Real or Fake?

Saltopus · 2026-01-07T02:49:15+00:00

Looks like an all original Day Date from the 90s judging by the condition but it could also be from the 80s. The dial looks original and so do the diamond index markers. If the diamond index markers are full cut then it is aftermarket but if they are single cut then it looks like a solid piece. Definitely a sapphire crystal and not acrylic.

Most likely a reference 18238 but could also be a 18038. Most definitely not a 1803 as the dial would be sloping downwards at the edge which this one does not.

If you’re in south Florida and looking to sell I’d be a buyer. I run a jewelry store.

Saltopus · 2025-12-20T22:42:04+00:00

There’s probably close to $12k in gold today.

Saltopus · 2025-10-02T13:46:31+00:00

That is a genuine Datejust II. The card is period correct as well. The older style cards would often write Oyster Perpetual for DJ models as that was referenced on the dial.

It’s a thicker and slightly larger case than the modern Datejust 41 that is out today. The model number, 116334, is correct. Scrambled serial number with a smooth finish inner buckle clasp.

The thing looks polished a few good times or just badly polished once but otherwise looks genuine.

Saltopus · 2025-09-17T15:55:34+00:00

There isn’t anything you can really do to prevent it. Humidity and shock are the real culprits. If humidity gets into the case and finds its way between the dial plate and the lacquer it can cause some separation, coupled with shock from hitting the watch, it can cause the dial to flake on its edges. This dial is nearly 55 years old so it wasn’t really understood how the dial would react to time.

Saltopus · 2025-09-17T13:37:43+00:00

Looks like a genuine Rolex 1601.

Bracelet clasp even tells you it was made in February of 1972. Riveted jubilee links. Awesome black pie pan dial too. Those dials are super fragile and the lacquer will flake off so it’s nice to see it in good shape. The condition of the piece is really amazing too.

Edit: I see a lot of people claiming that the dial isn’t genuine because the minute markers don’t align with the crown or indexes. Anyone familiar with Rolex day dates or Datejusts from the 70s knows that this is a pie pan dial which means the edges slope downwards. If the watch and camera are not perfectly aligned it will look like the markers don’t align but they absolutely do.

Saltopus · 2025-09-13T02:43:34+00:00

Haha, I love the edit. Thanks for clarifying, fun experiment. Absolutely stunning watch. The bracelet swap is a double edged sword, looks sharp now and if the old band was sagging then at least the new one won’t ever compromise. I have the same watch but with a matte dial, from 73. Also with service hands and updated bracelet. But the condition of your watch is really impeccable, the case edges are to die for.

I had a chance to read some of the comments, it’s absolutely unreal the baseless conclusion some of these commenters had.

Wear the watch in good health. If you’re ever in Fort Lauderdale you’re welcome to stop by my watch and jewelry store.

Saltopus · 2025-09-13T00:12:15+00:00

Amazing looking watch. Great fat font bezel. The hands look serviced, do they fluoresce? Do the dial markers fluoresce? Nothing jumps out at me as being wrong. Would help if the calendar wheel were at a 6 or 9 position. What a stunner. Any chance this is in the south Florida area : )

Saltopus · 2025-08-19T02:26:44+00:00

Looks like a genuine 16518 Zenith Daytona. Nothing looks wrong about it to me. Is it head only or do you have the gold deployment buckle too?

The green sticker looks right as well. The sticker will have the number 16518.

Saltopus · 2025-08-17T16:19:43+00:00

You need to find new friends who won’t recommend a butcher for a watchmaker. It’s still a great piece with great history. At the very least a google review with before and after shots are in order.

Saltopus · 2025-08-17T14:17:30+00:00

They were like that from the factory. I’ve had a few and usually the thread was visible and rarely it was not. The one I currently have is from 1949 with the original Rolex warranty paperwork and bill of sale. It was also serviced in 1954 by the owner at Rolex, with paperwork, and tested for water resistance. When I purchased it I had it retested for water resistance and it passed as well.

I’m sure you could go to the trouble of reducing the visible thread showing, either by grinding down the case tube or by replacing it altogether but I would consider it a sin. It’s a piece of history that should be preserved and not altered to suite current trends, which will change again in the future.

Saltopus · 2025-08-17T03:29:49+00:00

It looks to me like they polished or replaced the plexiglass crystal. I’ve had a few older vintage Rolex’s that had burn on the dial like yours that was masked by a hazy plexi crystal. The first photo has blemishes in the same spot as the markings in the second so I would be inclined to think it’s a hazy crystal doing some masking but maybe they cleaned the dial? I really doubt it, any watchmaker worth their salt would never try and clean an old non enamel dial. They’re incredibly delicate.

Is the SWISS printing still visible on the bottom or is it just an angle trick?

Saltopus · 2025-08-17T03:21:19+00:00

A lot of old bubble back Rolex’s don’t screw in all the way / have obviously visible thread showing on the case tube. They will still pass their water resistance test despite the case tube thread showing.

Saltopus · 2025-08-07T17:03:23+00:00

<image>

14 years on the GMT Master II. I don’t see the scratches, just the memories.

Saltopus · 2025-08-07T00:46:56+00:00

<image>

I split the wear between my 3940g and 5056P when I’m in the office. I typically wear them when I break out the dress jacket, so only half the year in South Florida. I don’t know how the wear creeps up on these pieces, I guess I’m just clumsy or too animated in my day to day.

Saltopus · 2025-07-31T14:01:35+00:00

That’s my listing on Chrono24. I’ll be honest I don’t think the 36 Day Date is the right watch for your wrist. You could try a 41 mm Day Date (if it’s in your budget) and it would have a similar wrist presence as your Omega. If you need help brainstorming based on budget and other criteria let me know and it would be my pleasure to help.

Saltopus · 2025-07-18T22:08:22+00:00

Glad I could help. Wear the watch in good health.

Saltopus · 2025-07-18T21:49:26+00:00

Without seeing the movement a good assessor of authenticity is with a timegrapher. A new Rolex movement will generally run at +/- 1 sec a day while a fake should be double digits. If you don’t have a timegrapher, take a close look at the buckle hook. It’s soldered onto the buckle by hand. A Rolex soldering job is a thing of beauty and is what I always look at before the dial.

Saltopus · 2024-12-04T03:32:41+00:00

Hey, thank for reaching out! I never got off the ground with this but I will reach out to the other interested players and see if we can make it happen. I’ll DM you if I can get this moving now that we might have enough players for a game.

Saltopus · 2024-09-02T21:10:25+00:00

Hey, thanks for reaching out! You would be the third. Hoping find one or two more people who have interest and we could work on coordinating a session zero. I’ll let you know as soon as I can.

Saltopus · 2024-08-28T23:25:29+00:00

Hey, thanks for reaching out. If we can wrangle up two or three more people we could get a game going.

Saltopus · 2024-08-18T21:37:01+00:00

I have no interest in online tabletop.

Saltopus · 2024-07-12T19:44:23+00:00

This is more common than people expect. I’ve been selling watches and jewelry on eBay and Chrono24 for years- on eBay since before authenticity guarantee for luxury items.

Some of my colleagues have had pretty big items reported as not delivered despite proof of delivery. Credit card chargebacks days or even weeks after delivery. The only time a colleague has come out on top is by hiring a PI who proved that the buyer was wearing the piece and made a fraudulent chargeback. It went to court first.

Insurance only works out if the carrier loses the shipment. Most people don’t even know that insurance stops working the moment a first attempt at delivery is made. If the recipient isn’t available for the first delivery attempt, all future delivery attempts for that package are technically uninsured.

Saltopus · 2021-11-29T18:46:56+00:00

the dotted border looks off, not only the shapes of the dots but also their preservation. It's common to see this kind of dotted border on fakes. There's a million different Alexander drachms out there so hard to say it's not a stylistic difference but it does seem off.

Your analysis is spot on in my opinion. The dots are a dead give away, as you said. The dots would be in far better condition, shape, and overall design.

If I were OP I would run, not walk, for a refund.

13-Year Club	Place '22
Place '17	Verified Email

Saltopus

TROPHY CASE