How Rolex part exchange works at our Dorking counter

Part exchange is often the cleanest way to change watches. You are not waiting for a private buyer, and you are not holding a cheque while you start a second hunt. You put the value of the watch you already own towards the next one. At Alexander Windsor that next watch is usually a pre-owned Rolex or another Swiss piece from the cabinet in Dorking.

We are an independent specialist, not an authorised Rolex retailer. The watches on the shelf are ours, priced in pounds, and you can try them on. This guide explains how Rolex part exchange works here, what we will take in, and when selling outright is still the better path. The short version is on our part exchange page. Current stock is on watches and the pre-owned Rolex collection.

How part exchange works

First, you choose the watch you want to move to, or you tell us what you are looking for if it is not in the case that day. We can source. We do not invent a piece that does not exist to close a conversation.

Second, we assess the watch you are putting in: reference, serial, condition of case, bezel, dial, crystal and bracelet, whether it is running properly, and whether you have the box and papers. Photographs help if you are not in Dorking yet. The figure is confirmed when we have the watch in hand.

Third, we set a part-exchange value against the price of the piece you are buying. You pay the difference. There is no separate admin fee. If we cannot agree, you keep your watch and we keep ours. Fourth, if you are in the shop and both sides are happy, the changeover can happen the same day. Identity checks still apply.

What we will consider

Rolex is the obvious candidate, because it is what most people in Surrey bring us and what most people want to move into. We also take other recognised Swiss brands when the watch is authentic and in a condition we can retail. A tired fashion watch will not help you. We will say that plainly rather than invent a token allowance.

Box and papers help. They do not make a poor watch into a good one, but they make a good watch easier to sell on. A full set usually supports a stronger allowance. A watch on its own is still usable in a part exchange. The number will simply be the watch number, not the complete-set number. Bring photo ID. We need to know who we are dealing with, just as we do when we buy a watch for cash. If the watch is not yours to sell, we cannot take it in.

Towards a pre-owned Rolex

Most part-exchange conversations in this shop are a Rolex conversation. Someone has a Datejust and wants a Submariner. Someone has an older sports model and wants a more recent GMT. Someone has a non-Rolex Swiss watch and wants to step into Rolex for the first time.

Because we sell pre-owned, the piece you walk out with is already in the building or can be sourced from people we already deal with. You can view it, handle it and compare it with what you are releasing. That is harder to do if you are trying to time a private sale and a private purchase on the same weekend.

Every watch we sell is authenticated before it goes out. Pre-owned pieces carry a 12-month mechanical warranty covering the movement, with 14-day returns provided the watch comes back as it left. Those terms apply to the watch you are acquiring. They are on the authenticity page if you have not bought from us before.

In store or by appointment

The boutique is in the centre of Dorking. Monday to Friday we are open 11am to 4pm. If you need a Saturday, book it. You can start by email or telephone if you want to know whether a particular reference is in stock before you travel from Guildford, Horsham or further into Surrey. Send photographs of your own watch at the same time, so we can tell you whether a part exchange is even in range.

If nothing in the current watch list is right, say what you want. Sourcing is a normal part of the job. It is not instant, and we will not hold you to a part exchange while we hunt.

Part exchange or an outright sale

Part exchange is not always the cleverest move. If you do not actually want another watch yet, sell it and wait. If the piece you want is far more than we can allow against yours, you may prefer an instant purchase on yours and a separate decision on the next one. If you think consignment would fetch more than we can put against stock, we can talk about that too.

Come in and talk it through

If you want to part-exchange towards a pre-owned Rolex in Dorking, look at the part exchange page, browse watches, and then come in with the watch you have. There is no charge for a valuation and no obligation.

Alexander Windsor Jewellers, 7 South Street, Dorking, Surrey RH4 2DY. Telephone 07463 177163. Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm; Saturday by appointment. Established 2013.