Purchase Support
Hi guys,
im a watch guy since many years and have an Nomos Metro Neomatik 39 gifted by my parents after finishing my apprenticeship. This got me also because of the better salary into more expensive watches. My grail watch was always an Explorer 1 114270. Now I have the opportunity to buy one.
A few informations:
Ref 114270, 2008, without box and papers but with authenticity papers from the seller in Rome. He DID polished the watch. For me that’s not a big deal if it’s done correctly. What do you think about the lugs? Is it overpolished ?
Also one thing thats noticeable is the less stretch on the bracelet.
Do you think this is a good watch to buy, to keep it for many years to come ?
It’s “just” 5.5k so it’s not overpriced.
Please give me your Feedback. Im super interested.
Happy new year from Costa Rica :))
After all These helpful comments I need to add some context:
This watch was listed in an german version of Ebay (I live in Germany and been in CR for work a few weeks). I contacted the guy and were asking for visit opportunities to try it on and see everything and get some more footage.
He's offered me a meeting at an AD or Watchmaker I choose to confirm the authenticity. Also I can go there personally in January and look at the watch.
Thank you guys very much for the help! I really appreciate you all and the time and effort to answer and help me :))
Hi folks, I am from Germany, 20 years old and have a solid 3,5 watch Collection. A Vintage Omega Seamaster with Linen Dial from 1961 A Baltic Aquascaphe in Black/White A Nomos Glashütte Metro Neomatik...
Happy New Years! I would advise caution. Besides the red flags of not having any box and papers on a slightly-modern watch (yes, I know many toss them), there are too many other flags. To start, those end links look bad, even a 10+ year Rolex should not have gaps that size, and that commentary extends to the rest of the bracelet. The blurry photos also do not lend confidence.
I would ask the following questions:
For me, if this was my first watch in this price range, I would want the experience to feel more special. We all love finding the deal, but there are too many flags with this one to part with hard earned money on. His price is not that good and there are comparable ones out there for around the same price like this one in better shape with papers, with greater buyer protection.
Greetings from Seattle!
If I was spending my own money, I’d pass on this specific piece. I have seen other examples in person with either original warranty papers or recent service documentation for $5,500-$6,000 USD.
With prices still falling on Rolex, I’d wait. You may be able to get a full set for that price before Summer.
Before you buy it's worth checking chrono 24 they have a few explorer's in your price range,I wouldn't be concerned about papers if your keeping it for a while as you will pay less and hopefully it will still go up (l bought a explorer 11 with no papers from a reputable dealer, don't intend to sell it ) plus you can offer less than advertised for
At the price, you can get much better examples. Ebay probably has a couple dozen in that range (box papers and probably authentication as well for whatever you value that at).
Do some shopping, I think you'll find it worth it!
OP, I have purchased something on the order of ~50 Rolex "super reps" from China. The fakery has gotten so good that if you put a real Rolex and a super rep Rolex in front of me, and let me handle them for hours on end, I still wouldn't be able to tell you which is real and which is fake.
This Watchfinder video is from 3 years ago. I doubt you'd be able to tell the real from the fake Rolex if you held them in your hands. And that was 3 years ago! The technology has gotten better since then.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upAJE_XhT2Y
If you're going to buy your "grail," buy it from a trusted source. There is a 2 week return policy with Professional dealers on Chrono24 - Chrono24 holds the funds in escrow, so you can get a refund if the watch doesn't meet requirements. Ebay has an authentication service for watches above $2,000 I believe.
Don't fall victim to a scam. Given how good fakes are these days, it's very easy to get scammed.
No box or papers? I'd beg to think it's an amazing fake trying to be passed off as real. Spend 1k on a faked Rolex out of China, to then flip it for $10k. I see it all the time, I'd just pass.
It always suprises me, with photo quality progression in the last 5 years, from phone cameras to DSLRs, that somehow we still can't take a good photo of a watch.
Ok, now that I have that out of my system...it may be the angle of the second shot, but did the 114270 have lumed arabic numerals? From the photo, it looks like it might.