New member, want to buy my first Rolex, looking for advice - thanks!

[DLagent]

Hi everyone, I hope I don't sound like too much of an ignorant noob here, but I guess that's what I am and I have to live with it.

So, my business is taking off and becoming profitable and I want to treat myself to my first Rolex. I know effectively NOTHING about them except that they look great, are quality timepieces, and whatever I get will probably last me a lifetime or make me a profit if/when I want to sell it down the road.

Obviously, my main concerns are getting an authentic Rolex, and getting the best possible price - it seems that there are so many years/styles of Rolexes out there that I have no idea what an appropriate price would be for any specific one.

My preferences are:
- Lowest end of the price spectrum (couple/few thousand)
- Stainless steel (see price preference!)
- Black face/bezel
- Used is OK

I would really appreciate advice, recommendations, and suggestions about what models to consider, how/where to buy, and what I could expect to pay. Thanks in advance!

DLagent

[Nicko]

Originally Posted by DLagent

Hi everyone, I hope I don't sound like too much of an ignorant noob here, but I guess that's what I am and I have to live with it.

So, my business is taking off and becoming profitable and I want to treat myself to my first Rolex. I know effectively NOTHING about them except that they look great, are quality timepieces, and whatever I get will probably last me a lifetime or make me a profit if/when I want to sell it down the road.

Obviously, my main concerns are getting an authentic Rolex, and getting the best possible price - it seems that there are so many years/styles of Rolexes out there that I have no idea what an appropriate price would be for any specific one.

My preferences are:
- Lowest end of the price spectrum (couple/few thousand)
- Stainless steel (see price preference!)
- Black face/bezel
- Used is OK

I would really appreciate advice, recommendations, and suggestions about what models to consider, how/where to buy, and what I could expect to pay. Thanks in advance!

DLagent

IMO look for a nice used Sub Date or Non Date. There are always very nice ones here on TRF from very reputable sellers. I's say be prepared to pay a minimum of 3k for a nice used ND recently serviced and about 500 more for the Sub Date. The SD pictured is mine and it cost me 3,300 plus about 450 for a service. Expect to pay around that. Service is very important. Stay clear of eBay, too many frauds. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

[kyle L]

You should consider the Explorer, it's a timeless classic. You can post an ad on the forum! Many of the sellers here can get you very good prices, and you would be safe with them.





The preowned market will save you some money too.

[Dr. Robert]

How about the "evergreen" Rolex Explorer I. IMHO, it can be dressed up as a business watch or worn as a sport watch. Price is right. It was good enough for Ian Fleming & Sir Edmund Hillary.

[kyle L]

Originally Posted by Dr. Robert

How about the "evergreen" Rolex Explorer I. IMHO, it can be dressed up as a business watch or worn as a sport watch. Price is right. It was good enough for Ian Fleming & Sir Edmund Hillary.

x10000










Sorry for flooding your thread with pictures of the Explorer, but it's my favorite watch.

[Boopie]

If used is okay, you can probably get a used stainless steel Submariner (date or no date; I prefer the date feature) in your price range. The bezel is tremendously useful.

[BASSETHOUNDS]

Hi , and welcome . Your best bet would be to check out a Rolex AD and see what you like in the lower end price range . Get the reference number and check out the who is who in the classified section here and find one of the reputable sellers in your state . PM them and find out what they have to offer or they may look out for something .
Good luck !

[The GMT Master]

If you want to buy new, the entry level models are the Air King (34mm case diameter) and Oyster Perpetual (36mm), both non-date models. You should be able to choose a black dial option with each. Alternatively, the entry level sports models are the Explorer (as Kyle posted) or the non-date Submariner. If you want a date, then there's another step up in price brand new. However, if you're interested in buying preowned, you can get a nice looking Datejust (36mm w/ date) for an excellent price, depending on the model and its age.

I'd recommend having a browse through the Rolex website and getting to grips with the range, and what you like and dislike about individual models. Once you know that, then we can point you in the direction of the best deals

Cheers

Chris

[DLagent]

Thanks everyone. I'm thinking the black face, black bezel Submariner non-date is my favorite (sorry Kyle, the Explorer doesn't do it for me). I've seen a few black Subs in the for-sale section and it seems there are used ones for anywhere from $2700 to just under $4000. What would cause a difference in asking price, what significance do the series/serial #'s have, and what other questions should I be asking?

[bandityo]

that sounds about right...you can get a very nice preowned one for upper 2s to mid 3s...

[dmc]

Who ever you buy from look before you leap. Cover all of the details through email. Insist on being able to return the watch if the watch isn't as agreed. Get plenty of close up shots.

Remember this you get what you inspect. If you have any doubts about the seller, insist on authenticating the watch at an AD.

There are a number of really good people here, but that doesn't mean throw caution to the wind. I can personally vouch for DavidSW, as I recently bought a watch from him. He is a stand up guy to do business with. And many others on here can attest to that.

In all fairness to the other traders on the forum there are many more that have great references.

That being said read the Watch out forum, and if the deal seems to good to be true, it probably is. http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=106512

Good luck in your quest for a Submariner. You should consider buying one that has the date as you will be able to get better resale on that watch than a non-date model, and there will be more people looking to buy that watch than a non-date model.

Good luck

Merry Christmas

[mb hawaii]

Welcome to the forum. About how much are you planning to spend?

[looking to buy]

I would strongly encourage you to buy the seller and not the watch. Get in touch with reputable sellers on this forum. Stay away from internet site's where you do not know the seller or product. Do not worry about getting the lowest possible price. Worry about getting a reliable seller who will give you want you pay for. A sub is always a good choice and you cannot go wrong with it.

Welcome.

[ayres]

hi there, and merry christmas...

i think that the first, and best, plan of action is to read the abundant resources located on this forum, timezone, and watchuseek. chasing tires is no way to go about spending a lot of money; pics of other peoples' watches are always appealing. visiting dealers is great, but they can often be limited in knowledge (and, let's face it, they're trying to sell you a watch) - or, in other words, there's nothing they know that you cannot learn from reading at your own pace on these websites. after learning about the production and timeline of various models, you'll learn how to ask the right questions.

and, don't just look at the general discussion forum - as technical answers/explanations are better addressed in the other forums here on trf. best of luck,

[Speed]

Welcome...

Go to rolex.com and browse from your couch first...and see what appeals to you.

You now have some idea of models...then decide if you can / want to buy used to save a lot of money. If not, you will be very limited.

[sea-dweller]

Cannot go wrong with a Sub Date, buy from a reputable seller and you'll be fine.

[scl6118]

Go for a used Sub date!

[Leasky]

Hello, welcome to the site and festive greetings to you and yours.

Can I ask what kind of business your in as that may have a bearing on which model you go for?

The Sub is certainly a timeless (sorry for the pun) classic and I feel the Date may have a better re-sale then the non-Date.

A SS DJ either on Jubillee or (in my opnion) the less formal Oyster band would also be a consideration.

The newer 116### model DJ's are very nice and (again, in my opinion) worth the extra money.

If your not going to buy new, then I strongly recommend that you buy from one of the many trusted and proven sellers on this fine site.

Good luck with your search, keep us posted and prepair to be addicted!!

Colin.

[Andad]

Welcome to TRF.

The Sub Date is the Rolex Classic icon and the model that really kicked Rolex off. Not to be confused with the SD which is the Sea Dweller, another icon and IMO the one to search for in used condition as they have been discontinued.

Sea Dweller. A 'Z' model. 2007.

Sub Date. An 'M' model. 2008.

Sub no date 14060M. A 'K' model. 2001.

Use the stickys to find a link to the manufacturing dates of the 'letter'.

[DLagent]

Again, thanks to everyone for your continued advice/suggestions. To answer a few of your questions, i intend on spending about $3,000. I am a young insurance agent, and in my office we're all about casual dress. I wear jeans and a polo shirt to work pretty much every day, and one of the other reasons I want a Rolex is because of what it will add to my professional image - if I'm wearing a Rolex, it doesn't matter much what else I'm wearing.

Now that I've narrowed down my preferred models, I went to a mall jeweler today just to try a few on with no intention whatsoever of purchasing. After this experience, I decided that I definitely want the classic black Submariner. In all honesty, I prefer the look of the non-date model - the date bubble just doesn't do it for me. Contrary to what some of you have told me, the jeweler said that the non-date is actually better for resale than the date model due to its desirability among the younger crowd that, like me, isn't feeling the date bubble. And of course, the jeweler also tried to put the fear of God in me in reference to buying pre-owned instead of new, but of course that's a personal preference and if I do my research I'm sure I'll find a quality authentic pre-owned. Besides, I'm willing to spend $3K but not $5K+ on my purchase so new is just out of the question financially.

Any further thoughts about date vs. no date or the quintessential new vs. pre-owned issues?

[kyle L]

Originally Posted by DLagent

Again, thanks to everyone for your continued advice/suggestions. To answer a few of your questions, i intend on spending about $3,000. I am a young insurance agent, and in my office we're all about casual dress. I wear jeans and a polo shirt to work pretty much every day, and one of the other reasons I want a Rolex is because of what it will add to my professional image - if I'm wearing a Rolex, it doesn't matter much what else I'm wearing.

Now that I've narrowed down my preferred models, I went to a mall jeweler today just to try a few on with no intention whatsoever of purchasing. After this experience, I decided that I definitely want the classic black Submariner. In all honesty, I prefer the look of the non-date model - the date bubble just doesn't do it for me. Contrary to what some of you have told me, the jeweler said that the non-date is actually better for resale than the date model due to its desirability among the younger crowd that, like me, isn't feeling the date bubble. And of course, the jeweler also tried to put the fear of God in me in reference to buying pre-owned instead of new, but of course that's a personal preference and if I do my research I'm sure I'll find a quality authentic pre-owned. Besides, I'm willing to spend $3K but not $5K+ on my purchase so new is just out of the question financially.

Any further thoughts about date vs. no date or the quintessential new vs. pre-owned issues?

I feel the same way too, I like the no date better than the date. I think pre owned is the way to go, especially when you're on a budget. I hope you find what you want, you can post an Ad up on the forum, or look through ads on timezone.

[kyle L]

Oh I just found this ad on timezone:

http://forums.timezone.com/index.php...=4853197&rid=0