Rolex - How to spot a fake?
Discussion
Some of the replicas are just too good these days. I was looking at a site the other day that shows a fake against the real one, and points out what is wrong with the fake. I still couldn't tell the difference.
Some of the rarer rolex will have to be sent away as an AD wont be able to tell you upfront whether it is fake or not.
Some of the rarer rolex will have to be sent away as an AD wont be able to tell you upfront whether it is fake or not.
GC8 said:
There aren't any 'fake' Rolex actions, no matter what you're told. An expensive watch needs to be inspected and any knowledgeable person in the trade will be able to tell the difference between a real Rolex and an Asian copy of an ETA movement...
Correct, even if it's a real ETA, it's still wrong. It will take 2 sec's, there are NO fakes a dealer wouldn't know the second the back came off, even if they were fooled by the rest of the timepiece. The bracelet edges/ends, in the OP, look a little rough and ready, sharp too. Not great photo's to judge by..
strange puntuation
Edited by Shuvi on Monday 6th October 23:45
It has been known for a genuine 18k Rolex Day-Date to have a fake bracelet!
The chances of a Diamond marker dial being a fake is quite possible also!
The cleverest frauds being carried out are with "Frankenstein" or "parts bin" watches.
Indeed, you could remove the back of the watch to discover a geniune Rolex movement. Only later to find out that rest of the watch is totally fake!
Remember that Rolex movements are extremely common and not that difficult to come by!
I would always play safe and get an AD to inspect the watch before purchase.
If the seller objects then walk away.
Hope this helps
The chances of a Diamond marker dial being a fake is quite possible also!
The cleverest frauds being carried out are with "Frankenstein" or "parts bin" watches.
Indeed, you could remove the back of the watch to discover a geniune Rolex movement. Only later to find out that rest of the watch is totally fake!
Remember that Rolex movements are extremely common and not that difficult to come by!
I would always play safe and get an AD to inspect the watch before purchase.
If the seller objects then walk away.
Hope this helps
Frankenwatches are common, mainly built from original parts. Fake bits on a Frankenwatch are easily spotted. Y'know if you put a Rolex movement in a fake case with or without a fake bracelet, it'll be the wrong weight. An AD would spot a fake in seconds. I wish people would stop fooling themselves, or trying to fool others.
I've said before on here and it's true. Every fake Rolex bracelet there has ever been has the same flaws. Most Oyster cases have the same repeated flaw.
Is the DD in the OP real? Stab in the dark, no.
But to be sure, I'd like to see more of it, or the piratebay link
I've said before on here and it's true. Every fake Rolex bracelet there has ever been has the same flaws. Most Oyster cases have the same repeated flaw.
Is the DD in the OP real? Stab in the dark, no.
But to be sure, I'd like to see more of it, or the piratebay link
I had a watch inspected by the Rolex AD on Bond street. They couldn't be sure. In the end it was sent away to Rolex HQ where it came back with a clean bill of health.
Fact is, the movement can be the cheapest part of the watch and as pointed out a franken watch can be worth a whole load more than the watch it is based on.
Fact is, the movement can be the cheapest part of the watch and as pointed out a franken watch can be worth a whole load more than the watch it is based on.
Friend of mine bought a geunine Day-Date and it had a gold-filled bracelet. Seen that trick a few times over here... they buy old DDs with stretched bands on the cheap, melt the band, throw on a gold filled one, but sgeez, they have the box and papers...
If you buy on eBay, you buy from someone with feedback that shows they have sold lots of Rolexes and they have a 100% return policy should it prove to be a fake as well as a storefront location.
If you buy on eBay, you buy from someone with feedback that shows they have sold lots of Rolexes and they have a 100% return policy should it prove to be a fake as well as a storefront location.
If it's a good fake then you'll need to handle the watch in person - photos won't be good enough.
The best fakes with ETA (or ETA copies) are easy to tell as the quick set date goes the other direction to the Rolex movement. I wouldn't want to try to tell a fake if it had a real Rolex movement inside!
Gold weight should be measurable within tolerances - I suppose you could gold plate tungsten for the same weight but machining tungsten bracelet links would be a bugger.
You need to have the watch in your hand really unless it's a poor fake. So I suppose you need some sort of guarantee with eBay or the vendor. I wouldn't buy a rolex off eBay myself.
The best fakes with ETA (or ETA copies) are easy to tell as the quick set date goes the other direction to the Rolex movement. I wouldn't want to try to tell a fake if it had a real Rolex movement inside!
Gold weight should be measurable within tolerances - I suppose you could gold plate tungsten for the same weight but machining tungsten bracelet links would be a bugger.
You need to have the watch in your hand really unless it's a poor fake. So I suppose you need some sort of guarantee with eBay or the vendor. I wouldn't buy a rolex off eBay myself.
cyberface said:
The best fakes with ETA (or ETA copies) are easy to tell as the quick set date goes the other direction to the Rolex movement. I wouldn't want to try to tell a fake if it had a real Rolex movement inside!
I've heard this one before. I assume you are referring to the direction of the winder? In which case, which direction does a genuine Rolex movement wind for the quickset? (assuming direction is forwards/backwards whilst looking at the face)Ta
Edited by apguy on Friday 10th October 17:13
apguy said:
cyberface said:
The best fakes with ETA (or ETA copies) are easy to tell as the quick set date goes the other direction to the Rolex movement. I wouldn't want to try to tell a fake if it had a real Rolex movement inside!
I've heard this one before. I assume you are referring to the direction of the winder? In which case, which direction does a genuine Rolex movement wind for the quickset? (assuming direction is forwards/backwards whilst looking at the face)Ta
Edited by apguy on Friday 10th October 17:13
None of the fake Daytonas will fool even an amateur watch hobbyist. The best fake Rolex out there IIRC is still the old Sea Dweller - it's easier to copy a steel tool watch than a diamond-loaded solid gold President thingy. But even the SD 'super-replica' is easy to tell from the real thing if you have the watch in your hand.
On someone's wrist - forget it, a good fake is un-noticeable. But for the OP - solid gold DD with diamond dials will be rather expensive so best ensure it *isn't* a fake, at all costs (including getting an experienced AD to look at it). Paperwork can be forged, but pictures of the serial numbers on the papers and corresponding serials on the bracelet can be checked by an AD to see whether it's a genuine number or not (a good fake will have a genuine number, but it will be checked so many times by purchasers that Rolex must know which ones have been copied!). The serial numbers are also engraved inside the end links but I doubt that the vendor will go as far as removing the bracelet from the watch, since it's tricky to replace the spring bars and not scratch the metal (especially 18k gold!).
It's a tricky one really. You can't turn up at the vendor's place with a Bergeon caseback opener and say 'let me see the movement' as I wouldn't let some random open up a watch I was selling, just in case the punter was clumsy and scratched the caseback in the process of opening it. Very easy to do, Rolex multi-groove casebacks aren't as bad as other makes because you can normally get a good grip on the back, but if it's been done up with too much torque and you slip with the chuck, you could damage the watch. Equally a frankenwatch with a fake dial (with false 'diamonds') is going to be tricky to spot without getting it out to inspect the diamonds under a loupe (don't do diamonds myself, anyone here expert at spotting 'fake' diamonds?).
I'm not a fan of gold watches in general, and I wouldn't have another Rolex, since the only ones I'd wear are their tool watches, and other manufacturers make much cheaper tool watches that are just as tough and reliable. So I'm probably not the best person to ask about Rolex... Did enjoy wearing mine in my impressionable youth though
cyberface said:
....since the only ones I'd wear are their tool watches, and other manufacturers make much cheaper tool watches that are just as tough and reliable.
Trying to pick up on the lingo here - what's a 'tool watch'? Do you mean the submariner/seadweller style?What other manufacturers do you mean when you say 'as tough and reliable'?
Sorry for all the questions - just looking to learn
By 'tool watch' I think the guys mean an everyday watch that can take a bit of a beating, does all you want it to and can take some knocks.
The manufacturers they are talking about are the Sinns of this world - watches that are around the four figure mark but are hard as nails and look the nuts.
I'm sure others will be along with other makes in a minute - but some of the Sinns are an excellent example of a 'tool' watch.
The manufacturers they are talking about are the Sinns of this world - watches that are around the four figure mark but are hard as nails and look the nuts.
I'm sure others will be along with other makes in a minute - but some of the Sinns are an excellent example of a 'tool' watch.
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