Is a Certified Rolex with two Roman Numeral 8's on the face worth more than purchase price?

A friend of mine purchased a Certified Rolex from an established brick-and-mortar store. When he got home, he noticed that the face has two Roman numeral 8's (one in the place of the 9). He has 30 days to take it back for a refund or replacement (which expires in 2 days). Is the watch worth more or less than he paid for it?|||its most likely a fake and i would get your friend to take it back to the store and get a refund as if it is a fake then it is basically worthless. if you are undecided examine it carefully to decide.





the first thing you will need to look for is a clear caseback. a fake rolex may feature a clear backing so the inner workings of the watch are on display. a few mechanical components inside may even display the signature crown to appear more impressive. this is probably the easiest way to recognise a counterfit watch. ROLEX HAVE NEVER MADE A WATCH WITH A 'SKELETON' CASEBACK!





also look out for the cyclops magnification bubble. the crystal on authentic rolex watches features a 'cyclops bubble' that offers 2.5 times magnification of the date. on fake rolex watches, this bubble is often off-centre or made of glass, and usually only has 1.5 times the magnification.





check the micro-etched crystal. some counterfeit watches dont even attempt to mimic this feature, but many fakes will try to match the micro-etched rolex logo that has become standard on genuine watches made after 2002. rolex began micro etching their coronet symbol into the crystal just below the 6 o'clock position. the mark is so small it is often diffictult to see with the naked eye, but can be identified under magnification. the detail is so precise that counterfeit rolex's often cannot replicate the logo accurately.





look for the hologram sticker. fakes can attempt to re-create the hologram sticker that comes on all rolex case backs. the sticker features a hologram of the rolex crown possitioned just above the case reference number. most forgeries are not hologram stickers at all, but simply patterns that do not change when viewed from different angles.





check the triplock crown seal. the daytona, submariner and sea-dweller models feature an extra seal between the winding tube's threads. many replicas will compleately leave this feature off or posess a fake seal that serves no practical purpose.





size and weight matters. although it is not the most scientific method of determining a fake, it should be noted that authentic rolex watches are very sturdy and therefore relitively heavy. fake watches are made from cheaper materials and feel typically light. also, the bands on genuine rolex watches are full whereas fakes often display hollow links.





also, check the hand movement. the second hand on a genuine rolex watch features a smooth and continuous movement that often cannot be duplicated by fake watches. their movements are often in small, jerky increments.





sapphire composition. many fake rolex watches will use regular glass instead of true sapphire crystal. a good test of the materials is to check the water surface tension. a smeared film of water will pull together on sapphire due to the extreamely smooth surface.





be sure to check the dial of your purchase to see if the lettering is precise. under high magnification, the type should reveal clean edges not found in many fakes.





make sure you check the case reference numbers. the serial and case reference numbers can be found inbetween the lugs on the side of the case. authentic rolex numbers are engraved with great detail and are very smooth. the numbers on fake watches often look 'sand-blasted' or are roughly etched into the case.





good luck and i hope it is genuine.





hope this helps


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