I just got the Seiko 5 GMT which has a bidirectional friction bezel. So, I can align it perfectly. So, I can effectively create a fake Seiko just by doing that 🙂
I’ve got a fake Daytona. I’ve had it next to a real one and it’s identical. If there’s differences you’d need a microscope to spot it. The movement was identical too. It wasn’t even an expensive fake. It was about £150 in UK. Came with box, card and the little tag thing. Had to get it through an invite only group though so buying was a bit dodgy, but it’s worked great ever since and had a few admirers of it. If I ever get robbed for it, I haven’t lost £35,000 either. Went back and bought a fake tag heuer as a daily too. Was fantastic quality. Invested the money I would’ve spent on the real one, win win.
The first tip is already nonsense. Go look around on Rolex forums (or even the big replica forums) and you'll find example after example of genuine Rolexes with shocking manufacturing variance. People often talk about SELs (solid end links) being a tell on some replica Rolex models but then you see the exact same issues in genuine watches as well. There is absolutely no way for an amateur buyer to compare a top tier replica and a genuine Rolex and accurately determine between them, even if they have a loupe. There are plenty of blind side-by-sides under macros floating around the forums where pretty knowledgeable users will be split down the middle on which is actually the genuine. The issue is that, although this might be hard to believe, the replicas often look "better" in certain aspects". They might not look like the Rolex on a given detail but to somebody who doesn't know explicitly what that detail is supposed to like it's almost certain they'd guess that the replica is the genuine.
How do you know if your Rolex is real or fake? Answer the following questions:- Do you have more money than sense? - then it's likely that your Rolex is real. Do you spend a lot of time on beaches in Turkey? - then it's likely that your Rolex is fake :)
If you can’t tell, does it matter? I had an AD say they needed to open the back to confirm. If they couldnt tell, as far as I care, a fake is as good as a real, as long as it keeps time as good.
It would matter when it comes to buying or selling. and maybe a moral question when wearing it. Therefor is go with „homages“. You get the design but you ain‘t a faker.
If you are watch lover, the only way to feel comfortable buying a Rolex and wearing it is to knowingly buy a really good clone. For $600 you get a virtually undistinguishable piece from the real deal. You can wear it and enjoy it without worrying about having been hoodwinked. Lol.
Rolex is like apple, they are a consumer brand masquerading as a luxury brand, and they are pricing thier product as such. A million watches a year is alot
By the time it's 'your' Rolex, it's too late. The safest way, I have found, is to ask the seller to meet at your local Rolex AD, offer to pay for their travel (parking etc) and if there's any hesitation walk away from the deal.
I stopped two minutes into the video. “First have a real Rolex in your hand. Hopefully that’s a real Rolex.” 😂😂😂 Yeah, I’ll go out and get a Rolex Daytona Panda tomorrow 🤣🤣
The best way to avoid buying a fake Rolex is to simply not buy a Rolex. Buy an H. Moser or Glaschutte or 20 other brands that make better quality watches who the counterfeiters have no knowledge of nor interest in.
Fakes are getting problematic. These poor peasants who want to enjoy the look of a beautiful time-piece on their wrists for the own enjoyment are actually able to afford them now! Tom what are we to do?
I bought a clone Rolex in Shanghai for $700 and took it to the Rolex store whilst still in Shanghai. I asked the sales lady to check it and tell me if it was fake. She observed the movement, felt the weight, even looked at the serial number and later informed me it was real (Provided she never opened opened the watch to closely inspect the movement.) So they must have improved their quality as I left the store laughing to myself as I honestly couldn't believe it.
A bit disappointed with this video. As you stated initially, the best way to learn the differences between fake and real is by comparing them. Why not have a fake one to show us like you did some time ago with the Nautilus? Also, doesnt Rolex have a crown laser engraved in the glass?
Counterfeiters have gone so much farther than this video suggests. They often plate their movements with nicely finished platinum; they can create carbon fiber cases; they produce watches with different serial numbers in batches. Now some of them are identical in quality and finish to an original especially if you find a group that modifies/refinishes movements, some with real Rolex parts. You have to be insanely careful especially with steel watches now.
In the 90's I used to travel a lot and many friends asked me to bring a fake Rolex Submariner for them, from a very specific Asian source. They were expensive but almost impossible to identify as fake. A friend's father who had a Rolex collection asked me to see one and was amazed by the quality, he called other watch enthusiasts and they were very impressed, the only visible difference was in the balance wheel. They had to open the case and stop the movement to find a difference. This was decades ago.
Regarding the magnifying cyclops: actually, there was a short period of time - roughly around 2013 - when there were original Rolexes (mostly Submariners and GMTs?) available that had a sub-2,5x magnifying cyclops. People got quite upset about this and pitchforks & torches were - at least - shown in the forums. The watches were still genuine though :)
Yup, my GMT Batman has this, glaringly obvious next to another Rolex. The AD has offered to replace the crystal and I'll be doing it when it goes into service next year.
How about the tiny etched crown on the crystal, and the serial number printed inside the edge of the dial. These can also be faked, but are still details to look for.
I’ve bought four Paganis and saved myself boatloads of cash. Tom, I don’t have hair. So I’m not too fussed if it’s real or not. And the saved cash went into boats….. (well just one big one)
@@Jazda1Jazda made me smile. Resale value…. I tried to sell a Seiko FRANKENMONSTER on eBay last year. I had so much crap from buyers (loving called flippers) who wanted it at all costs. But then they faded rapidly. I got messed about so much I withdrew it. Can you imagine the stress and grief trying to flog a Rolex. Not for me thanks, life’s too short
I thought you shall compare the 2 and point out the differences, that would have been great. BTW, even Rolex services find it hard to state whether the one if fake or real, so they have gone that good.
Not yet, i don't know where you heard that from?. I had a mate who knew his Sub was a generic case from Star time but the 3135 calibre was real. The case wase made as near perfect as could be with the lugs being altered by an expert. All the numbers were engraved correct & it was a peach, real dial , hands, date wheel, crown & bracelet. A good Rolex trained watchsmith serviced it & when he went to pick it up told him the case was not Rolex!!
@@kevinparker461 Wow, an actual sighting of the apocryphal "I had a mate who did something extremely unlikely, yet also at the same time, supposedly totally believable, that proves my point despite being completely un-verifiable" quote. Was your mate also in the pub, or do they go to a different school, or did they move to Canada at the end of a magical summer ? And do you often call people your "Bro", as in "Source: Trust me, Bro" ?😄
@@SonOvaSon OoooooooKaaaaaaay… A generic look-alike case with lugs worked on by an “expert”, but everything else including steel bracelet was genuine… Why ? And just who is an expert at altering cases to resemble genuine Rolex cases ? "Experts" are not cheap - why not a genuine replacement case from an AD ? But regardless of why: as was pointed out - it was "A good Rolex-trained watchsmith" that identified your fake case. Which is totally consistent with the OP's assertion that "even Rolex services find it hard to state whether... one i[s] fake or real" - a less experienced or talented service technician (i.e. not a watchmaker) might have missed it. And it was a hacked-about, readily available generic case, so how difficult was it really to spot in the first place ?
I use the camera, without the flash, on my newer iPhone in place of a loupe. Enlarging the photo with my fingers gives me amazing detail that easily shows “bleeding” and other sloppiness on the watch face.
Super Luminova has a wide range of colours, including blue. Rolex just adds a stupid name to everything they use whether it's original to them or used by anyone else in the industry.
I'm gonna go ahead and say the rehaut on the inner ring is a really good tell for some fakes. On genuine pieces it is crisp and clean and the fake ones clearly don't use as strong or precise of a laser.
Love the explanation, but they feel like tips and points an expert would be able to spot. I don't think I'd be able to sport fake from real based on these tips. And like others here say, that "is it real?" question would tick me off despite me hoping to own a Daytona ar some point in my life.
Easiest way to tell in my book is by the seller. Any GM dealer worth their salt will have a profile on C24, will be known on forums, locally in the watch scene, etc. Not so with people selling fakes, or you can tell by a mile away. Beyond that, I'd take off the case back and look at the movement under a loupe. But my real answer would be buy Grand Seiko, bc no fake could ever even remotely approach their dials or zaratsu polishing, lol. That begs the bigger question---if a watch can be convincingly faked in a low cost factory, is it really that good?
If the only way to tell a fake is side by side then who really knows if yours is fake or not. Lol I’m sure so many people who drive nice cars have a nice house wear fake shit mixed with real shit know one would know.
In the current Rolex models, there is a laser etched “Rolex” in the inner part of the bezel. The “R” of the Rolex lines with the hour markers from 6-11 and the “X” of the Rolex lines up with the hour markers from 1-5.
A lot of these tells are going to "disappear" in 10 years as the watches go from new to used. 10+ years of "patina" will complicate things. Be VERY careful buying used over the next decade.
Dear Boys.... are there incidents of shops that look like ADees but are complete shop copies when it comes to rolex, I know its racist a little but i allways worry when a high end retailer is being run by chinese 😊😊👍👍
If u got one at just 10% of the price, then it's a fake.. I would never buy Rolex, the currency of criminals. A lot better and cheaper watches out there. I wear Citizens, middle to high end. The advantage of a Citizen, under the radar.
Why does Rolex leave the hands center pinion hole open and do so much on the rest of the dial? Some models it is covered, some models not. If they are So focused on detail, why do they leave this? Grand Seiko didn't. I don't own either. But I do notice this detail.
@@kevinparker461 yes they never will. The point of getting a superclone is that you get 95% of a watch for 5% of the price. Even if reps/fakes (whatever you call them) get closer to gen and thyey still remain priced accordingly (let's say $1000 for a very good, 99% superclone replica of the future) they would still be a better deal than gen Rolex (retail or grey).
@@MrDead1975 yeah, but they can't provide any kind of warranty for the product - for obvious reasons. That is the main issue. Cosmetically, top fakes are VERY close to gen watches. Movements are the problem - QC and quality in general. But they invest big money in their movements as well (I heard one factory invested $500k in making a clone4130 movement, which came out very good actually) but they will never reach gen prices. On the other hand, if gen watches were priced reasonably and accordingly to their real cost production (let's say steel Sub costing $1500), there would be no place for fakes.
Thank you very much for pointing out these details that the factories have been missing out. I have forwarded this video to the product manager for their reference and they promised to strive hard to improve the build and quality of the watches to be up to standard. 😉😎👍
I expected to see a lot more of this fake vs real Rolex once the Certified Preowned Rolex program started. What better way to scare potential buyers into spending more for a CPO over regular second hand time piece
If you want to check the lume, take a small UV light with you. That's what I use to make the lume glow in a hurry. A few seconds under a UV light and it's bright as can be.
I’ve never seen a Rolex or Tudor without at least one minor defect, whether it was dust on the dial, scratching on the rehaut or other nearly invisible cosmetic issues of the sort.
listening to this Video made me laugh at one of the more Wellknown New Yotker Stand Up Comedians joke in Reference to How Great New York City is where else can you buy a Genuine Rolex watch for 40 dollars with a very Sarcastic tone of Course Inthink it may had been Billy Crystals joke in a Fund Raiser for 9/11 ? It was years ago so I’m not positive I just have always remembered the Joke because Years ago I lived inSouthFlorida and I worked many days in Miami that people were always selling Rolex copies that had Quartz movements in them and the Second hand jumped eschew second instead of running Smoothly Ironically I have a Friend that bought several In the 1980s and eventually he was Capable of buying a Genuine Rolex and his. Didn’t keep accurate time for the first year He used to ask me all the time. What time was It and I had a Seiko Dive Watch that was very reliable and Accurate because my Godmother/Aunt worked for Seiko and she got fantastic Company Discounts
Rolex real or fake is a cat-and-mouse game which never ends. With copying technology advancing together with 3D printing rapidly increasing, comparing dial lettering and lume color together with exterior casing and inside movement finish aren't just enough. One and only way to avoid is to purchase new at your trusted Rolex Official Retailer or Authorized Dealer. That's what I do.
Ridiculous how many bots / fake profiles for SWISSAREX ARE IN THESE COMMENTS! Surely they have a little better scam than pretty much copying and pasting the exact (almost) same comment over and over and over!😂😂😂😂😂
In a world where the fakes look and feel as good as the genuine article then always buy from a reputable source. However, here is a list of ways of spotting the cheaper fakes you can buy from the dodgy geezer down the pub. 1) The most well known is the sweep movement vs the cheap fake quartz tick. 2) If you look closely at the letters on the dial the top of the A on a genuine Rolex is flat. 3) The links on the bracelet that connect to the clasp are slotted screws not pins 4) If you turn the bezel on a submariner you should count exactly 120 clicks in a full rotation (or 30 per quarter if you’re feeling lazy) Always buy from a trusted dealer, it’s worth repeating as it is that important. I bought mine from Watchfinder, it was one of the best purchases ever made and I saved up for 3 years to buy it.
A usual sure way to tell an authentic Rolex from a fake one are the feel, touch and the weight of the watch in your hand. Fake ones will almost always are lighter, not polished properly and not smooth to your touch and to your eyes. The clasp will not be smooth and will be a little rough to close and open, it may not even align properly, you should never try to bend or force closing the clasp. Take a 10x Lupe with you and examine the fonts on the dial face. Fonts on fake Rolex watches will never be uniform, smooth and perfect like a real Rolex, but will have very small indentations (seen only with a 10x Lupe) sort of like extremely tiny bubbles on the fonts' paint. The 2 1/2 date enlarging cyclopes is also a good indicator, the magnification should cover almost the whole window and the date number should almost be covered completely by the cyclopes window, anything smaller indicates that it is fake, means the enlargement is less than 2 1/2. A normal buyer will not be able to open the bottom cover of a Rolex, special instruments are needed, so examining the inside movement is very impractical. All of my above pointers will almost guarantee you to be able to tell if the Rolex you are examining in your hand is authentic or fake. Good luck.
Weigh the watch, it’s the only thing you have to do Guys. Sorry to spoil the video but Rolex’s are made to a very specific weight. Everything you’ve talked about in your video is subjective and not conclusive hence absolutely useless. 😂
Talk talk talk... show a comparison. Show the most important details that are needed. Talk talk talk with images and no focus on what to specifically to look at. All talk in this video no clarity. DVD:(
I loved my OysterQuartz Datejust. Tons of people claimed “Rolexes don’t tick.” One of the rarest mainstream Rolexes ever at ~25k made. Sure it’s a quartz, but the movement itself was gorgeous and has never been copied. The 3035 and 3135 clones can be found all over Aliexpress.
It's so weird to have such a gigantic industry on both sides either the genuine article or the fake purely because human beings erroneously think other human beings I going to find them more impressive because they have something expensive on their arm. Very much like fancy cars people would save a lot of money if they realised no one actually cares about your car or your watch their opinion of you does not change at all. If they like the watch or the car you are wearing or driving they will think wow I wish I had one of those with absolutely no thought for anything about the wearer and then there is the other group of people who just don't carry the way so no matter what you do you just spent a lot of money to impress noone.
So i watched Paul Thorpe the other day, saying Rolex are going to sell used watches including stolen watches they own. So i would say what kind of a company is Rolex ?? Fake!!!!!!!
I like Daytona, but the price of Daytona on the market is too high. The specialty store made me queue for 3 years. Finally, I decided to buy a replica.
Want to see how a fake Rollie looks like? Head over to the Hodinkee channel and check the Talking Watches with Emeril Lagasse... Lots of "great" examples there!
I hate it when people buy replicas, thinking they are original, and end up losing their money. Thats why mega-clone sellers like ziarex need to be stopped.
Put a Vostok amphibia with what you think is a Rolex in a pot of boiling water for five minutes. As a Real Rolex is built to the same reliability and toughness standards as a Vostok if they are both still working when you take them out of the pot it's a real Rolex.
I have ziarex replica watch, and when I see this video, I cant help but cringe. Theres no comparison to be made, its like a toy watch competing against a original.
Another tell is if the paint on the gmt hand looks like it’s been painted on by a blind drunk and splashed all over the triangle at the end of the hand it’s probally real.
Yes, but you will need a loupe to see that. To the naked eye it will look perfect. Best investment anyone can make is to buy a Rolex & look after it. And 30 years later it may be worth twice as much as your house if you brought right ...Fact!
@@kevinparker461 Rolex Daytona in SS RRP in 1992 was $ 3,750. Rolex Daytona in SS (un-worn) grey market price in 2022 is $ 32,600. Average USA house price in 2022 is $ 348,000. $3,750 invested in 1992 in the S&P 500 would be worth $61,500 in 2022. Please stop talking nonsense.
@@kevinparker461 don’t disagree with any of that but as an owner of 10 rolex plus jlc omega ect ect including two gmt,s the paint on the gmt hands is not up to their supposed standard you can even see it on the gmt in the video I know they still don’t make their hands but quality control should be better than that FACT!
We need to stop criminals like ziarex from selling mega-clone replica watches because selling mega-clone replicas with the same serial number as the original watch is illegal.
