How to tell if a Rolex is real?
It is best to buy a Rolex watch from a reputable seller to prevent purchasing a fake Rolex. Forged Rolex watches can retail for around £20 to £600, which can be manufactured cheaply in China or Asia. It is an example of how to tell if a Rolex is real, as the price may be less than £1000.
Here are some ways of telling if your Rolex is real or not:
1. The Serial/Model Number Stamping
- Real – A genuine Rolex will have an excellent and sharp engraving of the model and serial number located between the Lugs (where the watch strap fits).
- Fake – A fake Rolex will have a thick letter engraving, and the serial number will appear smudged.
2. Rolex Movement
- Real – Each component inside the Rolex will have the logo “Rolex” engraved into it. It allows smooth movement, and there would be no ticking sounds.
- Fake – A fake Rolex will have a quartz dial movement, this is one of the reasons why the second hand won’t consistently move, and the speed will vary (fast, slow, stutters). Also, due to the quartz movement, there will be a ticking noise which a real Rolex won’t have.
3. Cyclops is the magnifying glass which zooms in on the display date
- Real – A real Rolex will have the display date zoomed in by 2.5x with a bold number.
- Fake – A fake Rolex will have the display date zoomed by 1.5x or lower and would have a thin font rather than bold.
4. Waterproof ability – only for 3 seconds in water
- Real – To test if your Rolex is genuine, you would have to dip it in water for a few seconds. If there is no water inside the dial, then it shows your watch is real.
- Fake – However, if you carry this experiment out and there is water inside the dial, then it shows your watch is fake as it is susceptible to water infiltration.
5. Weight of a Rolex watch
- Real – A real Rolex watch will feel heavy as it is made from 18 Karats of stainless steel, platinum or gold. It includes each component being carefully picked and mechanised. An example would be the “Oystersteel” which is 904L stainless steel, making it resistant to rust and corrosion.
- Fake – A fake Rolex would feel light as there would be fewer materials used.
6. Case back
- Real – Most Rolex watches would have a smooth stainless back case with no engravings (unless personalised). However, there are two watches called “Rolex Oyster Original Gas Escape Valve” and the “Milgauss Model”, which do have engravings as they are rare vintage pieces from the 1930s. Other than that, if there are any engravings including the logo, then it most likely will be a fake.
- Fake – A fake Rolex will have a clear case back, which will allow you to see the movement of the watch.
7. Micro-etched Crown
- Real – From 2002 onwards, the Rolex company decided to etch a small crown with raised bumps next to the 6 ‘O’ Clock dial. It proves the authenticity of the watch as it can be magnified to show the crown.
- Fake – To recognise if your watch is fake, then it would be if the crown is visible from a distance, making it fake.