What does “Open Papers” mean?

Open papers are a warranty card or certificate that hasn't been filled in with the buyer's name, the selling dealer's details or, in some cases, the date. The term is mostly used in the trade, where some new watches pass between dealers before the card is completed at the final sale.

Open papers cut both ways. Some buyers like them because the card can still be completed for them, but they also raise questions about where the watch came from, and for many brands the warranty depends on the card being dated and validated by an authorised dealer. Before buying a watch with open papers, ask why they are open, check that the serial matches, and be clear about how the warranty works for that brand. Practice varies between brands and eras, so listings should say exactly what is filled in and what is blank.

Example: 'Open papers, not dated or stamped, serial matches the watch.'