Rolex experts reveal useful tips how to avoid acquiring a fake Rolex watch. The major attention should be given to minor details never noticed by an unexperienced person - that's the secret of a successful buyer.

1. No see-through case backs: Rolex has never produced timepieces with a transparent case back that gives a chance to view the inner life of a watch. If you see a Rolex with a see-though case back, be careful - it's a replica.
2. No skeleton dials: Only fake Rolex watches feature skeleton dials displaying the moving inner mechanisms of a timepiece. Even if you'd like to have a Rolex with a skeleton dial, it is possible only in case of a fake watch.
3. No rubber parts: Authentic Rolex watches do no include even minor parts made of rubber. It is equally true about their cases and bands.
4. No gold-plated watches: You will not find an authentic gold-plated Rolex timepiece. The brand's timekeepers are developed in 14 or 18K gold.
5. No Chinese-made Rolex: Although Rolex is a Swiss watchmaking company, you will find authentic timepieces of the brand produced in other countries, for example, the USA, Italy, Venezuela and Mexico. However, a Chinese Rolex is no doubt a replica watch.

• Rolex produces its Oyster Perpetual models in platinum, gold and stainless steel, but never chrome or chrome-plate. All the Oyster Perpetual watches are provided with screwed case backs.
• Rolex President models have 18k yellow or white gold or platinum cases. Only fake watches have cases produced from stainless steel or two-tone stainless steel and gold.
• Very few Rolex watches are powered by a quartz movement. Ten percent of the Oyster Perpetual models make up the exception. As for the other ninety percent, they are equipped with automatic movement of the brand.
• Day and date indications are featured only by full-size Rolex watches for men.

• Smart customers should avoid buying a timepiece from street vendors.
• Buying a pre-owned Rolex watch through Internet dealers also implies some risk. Still, if an on-line dealer provides the customers with an opportunity to visit his store and examine the timepiece given a warranty, the interested customers may try out their luck.
• It is better not to buy a Rolex watch in the Far East or Turkey. There are really few, if any authentic Rolex timepieces, offered by the stores in these regions.
• While buying a watch, it is preferable to pay by credit card, not by cash or check. In this case you will be able to return the purchase if you have strong reasons to consider it is a fake.

We sell hard to find antique watch parts to the tradesmen. We only handle material for American and Swiss watches. No Asian, German, English, French or Ubangy watch inquiries please. We also have no material for ANY battery operated watches, yes including Accutron. Should you as a watchmaker, need a replacement wrist watch crystal, request it by using the appropriate replacement numbers- either G-S or rocket. All movement parts must be requested by using the movement calibre number and the part description.

Following is a list of some common causes for a watch to perform poorly and some remedies to help get it back into acceptable running order. It is normal for an ailing watch to be inflicted with more than one of these problems at the same time so a thorough examination is necessary before an accurate evaluation of its condition can be made.

Many of the symptoms mentioned here can and often do result from a dirty and or dry movement. It is for this reason that it can be difficult to determine all that is wrong with a watch until it has first been cleaned and oiled. Of course there are some obvious problems that can be diagnosed prior to cleaning such as a broken balance staff, mainspring or hole jewel but many other problems can be much more subtle and evasive. By cleaning the watch first you will have lifted a veil that often hides the real cause of a watches problems. When starting out in watch repair one can sometimes make life a lot easier by cleaning a watch right from the start.

Although there may be many reasons a watch may not be performing as it should it is usually not difficult to pin down the problem. Following are some simple techniques one can utilize to help zero in on a problem.

Diagnosing a watch can be simplified by addressing the movement in parts or sections rather than as a whole. A movement can be compartmentalized by sectioning it into separate assemblies and sub-assemblies. When approached in this manner individual assemblies can be tested for any abnormalities. We accomplish this by isolating each assembly from the remainder of the movement. By doing this we can now diagnose just one assembly at a time without complicating things with interference from any other part of the watch. Viewing a movement in this manner is much easier than it appears. A watch actually is comprised of a group of assemblies working synergistically beginning with the winding mechanism which is used to input power into the movement ending with the escapement which of course allows the power to “escape” from the movement in predetermined intervals. All other assemblies such as the motor or mainspring assembly, the motion works, wheel train, and the pallet, which is actually part of the escapement mechanism but will sometimes be dealt with separately, dwell somewhere between these two. There can be others also such as calendar mechanisms, automatic winding, etc. but these can be looked at as sub-assemblies or modules that are actually attached and interlinked with the basic watch movement. We will isolate certain assemblies in some of the following trouble shooting examples.