Hey guys, my colleague is letting go of his 116509. Mint. Just the naked watch. No box, no doc, not even a towel to wrap it with. Asking $30k. It’s literally coming off his wrist, to mine. I’ll probly Clorox the hell out of it soon as I get home.

can I hunt down the box and docs elsewhere?
Can I complete the set on my own time?
Appreciate your insights.

photo from Chrono24 for reference.

 

Why no docs? Is he the original owner?

Rolex will not reissue docs......PERIOD. You can always find a box, but why?

 

original owner. He moved a couple of times this year. A few watch boxes were missing from the moves. His guess is: curious movers “misplaced” them. Half a dozen empty watch boxes and docs vanished with his last relocation.
Watches are in safe, boxes at his homes.

I’m curious. Are docs worth $10k for Daytona? Given its precious metal and blue dial. 25% of its value is on docs? You think?

 

Maybe the Box&Docs are with the previous, original, letigimate owner ? I really can't understand how you can lose the papers for a modern, super expensive white gold Daytona. It's a bit like losing your car papers..

 

Submitting requests to the state for duplicate vehicle titles is an everyday occurrence at our auto dealerships. About 1 out of 10 trade-ins the customer(s) lost their original title. At first I thought it was crazy someone could lose something that important. After years of seeing it, I just chalk it up to common sense isn’t that common.

@ngo516 If the current owner of the watch is indeed a rightful owner of the watch, you know him and know for a fact he moved around and it isn’t just a story he is telling I would understand how watch papers/boxes could go missing as it sounds like you understand as well.

I have not yet come across this while talking watches and reading forums yet so I apologize if it is common knowledge, but can someone contact Rolex or a boutique with a serial number to check if a watch has been reported stolen?

 

I agree. This fetish with "full kit" always makes me giggle. However it does make sense if one is a flipper cashing in on this trend or plans on wearing the packaging on a rope as a necklace. If you are buying the watch at the right price why on earth would you need to search out and buy a Rolex box for it?

 

It came up clean from several registry searches. I’ll submit a request to Rolex today to confirm. I’m also one of those clumsy idiot with missing tittle for my 3 yo car. The funny thing is, it’s probly easier and cheaper to get duplicate docs for a car than it is for a Rolex. I need a new hobby.

 

I subscribed to your theory too. “I ain’t wearing the docs, I’ll take the cash saving”. But when the price of the watch creeps up above my comfort, and requires the approval of the big boss; “full kit” fetish kicked into high gear.

I blame this on Antique Roadshow.
“Your garbage clock is worth $10, John. But because you kept the box and docs, it’s now worth $8million” Pretty much every damn show. Now I want my docs and box.

 

^^^ As the Soup Nazi would say, "No box and docs for you!"

 

“Rolex Oyster Cosmograph & Documentation”
Now I want documentation.
Damn Antique Roadshow messing up my watch game.

 

Well then it sounds like your buddy's blue Daytona isn't for you? You aren't getting any duplicate documents from Rolex for that. However you mentioning your buddy has the watch on his wrist shows that he has the right idea for it.

 

Whatever he paid for removals has increased massively because his chances of moving any of 5 box and paperless watches will cost him real cash because plenty of people buying in this price bracket would want the full set. It is very much a thing plenty of people look for. Interesting to hear what watches are actually boxless now.
As already said you can buy a generic Rolex box from plenty of places but the credit card with serial number etc you are never getting. Nearest thing will be Rolex service card when you put it into the spar for which they’ll charge you around $1000. Beautiful watch by the way, definitely in my top 3 fantasy never going to own watches.

 

What s even more interesting is the insurance adjuster can’t value empty boxes. There’s no real value (ok maybe a few hundreds). I’m helping him dealing with that now.

 

I dealt with theft a few years ago - put me off the hobby briefly - but most of the boxes held watches at the time, so insurance paid out. Somewhat ironically, the SMP I was wearing but lost the box and docs to, was then stolen in a mugging a year or so later.

These days I always keep them separate, hoping if anything ever happens again the branded boxes will be hastily grabbed and nobody notice the plain 'file box' I converted into a watch chest.

Can you complete the set to same degree as when it first left the store, regardless of who the first owner was? No, million to one odds. Higher maybe. Do you have the chance to grab an extremely desirable timepiece? Yes.

Only you know your personal tastes well enough to make the final decision, obviously. I will say I once bought a Timex for 15 bucks used, cash, and it still gets worn for gardening and lawnwork...because incidentally, I like it. No idea why, but I do. Another piece (I refrain from mentioning what, since I may soon sell) I got pre-owned but with full kit, on original bracelet, with two good quality leather straps and two NATOs for a total of four quality, barely if-ever worn aftermarket straps in addition. Nothing like a Daytona, just a solid well known and well liked workhorse of a watch. Despite the quality, the brand, the accessories, it just isn't doing a thing for me after almost a month of daily wear. So I'll probably sell it.

My point is that if you like the watch enough, the box and papers won't matter to you as much. But, if you're a collector who will sit there admiring a thing of beauty like this and think, "...if only I had the rest of it..." then I'd wait and find that, regardless of cost. Only you, if anybody, knows you that well.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

 

@kip595

Sorry about your loss Kip, it feels violated doesn’t matter what’s missing.
So all of your valuable watches are in a plain file box correct? And you leave to work around 745am, yeah? Just confirming.

You are killing me. What’s the watch? Pics please

 

BAHAHAHA...but seriously now I have to put them under the sofa...I'm running out of good hiding places man!

 

So did you end up buying it?

you can always get service/ authentication papers from rolex. Authentication at RSC is $150.

 

Why do you need to pay. If your buddy is serious, have him take it in for a service quote. They’ll do all the authenticity checks and stolen checks there and then but will take a day or two.

there is no obligation to have the service, but you’ll get piece of mind.

I’ve never found original docs that important as you can always have serviced and get the service card (which I’m some cases is more beneficial than papers)