Thoughts on buying used watches/rolex/etc?

I am in the mood to get a nice watch. With all of these ongoing watch threads, I now feel motivated .

I already have an older rolex submariner, and was looking at getting a different style rolex, or a nice omega.

When I talked to the omega rep, he said that rolex and omega have the exact same movement! Is this true??? The omega's seem to cost significantly less than an equivilant rolex, and if the internals are the same, then that is surprising.

I am also considering a "pre-worn" watch. Thoughts on this? How long does the movement last? If it had its service recently, can I assume a multitude of years of problem free use?

Is the service every 2 years actually required? I have never had it done on mine, and 9 years later I have no problems... Then again, I hardly wear it.

As an aside, the rolex hasn't held up cosmetically. The case is scratched. The crystal is scratched. And one of the hour markers fell of and is bouncing around under the glass. It likely will need to be attended to now.....

 

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....

 

Thanks for the input. The rep I talked to was selling the watches at Marshall Fields. He said he previously was a Rolex rep also. His comment was that the same company makes both movements, and they are identical...

Any comments on buying used time pieces?

 

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

 

I used to wear it all of the time. Especially when doing construction/working on the car/etc. Now, it sits on the shelf. I find that patients don't react to it kindly...

 

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

 

I would think any watch would scratch given some regular use. I have talked to a rolex dealer a year or 2 ago, and they said it would be 2-3 months to get the watch fixed. They have to "send it out of the country"? Not sure if this is accurate or not. I believe the crystal/glass alone was quite pricey. The case supposedly would "buff" out...

Oh well...

I also own a gold "geneve" watch that my folks bought for my high school graduation. No other name/description on it.They paid $1800 or so for it eons ago. It one VERY extroverted watch. Looks very 1980's, almost gold-nugget styled but not quite. Usually only wear it at polish weddings, where this kind of thing is appreciated . The only reason I bring this up, is that this watch is also very scratched (wiped out on a motorcycle while wearing it). Long story short - I abuse my watches.

Perhaps I need a timex ?

 

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.

 

I am pretty much just looking at the rolexes and omegas. I like the latter, because my father owned one decades ago, and it struck a cord with me.

The rolex would just be neat to have. I know there are "better" brands out there, and better watches. But, when I was young, rolex was king of the heap. That also made an impression. Basically, I am at a point in my life where I get to indulge my teenage fantasies - so I want objects that I desired way back when...

Reading what I just wrote sounds like my mid-life crisis is coming early... . But in reality, its just nice to be in a position to buy things you never thought you could afford when you were a kid...

I remember reading about testarossa's in highschool wondering who the hell can afford these things...

Its funny how later in life you WANT what you wanted in your youth...

 

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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Awe, don't ruin it for me! . Years ago I threw away my pastel sports coats, and still regret it. It would make a great trick or treat outfit when I escort my kids!

The 80's are just about to be back in vogue again. Figure another several years. In the midwest there are already 80's stations popping up on the radio... There are re-releases of 80's movies (think miami vice again ). Those were great times...I have no problem with reliving it. As a matter of fact, my wife just went out and bought a Madonna CD...but its just not the same as 20 years ago...

Long live the 80's!

 

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.