Guide To Rolex Watches – 5 Must-Know Ways To Spot A Fake

A fake Rolex is easy to spot if you know what to look for. You can pretty much tell in a matter of minutes if it’s real or fake by looking for features that Replica Rolex watches cannot duplicate well. Here are 5 ways to instantly spot a fake:

1. Sweeping Movement – A genuine Rolex has a smooth seconds hand that sweeps around the dial instead of ticking once per second. A second hand that ticks once per second is an instant sign you’re dealing with a fake. Rolex watches typically “tick” about 5-8 times per second giving the illusion of a smooth motion.

Many high end fakes will almost duplicate this effect but the keyword is ALMOST – even most of the high end fake watches tick around three to four times a second. This still generates a similar “sweeping” illusion but it is immediately apparent that it is not as smooth as a genuine Rolex movement.

2. Clear Case-Back – A lot of high-end brands build their watches with a clear case back to show the complexity of the movement. Seeing the gears and cogs magically ticking away is mesmerizing but don’t be fooled!

You won’t see a battery, but a real mechanical movement ticking away. These are easily made (low quality ones) and are no indication of a real Rolex. These counterfeiters may be proud of their mechanical movement, but a clear case back Rolex has never been produced so seeing one is a clear indication of a replica.

3. Weight – Should the watch pass these two initial visual tests, the weight of the watch can be a telltale sign to a fake watch. A genuine Rolex watch is extremely heavy for the size (due to high quality materials used) and most replicas will not come close to matching the weight of a real Rolex. While the weight of a watch should not be the end-all to the authenticity of a watch, a suspiciously light weight “Rolex” should be an invitation to take a closer look.

4. Date Magnification (Cyclops) – The Cyclops lens is visible on all Rolex models that show the date. It is a sphere shaped piece of glass that magnifies the date about 2.5x. Counterfeiters often try and copy this poorly.

Counterfeit Rolex watches will often only magnify the date window 1.5 times and the difference is apparent after looking at the real deal. When looking at the Cyclops at a straight on angle, the date window should be magnified so that it almost fills the whole Cyclops glass.

5. Date Display and Rotating Bezel – Rolex watchces are “perfect” in that the way the lettering is printed and alignment is extremely well done down to the smallest detail. If there are any artifacts in the printing of the date or if alignment is slightly off, it’s a clear indication of a fake.

Genuine Rolex bezels are a dream to rotate. It is smooth and the click you get is very subtle yet solid. A real Rolex should click about 120 times while a fake one only clicks about 60 times. Fake bezels also make a louder noise and are very obvious to spot if you’ve felt a real one rotated.

Jaye Cadlah owns Time and Gems, an online retail store that has been selling used Rolex since 1997. Go to their website to browse hundreds of pre-owned Mens and Ladies Rolex watches or stop by their showroom located in downtown Los Angeles. TimeandGems.com also has comprehensive used Rolex buying guides, as well as a frequently updated blog talking about all things Rolex.