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This is always a tricky question to answer. Based on the brand’s history, their excellent design and styling and the quality of manufacture, Panerai watches are generally good value.

Are Panerai watches worth the money?

Panerai is an Italian brand, founded in the city of Florence by in 1860. However, Panerai now makes its watches in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

Is Panerai Swiss or Italian?

While Panerai used Rolex movements in the 1940’s, they have never been owned by Rolex. They are currently owned by the Richemont Group.

Are Panerai owned by Rolex?

As always it depends on many factors, such as condition, model and desirability. Generally speaking, Panerai watches tend to hold their value well.

Is Panerai a good investment?

From vintage 1940’s Ex Military Rolex movement watches costing tens of thousands to a ten-year-old Luminor for a tenth of the price, the choice of Panerai watches available can be bewildering.

The key differences are case sizes which generally range from 40 mm to 48mm, a choice of automatic or manual winding movement and the complications that are built into the watch.

Incidentally, traditional Panerai watches tend to be quite large, very simple and manual wind.

For more information on choosing the right Panerai, read our <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/5-step-guide-to-buying-a-pre-owned-panerai-watch/">5 Step Guide to Pre owned Panerai Watches.</a>

Choosing the right Panerai

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Rolex is one of the most coveted luxury brands on the planet, known for quality, durability, style, and prestige. Such an aspirational timepiece comes with a hefty price tag and therefore it’s of no surprise that the business of fake Rolex’ has become very lucrative. Therefore, knowing how to Spot a Fake Rolex is crucial when making such a high value purchase.

These days, some fake Rolex’ are so good that they must be partially disassembled before they can be identified as counterfeit and can even fool the experts!

And trust us they’re good!

Most of the fake watches that we come across are pretty easy to spot with a trained eye but there are some – that could fool most experts under normal scrutiny.  And I’m not talking about across a room or even across a desk, I mean in your hand and with a loupe. Plus some very clever fakers have adopted a ‘two from one’ practice…

Imagine you have one real watch and one ‘super fake’.  The real one is worth say, £10,000 and the super fake is worth nothing.  They swap the movements so they now have two watches; A real case and bracelet that pass all tests and a movement that won’t be discovered until the back is removed, and a very good fake that might prompt you to open the caseback just to be sure… when you do, the movement is real so it must all be ok…

(Papers can be faked more easily than watches so they’re both ‘Full Sets’.)  They sell them both at ‘bargain prices’, say £8,000 each for a quick sale and they’ve turned £10K into £16K.

‘Caveat Emptor” as they say in Rome.

Here are our 10 tips on how to spot a fake Rolex:

1) Unauthorised Sellers
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Buying a Rolex is a serious investment, whether for pleasure or business, it’s a lot of money to part with. Therefore, our most important piece of advice is – only buy a luxury watch from a trusted seller or dealer.

Trust is very important when buying a pre-owned Rolex and here my friend, Google is your best friend.

ALWAYS choose a trusted, legitimate/authorised seller over a random individual you find on the internet. There might be a slight increase in cost but that’s the price of reassurance.

Look at the dealer’s selling history and reviews – especially trusted review affiliations such as Trustpilot.

Buying via international watch selling platforms such as Chrono 24 and Watchfinder, are a good place to start as the due diligence has already been done on the sellers.

eBay has recently launched a luxury goods arm and we sell via this platform. However, we are vetted as a Trusted Seller and any watch over £2000 will be sent for eBay authentication. Note – you do not have this security with individual sellers and sites like eBay and Craigslist can be rife with fake Rolex from’ bob666@gmail.com’.

Buying online can be a minefield, especially if not from a reputable seller. Therefore, if you decide to go down this route, you absolutely need to see the watch before you part with any cash. Below are some more physical clues on how to spot fake Rolex watches.

2. Movement

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Carefully open the back of the watch – a fake simply cannot match the craftsmanship and precision of a true Rolex calibre. Plus, each genuine movement will have “Rolex” engraved on it.

However, thanks to modern technology it is much harder to tell the difference, refer to our previous example of the “Super Fake”.

Another clue – if it’s a quartz movement, alarm bells should start ringing as all Rolex watches other than the Oysterquartz of the 1970’s to 1990’s have mechanical movements.

3. Seconds Hand

On a genuine Rolex, the ticks of the seconds hand are so smooth, it looks like it’s gliding. If there is any stutter – it could be a fake.  You can also try listening, a real Rolex will be silent.

Rolex has made a small number of battery-powered watches in the past. These were called ‘Oysterquartz’. Rolex has never made quartz versions of the Submariner, GMT-Master or other popular models.

4. Weight

Since 1989, Rolex has used the best steel on earth called “Oystersteel” (904L stainless steel), which is rust and corrosion-resistant and importantly – it’s heavy! If the watch you’re holding feels light, it was likely built with cheaper metal and is a fake.  The difference is subtle, but you can definitely feel it.

However, it gets a little tricky with older watches with Oyster bracelets from the 1980’s and earlier as these have hollow links made by stamping. These hollow bracelets are much lighter than the current range.  However, the ‘head’ of the watch should still be heavy and feel sturdy. Also, the bracelet end links on a pre-2000 sports Rolex are hollow and can feel a bit rattly after a few years wear so that’s not necessarily an indication of a low-quality replica.

5. The Crown

Even the crown on a Rolex will be identifiable by the craftmanship. Only the high-quality steel used by Rolex can hold the intricate details you find on a genuine Rolex watch. Therefore, a smooth, plain, or brushed over crown will be a sign it could be a fake Rolex.

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6. Dial, Hands &amp; Clasp

The most obvious tell is misspellings, however as we’ve already mentioned, these days fakes can be excellent.

A genuine Rolex will be perfect when made, and fake Rolexes will be much less refined. So, get the magnifying glass out and check the hands, hour markers, dial and clasp for uneven fonts, inconsistent spaces between the lettering/numbers and smudges.

Even the tiniest imperfection on a new Rolex dial is incredibly rare so if it isn’t absolutely perfect, it’s very probably dodgy.

It’s a good idea to have an official photo of the exact model you’re buying to compare.

7. Case Back

Most genuine Rolex case backs are smooth and rarely factory engraved or transparent.

Some exceptions are.

-Rolex Sea Dwellers that are engraved.
-Milgauss’ are engraved.
-Comex Submariners and Sea Dwellers are often engraved.
-Vintage lady Datejust models 6917, 69173, 69174 – engraved with ‘Stainless Steel’
-‘Registered Design’ Military watches …. but if you’re shopping for a 5514 then hopefully you know what you’re doing.
-Since 2023, some models such as the Daytona have had sapphire case backs

Of course, some people do have their watches personally engraved (we advise you not to, if you’re thinking of buying for investment), but this should be obvious by the engraved content.

8. Laser Etched Crystal

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Time to get your magnifying glass out again!

Some Rolex watches produced from the early 2000’s onwards will have a tiny laser etched crown at the 6 o’clock position on the crystal. The precision of this detail has made it difficult for counterfeiters to replicate – so it can be a good sign of authenticity (or not).

But beware, while the presence of the etched crown should mean that the crystal is real, it doesn’t mean that everything is.  Also, not even Rolex can tell you which references from which years should have the etched crystal (I’ve asked several people on several occasions), so don’t rely on this particular element.

9. The Big Date

The cyclops (bump) over the date on many Rolex watches is part of the brand signature. Its purpose is to magnify the date by 2.5 times.

If the glass over the date is flat and/or doesn’t seem to magnify very well then, it’s highly likely be a fake Rolex.

As always there are exceptions and the 40mm Rolex Sea Dweller and Deepsea Sea Dweller do not have a cyclops lens, despite having a date function. (They couldn’t make a glue strong enough to stand the pressure until 2019)

10. Model &amp; Serial Numbers

This is perhaps the best way to authenticate a Rolex watch. Briefly – every Rolex has a serial and model number which are deeply engraved and symmetrical, clear to read and even shine in the light at certain angles.

On the contrary, fake Rolex watches will have a stamp that appears a little messier. It will either look like several tiny dots or etchings and if acid etched it will have a sandy/grainy appearance.

For more information on checking serial numbers and Rolex serial number tables, read our comprehensive <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/watch-serial-numbers/">Guide to Understanding Watch Model and Serial numbers</a>.

In Conclusion

You really need to know your stuff. Knowing how to spot a fake Rolex is a crucial part of the buying process. If in doubt, refer to point 1 – always buy through a trusted/authenticated pre-owned watch seller.

Oakleigh Watches’ office is based within<a href="https://www.michlmayr.com"> S.Michlmayr &amp; Co</a> who have a Rolex certified watchmaker on the premises available to check all of our watches for authenticity.

We’d be happy to help and guide you through the process. Visit our collection pages for current stock and sign up to receive our regular newsletters and stock drops.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, we also offer a <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/sourcing-your-watch/">Sourcing Service </a>and are experts at finding your dream ‘genuine’ watch.

10 Tips on How to Spot a Fake Rolex

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DatejustBlueFluted

Top Tips for Buying Your First Rolex

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RolexSkyDweller-10-scaled-2

Rolex Sky-Dweller Review: Seven Days With Rolex's Most Advanced Watch

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Untitled design-9

Omega Dark Side of the Moon vs Blue Side of the Moon

Panerai watches tend to hold their value well, which means when you buy a perfect, fully tested, and warrantied pre-owned Panerai from Oakleigh Watches, you will be buying an appreciating asset. All you need to do is take care of it and enjoy it for a few years and it will literally repay you.

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A good quality Full Set pre-owned Panerai watch can cost anything from £2,500 to tens of thousands.

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Dating back to 1860, this luxury Italian brand has an interesting history. Between 1940 and 1985, Panerai watches often featured Rolex movements and were exclusively available under contract to the Italian Navy for use by its Submariners.

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When that contract finished, Panerai disappeared until 1993 when they launched three watches based on the original military designs: the 44 mm Luminor and Luminor Marina watches and the 42 mm Mare Nostrum chronograph. These watches are extremely rare and highly collectible, mainly because the launch wasn’t particularly successful because of lack of funding.

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In 1997, the Panerai company was sold to the Vendome Group (now the Richemont group) and the modern era of Panerai watches began. Mainly based around the original designs, now there are hundreds of different Panerai models available to suit differing tastes.

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Below are 5 key things to consider when buying a pre-owned Panerai.

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1. Investment, Pleasure or Both?

If you’re buying purely for investment, then you don’t need to worry about the style of watch. Rather, you need to focus on whether a model is desirable now and whether it is likely to be so for the foreseeable future. So, my three top tips …

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• Always go for a watch with the widest appeal and the most limited supply.
• If it’s purely for investment purposes, buy the very best example you can find. After all you don’t have to worry about damaging it if it’s only going to sit in your safe.
• Make sure you buy a Full Set – box, papers, service records and accessories.
If buying for pleasure and or both pleasure and investment – keep reading.

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2. Style

Panerai have two main style collections to choose from. The most popular and the ones that appear most in our collections tend to be Panerai Luminor. The second is the Radiomir.

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The Panerai Radiomir is based around the original military design with a cushion case, wire lugs and exposed crown. With sizes ranging from 40mm to a substantial 47mm and a choice of automatic or manual wind movement. Traditionalists might prefer the larger case with a manual wind movement and only two hands. More modern styles are smaller and can have complications such as date, GMT or power reserve. Always on a leather strap, the Radiomir normally has a black dial.

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The Panerai Luminor is also available from 40 to 47mm and with an automatic or manual movement. As with the Radiomir, the traditional models are larger and manual winding. More recently, the Luminor has been available with different style options, including bracelets, crocodile straps and coloured dials. A key feature of the Luminor is the patented crown guard design, some people consider this an essential part of Panerai design, whereas others think it’s too bulky and prefer the slimmer Radiomir.

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Panerai are statement watches, to be worn proudly and boldly.

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3. Size

Does matter when it comes to watches?

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It all comes down to confidence and perspective.

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As we’ve already mentioned, Panerai are not low key, however just because you’re small in stature, doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t carry off a larger timepiece. In fact, it’s very much the fashion for women to wear oversized men’s watches.

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For a man, it’s all about confidence. If you feel comfortable going big then Panerai is the brand for you as they have some of the biggest cases in the luxury watch market. If you’re feeling bold – you might try your luck with a 47mm Panerai Submersible. The smallest range they have is their Luminor Due measuring 36mm. However, the Luminor’s iconic crown protector tends to make this model a statement time piece and not for the self-conscious.

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4. Vintage or Modern

The choice between a vintage or modern watch is partly one of personal taste, partly one of robustness and when it comes to Panerai – one of budget!

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Of the three periods of Panerai production, pre-Vendome era (1993-1997) cost around 3x the price of a similar modern model. Genuine vintage military Panerai’s run into tens of thousands of pounds and therefore are collection pieces rather than a daily wearer.

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Pre- Vendome are still considered vintage and are more wearable. They represent good value for money and are guaranteed investment pieces for the future.

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If you want to wear your Panerai every day, then you should probably go for a newer one as the movements from vintage models are more fragile and expensive to repair than later versions.

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Servicing costs for a vintage watch can be higher and parts hard to come by – two important considerations when choosing between modern and vintage pre-owned Panerai watches.

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5. Fashion or Function

What do you want your pre-owned Panerai for?

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Assuming of course you’re not heading to the Mariana Trench, is it simply to tell the time or do you need it to dive in?

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All Panerai’s have a sub maritime heritage and modern ones make great dive watches. Vintage watches however should stay on dry land.

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If you’re not diving, the Panerai brand is a fashion statement and has quite a ‘manly’ celebrity following. Including Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone. That’s not to say, it’s an exclusive all male club – Heidi Klum and Salma Hayek have been spotted sporting these larger time pieces. A great example of how to go large confidently.

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If you’re simply looking for a fantastic watch made to the highest of standards, then you can have some fun choosing.

5 Step Guide to Buying Pre owned Panerai Watches

Availability

Brand

Model

Reference

What's Included

Condition

Years

Papers

Movement Type

Diameter

Dial Colour

Case material

Bracelet/Strap

Matching Model

Gender

Offered in unworn condition, this Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01371 perfectly captures the bold design and unmistakable character that have defined the Luminor collection for decades.
Its 40mm brushed steel case is paired with a clean black sandwich dial featuring luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers, while the iconic crown-protecting bridge remains one of the most recognisable designs in modern watchmaking. Powered by Panerai's in-house automatic calibre, it delivers reliable performance alongside the robust engineering expected from the Florentine manufacture.
Supplied as a complete 2024 set with its original Panerai presentation box, warranty card, manuals and accessories, this unworn example represents an excellent opportunity to acquire one of Panerai's most versatile contemporary models.
Registered with Pam.Guard, the factory warranty extends to November 2032.
A distinctive luxury sports watch that combines military heritage, everyday practicality and enduring Italian design.
Explore more Panerai models on our <a style="color: #263c1e;" href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/pre-owned-panerai">Panerai Brand page</a>.

Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01371

Panerai Luminor PAM01371

Offered in unworn condition, this Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01371 is a superb 40mm automatic complete with the balance of the 8 year warranty.

Panerai Luminor Marina – 40mm Automatic 2024 | Unworn

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Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01371

£5,950