Pre-Owned Rolex

It depends on the model, reference, metal, age and condition. In our collection, pre-owned Rolex watches start from around £3,000 for vintage Oyster models and reach well over £15,000 for a Daytona or a gold Day-Date, while rare vintage and precious-metal pieces can cost considerably more. Each collection, from the Oyster Perpetual and Datejust to the Submariner and Daytona, sits in its own price range. For new and pre-owned UK prices of every current model, see our guide How Much Is a Rolex?

For many people, yes. Buying pre-owned means no waiting list, a wider choice of prices and access to discontinued and vintage references you can no longer buy new. A new Rolex from an Official Rolex Retailer carries Rolex’s five-year international guarantee; with a pre-owned watch the cover depends on the seller, and every watch we sell comes with our 12-month warranty.

No single quick check proves a Rolex is genuine. The reference and serial numbers, the quality of the dial printing, the case and bracelet construction and, above all, the movement inside all need to match the model and its year. Modern fakes can copy the outside very convincingly, so the safest approach is to buy from an established specialist. Every Rolex we offer is selected for its authenticity and condition, and you are welcome to inspect it in person at our South Woodford showroom. For the detailed checks experts use, read our guide How to Spot a Fake Rolex.

Rolex is one of the watch brands best known for holding its value, helped by strong demand and carefully controlled supply. Prices still move with the market, however: they rose sharply in 2021 and early 2022 and then eased back. Popular steel sports models and well-kept vintage pieces tend to be the most resilient, but we always recommend choosing a watch because you will enjoy wearing it rather than purely as an investment.

Check that the reference and serial number match the description, look at the overall condition of the case, dial and bracelet, and ask about the service history and whether the original box and papers are included. For vintage watches, originality matters a great deal, as replaced dials, hands or bezels can affect the value. Finally, buy from a seller who offers a warranty and lets you see the watch before you commit.

New, the Oyster Perpetual is the entry point to the Rolex collection. Pre-owned, vintage Oyster Perpetual and Oyster Date models, smaller ladies’ Datejust watches and the discontinued Cellini dress watches are usually the most accessible ways to own a Rolex, and our finance options let you spread the cost over monthly payments.

It varies from watch to watch. Some pre-owned Rolex watches still have their original box and warranty card, while many older pieces were separated from them long ago. Our listings state what is included with each watch, and whatever comes with it, every Rolex we sell is covered by our 12-month warranty.

Rolex makes almost everything in-house, including its own Oystersteel and gold alloys, its movements, dials and bracelets, and tests every finished watch to its Superlative Chronometer standard of −2/+2 seconds a day. Add a great deal of hand finishing, materials such as 18ct gold and platinum, and demand that regularly exceeds supply, and the result is a watch that is expensive to make and highly sought after.

All Rolex watches are made in Switzerland. The company is based in Geneva, where cases, bracelets, dials and final assembly are handled across several sites, while the movements are made in Biel/Bienne.

Rolex does not publish its production figures. Industry estimates put the number at roughly one million watches a year, which still falls short of demand for the most popular models.

Not exactly. Rolex SA is a commercial company, but it is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private foundation set up by the brand’s founder. The foundation has no shareholders to pay, and it supports a wide range of charitable and community causes, which is why Rolex is sometimes described as non-profit.

Today almost every Rolex uses an in-house, self-winding mechanical movement, such as the calibre 3235 in the Datejust and Submariner Date, the 3285 in the GMT-Master II and the 4131 in the Cosmograph Daytona. Modern calibres feature Rolex innovations including the Chronergy escapement and the blue Parachrom hairspring. Some earlier models used movements from outside suppliers: Daytonas made between 1988 and 2000, for example, are powered by a Rolex-modified Zenith El Primero calibre.