The number of fake watches uncovered by pre-owned dealer Watchfinder & Co is rising – with Rolex replicas accounting for about half of the knock-offs in circulation. Starting on the outside, you can see that the printing of the dial text is marginally less precise. The shade of red for “Daytona” above the six o’clock subdial is too bright. The hour markers, five-pointed crown and hands don’t catch the light as they should; their edges aren’t crisp and, when you zoom in, you can see evidence of machining which the genuine watch would never display. Gone are the days when a fake watch was just something you picked up from a market on holiday for $10 (£8) and wore until one of the hands fell off – usually within a few weeks.
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How to Spot a Fake Rolex with Laser-Etched Coronet (LEC) on Glass
- That’s because the high precision of a Rolex movement is actually broken down into eight tiny micro-ticks per second, making it look like a continuous motion.
- Wanting to make a watch and being able to make a watch are not exactly the same thing, and if this were a decade or so ago, we wouldn’t be having this conversation at all.
- The use of gold screws in certain locations is spot on, and the recognisable burgundy-purple reversing wheels are present and correct.
- A Rolex is not only a luxury item but also an investment that can hold its value (or become more valuable) over many years.
- In contrast, that between a fake and a genuine Rolex can be significant.
Serious watch-nerd stuff, though, is what you’re paying for – even if what you thought you were paying for was just a brand name and one of the most desirable watches on the market. It’s the level of hand-finishing and the dedication to quality that marks the real thing out from the fake. Of course, you’re not expected to understand the finer horological points, but you do want to take comfort in knowing they’re there. If that sounds ridiculous, consider that the fake Rolex here, examined in detail by Watchfinder, is being made with real 904L steel – the same top-grade metal used in the real watch. It will use real ceramic in the bezel, real sapphire crystal, and has the exact same locking construction to the bracelet.
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“Waterproof” and “water resistant” both refer to an ability to keep moisture out of the case, with the former denoting higher performance underwater. The majority of Rolex watches in the Oyster line should hold up at a whopping depth of 100 meters (328 feet). The dial of a Rolex rolex replica is a prime spot for finding inconsistencies that might indicate a fake. This is where most of the writing is located, and the appearance of the text can be a dead giveaway of a counterfeit. Just because a Rolex has had parts replaced, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fake.
How to Spot a Fake Rolex Bracelet
A yellow gold or steel Twinlock crown has a bar, while a platinum Rolex model has a single dot. A white gold Triplock crown features a larger dot between two smaller ones than the platinum model, which features a small dot between two larger ones. When searching for indications of a counterfeit Rolex, there are various features on the watch case that reveal its authenticity or lack thereof. As previously mentioned, authentic Rolex timepieces are made of the finest quality materials, which is typically the most apparent indication of whether a Rolex watch is genuine or fake.
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It’s precisely for this reason that we’ve gone the extra mile to craft an informative video for you. At Bob’s Watches, we’ve put these super clones under the microscope, comparing them side-by-side with authentic Rolex watches. Our enlightening video, “How to Tell a Fake Rolex,” is more than just a guide; it’s a window into the meticulous world of Rolex craftsmanship, ensuring you have the confidence and knowledge to spot the differences with ease.
Your watch can be confiscated
- A skilled photographer can capture a real LEC with the right lighting though, as shown below, and legit LEC’s are more pointillated and less “foggy” than fake ones.
- If that sounds ridiculous, consider that the fake Rolex here, examined in detail by Watchfinder, is being made with real 904L steel – the same top-grade metal used in the real watch.
- Counterfeits might use cheaper materials that are visibly of lower quality upon closer inspection.
- Their numbers may appear dotted or blurred, the result of inferior etching techniques, leaving behind a granular, acid-etched texture that you can spot in our comparison photos.
- These imitations may initially look convincing, but upon meticulous inspection, they fall short.
Holding a genuine Rolex in your hand is an experience of substance in every sense – the weight of the watch is a representation of the premium materials and meticulous assembly that go into its creation. Crafted from only the most exceptional metals and components, each genuine Rolex bears a certain heft, a reassuring reminder of the brand’s commitment to excellence and durability. This substantial feel is the result of an uncompromising approach to quality, where everything from the case to the bracelet is designed to meet the highest standards of luxury watchmaking. Despite this, we caution against the DIY approach of water-testing a Rolex at home. The risks outweigh the benefits, especially if the authenticity of your Rolex is in question. Submerging a potentially counterfeit watch could cause irreversible damage, closing the door on any possibility of a return.
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Replicas are usually crafted from inferior and cheaper materials, which frequently manifests in the overall appearance and texture of the watch. Additionally, specifics about the design and form of specific features on a Rolex watch case can serve as signs of its legitimacy, which are illustrated in the comparison photos below. To differentiate between a genuine Rolex and a fake one, a helpful tip is to check the weight of the watch. Generally, an authentic Rolex is heavier than a counterfeit one, as it is made of high-quality materials like 904L stainless steel, 18k gold, 950 platinum, or RLX titanium. In contrast, fake Rolexes tend to be made with cheaper materials, making them lightweight and weaker.
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The low-quality black writing, combined with the poor embossing of the Rolex logo, are more signs of a fake. The rehaut plays an important role in knowing how to spot a fake Rolex. Since 2008, all Rolex rehauts have had the “ROLEXROLEXROLEX” engraving. The serial number should be at 6 o’clock, so if the “ROLEXROLEXROLEX” writing goes all the way around with no break for a serial number at the bottom, that’s a sure sign of a cheap fake.
The weight of the watch
The font size may vary slightly, since it depends on the dial’s diameter, which can be as small as 24mm on women’s Rolexes and as large as 44mm on men’s models. When checking the font on the face of a Rolex you’re considering, compare it with authentic pictures of the same model. It first made its debut in 2015 on the Everose Yacht-Master and later became available on gold Daytona models. We hope that you find this quick guide to the anatomy of authentic Rolex watches to be useful.
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Furthermore, Rolex also uses a patented rose gold alloy with some platinum mixed in that the brand calls Everose. For Rolex platinum timepieces, only 950 platinum will do, which is comprised of 95% pure platinum. The term Rolesor refers to the use of both gold and stainless steel on a particular model. On the other hand, Rolesium refers to the use of both platinum and stainless steel on a specific watch.
- In fact, Rolex made history in 1926 by creating the first waterproof wristwatch.
- Alongside running the premier retailer of pre-owned Rolex watches, Paul is a prominent Rolex watch collector himself amassing one of the largest private collections of rare timepieces.
- That is still a lot of money to be wasting on a watch that you know won’t last you nearly the same amount of time as if you were to get a real Rolex.
- Similarly, watches from Rolex’s Day-Date collection are exclusively made with precious metals, specifically gold or platinum, and any made with other materials are likely to be fake.
- If you want to learn how to distinguish a fake Rolex from an authentic one, a good place to start is researching the reference number.
Watchfinder was able to point these subtle details out by comparing the fake side-by-side with a real Daytona; but if one isn’t to hand, spotting all the tell-tale signs just got a thousand times harder. Partly, that is an unavoidable consequence of the explosion we have seen in demand for Rolex’s key models. Your best defense against buying a fake is to purchase your Rolex from a reputable dealer. Doing so will ease your concerns of authenticity and condition, and you can be sure that you will be given proper assistance.
It’s in the interest of those people that the watches they’re buying are as close to the original as possible, and so they collectively form a net that catches these mistakes. If you can get away with the former, it’s certainly not going to be the latter. And if you get all the benefit without all the spend, what money you do have can be spent exclusively on the quality of the product.
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Rolex uses a combination of finishes on its timepieces, and they can be very difficult for counterfeiters to achieve. Research on the type of finish used on your preferred model, and try to see if the actual piece you want to buy matches it. For example, a Rolex Yachtmaster in steel and platinum would have a platinum bezel with a sandblasted background and polished raised numerals. The Rolex Day-Date’s Presidential bracelet has semi-circular links that alternate between polished and satin finishes. Rolex watches are made out of high-quality materials all the way through.
Swiss Movement
Even though it’s a for-profit company, Rolex is known for its extensive philanthropic efforts supporting the arts, environment, science, sports and its own mentoring program. Rolex watches have been a symbol of luxury, precision and style for more than a century, and the brand is firmly embedded in pop culture. On a genuine Rolex, it is textured to provide traction when turning the crown. The casebacks of most Rolex watches are plain polished steel, without engravings, drawings or other decorations. Exceptions include the Sea-Dweller, which has the name of the watch and some variation of “Gas Escape Valve” written on its titanium back.
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When you buy a fake Rolex, you are not getting the same quality as you would if you bought a real Rolex. While sometimes, the aesthetics can be matched, the construction and mechanics of a Rolex watch will be hard for a counterfeiter to match. Rolex invests heavily on research, materials, design, and manufacturing – a watch from an illegitimate operation will not come close. If the watch has some weight, that is a good sign that the materials are the high-quality materials real Rolex watches are made with. As someone who spends a considerable amount of brainpower looking at, reading about, and collecting watches, I’ve come across my fair share of Rolex replicas. These fakes are becoming increasingly well-made, ubiquitous, and hard to distinguish from the real thing.
It used to be commonplace for Rolex to replace worn-out parts when performing a service, and that was also what most customers wanted. You just want to make sure that any parts that were replaced are disclosed in the sale because all-original Rolexes are generally more valuable. Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches are of course famous for their water resistance.