But another caveat: some Rolex-wearers actually prefer to remove the Cyclops, so a previously owned piece may have simply been modified. If either of these criteria are not met, the piece may be of dubious authenticity. The Cyclops on an authentic Rolex is convex - you can feel a bump when you run your finger over it, and it’s dead-centered over the date. If you’re questioning whether or not it actually looks any bigger when looked at straight on, it’s probably fake. Hold the watch sideways to get a glance at the date without the magnifying lens. The magnifying lens that enlarges the date on the face of the watch - dubbed “the Cyclops” - should, well, magnify (2.5 times magnification, to be exact). Look closely for inconsistent spacing in the font or ink bleeding caused by cheaper printing methods on Rolex replicas.
The printed text on the face of Rolex watches should have an exquisitely fine appearance with no blurs, splotches, or unevenness. One caveat: Oysterquartz Rolexes from the 1960s and 1970s were produced with quartz movements. This is a bit trickier to check, though, as Rolex is adamant that only brand-certified watchmakers should access the movement. They also have “Rolex” engraved into them, although the placement of that engraving differs depending on the piece. Rolex movements are self-winding and mechanical, as opposed to quartz or battery-powered. Movements Should be Self-Winding and Mechanical However, you can now be sure that any seller claiming a watch was made after 2007 and also has a hologram is almost definitely peddling a replica Rolex.Ģ. Because counterfeiters became so adept at copying the hologram, Rolex discontinued its use. In addition, it’s important to note that Rolex’s manufactured before 2007 included a hologram of the crown logo on the case back.
GUCCI WATCH SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP SERIAL NUMBERS
Also, the serial numbers are now etched in the silver bezel under the crystal at the six o’clock.” “You could no longer date them without going to a Rolex dealer. “The newer Rolexes have scrambled serials,” he says. For example, a Submariner model number for a Yachtmaster,” says Abe Diveroli of Primetime305.Īs of late, Rolex has also improved their own methodology in this regard. “Many times they will etch the wrong model number on a watch. A simple Google search for your watch’s serial number should reveal whether that particular fake was mass produced. In order to view the number, you have to remove the band this requires a pushpin or small paper clip to remove the pin that holds the band in place.Ĭounterfeiters often don’t bother changing the numbers, instead printing the same digits on each replica. On the 12 o’clock side, you’ll find the model number, typically denoted by the text, “ORIG ROLEX DESIGN,” followed by the number below. The serial number is located behind where the band connects to the body of the watch, on the six o’clock side. Genuine Rolex watches have their serial numbers deeply engraved into the metal, whereas fakes often just have it “etched” with acid. While only an expert - and luckily, we have many - can really be trusted to determine whether or not a watch is genuine, we’ve compiled a list of 13 tell-tale signs to help train your own eye to spot a fake Rolex. It’s very hard to detect the originality of it,” Bain explains. “They might get a real Rolex movement and then they make a fake case around it. Sometimes counterfeiters mix and match parts from real Rolex watches and fake ones, making distinguishing the two even more difficult.
Illegal counterfeiting of watches is a billion-dollar industry, with an estimated 30 million to 40 million fakes introduced to the market each year, according to the Swiss Watch Industry. “A lot of people got burned.”Īs technology and counterfeiting methods advance, understanding the intricacies of genuine Rolex watches is increasingly important for prospective buyers. “If you didn’t look at one next to the real one, and you just looked at it alone, you probably would not be able to tell it was fake,” he says. Bain says that just last year, a group of counterfeit ceramic Rolex Submariners snuck into the market. It’s a very obvious fake,” says Matthew Bain, a Miami-based watch expert who operates Matthew Bain, Inc.īut others are not so obvious. “You know that if it cost $50, it’s not a real Rolex. The vast majority of fake Rolex watches in the world are cheap, easy-to-spot knock-offs.
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