Buying A Rolex? Here's 5 Ways To Know If You're Dealing With A Fake

A fake Rolex is easy to spot if you know what to look for. You can pretty much tell in a matter of minutes if it's real or fake by looking for features that Replica Rolex watches cannot duplicate well. Here are 5 ways to instantly spot a fake:

1. Movement - Simply looking at the movement of the watch is enough to blow the cover on most fakes. Rolex watches (with the exception of the Oysterquartz) appear to have a silky smooth "sweeping" movement - The "sweeping" movement comes from the busy Rolex movement ticking five to eight 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 - A lot of high-end brands build their watches with a clear case back to show the complexity of the movement. Seeing the gears and cogs magically ticking away is mesmerizing but don't be fooled!

Rolex has never made a watch model with a clear case back. This is an instant sign of a fake.

3. Weight - Should the watch pass these two initial visual tests, the weight of the watch can be a telltale sign to a fake watch. A genuine Rolex watch is extremely heavy for the size (due to high quality materials used) and most replicas will not come close to matching the weight of a real Rolex. While the weight of a watch should not be the end-all to the authenticity of a watch, a suspiciously light weight "Rolex" should be an invitation to take a closer look.

4. Cyclops - All Rolex models with the date feature will feature a Cyclops magnification glass; which is a raised sphere of glass that is designed to magnify the date display on the dial. The magnification on a genuine Cyclops glass will be approximately 2.5 times. Like many other attributes, a counterfeit Rolex watch may fall short of the capabilities of a genuine Rolex watch.

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.

If the watch you're looking at has a rotatable bezel try and count the number of times it clicks in one rotation. Genuine Rolex bezels click about 120 times while fake ones usually only click about 60 times. The real Rolex bezel is muted and subtle and should feel very solid whereas a fake feels very "clicky" and loud.

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 watches 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.