Tag Archives: Steel Rolex Submariner Replica Watches

11 Rolex Quirks That Make Your Best Quality UK Fake Rolex Watches More Valuable, From Flat 4s To Bart Simpson Coronets

Rolex collectors may be the most pedantic crop of humans on Earth — but for good reason: Looking at minute details on your Rolex can reveal that it is rare and collectible…or not. But it’s good to know either way, for sure, and if you’re a first time Rolex buyer, or getting deeper into the weeds of collecting AAA UK Rolex replica watches, you’ll want to know exactly what you’re looking at.

The largely endless supply of trivial-seeming minutiae can mean the difference between a $10,000 Rolex and a $100,000 Rolex. From tiny, barely visible lines and dots to serif and non-serif typography, from depth ratings in meters vs. feet to crown guards that look like avian beaks, the world of vintage Swiss made Rolex fake watches is positively filled with quirky idiosyncrasies that can be difficult to parse, let alone memorize. And if you happen to find yourself at a watch swap or local collector’s meetup — oh boy. Be prepared for someone to talk your ear off about this stuff.

Best to study up then, wouldn’t you say? Our guide will give you a solid overview of some of the quirkier terminology that rears its head in Rolex collecting circles, whether vintage, neo-vintage, and even modern. And again, the difference between two otherwise-identical models with or without one of these features can mean big money.

NOTE: We’ve calculated premiums for a watch carrying a particular trait over a similar version that doesn’t carry said trait. In a fast-moving (and fickle) market, these are calculated to give you an average price differential, and shouldn’t be taken as gospel. Always do careful research and check with multiple, trusted high quality Rolex copy watches dealers before making a purchasing decision. And it can be helpful to study market data, as well, which we’ve written about recently.

Meters-First Dials

Perhaps in a bid to increase market share in the United States, Rolex changed its dial production to feature feet before meters in the depth rating around 1969. While perfect replica Rolex reference 5512 Submariner watches in this configuration can feature two or four lines of text — the latter denoting chronometer certification — all feet-first 5512s have four lines. Reference 5513s — the non-chronometer-certified Sub sold alongside the 5512 — are a slightly different story: Early examples feature glossy-gilt dials in meters-first configuration; production switched to matte dials around 1969, but there are still meters-first examples in both glossy-gilt and matte. Finally, in the early 1970s, production switched to exclusively meters-first and stayed that way through the end of 5513 production in the late 1980s. Expect to pay perhaps a 66% premium for a meters-first, matte dial 5513 over a feet-first equivalent.

“Bart Simpson” Coronet

In the mid-1960s, during a time when top Rolex fake watches was experimenting heavily with its coronet logo and wordmark, it produced a reference 5513 Submariner with a particularly quirky version. Made via a galvanic printing process that produced a yellowish hue, the coronet appears less defined than in other examples, and has since been named “Bart Simpson” by the collector community for its resemblance to the famed cartoon character’s head. A 5513 with such a coronet might carry roughly a 38% premium over a meters-first version with a more standard coronet.

Square Crown Guards

While early 1:1 China Rolex Submarine replica watches didn’t feature crown guards, the Crown added guards — see what I did there? — beginning with the introduction of the reference 5512 in 1959. However, these crown guards went through several iterations before Rolex arrived at the current, slightly rounded shape. The first crown guard type was what collectors refer to as “square,” which terminate in a noticeably flat top that’s parallel to the crown. Within the first year of 5512 production, the company would change to an “eagle beak” shape in order to offer better access to the winding crown, making watches with the “square” shape fairly rare, to the tune of perhaps just 100 pieces. If you can find one that also retains its original “red triangle” bezel, you’ll pay a premium of perhaps 100%.

Pointed Crown Guards (a.k.a PCG, or The Beak)

The wholesale super clone Rolex reference 5512 Submariner watches was born in 1959 with square-ish crown guards, after which Rolex transitioned to what is referred to by collector’s as an “eagle beak” shape. After this, the Crown settled on a more pointed shape, known currently as “PCG” (“pointed crown guards), between roughly 1959-1963. (The final step in the process, in the mid-’60s, would be the transition to the rounded shape still seen on Rolex sport watch production today.) The move to PCG also coincided with the addition of two lines of “Chronometer Certification” text to the dial of the 5512, which would differentiate it from the non-chronometer certified, two-line ref. 5513 born around the same time. A “PCG” 5512 will be priced at roughly a 102% premium over a later, matte-dial 4-dial ref. 5512.

Flat-4 Bezel

In 2003, Rolex debuted the Submariner reference 16610LV, the first stainless steel Submariner to feature a green bezel — or any color other than black, for that matter. The green bezel celebrated the Submariner’s 50th anniversary and was produced between 2003 and 2010. Certain early examples featured a “flat 4” bezel in which the flat top of the “4” numeral is flatter and the inside is more trapezoidal — later examples feature a sharper top and a triangular inner portion. These earlier “Flat 4” ref. 16610LV “Kermit” Submariners tend to carry a premium of perhaps 30-100%, depending upon condition and whether the luxury Rolex replica watches carries its box, papers, etc.

Exclamation Dial

In the early 1960s, Swiss movements Rolex fake watches began adding a small luminous dot below the 12 o’clock baton maker on certain watch dials, the result of which looks like an exclamation point. It’s inferred that this strange symbol is indicative of a radium dial that conforms to Atomic Energy Commission guidelines from 1960, and that uses less radioactive material than earlier 1950s-era timepieces. The next step in this evolutionary process are the so-called “Underline” and “Swiss Underline” dials, which indicate that a watch dial — perhaps an old-stock dial — was either born with tritium, or has been upgraded with tritium. (Tritium is less radioactive, and thus less dangerous, than radium.) An exclamation-point 5512 dial — which is often seen with other highly desirable features — might add a 90% premium over a non-exclamation point, later 5512.

Underline/Double-Swiss-Underline

Also in the early 1960s — between 1962 and 1964, for the most part — Rolex began printing a thin horizontal line beneath the model name on the glossy-gilt dials of its sport Rolex replica watches for men. This is thought to denote a lower level of radiation found in their tritium luminescent material than that present in the radium of earlier luminescent dials, though Rolex has never confirmed this. (Underline dials are said to have lower Geiger counter readings in aggregate than exclamation dials.) There is also a special Submariner reference 5513 from roughly 1963 that features an underline beneath “Oyster Perpetual,” plus dual “Swiss” signatures above 6 o’clock. (There are also certain Cosmograph Daytonas with this feature.) An “Underline” 5513 is a rare bird, indeed, and might fetch a 92% premium over a more standard, meters-first 5513.

Red/Double-Red

On the first iteration of the date-equipped Sub ref. 1680 from the late 1960s, Rolex placed four lines of text, the first of which (“Submariner”) is in red. This small quirk, which appeared in four successive iterations (“marks”) of 1680 and several further sub-sets, easily differentiates the “Red Sub” from other, similar Rolex fake watches shop. Later versions without red printing produced between 1976-1979 are less desirable (by rarefied vintage Rolex standards, anyway). Expect to pay a 61% premium for red text.

Confusingly, the Swiss made replica Rolex Sea-Dweller watches — Rolex’s souped-up, ultra deep-diving version of the Sub — also went through a “red” phase: In its first iteration from 1967, it carried a single line of red text; later versions featured two lines of red text. (“Single-red” and “Double-red,” respectively.) Single-red models total about 12 in existence, and fetch multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction. A DRSD will fetch roughly a 96% premium compared to a “Great White” Sea-Dweller with no red printing.

Gilt Dials

Though a “gilt” dial could mean several things, in vintage Rolex parlance, it applies to a dial type with gold-looking elements made prior to the late 1960s whose production involves a complex process: First, a brass dial blank is polished, after which certain elements — model name, depth rating, minute track, etc — are printed in a clear coating. Next, the dial is coated in black paint applied galvanically, which prevents the clear-printed elements from taking on the black color. Finally, the entire dial receives a clear lacquer coat. The resultant glossy dial is black and features certain elements that appear gold, giving it a refined, luxe look that collectors adore. (Rolex switched its production from “glossy-gilt” to matte dials around 1967.) Glossy-gilt sport best Rolex fake watches are rarer than later matte versions by virtue of their production runs, and are thus more expensive. Expect to pay perhaps a 42% premium for a glossy-gilt” dial ref. 1675 over a matte-dial ref. 1675.

Explorer Dials

When someone refers to an “Explorer dial,” they’re referring to the dial type seen on an earlier Explorer I such as a ref. 1016 (or 6610.) But the Explorer I, with its combination Arabic, dash, and triangular indices with Mercedes hands, wasn’t the only Rolex model to use this dial: Indeed, there are certain Submariners that featured it as well, and they’re fairly rare. The super early ref. 6200 Submariner produced from 1955-1956 featured an Explorer dial — only perhaps 300 pieces are known worldwide. Likewise, the 6538, 5510, 5512, and 5513 also came in Explorer varieties, with the 5513 from between 1962-1965 constituting the last Explorer-dialed Sub. (Die-hard Rolex fans will note that the Commando, an über-scarce 34mm Oyster cased watch sold at Abercrombie & Fitch and U.S. military PXs, also has an Explorer dial.) Expect to pay six figures for an Explorer-dial 5513, or roughly a 148% premium over a standard matte-dial 5513.

Maxi Dials

Debuting in the mid-1970s, the “Maxi” dial — a collector term — is one on which the luminous tritium hour plots are enlarged, presumably for better visibility. (Holding a “Maxi” dial Sub next to an earlier-production model makes the difference obvious.) Small variants in production mean that there were multiple “Maxi” dials produced until the mid-1980s, when production switched back over to regular-sized lume plots. (Rolex would re-introduce it on the ref. 16610LV Submariner in 2003.) 2024 online replica Rolex “Maxi”-dial ref. 5513 watches with pleasing patina might carry an 11% premium over a slightly later 5513 with white gold surrounds from the late 1980s.

How To Buy Perfect Swiss Rolex Fake Watches UK

Many watch collections begin and end with Rolex. A little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to collecting the world’s most legendary cheap Rolex replica watches.

No watch brand has shaped contemporary watchmaking and collecting culture more than Rolex. In a little over a century, those five letters have become synonymous with top-tier Swiss mechanical watchmaking the world over, transcending circles of watch-loving connoisseurs and seeping into contemporary culture at every level. A historic emphasis on quality, craftsmanship and design has made the luxury watchmaker into the world’s most popular, boasting extensive waiting lists for Rolex Submariners, Datejusts, Daytonas and all their most popular models – unless, of course, you buy your Rolex or on the secondary market. Sotheby’s however is on hand to help, with a team of global specialists handpicking a wide range of AAA UK Rolex fake watches for sale at auction around the world, as well as through its extensive online marketplace.

So it should come as no surprise that watches from every era of Rolex’s history, from the earliest days of the 20th century through to this year’s hottest releases, are highly collectible, inspire endless scholarship and push enthusiasts to the very limits of what watch collecting can be. A little bit of history, an overview of the brand’s most important creations and a few collector tips from Sotheby’s are all it takes to confidently jump into the fray yourself.

The History of Rolex and the Invention of Modern Swiss Watchmaking

The history of Rolex starts in 1905, when 24-year-old Hans Wilsdorf founded a watch distribution company in London. Pocket replica Rolex watches for sale were still the order of the day, but Wilsdorf saw the writing on the wall and became an early advocate for and seller of wrist watches. A few years later he came up with the name “Rolex” on a morning carriage ride – as the legend goes – and soon Rolex was making some of the earliest wristwatches to be observatory-certified chronometers, among the strictest accuracy standards of the time.

Wilsdorf’s firm would go on to pioneer a number of innovations whose impact on 20th-century watchmaking cannot be overstated. In 1926, Rolex unveiled the Oyster case, with its screw-down crown and unmatched water resistance. In 1931, the Perpetual automatic winding system was introduced, alleviating the need to manually wind those watches. In 1945, the Rolex Datejust revolutionized the use of a date display in a wristwatch meant for everyday wear. And this is just the beginning.

The 1950s through the ’70s are considered by many collectors to be the original golden age of Rolex watchmaking. It was during this period that genuine icons like the Submariner (released 1953), GMT-Master (1954), Explorer (1963) and Daytona (1963) were all introduced to the market. These are now considered the bread-and-butter of Rolex collecting, no matter what era of luxury AAA Rolex copy watches you’re talking about. Quirkier models like the Rolex Milgauss (1956) and Rolex Explorer II (1971) were also released, and though it took longer for them to find their audiences, they now have die-hard fans of their own.

As watchmaking continued to improve in the 1980s and the ’90s, particularly with regards to the use of materials and computer-aided design and production, evolutions of these watches emerged. The so-called five-digit references – like the reference 16710 Rolex GMT-Master II, the reference 16610 and 14060 Rolex Submariners and reference 16520 Rolex Daytona – introduced new movements, nonradioactive luminous material for dials, sapphire crystals and more. These are, in some ways, the first truly modern top Rolex replica watches, and over the last few years they have become every bit as collectible as their older cousins.

LEFT: SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL WORE A ROLEX ‘OYSTER’ WHEN HE BROKE THE LAND SPEED RECORD AT 300 MPH IN THE 1930S. RIGHT: IN 1933 STEWART BLACKER PILOTED THE FIRST EXPEDITION TO FLY OVER MOUNT EVEREST WHILE WEARING A ROLEX ‘OYSTER.’

“The stories that these watches hold is the source of endless inspiration,” says Vincent Brasesco, VP, Director of Digital Strategy and Specialist in Sotheby’s watch department. “There was an incredible ad Rolex ran years ago, saying, ‘It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.’ That really sums it up. What other watch has been worn by astronauts, athletes, explorers and icons of the big screen alike? You and I will most likely never salvage a shipwreck, but we can own the watch that did. That’s the magic.”

The Most Iconic Rolex Models

Rolex Submariner Replica Watches

Most instantly recognizable is the wholesale fake Rolex Submariner watches, or Sub. In many ways, this watch has served as the archetype for the entire category of dive watches, past and present. A tool watch designed for underwater use by military and recreational divers, the Submariner features highly legible hands and lume plots, accompanied by a rotating timing bezel. Black remains the most popular Submariner color, but a number of colored dials and bezels have emerged over the years, including green (Kermit, Starbucks, Hulk) and blue (Bluesy, Smurf). This distinction also points to another important tradition for any Rolex buyer to be aware of – namely the use of nicknames to identify their favorite models.

Less than a decade after the model was introduced, Sean Connery’s personal Rolex Submariner appeared on the wrist of James Bond in 1962’s Dr. No, cementing its place in the pantheon of popular culture. Early examples, such as the reference 6538 sported by 007 (nicknamed the Big Crown by aficionados), are highly collectible and can fetch huge prices on the market. But part of the Submariner’s enduring appeal is that every version, from these “holy grail” pieces through the currently available reference 124060, carries the same spirit. There’s truly a Submariner for every collection.

Holy Grails: Early Submariners, such as references 6538 and 6200, feature larger winding crowns and slightly bolder designs, hence their Big Crown and King Sub nicknames, respectively.

Modern Classics: For those looking for a perfect middle ground between a vintage and modern Sub, a neovintage piece like the reference 16610 offers old-school design with contemporary materials and build quality.

Next Generation: The current no-date Submariner, reference 124060, has new case dimensions, a cutting-edge movement and a miles-long waitlist at retailers, making it instantly collectible and highly desirable at auction.

Rolex GMT-Master Fake Watches

Descending a bit deeper into the collecting rabbit hole, one finds the GMT-Master, with its colorful 24-hour bezel for tracking another time zone. (The blue and red bezel earned the original its nickname, Pepsi, but you’ll also find the Coke, Sprite, Root Beer and some non-soda-themed options, like the Batman and Batgirl.) As you move across the sky, you simply twist the bezel to line up the correct hour with the 24-hour hand, and you’ll be ready before wheels-down. This GMT (or Greenwich Mean Time) complication is a Rolex invention created for Pan American World Airways, whose pilots needed a time-keeping tool for long-haul flights. These Rolex super clone watches for men were present on some of the earliest transcontinental Pan Am flights, including the historic first flight from New York to Moscow in 1968, and are every bit as emblematic of the jet age as New York City’s TWA Terminal and the Concorde itself.

Holy Grails: The first Rolex GMT was the reference 6542, which featured a blue and red Bakelite bezel insert for the 24-hour scale. Because these are slightly radioactive, they were swapped for aluminum bezel inserts during service, making originals extremely rare.

Modern Classics: The reference 16760 introduced the GMT-Master II, which added a jumping hour hand that lets the wearer more easily track a third timezone (one via the main hour hand, one via the adjustable 24-hour hand and one via the bezel).

Next Generation: The Batman (reference 116710BLNR) is one of the most desirable modern Swiss movements replica Rolex GMT-Master II watches, with its black and blue bezel, and either Oyster or Jubilee bracelet.

Replica Rolex Day-Date Watches

The Day-Date is a different sort of China Rolex fake watches site, a bit more dressed-up and buttoned-down, but no less sturdily crafted. It’s hard to believe that when it was introduced in 1956 this was the very first watch to show the date along with a fully spelled out day of the week, but it’s yet another world first Rolex can add to its very long list.

There are countless Day-Date variations available, in all manner of steel, gold and platinum combinations, with myriad dial options. Any Swiss made Rolex Day-Date replica watches (or Day Date, as you’ll find it commonly spelled) within a collection is therefore immensely expressive and personal. And the number of world leaders, movie stars and athletes who have sported them over the years is too high to imagine. There’s a reason its nickname is the President – a yellow-gold Day-Date has famously graced the wrists of presidents from Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon to Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, along with those of countless other global political leaders.

Holy Grails: Because there are so many variants of the Day-Date, the most collectible pieces are those with provenance, whether that’s in the form of a special-order dial (like those with the Khanjar on them) or a famous original owner. Quality and uniqueness are king.

Modern Classics: From the 1970s through the mid-90s, Rolex produced small batches of Day-Dates with brightly coloured enamel dials. These Stella Dial watches are a collecting niche all their own.

Next Generation: While traditionally a 36mm-diameter watch, the Day-Date is now available in a larger 40mm size, and Rolex has been creating lots of interesting dial variants at this scale that will surely become collector favourites as they age.

Fake Rolex Daytona Watches

But the king of Rolex collecting is undoubtedly the Cosmograph Daytona, first introduced in 1963 and now known as just the Daytona. A chronograph with three subdials and a tachymeter on the bezel, the Daytona was designed for race car drivers (it’s named after the 24 Hours of Daytona race in Florida) and today represents the pinnacle of 1:1 quality replica Rolex sport watches. Today the Daytona is perhaps the most sought-after luxury sports watch globally. This is particularly true for the white-dialed Rolex Daytona Panda, easily one of the most recognizable watches in the world.

Collectors enjoy obsessing over the tiniest details, with a subtle change in a dial font or a hallmark on the case back sometimes being the difference between a relatively common watch and a once-in-a-lifetime find. For many collectors, the pinnacle of the model is the Paul Newman Daytona, defined by its exotic dial with small squares on the sub-dials and so-named because of the configuration famously worn by the actor and philanthropist himself. It is the perfect coming together of watch collecting and popular culture.

Holy Grails: An immensely desirable yellow-gold, Rolex Daytona Paul Newman “John Player Special” (reference 6241) holds the special distinction of being the most expensive Rolex fake watches paypal ever sold at auction by Sotheby’s.

Modern Classics: In 1988, Rolex introduced the references 16520, 16523 and 16528 Daytonas, all of which utilized modified Zenith El Primero chronograph movements (a first for Rolex). These movements would remain in use until circa 2000 and the cheap Rolex replica watches can be spotted by their five-digit reference numbers beginning with 165XX.

Next Generation: The reference 126529LN Le Mans Daytona was created to celebrate the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. It is white gold, the dial pays homage to the Paul Newman dials of old and it was produced for just one year, from 2023-24. This all combines to make it the most collectible modern Daytona.

And this all barely scratches the surface of what Rolex offers contemporary collectors from its nearly 120-year history. See, for example, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, which despite its classic styling is perhaps Rolex’s most playful line – it features cheerful colors (such as the yellow dial, no longer in production) and whimsical dials. From the also-iconic Datejust to lesser-known models like the Rolex Yacht-Master and the Rolex Sky-Dweller, there is always something more to explore.

Buy AAA 1972 Rolex ‘Red’ Submariner Ref. 1680 Replica Watches UK

Speaking of coveting, this week’s selection features a few of our most requested watches, including the dynamic perfect replica Rolex duo of “Red” Submariner and GMT-Master watches with excellent “Pepsi” bezel tones.

Much to the displeasure of Danny Milton, who is absolutely obsessed with Robert Redford’s personal 1:1 UK fake Rolex Submariner ref. 1680 watches, we haven’t had a Red Sub in the office in quite a while. The reality is we pass on purchasing a lot of vintage Swiss made Rolex replica watches, only offering what we consider to be the best quality in the market. After 2021, which saw a good number of red cheap copy Rolex Submariner watches text pass through the H Shop, I believe this is the first, and only, example of this iconic vintage Rolex we have offered in 2022.

The wait was worth it because this is one of the best “feet first” examples I have seen in the metal. Before talking about technical condition, as simple as it sounds, the overall look is just perfect from the matte black dial to the creamy lume patina and ghosted bezel insert, every element of this top Rolex replica watches is visually right. Speaking in watch nerd, the case is noticeably strong with nice bevels and light scratches and the watch is in overall excellent condition with a crispness that is abundantly clear in person. This is vintage best Rolex fake watches, don’t get me wrong, and it has the look that you want but it doesn’t look worn or tired on the wrist – there is a balance that this watch strikes perfectly. One last Doug DeMuro-esque quirk, on the bracelet’s diver’s extension, Rolex super clone watches for sale miss-stamped “patented” and “pateted” in these first few years of the 1970s. For a brand that runs such a famously tight ship, these little mistakes are always laughably interesting to see.