To spot a fake Rolex Day-Date, inspect the weekday font at the top of the dial, in the day window. All replica Rolex Day-Date have their text looking either too thick, too thin and/or not centred.
Are you trying to learn how to spot a fake Rolex Day-Date? Don’t want to get scammed?
If that’s the case, then you are in the best place to learn how to authenticate a Rolex Day-Date.
In this guide, we are going to show you what to look for in order to know if you have a real or fake Day-Date.
We will be looking at the Rolex Day-Date II (ref. no. 228239), but tells can be applied to similar models too.
You’ll also find real vs fake Rolex Day-Date images to help you compare the watch that you are authenticating.
The fake piece has its “MONDAY” text looking too big.
That’s because the fake Day-Date has its text closer to the left and the right edges of the arched rectangle.
The fake Rolex has its “MONDAY” text looking thicker than the inscription found on the genuine watch.
As a consequence of the fake watch’s text being too thick, the kerning between the letters in the “MONDAY” text is also improper.
This flaw can be easily noticed if you look at the fake watch’s letter “A”.
See how the “A” on the fake watch is too thick, especially in the top-right corner.
Since the text is too thick on the fake watch, the letters are placed too close to each other.
For worse-quality replicas, the letters may have different amounts of space between their letters.
2. Date placement
Genuine Rolex Day-Date watches must always have their numbers placed evenly, being centred in the middle of the square dial in which they are positioned, with equal distance from both the left and right edges of the date window.
In most cases, replica watches have their numbers not centred in the date window.
The how fake watch has its numbers not centred.
The replica watch’s “17” number is not aligned in the middle of the date window.
The fake Rolex Day-Date has its “17” number placed too much to the left side of the date window, as there is too much space left to the right.
The fake “17” print is crooked since it isn’t placed in a straight line, as it is angled too much on the fake piece.
3. Date thickness
The counterfeit has its number “2” looking too thick, while the original Day-Date’s number “2” appears to be thinner and sharper than the fake watch’s print.
The replica piece also has its number “2” misplaced, as it is too much to the left side of the box in which it was supposed to be centred.
Speaking of symmetrically centred things, you can notice how the authentic watch has its number “2” placed perfectly, without having a different distance to any side, and also not being crooked, since it is placed in a straight line.
4. Rehaut
The authentic Rolex watches are widely known for having the classic “R O L E X” text, serial number and logo engraved on their rehaut, and on the Day-Date, we are of course analyzing those as well.
On the 100% authentic Rolex Day-Dates, each engraving has to be aligned with each minute marker.
Most fake Rolex Day-Dates have their engravings misplaced.
The fake watch has its engravings improperly aligned with the minute markers.
By that, we mean that a fake Rolex Day-Date watch has its engravings misaligned.
Once again, the legitimate Rolex watches always have their engravings on the rehaut aligned with each minute on the dial.
A quick mention:
The steps we’ve written so far are the BEST ways to authenticate this item
The next few steps are still reliable methods…
… but they apply to non-top-versions of replicas available for this item
If in doubt, we recommend double-checking the steps we’ve explained above this line.
5. Clasp
The fake “ROLEX” text is too thick.
The thickness flaw is given to the fake watch due to the depth of the engraved text because it is engraved too deep on the fake watch.
The real watch has thinner letters.
As for the “GENEVA” text, the fake watch has its letters “N” and “V” looking too small.
The small letters (“N” and “V”) on the fake watch are also too thin compared to the rest of the letters, therefore giving the fake watch multiple font weights.
The “SWISS MADE” has all three letters “S” looking too big and too thick, while the letters “W” and “I” are thinner.
In the word “MADE”, the fake watch has its letters “M” and “A” too thin, and the letters “D” and “E” too thick.
The letters “D” and “E” on the fake watch are also too big when compared to the first two letters, and the authentic watch has all of its letters of the same thickness and size.
Authentic Rolex Day-Date watches must weigh approximately 215 grams (0.47 pounds). This is applicable, of course, in the case of the original President bracelet available on the watch.
Most fake Rolex Day-Date watches weigh less than 215 grams, but that doesn’t mean that all replica watches weigh less than 215 grams!
We said that because there is a chance to bump into a replica Rolex Day-Date watch which is too heavy as well, so chances are never zero, even though it is most likely for the fake watches to weigh too little.
7. Materials
Remember that the material used to craft the legitimate Rolex Day-Date watch is the 18 Karat Gold.
As white gold can be tested by any jeweller, it can be wise to check the material of your Rolex Day-Date watch.
Gold replicas are extremely rare and most of the best-quality replica Rolex Day-Date watches are manufactured using stainless steel.
A jeweller will definitely tell you if you are holding a gold watch or a stainless steel piece.
8. Case
Please keep in mind that the case of authentic watches must be 40mm (1.57 inches) sharp.
In some cases, replica Rolex Day-Date watches can have their case at the wrong length.
We recommend grabbing what is called a vernier calliper and checking if your watch meets the 40mm/1.57” requirement.
Shortlist: How to authenticate a Rolex Day-Date
Examine the weekday text positioned at the top of the dial. Counterfeit Rolex Day-Date watches often display text with improper font weighting and positioning.
Observe the placement of the day wheel’s inscription. Many replica watches have their text inaccurately positioned away from the centre of the patch.
Verify the font weight of the date wheel’s inscription. Typically, replica Rolex Day-Date watches exhibit inscriptions that appear overly thick compared to authentic counterparts.
Analyze the engravings on the rehaut of your Rolex Day-Date. Fake Day-Date watches commonly feature misplaced inscriptions, whereas authentic watches align their engravings with each minute marker.
Inspect the markings on the clasp of your Rolex Day-Date watch. Often, counterfeit watches showcase text with improper font weighting, sizing, and alignment, while genuine watches present flawless text without irregularities.
Check the weight of your Rolex Day-Date watch. Authentic Rolex Day-Date watches should weigh approximately 215 grams (0.47 pounds).
Analyze the material used in your watch. Genuine watches are constructed from 18K gold, whereas replica gold materials are exceedingly rare, resulting in most replica watches being crafted from stainless steel.
Evaluate the length of the watch case. Authentic watches must feature a precise case length of 40mm (1.57 inches).
The comprehensive eight-step guide comparing genuine and counterfeit Rolex Day-Date watches, as presented earlier, may not be as convenient when time is limited or when making online purchases.
To address this, we’ve prepared a swift 60-second method for authenticating your watch.
Expert Rolex Day-Date authentication
Should you require assistance in authenticating your Rolex Day-Date, rest assured, we’re here to assist.
Simply provide us with high-quality photographs of your Rolex Day-Date, and we will promptly furnish you with the outcomes within a 24 to 48-hour timeframe. The results will be accompanied by a comprehensive report outlining the basis for our determination of whether your Rolex watch is genuine or counterfeit.
Concluding our guide on distinguishing between fake and real Rolex Day-Date watches, we remain committed to updating this article with improved and contemporary comparisons.
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About the Author
Ch Alex is the co-founder and COO of Legit Check By Ch. Ch Alex is in charge of the "Watch Guides" section of our Legit Check By Ch Library. Alex is also the main host of our YouTube channel where our guides have helped people save millions of dollars in scams. Make sure you subscribe to our channel and check out the videos hosted by Alex!
