Inside our authentication process: how a pre-owned Rolex gets checked
Buying pre-owned is a question of confidence. A watch can look right in photographs and still be wrong in ways that only close inspection reveals — which is why authentication, not photography, is the foundation of everything we sell.
Case, lugs and finishing
We start with the case. Case profiles, lug shapes, crown guards and the quality and consistency of the finishing all have to match the reference. Polishing is normal on a watch of any age, but heavy or incorrect polishing shows in softened edges and lost definition — and it affects value, so we assess it honestly and describe it in the listing.
Reference and serial engravings
Engravings between the lugs and on the case flanks are examined under magnification: font, depth, spacing and position. These details vary by period, and getting them right is one of the most reliable ways to confirm a case belongs with the watch it is being sold as.
Dial, hands and crystal
Dial printing, lume plots, applied markers, hand shapes and the crystal are all checked for originality and period-correctness. Refinished dials, non-matching hands and aftermarket crystals are common in the wild; each one changes the character of the watch and the price, so we identify them and say so.
Movement and bracelet
The movement is inspected and, where appropriate, timed. Bracelets are checked for correct reference and end links, stretch, clasp markings and the condition of the links — a bracelet is a significant part of both the wearability and the value.
Documentation and history
Boxes, papers, service records and receipts are reviewed and described for exactly what they are. Where documentation is supplied we pass it on in full; where it is absent we say so, because a watch without papers is priced differently and you deserve to know which one you are buying.
What you get as a buyer
Every timepiece we sell undergoes this process before it is offered, and we guarantee that the watches we sell are genuine. If you ever believe an item is not authentic, contact us and we will investigate — and where an item is found not to be authentic, we will refund you in full, including reasonable return delivery costs.
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