The first Rolex watches, designed in the early 1950s, were made to withstand the rigors of mountain climbing, deep-sea diving, aviation and sporting activities. The watches are Swiss made with a high level of chronometric precision and detail. Real Rolex watches are created with the wealthy in mind --- one of the most expensive ones sold at 2003 auction for around $350,000 --- so if a watch is priced cheaply, it probably isn't real. Knowing the signs of a fake Rolex will allow you to purchase one that is original.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions to Know Whether My Rolex Watch Is Original

Listen for a ticking sound coming from the watch. Original Rolex watches do not emit a ticking sound, although fakes do.

Place a drop of water on the glass of the watch. If the watch is original, the water beads up. If the watch is a fake, the water smears.

Observe the seconds hand as it moves around the face. This hand, on a real Rolex, moves smoothly around the face. The seconds hand on a fake Rolex moves around the face with a "jerky" motion.

View the print on the watch with a magnifying glass or other magnifying tool. The numbers and letters printed on an original Rolex, when viewed at 10x magnification, look perfectly smooth. The print on a fake watch contains small bubbles when viewed at the same magnification.

Check the end piece that affixes to the watch head. On a real Rolex, three numbers and a letter are printed there, but are not present on a fake. Fake metal parts also have a "sandy" look, whereas real ones do not.

Look at the watches' rotor and wheels. These parts, on an original Rolex, are colored differently. On fakes, the colors are often all the same, and gold plating may be used.

Check the back of watch case for an original hologram. On fake watches, a clear sticker is used to mimic a hologram. Holograms, however, change color when tilted in the light. The sticker on a fake watch does not change color, and is not a hologram.

Look for the Rolex crown symbol underneath the six o'clock position. This crown symbol is etched into all watches that were made after 2002, and is very small, making it difficult to reproduce accurately. Use a magnifying tool to view the symbol. Most fakes do not even include this symbol.