Sell a Rolex.
To sell a Rolex you have three routes — a trade counter (same day, but 20–30% below market), auction (collector reach, but a 26–28% buyer's premium comes out of the bid and settlement runs three to six months), or a brokered private sale (the same collectors without the premium, settled in 14–60 days). Maison Montres sells your Rolex on your behalf; it does not buy it from you. The distinction decides the number: a house that acts for the seller is paid on what the watch realises, and a counter that buys for stock is paid on the gap between what it pays you and what it later charges someone else.
The three routes, priced
Every Rolex sale resolves to one of three. They differ less in what they achieve than in who absorbs the cost of speed.
The auction figure is the buyer's premium, which the buyer pays and which therefore comes out of what they are willing to bid for your watch. It is your cost even though it is not your invoice.
What moves the number
Reference and condition set the band. Completeness moves the watch within it, and the components compound rather than add: an original box on its own is worth little, box with papers dated to the purchase is worth meaningfully more, and box, papers, service records and an unpolished case together can separate two otherwise identical watches by a margin that surprises most owners.
Reference bands
Where a specific reference sits is quoted live at valuation against the last comparable sales, not printed as a fixed table. A published band dates the moment it is set, and a soft quarter can move a steel sports reference more than condition does. Send the reference number and the current band comes back with the comparable sales behind it.
Where sellers lose money
- Polishing before sale. It reads as fresh to an untrained eye and as lost metal to a collector.
- Selling into the wrong quarter for a reference with thin, seasonal demand.
- Accepting a trade figure because it is certain, without pricing what the certainty cost.
- Losing the papers between the decision to sell and the sale itself.
How the sale works
- ValuationPhotographs and reference number by message. A band and a recommendation come back, usually within a day. No fee, no consignment agreement, no obligation.
- Collection and inspectionInsured collection, then the twelve-point protocol against manufacturer reference. Findings are written down, including the ones that reduce the figure.
- Offer and marketingThe watch is placed with collectors directly. It is not listed on a marketplace under the house name unless you ask for that.
- Escrow settlementFunds are held by a regulated third party and released on the buyer's inspection. Settlement to you follows within 48 hours.
When the answer is to keep it
Roughly two in five valuations end with a recommendation not to sell. The common reasons are that the reference is thinly traded and the current bid does not represent the market, that the owner is selling into a soft quarter, or that replacing the same specification later would cost more than the sale realises.
This is said before a consignment agreement exists, which is the only point at which saying it costs the house something. A counter that buys for stock has no equivalent moment.
Questions
Where can I sell my Rolex?
Three routes, priced in the table above. A trade counter pays immediately at a wholesale figure. Auction reaches collectors but the buyer's premium of 26 to 28 percent comes out of what they will bid, and settlement runs three to six months. A brokered private sale reaches the same buyers without the premium and settles in 14 to 60 days.
Maison Montres brokers. It does not hold stock, which is why it has no interest in your watch being cheap.
How much is my Rolex worth?
Reference and condition set the band; completeness moves the watch within it. Box, papers dated to the purchase, service records and an unpolished case are worth more in combination than separately.
A valuation is free and carries no obligation. The valuation page sets out what is assessed and what evidence changes the figure.
How long does it take to sell a Rolex?
Median time from consignment to settled funds is 14 to 60 days. Sports references on steel bracelets move fastest. Precious metal dress references and discontinued complications take longer, because the buyer pool is smaller rather than because demand is weaker.
Should I sell my Rolex?
Often not — see the section above. Roughly two in five valuations conclude that holding is the better decision. The house says so before a consignment agreement exists.
Can I sell a Rolex without box and papers?
Yes. The discount varies by reference rather than by a fixed percentage, and it narrows when service history or a period purchase receipt can be produced. Authentication carries more weight in these sales, not less — the twelve-point protocol is what replaces the missing paperwork in a buyer's confidence.
Where can I sell a Rolex in London or Singapore?
The house works from Genève and serves collectors in London, Singapore and Dubai, collecting insured in each. Physical proximity matters less than it once did: the inspection is the same wherever it happens, and escrow removes the reason to hand a watch to a stranger in person.
How do I know a buyer is real before the watch leaves me?
The watch does not leave against a promise. Funds sit with a regulated escrow agent before dispatch and release on the buyer's inspection. The guarantee sets out the three remedies and the dispute route.