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Happy friday y’all
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NWA❗️
Got the call for this piece yesterday.
Visual Storyteller
Happy Sunday. For some reason, it’s 4:20 somewhere.
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Time to DIVE into a deck.
Visual Storyteller
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Rising Star
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Probably not if you plan on keeping it for life. Box and Papers are good for resale value or if you're just into keeping everything related to the watch.
 Box and papers are good for collectors who “want the full set”, but doesn’t help at all with authenticity. It’s much easier to fake a cardboard box and some printed paper than it is to fake a whole watch. You can even buy genuine box and papers off eBay and elsewhere for a few hundred dollars.
You can source a real box for about 250 (assuming it’s the standard Rolex box); papers cannot be sourced. I would be hesitant to buy a modern Rolex without papers - the key thing with papers is validating the card is real and actually for that watch. There is a new trend where the cards are being washed and reprinted, if they’re not entirely fake
Having bought 3 preowned watches now, box and papers make it a lot easier to resell. Only official ADs are willing to buy without box and papers - these ADs will usually give a lower quote than grey traders. Grey traders will sometimes stay away from watches without B&P or give you a very low quote. Some have a policy AGAINST buying Rolex without B&P. Specific to Rolex only because of the amount of super fakes out there. It is more flexible for vintage watches.
If you’re buying a discontinued Rolex, have you tried the watch?
If you haven’t tried it, buy with box & papers just in case you need to resell it.
Also, most people think they will keep the watch forever but having box and papers gives you the option to let it go in case you fall out of love with it.
Rising Star
If they can fake a whole watch, they can print a plastic card and put together a cheap box. This will not help authenticate the watch. The best way to buy a used watch and ensure its authenticity is by buying from a reputable seller.
Objectively, the biggest value of the warranty card (papers) is if the watch breaks while it’s under warranty - without the card, you will have to pay for it to be repaired. The box will probably take up space in a closet for the entire time you own the watch. Outside of that, some people value a “complete set” and say that it’s more valuable - sure, but it also costs more. Will be harder to sell for top dollar without box/papers, but it will also be cheaper to buy, so it probably comes out in the wash.
If you’re buying used, the most important factor (assuming it’s authentic) is condition. Most collectors would prefer a watch that has plenty of dings but has never been polished over one that doesn’t have any scratches because they have been touched up. It’s easy to ruin the original sharp edges of the watch by doing a poor job polishing - the only way to fix that is to laser weld on more material and then reconstruct the original shape of the case. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it’s easy to get screwed by paying top dollar for a watch that doesn’t have any scratches, but has actually been ruined by a polishing wheel. The best case for condition is an unworn or New-Old-Stock watch - but those are expensive.