While Patek Philippe has been the vintage watch to watch, historically being one of the most expensive, Rolexes are climbing up the popularity scale quickly, sometimes fetching over 18 percent more when auctioned than originally bought for. Not only do they carry the reputation of being one of the most sought-after watches in the world, they are not as flashy as a new watch from Jacob the Jeweler and carry a sort of luxurious cool associated with them.

Vintage rolexes are a gentlemen's watch, and became the first watch to be waterproof and airtight after a certain Englishman swam for over 15 hours with one on his wrist. They are known for their signature crown at the top of the dial. Speaking of dials, in order for a vintage watch to keep its value, the dial cannot be altered in any way, not even polished or they will lose up to half their value.

When looking for preowned Rolex watches, there are some things to be careful of. If buying over the internet and the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. Only deal with reputable dealers and always try to get recommendations from other collectors you know. Follow the steps to learn about preowned Rolex watches and how to spot a fake, so you keep your money in your pocket when looking at vintage Rolex watches for sale.

1.Rolex watches for sale with a clear backing so you can see the movement. There are very few preowned Rolex watches that actually have this feature, and these were made in the 1930s and are extremely rare. Steer clear from any of these, they are not real vintage Rolex watches.

2.Vintage Rolex watches for sale with engravings on the caseback. The caseback of most preowned Rolex watches will be smooth. The exception to this rule is the Sea-Dweller model, which says "Rolex Oyster Original Gas Escape Valve" in black along with two logos on it. A couple of ladies' models may have some engraving, but stay away from any vintage Rolex watches for sale that have elaborate engraving on the caseback.

3.In all preowned Rolex watches, the date is magnified 2.5 times the original size. This means that it fills up the entire bubble. Some models use larger fonts on the date to make them appear that way, but it is still clear that these Rolex watches for sale are forgeries.

4.When looking at vintage Rolex watches for sale, pay attention to the little details. Fakes will have rough edges on bands, serial numbers that appear to have been scratched in the side, and be much lighter than a real Rolex. Genuine preowned Rolex watches weigh a lot more, and will not be rough at all. Be careful when looking at materials used to make the watch, as many high-end fake vintage Rolex watches for sale will use real gold parts and substitute glass for sapphire, which is almost identical and you cannot really tell the difference.

5.There are several other considerations, but most do not apply to preowned Rolex watches. Be sure that the movement of the watch is smooth and continuous. All Rolex watches for sale that contain jerky movements, especially in the second hand, are fakes. However, some of the high-end counterfeits may have smooth movements.