Is the saving worth it between "Never Worn vs. New?"

[Louies]

I'm looking through several websites selling "never worn" Rolexes. One of which is the Truefacet.com . Has anyone ever done any business with them? The site is touting several Rolex models "never worn" that I'm very interested in. Aside from the obvious semantics, what's the real difference between that and the brand new version? I mean can the "never worn" be on display, or old inventory etc...

Personally, I don't mind wearing a Rolex that has been sitting on the shelf couple of years. Just that I want to know if the saving is worth it. The savings are about 10-15% depending on the models. I know a few people are buying used Rolexes, and frankly, I can't tell that from the new since all, if not most, are looking sparkling new to me.

[GB-man]

Not familiar with that site so cannot comment there.

IMO new is from an AD with your name on the papers. Everything else is preowned with varying levels of condition.

Smart people buy lnib and save a bundle. Sometimes I'm smart, sometimes I'm a sucker. Typically I buy my rolex new and AP lnib.

[bdex75]

Just my opinion. Not worth 10-15% to buy a used watch from an unknown source. Unless it is for a D Blue or a Daytona500. I would go to David's website and see if he has what you want or can get it and at what cost.

Do these watches include the Rolex warranty? If so is it the 2 year or the 5 year??

I have a great relationship with my ad and I can do better than that on a brand new one if I wanted.


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[AK797]

I like it still in stickers and at a nice reseller's price.

[fskywalker]

Check the various power sellers here, you might do better and support their business!

[jon_jon]

I think it is all a matter of semantics. You can buy a "new" watch from an AD and the watch may have been on the wrists of 20 people ahead of you who tried it on at the AD and decided not the buy. Then there are watches that a gray dealer is selling which has never seen the light of day and "never worn".

You know that the warranty from an AD is good from the actual date of purchase. When you purchase a watch from a non-AD, you may have a balance of the Rolex manufacturer warranty or you may not have any warranty. It is a risk that you take when purchasing from a non-AD especially if you need servicing of a recently purchased watch.

[Danny83]

You can get better deals here it also depends on the watch

[Hockeyplayer516]

I have OCD so it has to have the stickers on it so that I can peel them off. So if a Never Worn has the stickers, ill take the savings, if not then i'll pay more

[Sublovin]

Originally Posted by GB-man

IMO new is from an AD with your name on the papers. :

This is absolute fact. A grey market watch can be "unworn", but it can't be brand new in box. Once it leaves the AD, it is no longer brand new .

[77T]

Welcome to the forum.
There is no industry definition for "never worn" almost all stock in an AD has been tried on by one prospect or another.
As for that seller, TRF isn't a sales site. It's best to check the Who's Who thread when you're looking for feedback on a seller.

[Splash]

Originally Posted by 77T

Welcome to the forum.
There is no industry definition for "never worn" almost all stock in an AD has been tried on by one prospect or another.
As for that seller, TRF isn't a sales site. It's best to check the Who's Who thread when you're looking for feedback on a seller.

Where can we find that thread?
Thanks!

[amh]

To me the new 5yr warranty is worth quite a bit. Hence buying from a TRF TS is the best deal on the planet short of getting one during a Trip to Europe. You may get little or no warranty on LNIB or NOS watch. Make sure the price is discounted accordingly.

[Onikage]

Some watches stay in ADs for years. They're practically pre-owned after they've been dumped in the display hundreds of times and tried on by Bobby the plasterer.

[ragingcao]

'Never Worn' by whom? Since there's no standard definition, could be true w the last buyer (dealer) but how many previous owners/testers had their hands on it.

[Sandblaster]

I have 6 watches, the boxes on 3, the papers on all 6.

Only one I bought "pre-owned" and it was a hell of a deal so i made an executive decision and pulled the trigger.

The other 5 are all "grey market". Only one had no name or buyer number. I believe they call that open card.

From NYC Diamond District, Seybold building, Chrono24.com, Pony350, my watch guy, my pal's watch guy.

As far as I am concerned, the 5 were all new. Stickers still on it? New.

I don't really think about if I am missing out on "an experience" by not buying from an AD.

If a watch is advertised from this site, say from David or Takuya - does BNIB mean YOUR name comes on the card? Let's say it doesn't. I still consider that brand new.

[Louies]

Originally Posted by Sandblaster

If a watch is advertised from this site, say from David or Takuya - does BNIB mean YOUR name comes on the card? Let's say it doesn't. I still consider that brand new.

Never mind. I got it. Mod...Please delete this post. I found the answer. Thanks

[Kosgad]

Originally Posted by Louies

Never mind. I got it. Mod...Please delete this post. I found the answer. Thanks

Hi louies,
I read the thread. I am also in the same dilemma. What is your take home message. Should I buy new watch with 5 years guarantee or pre worn that saves some money.

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[YellowRollie]

My first watch was pre-own 2007 TT sub. Sold it to get AD 2015 TT sub and AD Yachtmaster II. Both watch I request to order new ones in (make sure no one touch it). I guess its up to how you feel about it, Do you trust the person your buying from? Can you be sure no internals been touch or change? etc...

[dabbotjordan]

[QUOTE=jon_jon;6910130]I think it is all a matter of semantics. You can buy a "new" watch from an AD and the watch may have been on the wrists of 20 people ahead of you who tried it on at the AD and decided not the buy. Then there are watches that a gray dealer is selling which has never seen the light of day and "never worn".

This.

[Louies]

Originally Posted by Kosgad

Hi louies,
I read the thread. I am also in the same dilemma. What is your take home message. Should I buy new watch with 5 years guarantee or pre worn that saves some money.

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Hi Kosgad,

I'm still ambivalent about the whole thing. The reason that I asked the Mod to delete my post from above was that I didn't know who DavidSW and Akatuaya were. But after looking through the marketplace below, I've figured them out. The post wasn't meant to delete the entire thread, though.

But to answer your question specifically, I think I'm leaning toward buying from an AD. After all, this would be my first Rolex. I would really hate it if I got duped one way or another. On the other hand, John's post above also makes a lot of sense. If you're lucky, you're buying an untouched watch, and buying from an AD doesn't always mean it brand new in the strictest sense. So you're also rolling a dice there. But for me, at least, I can see and feel it before I put my $$ down.

Best of luck...

[Rags]

Try www.SDWatches.com. Tony Geha is a trusted seller here on the forum.

[Louies]

Originally Posted by Rags

Try www.SDWatches.com. Tony Geha is a trusted seller here on the forum.

I look through that site and see several watches I like. For example, the 116660 Deepsea with black dial and bezel.

One question though: Why is that the seller erases the last 3 or 4 digits on the chronometer card? Was that for safety reason? Would I be able to see the entire number if I bought the watch? I'm just curious because this is my first time trying to buy a Rolex.

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by Louies

I look through that site and see several watches I like. For example, the 116660 Deepsea with black dial and bezel.



One question though: Why is that the seller erases the last 3 or 4 digits on the chronometer card? Was that for safety reason? Would I be able to see the entire number if I bought the watch? I'm just curious because this is my first time trying to buy a Rolex.

Yes. It is photoshopped out. It is so someone does not use the serial number on a fake or other unscrupulous things.


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[Louies]

Originally Posted by bdex75

Yes. It is photoshopped out. It is so someone does not use the serial number on a fake or other unscrupulous things.


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If I were to buy from online vendors, here or elsewhere, I wouldn't get all that box, card, and certificate of authenticity like from an AD? In other word, I would just get a watch, correct?
Another question: If I were to buy it from this vendor SDwatches.com with all the accompanied box, card, etc..., I can have the watch serviced by Rolex due to the fact that I now have the registration card?

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by Louies

If I were to buy from online vendors, here or elsewhere, I wouldn't get all that box, card, and certificate of authenticity like from an AD? In other word, I would just get a watch, correct?
Another question: If I were to buy it from this vendor SDwatches.com with all the accompanied box, card, etc..., I can have the watch serviced by Rolex due to the fact that I now have the registration card?

You will get whatever they say is included. Most of the time with David or the other trusted sellers if the box and card is shown in the pictures it is included, but always read the print and ask the question.

You can always have he watch serviced by Rolex as service is not a covered item under the warranty. If the warranty is the question then as long as you have the card and the card has been swiped you will have a warranty. Again, ask the seller and a good seller will be able to tell you definitively if the warranty is activated.


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[R G]

It's simple to me as my preference is brand new from an AD.

Never worn, is not brand new.

Brand new, means the watch has never been purchased before and is being sold by an AD for the first time.

People trying on the watch at a shop (before you buy it) doesn't change anything and it is still not the same as never worn.

Never worn means someone has acquired the watch, currently owns it, and claims it's not been worn.

Evidently, and based on what you see here on this forum, a stickered watch doesn't indicate an unworn watch, moreover it just indicates the owner hasn't removed the stickers.

[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by Louies

Hi Kosgad,

I'm still ambivalent about the whole thing. The reason that I asked the Mod to delete my post from above was that I didn't know who DavidSW and Akatuaya were. But after looking through the marketplace below, I've figured them out. The post wasn't meant to delete the entire thread, though.

But to answer your question specifically, I think I'm leaning toward buying from an AD. After all, this would be my first Rolex. I would really hate it if I got duped one way or another. On the other hand, John's post above also makes a lot of sense. If you're lucky, you're buying an untouched watch, and buying from an AD doesn't always mean it brand new in the strictest sense. So you're also rolling a dice there. But for me, at least, I can see and feel it before I put my $$ down.

Best of luck...

I think your question of buying from an AD vs a reseller depends on which watch model you are interested in purchasing.

For example, let's say you are looking to get a SS Sub date, which is a popular watch here and it retails for $8550. But a "gray" seller is selling one for $7700 for a ~10% discount or $850 off the list price for an unworn watch. The reseller may offer their own in-house warranty for 2 years or may offer the balance of the Rolex 5-year warranty. The $850 price difference would pay for a service if the watch needed one because it was running too fast or too slow. And if the warranty card was swiped at an AD before it went to a re-seller, it will have the balance of the 2 or 5 year warranty. And so you saved $850 on the purchase.

However I don't know for a popular watch like the Sub date, where there isn't a huge discount for an unworn watch, if it is worth it to get it from a non-AD . But that is just my personal opinion. However if a reseller is offering 20%+ off a non-popular watch, then it may be a more interesting offer to consider. Some of this has to do with your peace of mind when purchasing from an AD vs a non-AD and there is no right or wrong decision.

[Quailhunter]

The "never worn" description on a non-AD seller is somewhat questionable in my mind if the watch isn't truly new, in the box, with tag and stickers. If the watch is new and in an AD but shop worn, I wouldn't buy it. If I am going to spend Rolex level money, the discounts I've seen on the watches I want do not justify giving up the benefits of buying new from an AD.