Quick answer
The Rolex 118238 is the Day-Date 36 in 18k yellow gold. Rolex sold it from about 2000 to 2019, when the 128238 replaced it. A replica 118238 copies the case shape, the fluted bezel, the President bracelet and the day and date windows. It does not use 18k gold. Most replicas use 316L steel with gold plating. Plating thickness runs from 3 to 20 microns. Plated edges at the lugs and crown show wear first. Rolex does not publish production totals for the 118238, so no one has a firm count of genuine pieces.
Genuine 118238 specs
- Case: 36 mm, 18k yellow gold, 100 m water resistance
- Movement: calibre 3155, automatic, 48-hour power reserve
- Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, day at 12, date at 3
- Crystal: sapphire with 2.5x cyclops
- Bracelet: President, three-piece links, hidden Crownclasp
- Weight: about 175 g to 185 g on a full bracelet
Weight is the first test. Solid gold is dense. A steel case with plating lands near 130 g to 150 g. A seller who lists a weight below 170 g does not have a gold watch.
What replicas get right and wrong
Good replicas match case diameter, lug width, bezel flute count and dial print layout. They miss these points:
- Gold color. Plating reads too yellow or too copper next to 18k.
- Day wheel font. The genuine wheel uses a serif face with a flat top on the A.
- Cyclops magnification. Many replicas sit near 1.5x, not 2.5x.
- Caseback and rehaut engravings. Depth and font differ.
- Movement. Calibre 3155 has a double quick-set. Clones set the day and date in one direction, or use a pusher.
- Bracelet flex. Genuine President links move with tight gaps. Replica links rattle.
Price ranges
Secondary market listings for a genuine 118238 sit in the $25,000 to $35,000 band. Dial type, condition, box and papers move that number. Replica prices run from about $300 to $1,200. A price near $2,000 does not buy gold. It buys a better finish on the same steel case.
Legality in the US
US law bans trafficking in counterfeit goods under 18 U.S.C. section 2320. US Customs and Border Protection can seize imported counterfeits. Sale of a replica marked Rolex is illegal. Personal purchase carries risk of seizure and no warranty.
Questions for a seller
- Case material and plating thickness in microns.
- Movement maker and model number.
- Weight in grams on the full bracelet.
- Cyclops magnification measured against a ruler.
- Return window and who pays return shipping.