How To Find Out If A Rolex Watch Is Real

How To Spot a Simulated Rolex

how to spot a fake rolex

Co-ordinate to Forbes, Rolex is i of the top 100 well-nigh powerful, recognized brands in the world. Rolex is so famous that information technology's virtually synonymous with the luxury watch category, as well as a symbol of success itself. Information technology is no wonder, Rolex is being copied in so many ways.

Over the years, many overseas spotter manufacturers have answered the demand by producing high-quality fake watches. Many Rolex replicas are even, to trained eyes, nearly verbal copies of their genuine counterparts.

Information technology is no longer possible to spot every fake Rolex by only looking at it. The only way to know for sure is to take the watch into an authorized dealer, qualified watchmaker or high-end watch store where they will remove the case back and see the motility inside. However, in that location are some signs of fake Rolex watches that can exist caught by the naked eye.

Given the increasing sophistication of faux Rolex watches, our experts tell us: How can we detect red flags at a glance when examining a timepiece? What do experts cheque for inside the watch? Keep reading our extended guide for further details and learn what information technology takes to spot a false Rolex.

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Good imitation Rolex replicas are hard to spot but there are a few fundamental indicators that tin can help yous carve up the real from the impostors:

Real vs. False Rolex: Tips and Indicators

Look of a Rolex: the case back, engravings, metallic quality, magnification, and the GMT manus.
Feel of a Rolex: the heft, winding crown, and details.
Audio of a Rolex: it's all about the tick.
Numbers on a Rolex: model & series numbers, lettering on the dial, abrupt engravings & holograms.
Inside a Rolex: An Practiced'southward Point of View
How to Sell a Rolex

The Expect of a Rolex

Case back – The easiest way to spot a imitation Rolex is to look at the lookout'south example back, which is almost e'er plain metal. So if the watch you're examining has a glass exhibition instance back which allows the watch mechanism to be seen, it'due south a imitation Rolex watch, or one of the very rare 1030 meet-through watches made by Rolex.

Engravings – Genuine Rolex model case backs are smoothen, completely free of engravings, and then if you run across one, y'all should be suspicious. With that said, you should annotation that Rolex made two watches with an engraved instance back: the Bounding main Dweller which has "Rolex Oyster Original Gas Escape Valve" in an arc around the outside of the example dorsum and the Milgauss model which has a similar design.

Metal quality – Rolex does NOT make 14k gilt or gold-plated watches or bracelets. A real Rolex is either stainless steel, 18k gilded, or platinum. If you see a Rolex with faded gold or metal showing below the golden, it is a fake.

Magnification – On existent Rolex watches with a appointment, Rolex adds a magnification glass window above the date chosen "Cyclops". The Cyclops lens on the confront of the truthful Rolex will magnify the date by 2.5x the normal size, this makes the date actually jump out at y'all as the appointment should accept up the entire glass bubble. Most counterfeit timepieces will appear 1.5x or lower, making the engagement look small and more difficult to run across. Additionally, The Cyclops' engagement window in a real version is dead centered above the number, it's not always like that in a replica. So if the date through the Cyclops or from the side looks the same size or is difficult to see, it may well be a fake. Information technology is of import to note that in that location are some simulated Rolexes that have a bigger font printed wheel to imitate this magnification look.

Genuine rolex date magnifying Cyclops — Genuine date magnifying Cyclops

GMT hand – On a genuine Rolex, the light-green GMT hand is sandwiched between the hour and the minute paw. The GMT hand on a fake Rolex frequently sits close to the dial and is Not sandwiched between the 60 minutes/minute easily. This is not a elementary oversight by the counterfeiters, only acquired by specific constraints on the counterfeit movement they utilise.

Blurry Photos – Photos that look like they were taken from a satellite or a reconnaissance drone are usually the showtime sign of something amiss. Fifty-fifty the virtually amateur
photographer with a phone camera should exist able to take decent punch, instance, and motion shots. If a seller refuses to provide several articulate shots – walk!

The Feel of a Rolex

Heft – A way to spot a imitation Rolex scout is past the heft of the watch. Genuine Rolex watches, especially modernistic ones, have a "solid" experience. This solid experience generally comes from the heavy weight of the genuine metal throughout the watch. Rolex Oyster cases are fabricated from a solid piece of 904L, steel, or precious metal. Y'all tin experience this actress weight from the middle of the movement. False Rolex watches are generally lighter than existent ones.

Winding Crown – Bank check the winding crown on the side of the sentinel at the '3'. The winding crown on a simulated Rolex volition typically accept a basic looking crown to move the minute and 60 minutes easily while a true Rolex will have engravings and grooves that are a finely-crafted and can be felt past the bear upon.

Details – Well-nigh of the signs of a fake Rolex are modest details that evidence a lack of rigorous quality command. Everything well-nigh a Rolex is well-synthetic: the quality of the finish is refined, the dials are perfect, the lume is perfect, the markings are perfect, and the example and bracelet should feel rounded with no abrupt edges.

The Sound of a Rolex

The 2nd hand on a real Rolex sweeps almost smoothly. To the naked eye it should seem very smooth, while a false's tick jumps more clearly.

The reason is that on a 18-carat Rolex movement each 2nd is broken down into eight steps giving an almost smooth and continuous sweep feel (that's 28,800 per hour). Y'all need a high quality motion to reach that.

Even when a replica uses a Swiss-made movement, the 2d hand'south ticking is usually visibly jumping instead of sweeping. And so, if it "jumps" information technology'south a fake, but if it sweeps smoothly, you may need to look a step further and investigate the actual motion within the picket.

Unlike nearly watches, Rolex watches do not make the ticking dissonance, if you hear loud ticking from the sentry it is probably a simulated Rolex.

The Numbers on a Rolex

Model and Series Number – Rolex watches have a sealed back case. Very few sellers can hands open the instance to bear witness the movement, so we take to look carefully at the outside of the example. Rolex etches the model (case) number between the lugs at 12 o'clock and the serial number between the lugs at 6 o'clock. After 2005, Rolex started to engrave the serial number on the inside bezel under the crystal at 6 o'clock. A fake Rolex ofttimes has an incorrect model case number that can be detected with a simple Google search. Looking upwardly the model case number will let united states of america see if it corresponds to the same model or a unlike ane.

Rolex reference number between lugs

Lettering on the Dial – On a genuine Rolex, the printed lettering on the dial should be precise with very clean edges (easily seen under high magnification).

Abrupt Engravings – The serial and case reference numbers, located betwixt the lugs are engraved with great item and are sharp. On a fake Rolex, these numbers ofttimes look similar they accept been sand-blasted or roughly etched into the case. As you lot can come across in the example below, the engraving between the lugs of a genuine Rolex features very fine lines, which take hold of the light in a way similar to a diamond-cut edge. However, many counterfeits volition feature a sandy acid-etched appearance, as seen in the example below. Furthermore, the spacing on these numbers is ofttimes too shut together. It is worth mentioning that counterfeiters frequently use the Same numbers on their watches.

Hologram – Until 2007, genuine Rolex models were shipped new from the manufactory with a Hologram-encoded three-dimensional sticker on the case back. This sticker features the trademarked Rolex crown positioned above the sentinel'southward case reference number. The hologram can be hands identified past viewing information technology from different angles, thus causing the background blueprint to change. Nigh counterfeit stickers are not holograms, but rather simply a repetitious Rolex pattern that does non modify in appearance when viewed from unlike angles.

Yet, Rolex discontinued its employ of holograms equally counterfeiters became much meliorate at reproducing it. And then at present apply of a hologram for a post-2007 sentinel is a sign that it is a imitation Rolex, not genuine. For case, if you see a Blue/Blackness "Batman" bezel only launched in 2015, you know information technology is counterfeit, despite the genuine-looking hologram.

If you have the hazard to compare a real Rolex with a fake i, you will exist able to see the differences by checking all these points, but it is often hard to tell a real vs. simulated Rolex unless you know what to look for. The best advice is to piece of work with someone knowledgeable and trustworthy. What always works, is to keep in heed: "If it's also adept to exist true, information technology probably isn't."

Inside a Rolex: an Expert's Bespeak of View

When ownership and selling a Rolex information technology is imperative to know what yous've got. With an abundance of fraud, on online markets especially, buyer and seller conviction is important in striking a win-win bargain. When a heir-apparent is confident that a Rolex is real, they volition likely identify a better offer on information technology rather than leaving margin for errors or deducting the price of having it authenticated.

That is exactly why we at Worthy.com, an online sale house and luxury market place, cosign everything that goes through our doors. Every scout is checked at CentralWatch in Manhattan, but a few blocks abroad from our NY headquarters.

When information technology comes to Rolex, here is what the experts look for:

Reference number versus the dial. A spotter with a Rolex GMT reference number 1675 and a submariner dial looks suspicious. Nosotros will brand sure the reference is correct to a specific watch model.

Genuine Rolex reference numbers — 18-carat Rolex reference numbers

Series watch number. The serial numbers, located betwixt the lugs, should match the Rolex arrangement and if paperwork is available, should lucifer them as well. Furthermore, the engraving between the lugs of a genuine Rolex feature very fine lines. Some counterfeits volition feature an etched appearance (sandy). In addition, the spacing on these numbers is ofttimes too close together and not even as on a genuine Rolex. Everything that applies to the serial number besides applies to the reference number (model number).

Movement model versus watch model. On a 18-carat Rolex movement we will run across a motility number. This is the movement model and it should stand for with a specific sentinel model.

Movement serial number. Every real Rolex take a articulate stamped serial number on its motion. We will examine the quality of the stamping and the right numbering.

Instance back (inner) fonts and markings. A existent Rolex sentry carries the markings that stand for correctly to the brand.

The color of the wheels. In general, close examination of the inside movement volition tell y'all a great deal about the authenticity and besides the real status of the watch.

Genuine Rolex Movement — Genuine Rolex motion marker.

The construction of the motion. At that place are hundreds of parts which compose this mechanical watch movement. An experienced watchmaker will be able to know if the overall move is right, if parts are not correct it volition bring questions near authentications. There are many cases in which a false motility was inserted into a 18-carat Rolex case making a frankenwatch.

H2o force per unit area threshold. Comparison water pressure threshold to a specific watch rating (after checking the seals of course) is an indication that can easily exist checked in an expensive Rolex. A fake Rolex won't have that "diving" rating.

While we do not advise that y'all comport out these inspections on your ain, it is good to know what your sentry expert will exist looking for when trying to spot a fake Rolex. Fifty-fifty more, the level of detail and work that goes into properly authenticating a picket. You can rest-assured after all of these tests that you lot are wearing a 18-carat Rolex, through and through. When you lot sell a watch at Worthy, all of these tests are conducted for you lot followed past an HD photoshoot and online auction to qualified watch buyers.

How to Sell a Rolex

If you have a Rolex that y'all are looking to sell, y'all tin can follow these 5 simple steps to put your sentry on sale with Worthy:

Provide a description: Draw your Rolex to the best of your ability. If you have whatever paperwork to cosign your piece, now is the time to mention it.
Trending Price: Using the description you've provided forth with similar watches we have sold on our platform, we will formulate and give you a trending market toll for your Rolex.
Evaluation: In order for you to send your Rolex to our offices in New York, we provide you with a pre-paid shipping label addressed to our facilities. Once it arrives, nosotros take intendance of the authentication and evaluation of your scout.
Reserve Cost: Our partner experts at CentralWatch will examine your Rolex and create a detailed report on your piece. Nosotros besides take HD photos of your spotter to be used during the online auction. Now that you lot have all the information about your Rolex, you volition be able to set a minimum reserve price.
Auction: Your Rolex will put up for auction on our platform where qualified buyers are invited to bid. If the highest bid meets or exceeds the minimum reserve price you lot set, the sale is confirmed and the coin is sent to you via your preferred method of payment. If the auction ends below the reserve price, you have the option to decline the auction and Worthy will return your watch to you lot fully insured and free of accuse.