At VIVER, It is possible to trade genuine Rolex watches even without a warranty card, But it is true that this can affect the resale value. The warranty card, Which is currently provided in card form, Has changed its format over time. Therefore, We have prepared this guide for those who may be unfamiliar when encountering older warranty cards. The history of the Rolex warranty card!
Before 2004
Paper Warranty Card
This is a warranty card provided in ‘paper’ form, Which is a rare type that can occasionally be found in Korea. It has an antique feel and, Being made of paper, Requires careful storage.
On the upper right, You can find the ‘model number’ and ‘serial number’, And on the upper left, The ‘country code’ is indicated. In the middle, There are spaces to fill in the ‘authorized dealer’ and ‘date of sale’. Paper warranty cards differ slightly depending on the country of sale, So it is good to compare various information.
2006~2014
First Card-Type Warranty Card
This is the card-type warranty card introduced from 2006. It is more durable than paper and the combination of gold and green colors reinforces the brand image. On the front, You can check the country code, Model number, Serial number, And model name. On the back, You can find the dealer’s address, Date of sale, And the owner’s signature. Occasionally, There are warranty cards where the owner’s signature field is left blank. In the photo, The 16610LV warranty card below has the reference number written as 16610V. Surprisingly, This is a genuine warranty card issued in the United States with a typo. Although it may make you doubt its authenticity, It is just an interesting trace of a production error. (Even Rolex makes mistakes!)
2014~2020
Second Generation Card Warranty
From this point, Many of you may be familiar with the warranty card design. This design was used from 2014 to the first half of 2020 and is a common type seen in the market. On the front, There is the serial number and model name, And depending on the country of issue, Some cards also include the model name. On the back, There are fields for the dealer’s address, Date of sale, And owner’s signature. The country code, Which was previously on the front, Is also present. For Rolex watches sold in Korea, Two codes were used: 408 and 413. You can identify where the product was sold by looking at these codes. Once the sale was completed, The warranty card had to be registered using a device connected to an iPad, Which was quite interesting for buyers.
2020~Present
Third Generation Card Warranty
The most recent warranty card was changed in the third quarter of 2020 and is still in use today. The front of the warranty card has become very simple, With much of the information previously provided now omitted. The country code, Dealer’s address, And owner’s signature field have disappeared, So it is no longer possible to distinguish between domestic and overseas sales. This seems to reflect Rolex’s intention to focus on when and where the watch was sold, Rather than to whom it belonged. In addition, With the NFC function, You can now access the Rolex website by tapping the card on a compatible device. For the 2020 Ref. 1166xx Submariner, Since production ended around the time the warranty card was changed, Models with the new warranty card are traded at higher prices in the secondary market.
Submariner Date 116610LN
40mm, Black, Oyster
Submariner Date 116610LV
40mm, Green, Oyster
We have taken a look at the hidden details and design of the warranty card. Next time, We will introduce how the Rolex box and other components have changed over time.
Samuel
Writer
Can talk about watches for 120 hours straight
