How to Spot Fake Rolex Stone Dials: Genuine vs Counterfeit

Identifying Genuine Rolex Stone Dials

Rolex watches with exquisite stone dials, such as lapis lazuli, are highly coveted by collectors. However, with popularity comes counterfeits trying to cash in. Fortunately, there are ways to distinguish genuine Rolex stone dials from fakes.

Craftsmanship of Authentic Dials

Genuine Rolex stone dials require incredible skill to produce...

Hallmarks of Counterfeit Dials

In contrast, counterfeit stone dials often have telltale signs...

Rolex Stone Dials Through the Years

The use of semi-precious stones in Rolex dials has a long and storied history...

Vintage Lapis Lazuli Dials

Early vintage Rolex models featured hand-carved lapis lazuli stones...

FAQs

How can you tell if a vintage Rolex stone dial is genuine or fake?

Signs of counterfeit vintage Rolex stone dials include poorly executed hand carving and engraving, low quality or inaccurate materials, and lack of depth, layering and dimensionality compared to genuine dials.

What types of stones are used in Rolex dials?

Rolex has used various semi-precious stones in their dials over the years including lapis lazuli, tiger's eye, turquoise, onyx and meteorite, among others. Less common options also exist.

Do all fake Rolex dials have obvious tells?

While many counterfeit Rolex dials have clear giveaways to their lack of authenticity, high quality replicas do exist. Often only a trained expert can identify the subtle differences in craftsmanship to spot these fakes.

Has Rolex ever used fake stones in their watches?

No. Rolex only uses certified, natural precious and semi-precious stones for their watches. Synthetic stones would not pass their strict quality control and manufacturing standards.