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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Buying A Watch

How do I purchase a Rolex from Bobs?

We insist on making it easy to purchase a pre-owned Rolex—either in person or online. Customers can visit our company's retail store Monday through Friday in Newport Beach, California, or simply go to BobsWatches.com to purchase one of the watches listed.

What is your return policy?

We offer a three day no questions asked return policy as well as one year service warranty. Outside of three days we offer a buyback program which is 25% off your purchase price, plus damage to watch, if any.

Do you accept offers?

The best price that we offer is our wire price which saves you 3.1 percent off the credit card price. We do not offer any further discounts as we offer the best pricing, as well as product, in the pre-owned Rolex market. Overnight insured shipping anywhere in the U.S. is complimentary.

What is your policy for International orders?

For international orders we accept wire payment only (UK, Canada & Australia we accept PayPal as well) which is our lower “buy it” price. There is a $150 flat international shipping fee and your package will ship the day payment is received and comes to you priority post. Delivery time is usually within 2 to 3 days upon receipt of payment. We do not calculate duty, as that is the responsibility of the buyer.

What countries do you ship to?

We ship to the following list of countries.

Why are there two prices for each watch?

The two prices listed with each watch are a "buy it" and "sell it" price. The "buy it" price is how much you can buy it for and the "sell it" price is how much you can sell it to us for.

Is your site secure?

Bob's Watches is protected by a 256 bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) so your information is completely secure. Also, we will never sell or distribute your information to anyone.

Payment Options

What are my payment options?

Our payment options are wire (bank transfer), all major US credit cards, PayPal, Paypal Credit, and our payment plan offering is via the third-party provider, Klarna. For international orders, we accept wire payment only. For Canada, UK and Australia we accept PayPal as well.

Do you offer payment plans?

We do not offer a payment plan directly. For payment plans you can choose Klarna at checkout and you will be redirected to their site for payment options. If you are not satisfied with their terms you can back out of the order at any time. If you have any questions about your Klarna payment, you will need to contact Klarna directly.

How do I know you have received my payment?

We will notify you via email that wire has been received and that your watch is being processed to ship. If payment was made by credit card or 3rd party, we may call you with security questions. To ensure your order is not held up, please be sure to return signed invoice with a copy of your drivers license. Once your watch is ready for shipping, you will receive tracking information.

Our Watches

Are all your watches authentic?

We guarantee that every pre-owned Rolex watch on this site is 100 percent authentic. Further, all our watches are serviced with authentic Rolex parts. Bob’s stands behind this authenticity guarantee and offers a full refund on any watch not found to be completely authentic.

Are your watches serviced?

All watches listed on our site have been serviced by a Rolex service provider who holds a Rolex parts account, prior to listing for sale utilizing only Rolex replacement parts used, if needed. If a watch has a crystal scratch or bezel scratch, we will replace them with Rolex crystals and inserts.

What is your warranty?

We offer a one year service warranty on all watches. All watches listed on our site have been serviced by a service provider with a Rolex parts account prior to listing for sale, so you should not require any type of overhaul service for 5 to 7 years.

What is the size of the bracelet?

Men’s watches go out to fit a 7.25” to 7.5” wrist and ladies 6.25” to 6.5” wrist. If you need extra links, email us once you place your order and we will contact you if there is an additional cost for links. If there is, we will sell the links to you at cost.

We are happy to size your watch for you prior to shipping. Just let us know what circumference you would like the watch to be prior to shipping.

Can you customize my watch?

We do not customize watches. We sell factory Rolex only.

Do your watches come with Rolex Box and Papers?

If a watch has original box and/or papers it will be stated and the picture of the box and paperwork will be shown. Otherwise, the watch will come with a Bob’s presentation box and the watch will have been discounted accordingly. Many of our customers prefer the savings when there are no box and papers.

Are your photographs of the actual watch?

Yes, all photos are of the actual watch unless we state ‘temporary’ master. However, all side views of watch are untouched and magnify x10 and are always of the actual watch shown.

How Does Klarna Work?

What is Klarna?

Klarna is an alternate payment method that allows you to finance your purchase. To use Klarna to pay for your purchase, choose Klarna in the checkout. If approved, you will be offered a payment plan including length of term and APR interest to consider.

How do I sign up?

If your basket is eligible for financing payments with Klarna, you will be able to select Klarna as payment method during checkout. After your order is approved for financing, Klarna will present a financing payment program for review based a soft credit check to see if you qualify for the financing program.

What are the conditions to sign up?

To sign up, you will need:

  1. A U.S. credit card or debit card
  2. To be 18 years of age or over
  3. An SMS-capable phone number
  4. A US residential address
Has Klarna received my payment?

You can live chat with our Klarna's customer service agents 24/7 to confirm payment. Please quote your statement number if you have received a statement by post.

Which payment methods are accepted?

Klarna currently accepts most debit and credit cards (i.e., Mastercard, Visa, AMEX, Discover). Please note, prepaid cards are not accepted.

Will I still be charged if my order is cancelled?

Cancellations are subject to our cancellation policy. To cancel your order, please contact us. Once we have confirmed the cancellation, Klarna will update your payments accordingly and you can check the status of your payments anytime via Klarna’s site or in your Klarna app. Refund processing times varies and can take up to 14 days depending on your financial institution. To check the status of your refund, please confirm first we have updated your payments accordingly and check if you might have already been refunded to your original payment method. If 14 days have passed since the issue of credit and you are still missing your refund please contact Klarna for further support.

What if I get declined from using Klarna?

You can use an alternate payment method to complete your purchase. To use Klarna for future orders, please reach out to Klarna’s customer service team to discuss options. You can contact them in the Klarna app or at Klarna website.

Can I pay before the due date?

Yes. If you want to pay the outstanding balance of your installments purchase early, simply log into Klarna via their app or their site, go to the order page, and select "Pay off early".

What if I return or cancel my order?

If you have paid for your order with a card, the refund will be made to the same card. Returned or cancelled orders should first be registered with the online store. The refund will be processed within the next 14 days of the online store logging the returned or cancelled order.

What happens to my statement, when I've returned the goods?

Once we have received the return following the return policy as posted on our website and you have received confirmation of this, Klarna shall refund any payments collected and cancel any future scheduled payments. You are always able to monitor the status of your order in the Klarna app.

Will I still be charged if my order is cancelled?

Cancellations are subject to our cancellation policy. To cancel your order, please contact us. Once we have confirmed the cancellation, Klarna will update your payments accordingly and you can check the status of your payments anytime via Klarna’s site or in your Klarna app. Refund processing times varies and can take up to 14 days depending on your financial institution. To check the status of your refund, please confirm first we have updated your payments accordingly and check if you might have already been refunded to your original payment method. If 14 days have passed since the issue of credit and you are still missing your refund please contact Klarna for further support.

Our Company

What assurances you can offer about Bob's Watches?

We have been in business for 10 years and you can find articles on us in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc. Magazine and more. Learn more about our company on our press page.

What are the "Buy" and "Sell" prices for each Rolex watch?

All our Rolex timepieces are clearly listed with both a Buy and Sell price. In order to ensure the most up-to-date market values, we determine these prices based on our exclusive proprietary data. Our employees have extensive experience in the watch industry, as well as first-hand knowledge of Rolex products, and update our website each month to reflect how each Rolex model is doing in the current market.

Our sole mission is to run an online Rolex Exchange that customers can trust. When it comes to the Internet, it's not always clear who's on the other side of the screen. With that in mind, we want to make sure customers know what they're getting when they shop with us.

Your first question might be "What is a Rolex Exchange?" We believe the surest way to run a program for buying and selling pre-owned Rolex watches is by mirroring the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Just like stocks are bought, traded, and sold on Wall Street, Bob's lists its watches according to the industry's current demand for each Rolex ever produced. This way the price is both up-to-date and, most importantly, fair to the consumer.

We also make it easy for Rolex owners to find out what their watch is worth: Our online tool lets anyone calculate an accurate valuation of just about any Rolex model. Correctly identifying a Rolex and its year of manufacture is essential to receiving an accurate price. Once provided with an at-a-glance valuation, customers can see that the Buy and Sell prices listed on our site are completely transparent and reflect true market values.

Do you outsource?

We do not outsource. Every watch you see on our site is owned by Bobs, unlike many other online sellers. Every watch is bought, serviced and sold by Bobs thereby ensuring the integrity of every watch we sell.

Do you sell Rolex parts?

We do not sell any Rolex parts, bracelets or links.

Do you have a Rolex service provider you can recommend?

Our service providers are to the trade only. We recommend contacting Rolex directly or Ben Bridge Jewelers.

Do you offer appraisals?

We are not an appraisal service for insurance purposes since an appraisal is generally inflated to cover deductibles. We can provide an estimate for your watch, based on current secondary market value.

Do you have retail stores?

Our headquarters, which houses our retail store, is located in sunny Southern California just a few miles from the ocean in Newport Beach. We are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PST), while the showroom closes at 4:30 p.m. each day. The store is not open on Saturday or Sunday, but customers can shop at BobsWatches.com 24/7.

How do I know the watch I buy from your site is real?

All watches are certified by our watch experts as a 100% authentic. If you have any suspicions about your watch's authenticity send it back to us at any time and we will give you a full refund. Also, unless stated otherwise, use of the word "original" herein means "factory original Rolex".

Selling a Watch

How do I sell my watch?

Selling your Rolex watch to Bob's Watches is simple. You can either request a free quote through our Free Instant Quote Request Form on our website, or give us a call at (800) 494-3708 and one of our Rolex specialists will give you a quote over the phone.

If you agree to the quote, we will send you a pre-paid and insured shipping label. Carefully package up your Rolex watch, stick the label on the box, and drop it off at your nearest FedEx location.

Once we receive your timepiece, one of our in-house Rolex experts will conduct an inspection (recorded on video) to confirm that everything matches up with the received description. You’ll then receive a call from us to confirm the price along with options on how you’d like to get paid. Whether you decide to get paid by check or same-day wire transfer, Bob’s Watches is proud to offer the best prices and fastest payment methods to those who sell us their Rolex watches.

What if I am not happy with my offer?

We will pay to return your watch to you via two-day insured. If we offer you full value for your watch, but you decline that offer, you are to send us a label to return the watch to you.

How do I get paid?

We pay within 24 hours by wire payment direct to your bank account, or we can send you a check. It’s up to you. If you would like a check to be overnighted, there is a $20 fee.

How do I know you have not tampered with my watch?

All watches are opened under video tape when they come into the store and if they leave the store. We do not open the caseback of your watch until an offer has been made and agreed to.

Can I sell other types of watches on the website?

Yes, we buy other models as well such as Panerai, Patek, Cartier, Vacheron, Omega & Breitling. Please give us a call or fill out the "Sell Your Watch" form to give us information about your watch and we will let you know if we purchase that model.

What is required from me to sell my Rolex?

The more information that you provide when selling your Rolex timepiece, the better. A good place to start is by locating your watch’s serial and model numbers. This provides the buyer with important information needed to price your watch. Any other documents, such as sales receipts, warranty papers, and service records are also incredibly helpful as they provide a history of the watch and can help verify its authenticity. The original box and papers can be very valuable in their own right. They let the buyer know that your timepiece is genuine and increase the price that you may receive for your watch. It’s becoming increasingly common for buyers to require the original box and papers upon selling your used Rolex, so be sure to keep them in a safe place upon purchasing any Rolex timepieces. Providing these items when selling your Rolex ensures you will receive the highest asking price. Finally, any original parts that you have, such as spare bracelet links, can prove to be very valuable to potential Rolex buyers. Providing as many of the original parts as possible increases your odds of a highly successful sale.

Why do some watches have bigger gaps between their buy and sell prices than others?

Our site is very dynamic and we will drop – or raise - our buy price due to overstock or market fluctuations. In some cases, the watch you see we are selling may not have been purchased at the buy price shown. Also, certain watches are less popular than others and happen to leave our shelves less quickly. These watches have the biggest difference between the buy and sell prices because we hold them longer to sell them. Another reason, could be service costs since the more complicated movements have a higher cost for service than others.

When is the best time to sell my Rolex?

There are many reasons as to why someone may choose to sell their Rolex. Maybe you currently sport a Submariner 16610 on your wrist and you’re ready to upgrade to a 6-digit Cerachrom model. Or maybe you’ve finally spotted your grail watch and need to make room in your collection. Whatever the reason, pre-owned Rolex watches are in high demand, making it easier than ever before to sell your Rolex. Rolex watches are also popular milestone gifts and are sought after purchases for graduations, work anniversaries, and retirements. Rolex timepieces are popular year-round, however, selling your Rolex during a time of year when the demand is high, such as Christmas or graduation season, ensures that you will receive the best possible price.

Do you do trades?

Yes, that’s what we do! We will offer you a value for your watch in exchange for any watch on our site.

Who Can I Sell a Rolex to?

Bob’s Watches is the leading online marketplace for pre-owned Rolex watches. Not only are we the top website to buy a secondhand Rolex watch from, but Bob’s Watches is also the best place to sell your Rolex to. Our groundbreaking Rolex Exchange concept publicly lists the sell price along with the buy price for specific Rolex models. This means you can see the approximate market value for the Rolex watch you want to sell prior to making any commitments—no other online retailer offers that kind of transparency. And a quick review of our 600+ review 5-star rating will verify that our customers love us, our service, and their watches.

If you want the best possible price for your watch, take advantage of our safe, secure, and easy to use process and sell your Rolex to Bob’s Watches.

Do you purchase watches from outside the US?

Yes, we do purchase from outside the US.

All About Rolex

What types of movements are on Rolex watches?

There are 3 main types of movements on Rolex watches.

1. Manual Wind - Manual wind watches need to be wound on a daily basis in order to run and accurately display time. This movement can be found on many classic or less complicated Rolex models such as the Men's Cellini.

2. Automatic or Self-Winding - The is the most common type of movement found in Rolex watches today. This movement involves a rotor which transfers power to the mainspring and keeps the watch powered by the kinetic motion of your wrist while you wear it. If the Rolex is worn daily, the rotor should produce enough power for the watch to run without manual winding needed.

3. Quartz - The quartz movement is the most precise out of the 3 types of movements. Powered by a battery and using a quartz crystal, this is a much more accurate method of time keeping. This movement was introduced in the 1970s and can be found in many Ladies Cellini models today.

What do the water resistance ratings mean?

The water resistance of a Rolex is usually measured in meters and defines how deep it can go underwater while keeping the case watertight. The list below shows all the available water resistance ratings and their most applicable conditions.

30, 50 and 100 meters - Useable from washing hands up to swimming and snorkeling.

200 meters - shallow scuba diving

300 meters - deep scuba diving

1,000 meters or more - About 3/5 of a mile and is more water pressure than a human body can withstand

Avoid extended periods of time in hot water as the heat can potentially warp the gaskets which keep the water from getting in. Moving from extremely hot to cold conditions can also deform the metals within the watch. The watch should generally be kept off during baths and showers as soap can decrease the gaskets' surface tension and damage the seal.

What is the difference between Chronograph and Chronometer?

A chronograph refers to watches with stopwatch functionality and typically refers to the Daytona model when talking about Rolex. Chronographs will have two to three additional subdials or registers on the face of the watch and corresponding pushers to control them. These types of Rolex watches are usually popular with those active in sports and racing where keeping time is often useful.

A chronometer is a watch that has gone through extensive testing and ensured to meet certain precision standards. For Swiss watches such as Rolex, all watches given the "chronometer" label has been certified by the COSC, the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, after severely testing the accuracy of the movement for 15 days, across multiple positions and temperatures. For mechanical watches such as 99% of Rolex, they must be within +4 and -6 seconds off after the testing period in order to pass.

What types of Rolex watch crystals are there?

There are two types of crystals used by Rolex.

1. Acrylic - found in older vintage Rolex models, these crystals can scratch but are easy to polish or replace.

2. Sapphire - these crystals are scratch resistant and are difficult to be scratched by any material except diamond and minerals with a hardness rating of 10. They are more expensive, more likely to shatter on heavy impact, and if scratches do occur, cannot be polished.

How much do Rolex watches cost?

A Rolex watch can vary depending on the type of material used, such as gold, platinum, diamonds, rarity, and market demand. In some instances, due to market demand, a stainless steel watch might be more sought after than gold models, making the two different models cost nearly the same.

Where are Rolex watches made?

Rolex watches have been made in Geneva, Switzerland since 1919 when the company’s founders, Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis, relocated the operation from London, England.

Why are Rolex watches so expensive?

When you wear a Rolex watch you are essentially wearing 400 years of mechanical engineering on your wrist. Those shiny stylish status symbols have evolved over hundreds of years to become extremely efficient and precise timepieces. Here are a few facts you might not have known about Rolex watches.

  • Each movement is handcrafted by skilled tradesmen.
  • The parts used are of the best quality.
  • All the gold used on a Rolex comes from their in-house foundry.
  • It takes about a year to produce a Rolex watch.
Do Rolex watches tick?

All mechanical watches tick, however Rolex movements are engineered in such a way that the second hand appears to sweep as opposed to tick. It has become Rolex’s trademark.

What questions should I ask when purchasing a Rolex online?

The best place to purchase a Rolex brand watch is from a reputable dealer who guarantees the authenticity of their luxury watches. Check to make sure that the dealer has a physical location. When buying on line, be sure that any dealer has the actual watch in store and if the photos they are showing you of the watch, are of the actual watch. Ask about the servicing of the watch and if only factory Rolex parts are used and about their authenticity guarantee as well as return policy. I would also check their online reviews. If a dealer is using custom parts on their site, they may also be using generic watch parts, so do inquire if a 100% factory Rolex watch is important to you.

Where can I buy a Rolex watch, who has the best prices?

When looking to invest in a luxury watch you need to find the most trust name in the industry. Bob’s Watches has been buying and selling Rolex watches since 1999. We are the leading destination for Rolex buyers online. Bob’s has the best prices and offers free overnight shipping, insured by FedEx. All our buy and sell prices are dictated by the current market, so you can be assured that you are receiving a fair price for your timepiece.

What's the least expensive Rolex I can purchase?

We offer a 'sort by price' feature to assist you. The link is located at the top navigation bar on the main page.

Rolex crafts its products with precious metals, including stainless steel, gold, platinum and Rolesor (a combination of steel and gold), and stainless steel is the least expensive of these materials. But while models outfitted with stainless steel consistently remain the least expensive watches in the Rolex lineup, keep in mind that the company was the first to use this highly corrosion-resistant super alloy 904L metal as early as 1985. So even an “inexpensive” Rolex is still far ahead of anything else in its class.

Are Rolex Watches a good investment?

Pre-owned and select vintage Rolex watches are very sound investments. In fact, Rolex models over 25 years old have doubled in value. You see, brand awareness is a major factor in increasing resale demand. This is not the case with all luxury watches, but because of its history and sheer buying power in the market, Rolex is an exception to the rule.

Those in the watch industry understand that a Rolex not only holds its value but will also increase in price, thanks to its exceptional quality, appeal and desirability. Add to this the incredible demand sought by Rolex enthusiasts ‘round the world, and it’s easy to see why and how the value of pre-owned Rolex models consistently remain at peak levels.