I learned a thing or two about Rolex security and authenticity features which I thought I would share with you.
- Rolex watches produced after 2005 would have the word ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX laser engraved around the rehaut (inner bezel between the dial and crystal, also known as the flange) AND the watch Serial Number at the 6 o’clock position (please refer photos below). This security feature is known to most people and the serial number can be easily read with the naked eyes as Rolex laser engraved quality at the rehaut is really really good.
- Another security feature is that Rolex watch movement main plate also has a serial number which is not the same as the serial number inscribed at the rehaut (mentioned in above paragraph). However, we can’t see this serial number unless we remove the watch caseback. If you were to take your Rolex watch to their Authorized Service Center, the person who is servicing your watch would check the Serial Number at the Main Plate of the watch movement with Rolex database to check that your watch is genuine.
- The most ingenious method Rolex has incorporated into their watches is the Rolex Crown Laser Etching at the 6 o’clock, also called Laser Coronet. The Rolex Crown is laser etched into the underside of the sapphire crystal. Thus, we cannot feel it when we touch our Rolex Sapphire Crystal. The Rolex Crown at the 6 o’clock cannot be easily seen with the naked eyes. The easiest way to see the Rolex Laser Etched Crown on the crystal is to shine a bright light at the upper half of the watch and then adjust your viewing angle.
- And if your Sapphire Crystal is replaced at a Authorized Rolex Service Center, in will have a laser etched S to indicate it was replaced.
When I first read about the Rolex Laser Etched Crown at the 6 o’clock, I was trying to see it on my new Rolex Air King 116900, using my naked eyes and I could not see it no matter what angle I viewed it from. I then called my son who owns a Rolex GMT II Batman and asked if he could see the Rolex Crown at the 6 o’clock position. Well, he too could not see the laser engraved Rolex Crown.
I then when googling and came across a post where it mentioned that we need to use a small torch light and shine the light to the upper half of the watch. So, I used my mobile phone torch/LED light and shone it at the upper half of my Rolex Air King and after viewing it from different angles, I finally saw the laser etched Rolex Crown 🙂
I then WhatApp my son and he too had googled and must have come across the same post as he replied that he too can see the Rolex Crown at his Rolex GMT II Batman by shining light into his watch.
I then asked my wife to pass me one of her Rolex watches which had a black dial and I could see the Rolex Crown too when I shone light into it.
I then asked my dad for his Rolex Explorer II White Dial (purchased in 2007 or 2008) to check out the Rolex Crown Laser Etch on his watch. It was harder to see the laser engraved Rolex Crown on his Explorer II because of the white dial, I had to view from various angles before I managed to see it. My dad’s Rolex Explorer II was a birthday gift from my brother. That same year, not knowing that my brother was getting my dad a Rolex watch, I also bought my dad a Rado Quartz watch. Guess what? My dad no longer wears the Rado watch I bought for him because it is damn troublesome as the battery needs to be replaced. On the other hand, the Rolex Explorer II, an automatic/mechanical watch, which is close to a decade old, is still working perfectly like new.
Rolex laser engraving technology is hard to reproduce; and therefore, for a fake or non genuine Rolex, the Crown at the 6 o’clock position can be easily seen from different angles with the naked eyes without needing to shine any bright light into the watch.
The Laser Coronet, i.e. Laser Etched Rolex Crown, was introduced into Rolex watch models in stages between 2002 and 2004. All Rolex watches produced after 2005 until present have the Laser Etched Rolex Crown.
Below are photos showing the Laser Etched Rolex Crown at the 6 o’clock position on the crystal.
Rolex Authenticity Features – ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX laser engraved around the rehaut and Laser Etched Rolex Crown at the 6 o’clock position.
From another angle, this time using my mobile phone Torch Light. My Rolex Air King 116900 Serial Number laser engraved at the rehaut “XXX883” and the Rolex Crown visible under bright light.
Photo taken from a slight different in angle from the above.
This photo is part of the above photo, cropped and rotated 90 degrees left. Once again, you can see the Laser Etched Rolex Crown (when I shone bright light onto my watch) and my new Rolex Air King Serial Number ending with XXX883 (the rest of the serial numbers have been blurred).
With the above, go check out if you can see your the Rolex Crown Laser Engrave at the 6 o’clock position of your Rolex watch 🙂
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