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Sell Your Rolex: The Ultimate Guide

If you are the lucky owner of a Rolex, then congratulations! You have on your wrist one of the most well renowned brands of all time. Since 1905, Hans Wilsdorf has catapulted Rolex into the highest horological pantheon.

From breaking incredible records and achieving phenomenal feats of success, Rolex is famed for its innovative techniques such as crafting using ceramic and creating the revere Cerachrom bezel as seen in the Rolex GMT Master II ‘Batman’

From creating the first waterproof watch in 1926 to scaling Everest multiple times, Rolex watches and its heritage revolves around success, accomplishment and clever marketing. It remains one of the top 100 most influential global brands, delivering around 1 million pieces to avid watch fans annually.

We can therefore only imagine you will need to find the best place to sell your Rolex at the best possible price. That’s where Chrono Hunter steps in. Time to take stock of your accomplishment and discover our ultimate guide to how to sell your Rolex

Things You Need To Sell Your Rolex Watch

It's imperative you have the relevant documents or papers accessible when you want to sell your Rolex. While you may be able to sell your watch without relevant documentation, it will be significantly more hassle as the documentation increases the authenticity of your watch.

These papers consist of service records, warranty papers, a Rolex Certified Pre-Owned card or a sales receipt as proof of purchase. These are vital if you wish to sell your watch.

Rolex is understood to be the world’s most counterfeited watch, a harrowing fact for those looking to sell a Rolex. With so many fake Rolex watches in circulation, there has never been more of a need to keep your papers handy.

Furthermore, Rolex has introduced The Certified Pre-owned Programme which essentially means that pre-owned Rolex watches are given a revitalising boost of legitimacy. This is through certifying the watch is at an identical high standard of quality and precision compared to models that have just been released.

If they are, then these pre-owned Rolex watches are given a two year warranty from the day of sale along with a dedicated Rolex Certified Pre-Owned plaque or card, representing its validity.

Taking Photos Of Your Rolex Watch

Photos are a necessity if you want to sell your Rolex quickly. Save your filters and Instagram selfies for social media and keep the lighting sensible. Photos are an excellent way of showing off your Rolex and getting it sold quickly.

Make sure the photos are taken in well-lit surroundings in order to achieve the best exposure and brightness. You don't have to travel to a sunny peninsula to capture an image, just get the photos taken with enough light.

Even the most popular Rolex models will look bad if the photo is a botch job which may detract from your potential sale.

My Rolex Watch is Damaged

The worst thing you can do is be misleading and spin fanciful yarns about a scratch that ‘wasn't there yesterday’.

If you want to sell your Rolex, take note of the condition it's currently in. Are there dents, marks or abrasions? Is there anything that may be worth knowing about before someone decides to buy your Rolex? Issues which you consider banal could in fact significantly lower the price of your Rolex watches.

Regular maintenance or a Rolex service is imperative to ensure you don’t encounter any issues. Make sure everything is polished and clean before it is time to sell your Rolex.

Materials Used In My Rolex Watch

Most Rolex watches use their patented ‘Oyster Steel’. Mainly used in the aerospace and chemical industries, 904L steel alloy provides first rate corrosion resistance and delivers a phenomenal finish when polished...

Cosmograph Daytona

Other Rolex watches use patented material like ‘Everose Gold’, a form of 18k rose gold that is highly resistant to fading. One fine example is the Rolex Daytona which comes in either Everose Gold or Oyster Steel.

All Rolex materials are expertly crafted and founded meaning it shouldn't be too much of an issue when you sell your Rolex. That being said, if you landed on a Rolex GMT Master Ice which is decked out with 20 carats of brilliant cut diamonds, the price would obviously be higher than a standard Rolex Submariner due to the difference in quality materials and rarity.

Key Rolex Models

The biggest calling card Rolex has is down to its exclusivity. The general principle follows that the more exclusive a watch is e.g through it being scarce by low supply and high demand, the higher the chances of it selling for a larger value. However, current market conditions must also be factored in.

All Rolex models will hold their value due to the brand's exceptional reputation, heritage and craftsmanship, not to mention its celebrity clientele.

Celebrities right now like actor, guitarist and performer Jack Black wears an 18k white gold Rolex Submariner ref. 116619 while model Emily Ratajowski owns a customised yellow gold vintage Rolex Day-Date President. As her President's Day Date is vintage, its value is guaranteed to rise due to its age and exclusivity.

Added to this is the fact that some vintage models like this can be discontinued further bumping up the price.

Rolex Submariner

If you are selling a vintage Rolex, then you are in luck. Vintage Rolex watches do very well such as the Rolex GMT-Master 1675. This is a prime example of a timepiece comfortably holding and vastly increasing in value.

Released in 1972, it was worn by Marlon Brando and sold for almost £1 million in 2019. Another example is Paul Newman's iconic Rolex Daytona. Following on from the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona craze after Baselworld in 2016, the model sold for more than £14 million at auction in 2017.

More modern models also have the capability of increasing in value, particularly if they have been discontinued. For example, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II, introduced two colours onto the patented Cerachrom bezel which was released in 2005.

GMT Master II

First released in blue and black ceramic, the colours would develop one year later to red and blue. They were known as ‘Batman’ and ‘Pepsi’ respectively. These two colour combinations were world firsts, paving new ground with ceramics.

The “Batman” model held the title of being the only stainless steel made by Rolex that displayed a bi-coloured bezel. It became the last stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master equipped with a signature Oyster Bracelet.

The original Batman ran for 7 years, eventually being discontinued in 2019. With its unique design, it vastly increased in popularity and price resulting in it being among one of the most sought after Rolex watches.

What Makes Rolex So Valuable?

Rolex is simply timeless elegance. Even its vintage models bring astronomical price tags due to their reliability and deep lying history. For example, The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6263 “Albino” was released in 1971.

This model is very rare due to its age and was last auctioned by Phillips for a record of over £1.1 million in May 2015. Furthermore, it was owned by Eric Clapton, inadvertently making him an ambassador for Rolex as it boosted the price.

The production time for a Rolex watch is notoriously long, meaning that supply will never match the unwavering demand. Almost every part of a Rolex is made in-house including the movements and cases. Since they therefore cannot outsource for items such as the specialised 904L steel, the production time is drastically increased.

Source - Cellini - Rolex

The watches are also incredibly durable, having completed very impressive feats such as climbing Mount Everest on the wrist of Edmund Hilary and the earliest Rolex, the Oyster, given to Mercedes Gleitze as she swam across the English Channel.

The Rolex Submariner Date epitomises the peak of durability as far as Rolex watches are concerned. Since 1953, it has become easily distinguishable by its strength and remains one of the best dive watches today. As such, its retail price of £8,650 is drastically below its value on the secondary market which is in excess of £12,000.

The Rolex clientele is a who’s who of the creme de la creme! Featuring actors and sportsmen at the pinnacle of their disciplines, Rolex brand ambassadors have included Roger Federer who adorns a Rolex Datejust and Tiger Woods who owns a Rolex Deep-Sea among other models.

The list of impressive faces also features US Presidents like Barack Obama who owns a Rolex Cellini. This featured in his official President Portrait image while investment mogul Warren Buffet owns a Rolex Day-Date in n 18k yellow gold.

Will My Rolex Watch Fluctuate In Price?

Rolex by its very nature is as unpredictable as the UK economy.

If you want to sell your Rolex, you must understand the basic concepts of supply and demand as it stretches to all Rolex models. If you want to sell your watch, be prepared to experience surges and market prices which are subject to constant daily change.

If you own a Rolex that experiences a surge in popularity such as the Rolex Daytona, you may find that the price has drastically increased, even if the retail price has not.

The most popular Rolex models tend to be those that remain consistent in their price steadily increasing such as The Rolex DayJust and Rolex Submariner. Furthermore, sought after models like The Rolex GMT Master II Ice and Jack Nicklaus Rolex Day-Date, both discontinued and extremely rare, are likely to increase in value.

Outside of unprecedented price surges, the general rule of thumb is that Rolex watches across the board will not just hold but increase in price over time.

Where Is The Best Place To Sell My Rolex?

There are various places to sell your Rolex such as auction houses or online.

While online sites have plenty of pros, such as eBay with its ability to communicate with sellers and negotiate prices, they also have their fair share of risks. The buyer may back out at the last minute, wasting your precious time or you could be sold a fake Rolex unbeknownst to you.

Yet with Chrono Hunter, you can sell your Rolex absolute confidence. Take advantage of

the best luxury retailers and receive offers for your Rolex in a matter of hours…if not minutes!

Our distinctive platform provides some of the best luxury watch retailers around who are looking to buy your watch. Plus it's all accessible through our dedicated app.

Chrono Hunter really is the best place to get your watch sold for its maximum value. Negate all the hassle of deals falling through and go with the best! Simply put in your Rolex watch details here and let us show you what we are capable of. What are you waiting for, trusted timelords? If you are still not convinced, our Trustpilot reviews show we deliver the best service should you choose to sell your Rolex.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this list has not been too exhaustive for you, watch fans. Rolex is a complex brand that has a certain air of mystery to it. However, it will consistently produce outstanding models for public consumption. Us time fiends just can't get enough! Feeling the need to sell your Rolex now? Allow Chrono Hunter to step in and let us put in the hard work. Time as they say waits for no man.

Receive offers in less than 24 hours from our expansive list of the most trusted luxury water retailers. Contact ChronoHunter here today and sell your Rolex the smart way.

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