Along with a great variety of furniture, artwork, and china sets, estate sales that we host for our clients also include a fair amount of jewelry and other fine accessories. One of the more common items that we tend to inventory and appraise is watches, and more specifically, Rolex watches.
This distinguished brand is such a trademark for success that countless reproductions and faux Rolex watches end up on the market. Some of the fakes are actually quite impressively done, and can easily pass for the real deal at a distance. However, when it comes to reselling them at an estate sale auction, it simply will not do.
Since many clients will ask us about the distinctions, here are a few simple tips for telling a Rolex from a faux-lex:
• Certification and serial numbers – Every true Rolex actually comes with papers of authenticity. While some owners may ensure that these papers stay in a safe place, they can get lost over the years. Having the actual papers is ideal, but if they are missing it is not necessarily an indication of a fake. Rolexes also have the serial number engraved on the watch case. The serial number is located near the six o’clock position, while the model number is located near noon. A person can contact Rolex to verify that these numbers designate a true production.
• Precise Craftsmanship – Part of the appeal of a Rolex is how well it is made. This means that the bracelet links are exact, that there is not grinding or catching in the movement, and that the clasp is entirely secure. Any type of deviation in this construction is likely to indicate a fake, and that includes any imperfections in the fit of the case.
• Errors on the watch face – In keeping with the idea of exactitude, blemishes, errors or even misspellings on the watch face will also show that the watch is a reproduction. Some impostors even have “Rolex” spelled wrong or in the incorrect font, and this is an immediate indicator.
Heritage Estate Sales makes sure to authenticate your goods as we inventory and appraise them. A visit to our website will give clients a confident sense of how often we handle such items, and the extent of our events.