Can You Get Replacement Watch Papers?

Getting a luxury watch with papers makes it more valuable than having one without. Unfortunately, you may lose these documents or buy a watch without them. At that point, you may wonder, can you get a replacement watch papers?

It’s impossible to get replacement watch papers. Manufacturers will provide that document when someone purchases a watch for the first time and never re-issue it. Owners can service their watch to get another kind of document that proves authenticity if they desire.

The biggest question someone can ask is why papers are so important for watches. You’re probably wondering if the box is valuable too. And more importantly, whether not having these elements affect the value of a watch and if there’s a chance to replace them somehow.

Where Can You Buy Replacement Watch Papers?

Unfortunately, you can’t buy replacement papers for a watch. There’s a reason for that. Every luxury watch comes with one box and one set of papers. If manufacturers replaced them for a fee, scammers would find a way to get them for their replicas.

Used watches with papers cost more than watches without because paperwork proves authenticity. These documents show the serial number of a watch and when it was made and may include other pieces of sensitive information, like who bought it for the first time. What the paperwork includes depends on the brand and model of the watch.

You can get other documents that prove the authenticity of a watch if you service it. For example, Rolex will give you a certificate of authenticity, although it’s not the same as the original paperwork.

How Much Are Box And Papers Worth For A Watch?

A watch with its box and paper costs 10% to 20% more than one without paper. That means that, in a best-case scenario, you can buy a watch for almost 80% of its price if you don’t care about paperwork.

Of course, you won’t find every watch with its papers 20% pricier than those without. On average, a watch costs 17% more if it has paperwork.

These figures provide an interesting opportunity. If you don’t care about resale value, you can look for watches without papers for a nice discount, as long as you buy them from a reputable vendor.

What Does It Mean When A Watch Comes With Papers?

Papers prove the authenticity of a watch, though you’ll find plenty of reasons why someone will buy or sell a luxury watch without its original papers.

Some don’t care about papers; others prefer not to give them away for privacy reasons.

Certain watches come with paperwork that includes the real name of the first owner, so that’s a clear-cut reason why someone may not want to sell their watch along with their papers.

Most of the time, paperwork is lost. It’s easy to lose a small card or piece of paper, especially if a watch has had multiple owners through time. Nevertheless, collectors prefer watches with their papers, so they’ll pay more for them.

Do All Watches Come With Papers?

Most watches don’t come with paperwork, even when you buy them for the first time from a vendor. Nevertheless, luxury watches do come with papers that prove their authenticity. Sometimes, these same watches come with a nice box.

You probably won’t get a certificate of authenticity for a $20 watch, but you’ll get the chance to get that same certificate for a $20,000 watch. The more expensive a watch is, the more likely it is to come with papers, as long as we’re talking about a first-time purchase.

Can I Sell A Watch Without Papers?

Absolutely! Most people don’t care that much about paperwork when it comes to watches. Nevertheless, the market value of a watch decreases when you buy or sell it without everything that comes with it the first time you purchase it, including the box and papers.

Does that mean your watch is worse for not having papers? Not necessarily. You can view it this way. Collectors prefer to have the box and papers, so they’ll pay extra for them.

Those who simply want to wear a watch will buy it with or without paperwork. That type of buyer may look for watches without papers to get a nice discount.

Why Are Box And Papers Important For A Watch?

Having the box and papers of a watch increase the price of a watch by up to 20%. That means you’re losing one-fifth of the value of your luxury watch when you lose its papers. Nevertheless, not having these things won’t prevent you from buying or selling a watch.

There’s a small caveat to consider. The box and papers are important for some people. Others don’t care about them. You may sell your watch for the full price without papers if you’re lucky enough, though it’s more likely that you’ll have to take a price cut in that scenario.

How Can I Prove My Watch Is Real If It Has No Papers?

Manufacturers usually make fake watches using cheaper materials. The attention to detail of a fake watch is not the same. Owners can usually spot fake watches by comparing them with real ones and, sometimes, by simply looking at a fake one.

The worst offenders have spelling errors, so you’ll see Rolex or Breitling misspelled on the face of your fake watch. Mismatching serial numbers on the face and bracelet is a clear-cut sign of a fake watch.

When in doubt, you can consult an experienced jeweler or watch expert to check what you bought or want.

What Paperwork Do You Get When You Buy A Watch?

You’ll get a small card or document the first time you buy a luxury watch. That piece of paper includes information about the watch you bought and may include your real name too. Collectors will pay extra for used watches that come with their original papers.

Talking about papers or paperwork may sound like you get a book full of information with your watch. In reality, you get a small card with important yet minor data. Watch owners often lose this card after a while, but that doesn’t mean the watch is any less useful or aesthetic.

Conclusion

It’s impossible to get replacement watch papers. No luxury watch manufacturer will provide such a thing. Nevertheless, you can get a certificate of authenticity to prove whether a watch is real, though it’s not as valuable as the original paperwork. Although the paperwork of a watch is far from vital, collectors prefer to pay extra for them if they buy a used watch.