Whether new or old to the wholesale purchasing game there will always be the risk of purchasing fake and counterfeit goods when dealing with new suppliers; particularly if their listed prices seem almost too good to be true.

Whilst it is always best to know your product of desire inside-out before purchasing, those who subscribe to the sourcing school of thought that suggests successful product sourcing comes from the ability to source and resell any product at a profit regardless of the product type or industry, may find themselves more prone to deception than otherwise. This is not to say that these people should abandon their beliefs and play it safe, only that they should exercise extra caution when diving into unknown industries.

Regardless of whether your knowledge of this or that particular product is at an expert level, there will always be a certain level of risk when dealing with new suppliers, particularly those overseas.

One of the gentlemen from downstairs appeared at lunch the other day sporting what looked to be a shiny new Rolex watch and after much admiration and questioning as to his ‘other’ day job, I got to thinking about the wholesale watch sourcing industry and the flood of fakes that surround it. I have never personally traded in Rolex watches before but as far as I understood, it is a thriving market over 100 years old which according to Wiki, still produces around 2,000 watches per day. Suffice to say the counterfeit market is producing far more for the knock-off market than the original.

But if one was ever to start trading in this, most niche of markets, how would one learn to distinguish first and foremost the legitimacy of an item? With a little bit of research and an incredibly interesting article at mochamoney, I’ve compiled the information below to help you distinguish a fake Rolex from real.

Replica watches can be classified into different grades:

Grade 1A Swiss Replica Watches (Triple AAA+ grade)
Grade 1B Swiss Replica Watches (A+ grade)
Grade 1A Japanese Replica watches
Grade 1B Japanese Replica watches
Asian Replica watches

The lower quality Japanese and Asian replicas are generally high-end branded knock-offs, without the functionality and design of their original counterparts. Their sale price is usually low from the beginning and their weight and quality of workmanship are dead giveaways that they’re in fact fakes.

It’s important to inspect the watch closely for signs of poor quality and craftsmanship. Particularly with high-grade Swiss Replicas, it can be difficult to determine if a watch is counterfeit. They are made to resemble (even in function) the original watch making it even more difficult to differentiate at a glance. A few points to note are:

- Except for some of the rarest models, Rolex never produces a transparent case back.

- With the exception of the Rolex Sea-Dweller, Rolex never have a logo engraved on the outside of the case back.

- Recently and up until 2007, Rolex watches were released with a 3D hologram sticker on the case back. Most fake stickers were green or had a repetitious pattern.

- Inside the crystal at the 6:00 position there is a barely visible crown logo etched.

- The date magnification is at 2.5 on the Rolex and when read, should take up the entire bubble.

- The lens of a real Rolex should be of true sapphire crystal, as opposed to regular glass. A smear test of the lens with water should see the water pull together if it is in fact crystal.

- The second hand on fake Rolexes often tick second for second. The motion on a real Rolex should be smooth and continuous.

- The serial and case reference numbers on a real Rolex should be of great detail and smooth, as opposed to the rough etchings often found on imitations.

- The edges of a Rolex band should be smooth and not sharp or scratchy.

So there you have it. Of course this is not the be all and end all in determining the legitimacy of a Rolex, but it goes to show that with a little bit of research you can learn about a new product and be more confident in your purchase. It is acknowledged that an overseas purchase won’t allow this amount of product scrutiny, so you must always weigh your risk before proceeding with a transaction and order samples before committing to any serious outlay of funds.

Successful product sourcing to you all!