Ilham Ina

The most obvious counterfeits can be identified within seconds of contact. While many of these tips will not apply to watches that are bought online, knowing the basics of counterfeit identification is a great first step.

1. Second Hand Movement – Save for a short time where Rolex made Quartz powered watches (OysterQuartz) all Rolex movements are mechanical. This means that they have a smooth sweeping motion when the second hand moves around the dial – “ticking” about 5-8 times per second.

High-end replicas can also try and duplicate this smooth sweeping motion but don’t be fooled. They’ll typically use a fake Chinese or Swiss movement that is mechanical (not Quartz battery powered) that is not as smooth. It will tick about three to four times per second.

2. Clear Case Back – Another giveaway for a replica Rolex is the clear case back. This is a transparent window on the back of the watch case that shows the movement inside. Despite many fake Rolex watches using quartz movements, there are some “higher-end” models that use a mechanical movement.

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 of the watch – Genuine gold and platinum are quite heavy. If you were to hold a genuine all gold Rolex in your hand you’ll notice it’s quite heavy. Most replicas do not come close to the weight of a genuine Rolex watch. If it’s surprisingly light, it’s a good idea to dig deeper into other features.

4. Cyclops Lens – Rolex is the inventor of the Cyclops lens over the date window. This is a raised piece of glass in the 3′ o clock position that magnifies the date about 2.5 times . Many counterfeiters try and replicate this unsuccessfully.

Poor imitations of this are evident if you look directly at the date. A genuinie Rolex should almost completely fill the Cyclops lens, whereas the fake will only be about 1.5x magnification and not fill the lens.

5. Date and Bezel Rotation – Rolex has a proprietary process to manufacture all their watches and their quality control is world-class. Check the printing of the date number and see if it is well done. Also check for alignment in the window. If either of these are just a little off, chances are it’s a fake. Real Rolex watches are “perfect” and shouldn’t have even the tiniest imperfections.

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 specializes in Rolex watches since 1997. Go to their website to browse hundreds of Mens and ladies Rolex or stop by their showroom located in downtown Los Angeles. TimeandGems.com also has a number of guides on buying a preowned Rolex, as well as a frequently updated blog talking about all things Rolex.

Technorati Tags: fashion, gifts, Jewellery, jewelry, luxury goods, rolex, rolex buying guide, rolex buying tips, Rolex watches, shopping, style, watches