NOT first time they have seen this before. No red flag for me.

Yeah as I said, on it's own not a red flag. Just means the AD was selling out of their back door to 2ndary market dealers who they presumably trust to fill it out for their buyer.

No AD in their right mind lets a shop customer leave the front door with a blank, activated warranty card. I doubt they'll get too many warnings from Rolex.

The watch may be fine but the story is not. Why misrepresent? Yeah,

[peterskinner]

I just collected my new Yachtmaster 42 from my local AD. He filled in the card, with the date and stamp and so on, but left my name for me to fill-in.
Which I did! However, as a general rule, if you lack trust, don’t buy. Too much money at stake.

[BillA]

OP
You obviously have a concern.
Spending that kind of money and having a concern in the back of your mind is not a good ingredient.
As another poster said, buy the seller.
Too many red flags, there will be others.
Good luck

[TellingTime]

I’ve bought from private sellers and dealers on C24 and never had any problems. Chrono24 is a good venue IMO. But....you still need to perform your due diligence on the seller before pulling the trigger.

[chinaski]

I wouldn't buy any high end timepiece from a non established seller. If you don't have a positive reputation in the WIS community, Hard Pass.

[dcash0615]

Completely normal for a warranty card to be dated, but not have the purchaser name filled in. No issue there. However, your description of the seller with limited or no references is more concerning. Buy the seller and use the escrow services provided by Chrono24 to protect yourself.

[kumar75203]

Open name would not be a cause for concern.

Chrono24 holds money in escrow so that wouldn't be a huge cause for concern.

In general, I dont like to buy from people without references or a selling history. If he describes the watch as mint and you get it and it's only good, I'm not sure what happens there.