Free Rolex Valuation
What Is Your Rolex Worth?
A free valuation from buyers who price Rolex every week, with the reasoning behind the figure rather than a number on its own. Send the reference and a few photographs. There is no obligation to sell.
- Reference
- Between the lugs at 12
- Serial
- Rehaut or lugs at 6
- Condition
- Graded in writing
- Free
- No obligation to sell afterwards
- 24 hours
- A figure once we have the details
- Osko
- Paid in 24 to 48 hours if you sell
Why There Is No Price List
Rolex publishes no position on what a second-hand Rolex is worth, and no serial lookup that would tell you anything about your own. It says suggested retail prices appear on its site in most countries, yet neither of the two Submariner references we opened on its Australian site on 20 August 2026 showed a figure.
So every valuation you will be given, ours included, is somebody reading the same evidence: the reference and its year, the condition in front of them, and what comparable watches have actually sold for recently. That is why we show the reasoning and not just the number. It is the only part you can check.
How The Figure Is Reached
The five things that move a Rolex valuation
Reference, year and metal, read together
The first thing we establish is exactly which watch it is. A reference plus its year and metal sets the range before condition is considered at all, and one digit or letter changes it.
- The reference is on the card and between the lugs at 12 o'clock
- The serial sits between the lugs at 6 o'clock on older cases, on the rehaut of newer ones
- Our guide to Rolex serial and reference numbers explains what each part means
Condition, and whether it has been over polished
The single most common way value is lost before a sale is polishing. Sharp lug edges and an unworn bevel are worth money, and once they are gone they do not come back.
- Do not have the watch polished or serviced to tidy it up before a valuation
- Scratches on a case that still has its original geometry cost less than a soft case does
- We grade condition in writing, using the same scale set out in our condition guide
Originality of dial, hands, bezel and bracelet
Replaced parts on an otherwise genuine watch are the thing an independent bench finds most often. A service dial or a later bracelet is not a fault, but it changes who the buyer is and what they will pay.
- Original bracelet, correct clasp code and end links
- Dial and hands matching the reference and period
- Aftermarket bezels, stone setting or refinished dials almost never return what they cost
Box, papers and service history
A full set helps. What helps more is a consistent story: the serial agreeing with the card, and service work that can be accounted for.
- Rolex will not re-issue a lost card, so there is nothing to arrange before you sell
- An independent service is ordinary, and on Rolex's own terms it ends the guarantee
- Say so up front rather than letting it surface at the bench
What the market has actually paid
The last input is evidence rather than opinion: recent Australian results for the same reference, and what the piece would take to place today.
- We publish the dated Australian auction results we can find, including two Datejust 16234 examples that sold for different money on the same night
- Liquidity is part of the number: Rolex is the quickest of the brands we buy to place, and less waiting is priced in
- You should get a second opinion, including on ours
What To Send
What we need to value it
The reference number
Six digits on modern watches, such as 126610LN, engraved between the lugs at 12 o'clock and printed on the card.
The serial number
On the rehaut at 6 o'clock on watches from about 2005, and between the lugs at 6 on older cases.
Photographs
The dial straight on, the caseback, the clasp, and the card if you have it. A phone camera in daylight is enough.
What you know about its history
Year of purchase, any service work and who did it, and whether anything has been replaced. Gaps are fine, guesses are not.
Being Straight With You
What this valuation is, and what it is not
It is our documented opinion of what your Rolex would sell for today, issued by a licensed second-hand dealer and pawnbroker, licence number SHD-0017882. It is not a manufacturer certification, and no third party's valuation binds Rolex, an insurer or a future buyer.
It is not an insurance valuation. Those state replacement value, are normally higher, and usually have to come from a registered valuer on the insurer's own form.
We buy watches valued at $20,000 AUD and above. If yours sits under that, we will tell you what it is worth and say plainly that it is not one for us, rather than let you wait on an offer that is not coming.
Before any money moves on a sale, a certified watchmaker examines the watch in person. The valuation before that point costs nothing and carries no obligation.
Questions
Rolex valuation questions
How much is my Rolex worth?
There is no single answer by model, which is why anyone quoting one from the reference alone is guessing. What decides it is the reference, the year and the metal taken together, then condition and originality, then whether the box and papers are with it. A steel Datejust and a gold Day-Date of the same year are different watches to a buyer. Send the reference, the serial and a few photographs and we will give you a figure and the reasoning behind it, free and with no obligation.
Is the valuation really free, and do I have to sell afterwards?
It is free and there is no obligation. We are a watch buyer, so the reason we do it at our own cost is the chance to make you an offer at the end. You are free to take the figure, compare it, and do nothing. There is no fee if you decline.
What is the difference between a valuation and an insurance appraisal?
A valuation is what the watch would realistically sell for today. An insurance appraisal states replacement value, which is normally higher, and insurers usually want it from a registered valuer on their own form. We are a licensed second-hand dealer and pawnbroker, licence SHD-0017882, not a registered valuer, so our written valuation is our documented opinion of market value. It is not a substitute for an insurer's form.
Do I need the box and papers to get a valuation?
No, and a missing card is more ordinary than sellers expect. Rolex states that a guarantee card cannot be re-issued under any circumstances, and that the name on it cannot be changed, so a card in a previous owner's name is normal on any Rolex that has been sold on. Box and papers help the figure. A Rolex without them still sells.
Why can I not find what Rolex says my watch is worth?
Because Rolex does not publish that, for new or used watches. Rolex says suggested retail prices appear on its site in most countries, yet when we opened two Submariner references on its Australian site on 20 August 2026 neither carried a figure. There is no serial lookup and no official position on second-hand value. What can be checked are dated auction results, which is why we publish the Australian ones we can find.
How long does a valuation take?
Usually within 24 hours of getting the reference and clear photographs. If you decide to go ahead, a certified watchmaker examines the watch in person before any money moves, and payment is by Osko within 24 to 48 hours of that.
Do you value every Rolex?
We will tell you what any Rolex is worth, but we only buy watches valued at $20,000 AUD and above. If yours sits under that we will say so plainly rather than waste your time, and you still keep the valuation.
Read Next
The detail behind the figure
- How much is my Rolex worth in AustraliaDated Australian auction results by reference
- Rolex serial and reference numbers explainedWhere they sit and what they tell you
- Watch condition grading guideHow condition is graded and what it costs you
- Sell your RolexWhat happens once you accept a figure
- Free watch authenticationA certified watchmaker, in person, at our cost
- Loan against your watchIf you want the money without selling it
Free Valuation
Find out what your Rolex is worth
Send the reference and a few photographs. You get a figure, the reasoning behind it, and no obligation to do anything with it.