It is no news that Rolex is the most popular watchmaking brand. While there are plenty of other reputable brands, even better than Rolex, anyone will understand what it is all about when you say the name “Rolex”. This is the result of proper brand marketing. However, under strategic marketing lies the foundation of the advanced and progressive technology of Rolex watches. Over the years, this watchmaker has never stopped evolving. Thus, today even a man who has little contact with the world of watches knows what a Rolex means.
With such a reputation, it is no wonder that the replica industry is flooded with Rolex imitations. We have to admit that no other brand enjoys such popularity in the replica industry as it does. Factories strive to reproduce the most popular models to keep up with the impressive demand. And while replica factories do their best, certain elements will always detect that the watch is, in fact, an imitation.
This is a reality that we must accept. And we at AAAReplica want to be sincere and honest. We want our readers and buyers to know that there are no 100% identical replicas. And those who make such claims are only deceiving the final buyer.
Just think of it: how could a factory, even if ultra-expert, reproduce one hundred percent a watch for which the brand spent years to produce? As much as we don’t want to accept this, replica factories do not have enough tools for perfect reproduction. As such, a trained eye will always differentiate an imitation from an authentic watch.
In this article…
I want to talk about some differences between replicas and authentic Rolexes. These differences will never disappear. The reason is that Rolex has technologies in which it has invested millions. And as no replica factory has made such investments, the result cannot be identical.
As such, I will list the most common differences between a genuine model and an imitation. I want you to know that these are absolutely normal and refer to all imitations in the industry, without exception. And this is regardless of what any of the dealers in the industry promise you. At the same time, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. High-quality replica watches exist and they are strikingly similar but never identical. After all, this is precisely why we accept to pay much more reasonable prices for an imitation than the much too high authentic prices.
Before we begin…
Wearing a Rolex is always a matter of status symbol. The problem is that not everyone can afford the price of an authentic symbolic status. Here is when replica options come into play. So, let’s not be too harsh and critical of the replica industry. It just tries to satisfy our desire for a luxury watch. But for a much more advantageous price, we have to pay with the acceptance of small flows.
As statistics show, this watchmaker generates about one million timepieces every year. These watches are recognized everywhere by everyone. In the same context, the brand’s watches have been spotted in diverse movies and on different celebrities’ wrists. As such, it is understandable the fact that everyone wants a Rolex timepiece, even if it is a replica version. However some watch enthusiasts are, unfortunately, so naive, that might believe that an imitation is a genuine timepiece. We think that it’s not right and every potential buyer has to know the truth. As such, we want to educate our customers so that they become more aware of what exactly they are paying for.
Ways to spot fake vs. genuine Rolex watches
Unauthorized dealers
First of all, an authentic watch will never be available on third-party platforms, but only on the platforms of authorized dealers. If you come across a store that offers you a Rolex watch, it is most likely a replica watch. Rolex has a very limited network of authorized dealers. Buying an authentic model is, as a rule, a complex procedure and involves a lot of time.
If a dealer appears on your social networks with a proposal to sell you an “authentic” Rolex watch right away, keep in mind that it is more about a fake watch. Many buyers with little knowledge of the field fall prey to these offers and pay exorbitant amounts for a fake watch, believing it to be an authentic one.
The best thing you can do is to check the source of the Rolex watch. Check if the store that offers you a “genuine” watch is part of the list of authorized dealers, which is unlikely.
We at AAAReplica honestly and openly declare that we offer imitations. We want to talk honestly with our buyers to establish a reliable and long-lasting connection. A replica watch, even of high quality, costs no more than $1000. This price is normal for Swiss Copies models. The $500 alternatives are AAA-grade and are more than viable. Those who offer you an “authentic” $7,000 watch, claiming that its real value is $70,000, are trying to trick you.
In the same context…
Check any Rolex watch source. Whether it’s genuine or fake watches, you need to know more about the seller. Make sure the seller has a good reputation. If you confirm this, you have a good chance of getting yourself a decent replica watch for reasonable money.
The sound of the second hand ticking
Like it or not, an authentic Rolex will have a second-hand sweeping sound different from a fake one. We have to accept this as a natural thing. Innovative (and sometimes secret) technologies allow Rolex to produce extremely smooth movement activity. As a result, the ticking of legitimate watches is extremely smooth, even, and flawless.
On the other hand, replica factories lack innovative engineering and technologies. They try to do their best of course. But, there is always room for better. As such, replica watches, even high-quality ones, can often have a slight tick that gives it away as an imitation. Ordinary buyers may not notice the major difference. But a specialist in the field will immediately feel the acoustic difference.
Movements
Internal mechanisms are probably the most precise elements that differentiate an authentic watch from a replica. The prestige of the big luxury brands was built on the refinement of movements, among others. Their design and processing took years. You can’t expect a replica factory to produce it in a week.
Generally speaking, Rolex mainly produces mechanical movements. This translates into self- or manual-wind mechanisms. At a certain point, Rolex launched Quartz models, but these were exclusively available for the Day-Date and Datejust models from the Oysterquartz collection.
As a rule, all AAA-grade replica watches and above that I know also have mechanical movements. Some factories integrate other types of mechanisms, but these are mainly found in A-grade imitations, which I do not recommend.
The idea of replica mechanisms is that they don’t look as accurate as authentic models. All replica hobbyists know and accept this. Depending on the craftsmanship of the replica factories, the mechanisms may look more or less identical. However, the engravings, the edges, as well as the meticulous detailing flaws are always obvious to a trained eye. I must admit, however, that an AAA-grade or Swiss Copy mechanism looks much better than an A-grade one.
In the same context…
I want to draw the attention of those who have met dealers who offer them “an authentic” Rolex watch. The external aesthetics of the watch may look really good. But all you have to do is ask the dealer for a picture of the watch mechanism. That’s all you need to confirm that it’s an imitation and by no means a genuine watch.
Weight of the watch
Lately, the aspect of weight has become subjective, yet, it still makes sense. A few years ago, replica watches were always lighter than genuine ones. This is explained by the more solid material in the watch, whether it is stainless steel or gold. Replica factories usually use less material for saving purposes. As such, they were less solid on the wrist.
Today, however, replica watches have come to weigh approximately the same as their genuine homologs. Factories have understood that quality matters and have changed their production strategies. Not all of them, of course. If you find a replica that weighs significantly less than an authentic watch, know that you are dealing with a poor-quality imitation. The heavier the imitation, the more solid its quality.
For a general impression, a good replica watch should weigh around 100-165g, just like the originals. Anything less than that speaks of materials without density and body.
If we talk about the gold models, a bigger difference is acceptable. An authentic gold watch can weigh up to 270g, as the material is much denser. A gold replica watch is okay to weigh up to 200g. This is because it is not made of solid gold, but rather covered with a layer of gold on top of stainless steel.
Dial specifics
As in the case of watch movements, dial detailing is not always identical in replica watches. We must accept and conform to this truth. Rolex has a whole team of expert designers and technicians. As a complementary aid, the watchmaker has advanced technologies for the refined production of the detailing in its dials.
In contrast, replica factories also have techniques, but not as advanced. As a result, a replica watch will always have a design flow, even if you don’t notice it with the naked eye.
Many times, replica factories make mistakes with the spacing of the text on the dial. This is the effect of the lack of technologies to reproduce the dial writings identically.
Simpler models are easier to reproduce, of course. When it comes to a monochromatic and time-only dial, the replica watches usually look pretty good. But if it’s about models with dial patterns and plenty of functions, the probability of flaws is a bit higher. Again, we must understand that it is a normal thing that comes from the lack of crafting machinery that Rolex has. As such, we must look for imitations that are as close as possible to the truth, and not identical. “Identical” simply does not exist.
In the same context…
Take Cyclops’ lens into account. Older replica models increased the date aperture by x1 or x1.5. But authentic timepieces usually increase by up to x2.5. In the modern replica industry, this error is not encountered so often. If you find it, know that you are dealing with a seller who offers old models of replica watches and you should look elsewhere.
Watch gemstones
Rolex uses only top-quality materials and this refers to precious stones as well. Turns out that the watchmaker has an entire department of gemologists. They are trained to identify the best gem sources and forms. Further on, an expert team of gem-setters gathers the stones in the watch taking into account how the light falls on their reflection. So, it is about real science in the middle.
As you can imagine, no replica factory has such a department of experts in gemstones. For this reason, the accuracy of gemstone replica watches leaves more to be desired.
Personally…
I never recommend fully gemstone-covered replica watches. This is because the accuracy flaws are way too obvious. Watches with fewer gemstones here and there look much better and do not differ that much from what we see in an authentic watch. Replica stones are not as refined as genuine ones. As such, a watch full of stones will look more oversized and somehow flamboyant compared to a delicate and subtly genuine one.
This, again, is a truth that we must accept as such. After all, a replica watch is always about a wise choice to be made. If you choose it correctly, you have a good chance of enjoying a very close imitation of the original. And while the replica factories don’t have the same technologies and professionalism as Rolex (that is, never), all we have to do is accept these small deviations.