The Rolex warranty lasts five years from the date of purchase. That is the term on Rolex's own guarantee page, and it applies to a new watch sold by an Official Rolex Jeweler. Rolex calls it a guarantee, and this page uses both words for the same promise. A pre-owned watch can have part of that term left, a new two-year term, or none. Bizak & Co. is a sourcing desk, not an authorized Rolex dealer: every watch here is found to order, not held in stock.
Last updated on November 2, 2026. Sources: Rolex guarantee page, Rolex FAQ, Rolex Certified Pre-Owned, Rolex certification process, Rolex servicing procedure, Rolex Service Card.
How long is the Rolex warranty?
A new Rolex from an Official Rolex Jeweler has a five-year international guarantee, counted from the date of purchase. Rolex says it issues the guarantee itself. The jeweler fills in and dates the card at the sale. Rolex says the guarantee is then registered with Rolex.
This table shows which Rolex guarantee applies, including the two-year terms for Certified Pre-Owned watches and for serviced watches.
| Situation | What applies | For how long | Who honors it |
|---|---|---|---|
| New watch from an Official Rolex Jeweler | Rolex five-year international guarantee | Five years from the purchase date | Rolex, through its jewelers and Service Centers |
| Certified Pre-Owned watch from an Official Rolex Jeweler | Rolex two-year international guarantee, with a distinct seal and guarantee card | Two years from the purchase date | Rolex |
| Watch after a complete Rolex service | International service guarantee on replacement parts and labor | Two years | Rolex, through its service network |
| Pre-owned watch under five years old, with a complete card | The first guarantee may still run. Rolex's pages do not say if a later owner can claim. | Up to five years from the first sale | Only Rolex can say |
| Watch from outside Rolex's network, with a blank or missing card | No Rolex guarantee under Rolex's stated conditions. The seller's own terms may apply. | Whatever the seller states in writing | The seller |
| Watch opened by a non-Rolex shop or fitted with non-genuine parts | Excluded from the Rolex guarantee | None | Not applicable |
What does the Rolex warranty cover?
The Rolex guarantee covers the proper working of the watch for five years. Rolex's guarantee pages do not list the parts or repairs it covers. They do list what falls outside it.
- Normal wear and tear, with non-metal bracelets and straps named.
- Loss and theft.
- Damage from an accident, rough handling, misuse or abuse.
- Repairs, opening or tampering by anyone but an Official Rolex Jeweler or Service Center.
- Non-genuine parts, and watches changed with them.
How does the Rolex warranty card work?
The jeweler fills in and dates the guarantee card at the sale, and that card is your proof of the guarantee. Rolex says it also vouches that the watch is genuine. Rolex sets three conditions for the guarantee to hold.
- An Official Rolex Jeweler sold the watch.
- That jeweler filled in the card in full at the time of sale.
- You show the card with the watch to a Rolex jeweler or Service Center.
A blank or half-empty card fails the second test. Rolex says it cannot reissue a lost card under any circumstances, and nobody can change the name of the original buyer. In both cases it sends you back to the jeweler that sold the watch.
Rolex describes a card the jeweler completes and a guarantee registered with Rolex. Rolex's guarantee pages do not call the card digital or app-based. The Rolex Service Card, which comes after a service, is a separate card. A phone with NFC can read the watch details on it.
Does the Rolex warranty transfer to a new owner?
Rolex's pages do not say whether the guarantee follows the watch or the first buyer. Its three conditions name the seller, the card and the watch, and none names the owner. Rolex also says nobody can change the original buyer's name on the card. So a second owner may hold a card in someone else's name. Only Rolex can say if it honors a claim from that owner. Ask a Rolex jeweler or Service Center before you count on the time left.
What warranty does a pre-owned Rolex have?
A pre-owned Rolex comes with a Rolex guarantee on the watch itself in one clear case, Rolex Certified Pre-Owned. Rolex gives those watches a two-year international guarantee from the date of purchase. The program covers watches at least two years old, sold by an Official Rolex Jeweler that displays the special plaque. Rolex checks each watch in its own workshops, gives it a full service and tests it. Each comes with a distinct seal and guarantee card, plus a service booklet and papers. Rolex says these watches perform as well as new. It makes exceptions for the waterproofing and original accuracy of some of the oldest models.
Any other pre-owned Rolex may have time left on its first guarantee. That needs a watch under five years old with a complete card. It also needs Rolex to accept a claim from the new owner, which its pages do not promise. Beyond that, the cover is what the seller puts in writing. Browse pre-owned Rolex Submariner and pre-owned Rolex Datejust references we can source.
What is the Rolex two-year service guarantee?
After a complete service, Rolex gives the watch a two-year international service guarantee. It covers replacement parts and labor. The watch comes back with a Rolex Service Card, which says the service met Rolex standards. This guarantee is separate from the five-year guarantee.
That matters for pre-owned watches, because a Rolex service gives an older watch two years of cover on that work. Our guides on Rolex service cost and how often to service a Rolex cover the fees and the timing.
What voids the Rolex warranty?
Work by a non-Rolex shop, and non-genuine parts, take a watch outside the guarantee. Rolex does not cover a watch changed with non-genuine parts. It names the bezel, case, case frame, case back, dial, key movement parts and whole movements. Its US FAQ excludes damage from work by anyone outside its network. Rolex's UK pages use blunter words. They say swapping in, or adding, parts or accessories not made by Rolex invalidates the guarantee. They also say any work by third parties voids it. Rolex's own advice is to keep your Rolex original.
What if you buy a Rolex outside Rolex's network?
A watch from outside the network does not come with a new Rolex guarantee. Rolex says new, genuine Rolex watches are sold only by its Official Jewelers. It says they vouch that the watch is real and make sure it has the five-year guarantee. The guarantee holds only if one of them sold the watch. Rolex also says demand can outpace its output, so some models are hard to get.
That gap is where a sourcing desk fits, and where the risk sits. Bizak & Co. is not part of Rolex's network. We cannot issue or extend a Rolex guarantee, and a watch we source is not sold through Certified Pre-Owned. Before you commit, we confirm the specific watch, including its card and the date on it. See the Rolex range and used Rolex watches for references we can source, such as the Submariner ref. 124060 or the Datejust 41 ref. 126334. Our guides to grey market watches and how to spot a fake Rolex cover the other checks.
Here is the verdict. Buy from a Rolex jeweler for the full five years, if the model is on offer. Buy Certified Pre-Owned for a pre-owned watch with Rolex behind it. Use a sourcing desk when the model is hard to get, and settle the card and the seller's terms first.
What should you ask before you buy a Rolex?
Ask these questions of any seller, including us.
- Is the guarantee card with the watch, filled in, dated and matching this exact watch?
- How much of the five years is left?
- Did an Official Rolex Jeweler sell the watch new?
- Is it Rolex Certified Pre-Owned, with a distinct seal and card?
- When was the last Rolex service, and where is the Service Card?
- Has anyone but Rolex opened or repaired it?
- Are the bezel, dial, case back and bracelet all genuine Rolex parts?
- Will the seller put the cover, and who honors it, in writing?
Our Rolex serial number guide shows how to read the serial.
Related reading: Rolex service cost and grey market watches explained.
Quick answers
How long is the Rolex warranty?
It lasts five years from the date of purchase on a new watch from an Official Rolex Jeweler. Certified Pre-Owned watches carry two years. A full Rolex service gives two years on the work.
Does the Rolex warranty transfer to a new owner?
Rolex's pages do not say. They do say Rolex cannot reissue the card and nobody can change the original buyer's name. Ask a Rolex jeweler or Service Center about the exact watch.
What if you lose the Rolex warranty card?
Rolex says it cannot reissue a guarantee card under any circumstances. It tells you to contact the jeweler that sold the watch.
Does a pre-owned Rolex have a warranty?
It has one through Certified Pre-Owned, which carries two years, or after a Rolex service, which gives two years on that work. A watch under five years old may also have time left on its first guarantee. Other cover comes from the seller.
What does the Rolex warranty cover?
It covers the proper working of the watch for five years. It excludes normal wear and tear, loss, theft, accidents, misuse, work by non-Rolex shops and non-genuine parts.
Get it sourced
Want a Rolex Submariner or Datejust found? Tell us the model, size, material and strap or bracelet, whether you want new or pre-owned, and your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs and final price before you commit, and a $200 deposit, credited to the price, starts your sourcing request.
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