Okay, so let me tell you about the time I tried to figure out if a Rolex Datejust was real or not. I’m no expert, but I like to think I’m pretty good at spotting fakes. I was in the market for a used Rolex, and I came across this one that seemed too good to be true. The price was amazing, but something felt off.
The Caseback
First thing I did was flip the watch over and check out the caseback. I know that most legit Rolexes, they have this smooth, solid metal back. No fancy designs or engravings, just plain and simple. This one had the same, no engravings, looked pretty much like the real deal on the back.
The Date Wheel
Next up, I took a good look at the date wheel. I’ve heard that this is a big giveaway with fakes. The numbers on a real Rolex are super crisp and clear, and they fill up the whole little window. They’re also perfectly centered. This watch? The numbers were a little off. They weren’t as sharp, and the font just didn’t look right. They were a bit too small for the window, too. Also the date didn’t change precisely at 12 o’clock.
The Cyclops Lens
Then I checked out the little magnifying bubble over the date, the cyclops lens. On a real Rolex, that thing really magnifies the date, like 2.5 times bigger. You can see the date super clear. On this watch, the magnification was weak. It barely made the date look any bigger. That was a big red flag for me.
The Rehaut Engraving
Last thing I looked at was the rehaut. That’s the inner ring between the dial and the crystal. On a real Rolex, it has “ROLEX” engraved around it, and the serial number at the 6 o’clock position. The engravings are super fine and precise. On this watch, the engravings were there, but they were kinda sloppy. They weren’t as sharp, and the spacing was off in some places. It just didn’t look as clean as the real deal. The alignment wasn’t perfect either.
So, after checking all that stuff, I decided to pass on the watch. It might have been a really good fake, but there were just too many little things that didn’t add up. I’d rather spend more money and get a real Rolex than risk getting ripped off with a fake. Plus the weight was off, it felt much lighter than it should. And there were no official papers or box. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when you’re spending a lot of money on something like a Rolex.
