Rolex or Replica? Are you able to tell the difference between the real thing and an immitation? We take a closer Look! We will try to provide you resources that will help you to be as informed as possible to avoid counterfeits. Notice the "Date" window. The left image represents a real Rolex Submariner,   The right image represents a counterfeit. Also take notice of the sweep second hand. A genuine Rolex actually ticks so quickly (8 times per second) that it gives the illusion of sweeping, or floating around the dial. Very low budget fakes use a quartz movement, which will tick one time per second -- while newer fakes sweep, they have a 'choppy' step. This is because the cheaper movements only tick around 4 times per second. It's something you'll have to look at very closely, but it is visible to the naked eye.