Short answer
A fake Rolex Submariner is a watch built by a third party that copies the Submariner name, dial, case, and markings. Prices run from about $30 for a street-market copy to $1,200 or more for a high-tier replica sold as a "super clone." None are made by Rolex. In the United States, selling one is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Buying one for personal use falls outside that trafficking statute, but US Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy the watch at the border.
Tiers and price
Low tier: $20 to $80
Mineral crystal. Stamped sheet-metal case. Chrome plating over brass. Movement is a cheap quartz or a low-grade automatic. Date font and cyclops shape are wrong. Lume is paint. Water resistance is a claim, not a fact.
Mid tier: $100 to $350
316L stainless case and sapphire crystal. Movement is a Seiko NH35 or a Chinese clone of the ETA 2824. Bracelet uses hollow or folded links. Case back and crown threads are rough.
High tier: $400 to $1,200 and up
Machined 316L or 904L-type case, cloned 3135 or 3235 movement, ceramic bezel insert, engraved rehaut. Sellers call these super clones. They pass a glance. A watchmaker with a loupe and a timing machine finds the differences in minutes.
What the genuine Submariner contains
Rolex released the Submariner in 1953. Current production uses 41 mm cases: reference 124060 without a date, reference 126610LN with a date. The case is Oystersteel, a 904L alloy. The Date model runs caliber 3235 with a 70-hour power reserve. US retail is about $9,100 for the 124060 and about $10,250 for the 126610LN. Rolex sets prices and they change.
Points of comparison
- Steel. Rolex uses 904L. Most fakes use 316L, which takes a different polish and shows scratches sooner.
- Movement. Clones of the 3135 and 3235 run at 28,800 vph. Beat rate and amplitude on a timing machine separate clones from real calibers.
- Cyclops. Rolex uses 2.5x magnification on the date window. Many fakes sit near 1.5x or 2x.
- Rehaut. The serial is engraved on the inner ring. On fakes the engraving is shallow, or it sits out of line with the minute track.
- Gold. Solid 18k on genuine two-tone and gold models. Replicas use plating, which wears through at the crown and clasp.
- Water resistance. Genuine Submariners are rated to 300 m and tested. Replicas carry the same number on the dial with gaskets that no one pressure-tested.
Legal status in the US
18 U.S.C. 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal offense. A first conviction carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine for an individual. The Lanham Act lets a trademark owner seek statutory damages up to $2,000,000 per counterfeit mark when the use is willful. Customs can seize and destroy shipments. Watches and jewelry sit among the top categories CBP seizes each year.
Known downsides
- No warranty and no service network. A repair on a cloned movement can cost more than the watch.
- Sapphire and gaskets fail. Water damage totals the watch.
- Resale value is zero. A dealer, auction house, or insurer will not handle it.
- Gold plating wears at contact points, often within a year of daily wear.
Market size
Most replicas are built in factories in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China. The OECD and EUIPO estimated counterfeit and pirated goods at 2.5% of world trade, or about $464 billion in 2016. Watches are a small share of that total and one of the most copied categories.
How to confirm a Submariner
Bring the watch to a Rolex Service Center or an independent watchmaker with a Rolex parts account. Ask for a movement inspection and a check of the case and serial numbers. A written service estimate from Rolex is the strongest confirmation. Boxes, papers, and hang tags are copied as well, so they prove nothing by themselves.