Rolex

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misinformation

Here's a copy of an email I sent regarding an error-filled post another webboard, purportedly by an "expert". It was the second one I'd sent, and have still not received a reply, nor have the errors been corrected. Frustrating.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this list elsewhere - so I'm not sure who the author is - it credits "Stan Hoffman", so I'm assuming it's him - but it's being reprinted on the web, here and there, perpetuating a bunch of lies/errors/omissions/inconsistencies.  This new forum seems to be a good place to post this.  Comments?


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I'm contacting you in regards to information posted on the Antique Time Neighborhood Watch Forum, in a post titled: 10 Tips To Tell A Real Rolex From A Fake

"10 Tips To Tell A Real Rolex From A Fake

1. Rolex has never manufactured a watch with a see-through case. If you see a glass-back case on a watch, move on. You’re not looking at a Rolex.

2. Rolex has never fabricated a case or a band with even the smallest amount of rubber. You know it’s a fake if you feel rubber.

3. Skeleton dials display the moving parts of a timepiece. Rolex has never made a skeleton dial.

4. Oyster Perpetual Rolex watches always have a screwed-back case – never a pop-up.

5. Rolex Oysters are fabricated of stainless steel, gold or platinum. Chrome or chrome-plate is never used.

6. Only men’s full-size Rolex watches have day and date features.

7. The case of a Rolex President is platinum, 18-karat yellow or white gold – never stainless steel or two-tone stainless and gold.

8. Rolex watches are not gold-plated – ever. When it comes to gold, a Rolex is either 14 or 18-karat gold.

9. Surprise, surprise. Rolex does indeed, make a quartz movement watch—the perpetual Oyster. But, be careful before you buy. Quartz movement Rolexes comprise fewer than 10% of all Perpetual Oysters. The other 90% are conventional automatic Rolex movements.

10. Rolex is a Swiss company that has in years past manufactured watches in various other countries including the U.S, Mexico, Italy and Venezuela – but never China. A “Chinese-made Rolex” is a genuine fake.



Stan Hoffman Jeweler
Watchmaker"

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This information contains several glaring errors, which serve to mislead readers as to the authenticity of vintage Rolexes - especially when posted by someone who has credibility as a watchmaker and expert. 

- "8. Rolex watches are not gold-plated – ever. When it comes to gold, a Rolex is either 14 or 18-karat gold."   False - many vintage Rolexes are NOT solid gold. 

- "9. Surprise, surprise. Rolex does indeed, make a quartz movement watch—the perpetual Oyster. But, be careful before you buy. Quartz movement Rolexes comprise fewer than 10% of all Perpetual Oysters. The other 90% are conventional automatic Rolex movements."

Where to begin?  The quartz that Rolex made was the Oysterquartz.  "Perpetual" relates to the automatic mechanical Rolex movement - it has nothing to do with the Oysterquartz, and no quartz Rolex was called "Perpetual."  Telling people that there were quartz Rolexes with "Perpetual" on the dial is dangerously misleading - how many fakes out there are quartzes with "Oyster Perpetual" on the dial?  Spreading around "expert" information that supports this idea confuses buyers, and allows vendors of fakes to sell their junk as authentic pieces. 

The statements in this list are made as absolutes:  "always" "never" "ever".  The problem is, that with the way that Rolexes were produced, one can never be absolutely sure exactly what was produced.  New discoveries are being turned up all the time, forcing those that said "Never" to eat their words.  Even the most acknowledged experts, like Dowling, discover that what they thought was wrong. 

- " 2. Rolex has never fabricated a case or a band with even the smallest amount of rubber. You know it’s a fake if you feel rubber. "  Are you sure?  Another absolute statement that is dubious at best.  Early vintage Rolexes had bands of all different materials.  I'd venture to guess that some came with rubber.

- "5. Rolex Oysters are fabricated of stainless steel, gold or platinum. Chrome or chrome-plate is never used. "  What about silver?  I'm pretty sure I've seen chrome or nickel plated cases on vintage Rolexes. 

I've seen this list elsewhere, and I'm working to correct it wherever I find it - there's enough misinformation and myth out there amongst laypeople, without more to confuse the issue.  I contacted one person, who replied that they were referring only to modern watches, not vintage pieces.  If that's the case, then make that clear!!  And quit making statements that tell people that Rolex never made plated watches "ever." Ever doesn't mean "for modern watches only." 

I apologize if I've contacted the wrong person - I've tried to contact the person who posted this before - either I didn't have the right email address, or something, because I didn't get an answer back.   Please correct these errors, and please respond - thank you.