Spotting a “Superfake” – 4 Real Counterfeit Watches and How Bezel Caught Them

Join us as we delve into the world of fake and counterfeit watches to see how Bezel spotted four of the most sophisticated dupes.

James Smith

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Watch out, fake and counterfeit watches are on the rise! According to the top-rated luxury watch marketplace, Bezel, they rejected 29% of listings in 2024 for failing to meet their authenticity standards. Other industry publications are also reporting that the fake watch market is only growing, with so called “superfakes” that are getting harder and harder to spot infiltrating the market.

That means buying a high-end watch from anywhere other than the manufacturer can be a more uncertain process than ever. Luckily, Bezel’s Authentication Team is lead by Bezel Head of Watch Operations Ryan Chong and composed of some of the best in the business at identifying and verifying if a timepiece is real or not.

The following stories come to us from the Authentication Team and showcase four of the most advanced counterfeits the team spotted in 2024. Read on to see the increasingly impressive and duplicitous world of fake and inauthentic watches.

The Case of the Modified Rolex Daytona Ref. 116515LN-0041

Rolex’s Daytona Reference 116515LN-0041 is an unmistakable piece. Its Everose gold case, chocolate sunburst dial, and ceramic bezel, paired with the modern Oysterflex bracelet, make it a favorite among collectors. But what happens when a watch that looks the part turns out to be something else entirely?

The example that landed at Bezel’s authentication center seemed, at first glance, to be a proper 116515LN-0041. However, upon closer inspection, the story began to unravel. The authentication team found that this Daytona wasn’t produced initially with an Oysterflex bracelet but had been modified from a different Everose gold Daytona reference intended for a leather strap.

The difference lies in the case and end link design: leather strap-fitted Daytonas use differently shaped end links that are incompatible with the Oysterflex bracelet. Simply put, the watch could never have left Rolex’s factory in this configuration.

Further inspection revealed that the spring bars—normally crafted in matching Everose gold—had been swapped for aftermarket, gold-plated stainless steel replacements. While this might seem like a minor alteration, it signals a lack of originality and compromises the structural integrity of the bracelet attachment.

The modifications were clearly intended to increase the watch’s appeal on the secondary market. But as Ryan Chong, Bezel’s Chief Marketplace Officer explains, “This isn’t just about authenticity—it’s about ensuring the integrity of every piece we sell. Watches like this don’t meet our standards and we never want a collector to find out issues about their watch from someone else down the road that we should have identified.”

Counterfeiting Evolves: The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Dilemma

Counterfeits are becoming more convincing, and the recent discovery of inauthentic TAG Heuer Aquaracers powered by Caliber 7 and Caliber 5 movements proves just how sophisticated these fakes have become. Unlike typical clone movements, which attempt to mimic genuine calibers, these counterfeits used actual Swiss ebauche movements—the very same Sellita SW-200 base movements that TAG Heuer modifies in the production of their authentic calibers. On the surface, these watches were nearly indistinguishable from the real thing, featuring externally accurate case finishing, dial detailing, and luminous applications.

But Bezel’s authentication team looks beyond the surface. Close inspection of the movements revealed the truth—while the base movement was correct, the engravings, finishing, serial numbering, and movement graining failed to meet TAG Heuer’s quality standards.

This discovery is particularly alarming because it marks a new era of counterfeiting, where fakes are not just relying on cheap imitations but incorporating real Swiss-made components to deceive buyers. As counterfeiters refine their methods, Bezel’s authentication process ensures that even the most convincing fakes don’t slip through—because when it comes to trust in the secondary market, details matter.

The Green Dial That Wasn’t: A Rolex GMT-Master II Mystery

The Rolex GMT-Master II Reference 116718LN-0002, introduced in celebration of the model’s 40th anniversary, is one of the brand’s most recognizable modern pieces. Its green dial and solid gold construction make it a highly sought-after reference, often trading for a premium compared to its black-dial sibling, the 116718LN-0001. That $5,000 difference was enough motivation for one seller to try to pass off a Ref. 116718LN-0001 as its more valuable counterpart.

Bezel’s authenticators quickly spotted signs that the original black dial had been previously removed and replaced with the present green dial, which was confirmed upon closer inspection—an attempt to elevate its market value at the expense of its originality.

The team didn’t stop there. Using a black light, they tested the luminous material on the dial and hands. The dial emitted the expected green glow of Super-LumiNova, the standard for Rolex at the time. However, the hands glowed light blue—a clear indicator of Chromalight, which Rolex only introduced around 2008. The mismatched luminous materials confirmed that the hands had been replaced with a set inappropriate for the watch’s production period.

“These kinds of details might seem small, but they make a world of difference,” Chong notes. “Collectors rely on us to catch not only the obvious but also the nuanced issues that affect a watch’s originality and value. That’s what we’re here for.”

The Clone Movement Conundrum: A Deceptively Inauthentic Rolex Datejust

Recently, Bezel’s authentication team encountered a Rolex Datejust that seemed entirely authentic at first glance. The two-tone case, fluted bezel, case engravings, and Jubilee bracelet all checked out. Even under a loupe, the dial and hands exhibited the craftsmanship expected of a factory-original piece. But beneath the case back, the watch told a different story.

Where a genuine Caliber 3235 movement should have been, the team found a meticulously modified clone movement—an expertly reworked base caliber designed to mimic the structure and appearance of Rolex’s own engineering.

At a casual glance, the movement could pass for the real thing. But Bezel’s authenticators spotted discrepancies that would escape even many trained eyes. The rotor holding screw, for instance, exhibited crude finishing—far from the meticulous polishing and sandblasting found in Rolex’s own components. The serial engravings, which Rolex executes with robotic precision, were misaligned. Then there was the balance wheel, a dead giveaway: Rolex’s 3235 movement features adjustable timing weights, which were conspicuously absent in this clone.

The most critical revelation came upon closer inspection of the escapement. Instead of the patented Rolex Chronergy escapement, a groundbreaking innovation that enhances efficiency and reliability, the movement featured a generic Swiss lever escapement—a functional but outdated system that falls well short of the real thing.

For many, the discovery of a cloned movement inside an otherwise genuine Rolex would be shocking. However, as counterfeiters grow more sophisticated, high-quality fakes are no longer limited to external components. Advanced “super clone” movements are becoming increasingly common, and without proper authentication, even experienced collectors could fall victim to these precision-built forgeries.

“This is exactly why we go beyond surface-level authentication,” explains Chong. “A watch might look perfect externally, but that’s only one part of the equation that we have to solve for each watch we sell.”

Have a look at Bezel’s website or download their app to browse their tens of thousands of listings that you can be assured is given the same level of scrutiny and inspection as seen above.

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