WatchRepairNY.com Educates Consumers About Rolex Replica Watches

New York, NY, March 30, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Manhattan Time Service, a family-owned business specializing in Rolex watch repair, is educating consumers about the various methods of distinguishing authentic Rolex timepieces from even the most meticulously crafted replicas. Available online at http://www.WatchRepairNY.com, the company aims to help shoppers make informed purchasing decisions, in addition to supporting credibility among Rolex repair and retail specialists.

"Our efforts to educate consumers are twofold. On the one hand, we don't want to see shoppers throw away money on fake Rolex watches they believe to be real. At the same time, we hope that more widespread information on Rolex replica watches will help to chip away at the business of counterfeiting," said Master Watchmaker Mitchell Lodowski, the founder of Manhattan Time Service and its online outlet at WatchRepairNY.com.

Certain Rolex replica watches can be ruled out quickly, Lodowski notes, while more sophisticated replicas may require close inspection. The first step in evaluating a potential fake Rolex timepiece is to check the second hand for a solid sweeping movement without any ticks or other pauses; these would indicate that the Rolex has a quartz movement and is therefore a fake, excepting the brand's Oysterquartz series.

After the movement, Lodowski recommends testing the crown. Unlike many Rolex replica watches, authentic models will have screw-down crowns sporting the signature Rolex crown logo; under the crown, most models will have a line, although the Submariner and Sea Dweller models, which sport 8mm crowns, will show three dots beneath the logo.

Moving on to the dial, shoppers should examine potential fake Rolex watches for the crisp, clear inscriptions specific to the model in question. Authentic Rolex watches will boast nice coloring and finishings on all inscriptions, Lodowski notes, as Rolex replica watches often reveal themselves through sloppiness in this area. After this, shoppers should check for a transparent case back; authentic Rolex watches do not have glass bottoms on their cases, but this is a feature common among fake Rolex watches that is very rare in vintage Rolexes and unheard of in modern timepieces.

For more sophisticated fakes, Lodowski recommends that shoppers review the timepiece's exterior finish, which should be extremely well done in the case of an authentic Rolex. A genuine model will have smooth edges except at the ends of the lugs, whereas many Rolex replica watches have rough or sharp bracelets and cases. Another tip to spot a fake Rolex is to check for numbers between the lugs; an authentic Rolex will have specific numbers, while a fake will have either incorrect numbers or no numbers at all. A genuine Rolex timepiece will feature a model number and a serial number between the case and the bracelet from the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock sides, respectively; if the numbers are not present, the watch is a fake. Finding correct numbers will help assure that the watch is real, while wrong numbers will indicate that it is definitely a fake.

"There are plenty of questions you can ask when trying to identify a fake Rolex. Does the second hand have a smooth, sweeping movement? Does the cyclops lens over the date window offer 2.5 times magnification? Are the dial markings clear and evenly spaced? You're not going to be able to make a side-by-side comparison to check for authenticity, but if you know what to look for, spotting a fake Rolex should be within reach," said Lodowski, who has specialized in Rolex repair since 1978.

"After years in the Rolex repair business, we have seen replica watches of many different calibers, from easily identifiable fakes to copies where it is very difficult to tell. Most well done fake Rolex watches will not be recognized by the regular consumer; the best way to know for sure is to have a professional open up the case-back and check the quality and finish of the movement, since counterfeiters are not yet able to produce the same Rolex movement — not that they don’t try. We’ve come across copies of Rolex movements with red wheels which simulate the original wheels in Rolex watches to throw watchmakers off guard into thinking that the movement they are looking at is real," Lodowski said.

To learn more about Rolex watch repair and how to spot a replica, visit http://www.WatchRepairNY.com or call 866-969-9069. Manhattan Time Service also operates social profiles at http://www.facebook.com/WatchRepairNY and http://twitter.com/ProWatchRepair.