Found a Rolex years ago. What to do with it now?

Pawn shops can tell you if Rolex’s are real and stolen. A couple of guys where I went to college stole some Rolex’s and took them to a pawn shop and promptly went to jail for a few years. Since your watch was found in Europe years ago you probably are not in legal jeopardy but if it was reported it might be interesting to know if it was reported lost or stolen.

If you don’t want to hand it to an AD for service there should be someone local. The service on my DeepSea was $750 and done in 4 days through a respected local watch specialist. The AD quote was $1250 plus whatever they find to replace in the movement and it was going to be a month or two to get it back.

 

I used my Chrono24 app's Watch Scanner to take a pic of the photo you posted of the watch. It correctly identified your watch as the Rolex Daytona Ref. 16519 - so cool! Here's the details attached from the app. Great find I'd say!
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Beautiful watch, especially the band. I like the blue leather. The only way to know if the watch is real is to have a Rolex dealer inspect it. It may even need to be sent to Rolex for verification. I speak from experience. The Scanner above, while interesting to learn about, would certainly recognize one of the most famous Rolex designs ever. But, it can't verify authenticity. Rolex is the most cloned watch brand in the world. Even dealers sometimes can't tell the difference. Again, from experience. The clones are very, very good.
There is info on the web somewhere to get an idea of how old the watch is using the serial number. I can't remember which, but the model number is on the case between the watch band lugs on one end and the serial number between the lugs on the other end.
If it's real, it's certainly worth servicing and wearing.

 

"There wasn't anyone else to check with?" Er, what about the Monaco police?

Everyone knows that a Rolex watch, particularly one with diamonds, is going to be worth thousands, and that someone who lost such a watch would almost certainly have reported it to the local police. Merely asking someone from the casino if they knew anyone who'd lost a Rolex is not making a reasonable attempt to find the owner. Sorry, but this watch feels dangerously close to stolen property.

Although it's unlikely that the Monaco police keep records going back that far would you have any reluctance to check with them? If so, why?

 

I am enjoying this thread! I like the way people keep showing up and immediately calling it a fake and then further investigation seems to show it's real...

I also find this idea that it is the person who found it's responsibility to go to the ends of the earth to find the original owner. I feel like when a person buys and wears a watch they take on a little responsibility. If you don't want to run the risk of loosing a really valuable thing, take the necessary preventative steps. Ultimately, it's your responsibility. Now, if someone does return something that you lost, I think that's fantastic. But it's a big stretch to say it is their moral obligation, especially when you are talking 2 decades and a generation later.

All that being said, if I were given this from my father - who did not just go pawn it for the money - I would keep it for that reason alone. It's probably the only way I would feel comfortable wearing such a valuable piece, and then if I somehow lost it I was just consider that the fates had other things in mind for it.

 

Going to the local police station is hardly "going to the ends of the earth".

I would have thought that the large majority of people, realising they'd found something so valuable, would have done so, but perhaps I have an unduly optimistic view of human nature!

 

I'm not sure I understand the concern. First, it has been 20 years since the watch was found. If Rolex has a record that it was lost.....so be it and maybe it finds its way back to the original owner. The story ends with it finding its way home.

Stolen is another matter which involves the police. The police don't have a lost and found so stolen involves a police report and potentially a crime that went along with it. Either way the OP wasn't involved so why the consternation?

Trying to slide it under Rolex's radar to get it repaired doesn't seem like good Karma to me. That borders on: "The watch my Dad found and gave me is worth $27,000 and I don't want to lose it." Do the right thing and get it properly repaired. If it goes back to original owner....it was meant to be. If it doesn't you have the providence to own it and pass it on to your children.

 

Just for point of clarity, many fakes have serial numbers between the lugs and can even attempt to use the correct font even so seeing serial and model numbers there doesn't verify authenticity. Additionally the movement will have a serial number which is completely different from the case serial number. This number is proprietary and not of a known (or at least published) sequence. Rolex will compare these as well as the model number and style/features of the watch to determine authenticity - and in some cases theft. Ignoring the concept of theft any Rolex can also be a hybrid. In ortherwords a mismatch of parts. Rolex will not repair such watches although they will return it or insist on charging to have it restored to a known combination they once sold. So even if one puts on an aftermarket diamond bezel or dial don't try sending it to a Rolex Service Center (RSC) and expect service.
With regards to this watch I previously opined but can't definitely comment yea or nea regarding an accurate authenticity so the constellation of comments over the last dozen posts constitute what needs to be done unless one wants to enjoy it as is with whatever viewpoint one has about it...Hope this is informative.

 

What is the current owner supposed to do about something that his father might have done 20+ years ago? And none of us know any real details or were there at the time, have any idea what the people he did talk to said, no idea about what he knew at the time. For example, most everyone here has said at first glance it's a fake. If he thought the same thing, then what? how far do you go to "return" a fake watch? Lot's of wudda shudda here.

 

Are you sure he "found" it? I mean, if I won a bunch of money at a casino and blew it on a watch, I'd probably tell my wife (no I wouldn't but I can see how somebody might) that I "found" it.

 

Okay, you've got our attention (and many comments)! Just go and find out if it's real or not!

 

Still no update?! It's been months!

 

Seems he's disappeared...

 

I’ve been waiting to hear an update also.

 

We need to create a watch to put members on watch to watch for the watch

Jedi

 

Perhaps the guy who lost it read this thread ...

 

He can't give the SN to Rolex, have them check it out and get back to you?

 

Glad it’s legit. Keep us posted with the next steps you take.

 

Jay, I’ve got a good AD contact in Boston if you need one to help you carefully with this watch and potential service/refurb. PM if you want his contact info...

 

To me, this makes sense. Looking at the effort Rolex goes through to protect the owners of their product by tracking this type of thing, it would make sense that they will not tell you if it is stolen until they have it in their possession. If the AD says it is, most people are not going to do the right thing and hand it over... sadly. If they have it and they can just “refuse” to return the stolen property.

 

I still think it is fake as QtrItalian has made some very revealing observations. Especially the "30" on the dial face. That would never pass Rolex quality control.