We Bought a $500 Counterfeit Rolex So Good, Even Rolex Didn’t Spot It
A Wired journalist successfully tests the quality of high-end counterfeit Rolex watches by taking one to a flagship store for maintenance. The staff failed to identify the watch as a fake, highlighting the sophistication of modern 'super clone' replicas produced in China.
Why it matters
The rise of high-quality counterfeits threatens the luxury goods market and challenges the efficacy of brand authentication processes.
I’m sitting upstairs in Rolex’s flagship London store on Old Bond Street. I’ve just handed over a fake Rolex to the staff and requested that its bracelet be adjusted, a simple bit of maintenance that requires removing a few links. I haven’t volunteered that the watch is a phony, but I haven’t said it’s legit, either.
My imposter Oyster Perpetual is now on a workbench in the glass-fronted servicing room on the second floor. I can see staff in white lab coats working diligently as a salesperson joins them to carefully examine the timepiece before downsizing the metal bracelet.
This replica is one of a few WIRED has purchased on the internet. So far, nobody in the store has spotted that the watch is a fake. Surely the game's about to be up? Maybe there’s just time to slip away before the police are called.
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