A Datejust can have many dial, bracelet, and case variations. For a stolen-status lookup, those details help describe the watch, but the serial identifies the individual piece. Confirm that the number you search appears on the Datejust you are buying.
Make a short comparison sheet
Write down the serial, reference, dial description, and included documents from the listing. At inspection, check the serial on the watch and compare it with the card and any invoice. Note differences rather than correcting them yourself.
Search only after the number is confirmed
Run the serial through a stolen-watch database and save the dated result. If it returns a match, stop the purchase and verify the details with the service. If it returns no match, continue checking the seller, transaction terms, and the watch's condition.
Don't mistake completeness for proof
A box, card, and service history may help connect the Datejust to its past. They do not independently establish current ownership or guarantee that every report has reached the database.
If the Datejust's serial and card differ, pause until someone qualified explains which identifier each document shows.
Check the Datejust Serial
Compare the physical serial with the card and the result before payment.