The Day-Date — the 'President' — has one rule that catches many fakes immediately: Rolex has only ever made it in solid gold or platinum. Everything else on the checklist follows from that.
Every Day-Date is 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold, or 950 platinum. There has never been a steel or two-tone Day-Date. If it's steel, or gold-plated steel, it's fake.
Solid gold and platinum make the Day-Date dramatically heavier than a steel watch of the same size. A Day-Date that feels like a steel Datejust is a clear red flag.
The day is written in full in an arched window at 12 o'clock — and Rolex offers it in many languages. Abbreviated days, a straight window or a crooked word are wrong.
Both should change quickly at midnight. A day or date that creeps over for hours, or changes separately, points to a non-Rolex movement.
Rolex reserves the ice-blue dial for platinum models such as the 228206. An ice-blue dial in a gold Day-Date is a strong sign of a fake or a swapped dial.
The President bracelet has semi-circular three-piece links and a concealed Crownclasp. It should be smooth, tight and heavy, with the clasp almost invisible when closed.
Most Day-Dates have a fluted bezel, indicated by a 3 in the fifth digit of the reference (228238); a 0 means smooth (228206). The bezel must match the engraved reference.
These checks catch most fakes, but the best counterfeits pass a visual inspection. Only a Rolex service centre or authorised dealer can confirm a watch is genuine. StolenWatch is not affiliated with Rolex.
Check that the watch matches the specification of its reference exactly — size, metal, bezel and movement.
No. Every Day-Date has been solid gold or platinum. A steel or two-tone 'Day-Date' is not a genuine Rolex.
Rolex reserves ice-blue dials for platinum watches. On a Day-Date it should only appear on platinum references such as the 228206.
Rolex makes Day-Date day discs in many languages, so a non-English day is normal. Check that the word is spelled in full and sits straight in its window.
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