The most obvious counterfeits can be identified within seconds of contact. While many of these tips will not apply to watches that are bought online, knowing the basics of counterfeit identification is a great first step.

1. Second Hand Movement - Save for a short time where Rolex made Quartz powered watches (OysterQuartz) all Rolex movements are mechanical. This means that they have a smooth sweeping motion when the second hand moves around the dial - "ticking" about 5-8 times per second.

"Well-done" counterfeits can also use a Swiss-made movement that is mechanical not Quartz battery powered that try to duplicate this smooth motion. However don't be fooled - they'll typically only tick about 3-4 times a second - not looking as smooth as a genuine Rolex movement.

2. Clear Case Back - Of course, if dealing with a (supposed) Rolex that is ticking very obviously, stay away! This leads to another apparent counterfeit giveaway - the clear case back. Perhaps it is the fact that many Rolex counterfeits used to employ a battery powered quartz movement, but many replica manufactures (and possibly owners) must be very proud of the fact that their unit is powered by a perpetual movement.

Rolex has never made a watch model with a clear case back. This is an instant sign of a fake.

3. Watch weight - A combination of high quality materials in the movement, case and bracelet add up to quite a bit of weight. An all gold Rolex which is quite light is a good indication of hollow links, or simply steel that is gold-plated and thus, a fake watch.

4. Cyclops Lens - Rolex is the inventor of the Cyclops lens over the date window. This is a raised piece of glass in the 3' o clock position that magnifies the date about 2.5 times . Many counterfeiters try and replicate this unsuccessfully.

A replica Rolex will often use a lower magnification about 1.5x. An easy way to tell is to see if the date display is magnified enough to almost fill the whole window while looking directly at it.

5. Bezel and Date Display - The alignment of the date opening and number display should be perfectly straight. Look closely at the printing of the date number (with a loupe if possible) and look for any signs of low quality printing such as uneven ink or artifacts on the background.

If the watch you're looking at has a rotatable bezel try and count the number of times it clicks in one rotation. Genuine Rolex bezels click about 120 times while fake ones usually only click about 60 times. The real Rolex bezel is muted and subtle and should feel very solid whereas a fake feels very "clicky" and loud.

Jaye Cadlah owns Time and Gems, an online retail store that specializes in Rolex watches since 1997. Go to their website to browse hundreds of Mens and ladies Rolex or stop by their showroom located in downtown Los Angeles. TimeandGems.com also has comprehensive used Rolex buying guides, as well as a frequently updated blog talking about all things Rolex.

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