We promise to invest our time and experience into understanding your needs and desires. We won’t &#8230;
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<li>Expect you to have lots of knowledge</li>
<li>Drown you in more detail than you need</li>
<li>Try to push a sale on you</li>
</ul>
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Our aim is to make you feel relaxed and welcome, and to enjoy the Oakleigh Watches experience from start to finish.
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The oakleigh promise

Are Zeno watches a good investment? Zeno watches are great value for money but not normally bought as investment pieces.

Are Zeno watches a good investment?

They produce many different types of watches including – sports, dress and fashion. Something for everyone, they have a great sense of creativity and fun styling.

What type of watches do Zeno produce?

Compared to other Swiss watch brands, Zeno are good value for money. They have great integrity, and you can get a fantastic watch for under £1000.

Are Zeno watches expensive?

Zeno watches are made in Basel Switzerland.

Where are Zeno watches manufactured?

Zeno have been an independent Swiss watch manufacturer since 1922 and make some great value watches.

Is Zeno a good watch brand?

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Omega-Ranchero-1-scaled

Outright Sale or Consignment? Which Is Right for Selling Your Luxury Watch?

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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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Top Tips for Buying Your First Rolex

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

Over the years lots of people have said to me “I don’t understand why you need more than one watch” so I thought perhaps I might take this opportunity to shed some light. You see the first thing wrong with that question is the use of the word “need”.

To be honest, very few of us need one watch these days because almost everyone has a mobile phone with the time on it.

But then this isn’t about ‘need’ is it?

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Type 'v' Taste

Watch collectors seem to fall into two main categories – those who collect by brand or type and those who collect simply from personal taste. Some people will collect only Rolex for instance or only chronographs or purely military watches, whereas others will just collect those watches that ‘speak’ to them. For what my opinion is worth, it seems to me that the latter are those with the most courage of their convictions and confidence – and I can say that as I am one of the former. So, if it’s not about ‘need’, then what is this watch collecting business all about?

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Pleasure

Well sometimes it’s about the pleasure that comes from choosing which one to wear today. Maybe it’s not your favourite; maybe that must be saved for a more special occasion and today doesn’t fit the bill. Now there’s an exquisite pain.

And that touches on another reason. Sometimes it’s about having just the right watch for just the right job. Lovely though a Patek 5120G is, it’s just not the right thing for an evening in the pub with your mates.

Equally, your stylish and fantastically crafted Sea Dweller just doesn’t sit well with your dinner jacket.

And an evening at the theatre with your wife? Well, that’s three already…

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So, it’s certainly not about ‘need’ but a collection can have a practical side, not to mention the investment value. But that’s another subject all together…. and our <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/expert-watch-guides/">Expert Guide to Investment Watches</a> will help you build a financially sound portfolio, if that’s your desire.

If we’ve inspired you to own more than one watch, visit our collections where you’ll find a range of high end pre-owned luxury brands.

Or if you would like help finding a specific watch, <a href="https://oakleigh-watches-beryl.vercel.app/contact-us">get in touch</a> as we’ll be more than happy to help.

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Why you need more than one watch

Availability

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Model

What's Included

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Reference

Years

Papers

Movement Type

Movement

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This Zeno ZWB Automatic DLC is a superb limited edition military-inspired watch from the Basel-based manufacturer, drawing clear inspiration from the classic CWC aesthetic - clean, functional, and purpose-built.
The 39mm stainless steel case is finished with a durable DLC coating, giving it a stealthy, modern edge. Paired with an engraved caseback and NATO strap, it delivers the kind of rugged simplicity that defines true military design. With only 300 pieces produced, this is a genuine limited edition with real appeal.
The dial features military markings, sword hands, and a day-date complication, creating a highly legible and practical layout that looks exactly as it should - no unnecessary detail, just function.
Powered by a reliable automatic ETA movement with a 40-hour power reserve, and offering 100m water resistance, this is a watch built for everyday use.
This example is brand new and unworn, supplied with its travel case and papers, and has just been tested- running beautifully.
What makes this piece particularly compelling is the value. While comparable military watches - especially from brands like CWC can command significantly higher prices, this Zeno offers Swiss build quality, mechanical movement, and authentic design at a far more accessible level.
A lot of watch for the money, and a great entry into military-style Swiss watchmaking.
For other Zeno watches visit our Zeno brand page here.
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Zeno ZWB Automatic DLC

Zeno ZWB Automatic DLC 39mm limited edition military watch. Swiss ETA movement, 100m water resistant, NATO strap, brand new with papers and travel case.

Zeno ZWB Automatic DLC 39mm | Limited Edition Military Watch

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