Rolex Reference Number Does Not Match Certificate After Purchase
On July 11, 2024, I purchased a Rolex watch from Rowes Saat in Nişantaşı, Istanbul. Since this was the first time I had purchased a watch at this level, I did not know what I should be paying particular attention to. The store told me that the watch was authentic and provided me with an invoice, tags, and a certificate card. They confirmed the authenticity of the watch by showing me that the reference number on the card matched the reference number on the invoice.
On March 25, 2026, I went to another dealer to sell the watch because I needed cash. I was then informed that the reference number on the watch did not match the reference number on the certificate and invoice, meaning that the watch did not correspond to the documentation I had been given. I contacted Rowes Saat the same day, but I was told, “I sold it to you two years ago. How do I know you didn't change it?” My request to meet in person was initially refused. Later, after my friend asked them to meet with us, they sent us their location, but then hung up the phone on us.
When we went to the store, the situation was completely reversed. We were treated as if we were trying to scam them and were accused of having changed the watch. I explained that because no invoice had been issued at the time of the sale, I had no way to independently document what happened. I therefore asked the store to provide any document or photograph showing that the watch they handed over to me at the time of purchase had the correct reference number, matched the correct certificate, and that all of the information corresponded exactly at the time of delivery. They told me that they had no such records and dismissed the matter.
As of today, the watch is worth approximately $10,500–$11,000, but I am unable to sell it because of the mismatch between the reference number and the certificate. I am suffering significant financial harm and feel that I have clearly been misled. I request that Rowes Saat take responsibility for this matter and either provide me with a genuinely authentic watch that exactly matches the correct certificate and documentation, or compensate me based on the watch's current market value.