Rolex explained: education articles
Plain explanations of how Rolex prices, references, materials and our own method work, for owners and buyers.
How Rolex prices are calculated: from sold results to a range
How Rolex prices are calculated on WristPrices: recorded sales, box and papers and condition adjustments, recency weighting, a range and a confidence level.
How to find your Rolex reference number, and what it tells you
Find your Rolex reference number on the papers or between the lugs, tell it apart from the serial, and read what its digits and letters say about your watch.
How to spot a fake Rolex: red flags, checks and when to get help
The listing, the seller, the watch and the papers: red flags that should stop a sale, why no single tell is proof, and when to pay for a professional check.
Jubilee vs Oyster bracelet: how they differ and which to choose
Jubilee or Oyster? The link design, finish, clasps, which Rolex models offer each, how they wear, and what to check on a pre-owned bracelet before you buy.
Rolex bezel types: fluted, smooth, dive, GMT, tachymeter and more
Every Rolex bezel type, what it does, which models use it and what to check when buying: fluted, smooth, dive, 24-hour, tachymeter, Ring Command and gem-set.
Rolex metals explained: Oystersteel, Rolesor, Everose and more
What Oystersteel, yellow and white Rolesor, Everose gold, Rolesium, 950 platinum and RLX titanium are, where Rolex uses each, and how to tell them apart.
Rolex reference numbers explained: what each digit and letter means
How a Rolex reference number encodes the model, bezel and metal, what the letter suffixes mean, and where the rules break, checked against our catalog.
Rolex serial number year: how to date a watch and how far to trust it
Where to find your Rolex serial number, what it can and can't tell you about the year, why serials since 2010 don't date a watch, and better ways to date it.
Rolex service cost: what drives the bill and how to get an estimate
What a Rolex service includes, how often Rolex recommends one, what makes one estimate higher than another, and how a Rolex center compares with an independent.
The Rolex warranty card: what it shows, covers, and if it is lost
How the Rolex warranty card changed from paper to plastic to the green card, what it must show, what the warranty covers, and what to do if your card is lost.