Identifying fake Rolex owner's manuals and papers

Reference material, technical and historic data
Post Reply
User avatar
springer
Posts: 275
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2014 6:32 pm
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
Favorite Watch: GMT-Master

Identifying fake Rolex owner's manuals and papers

Post by springer »

Below are several examples of fake and genuine excerpts from pages found in a fake Rolex Submariner manual and a genuine GMT manual. There are also several examples of both fake and genuine excerpts from the one page owner's manuals used throughout the 1960s.

While reviewing the photos below, notice that the genuine fonts and photos are sharp and free of defects or wavy lines outlining the letters. The photos that contain the genuine printing are much clearer and sharper when compared to fake manuals/papers.

When examining a booklet that you suspect is fake, check it first and determine if it passes the "smell test." Old Rolex papers, and manuals, like old books and documents found in a library or your home, have a very distinct, musty smell. I have yet to find any old Rolex manuals that did not have a musty smell - like an old book. Next, feel the pages - do they feel too thick or too thin when compared to a genuine manual. Spend time examining the staples, do the staples in the suspect book appear like those in a genuine manual? Examine the printing in the suspect manual/paper with at least a 10X loupe. Have a genuine booklet handy and compare the two. Even without a genuine booklet for comparison, the printing in a fake manual/paper will not appear sharp and crisp which is dead give-a-way that the manual is fake.

(To enlarge the photos and bypass the scrolling bars, click on each photo once. To reduce the size, click the photo again.)
Attachments
Img_5540aaasm.jpg
Img_5540aaasm.jpg (66.11 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5565AAAsm.jpg
Img_5565AAAsm.jpg (82.97 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5548AAAsm.jpg
Img_5548AAAsm.jpg (82.75 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5569BBBsm.jpg
Img_5569BBBsm.jpg (73.31 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5550AAAsm.jpg
Img_5550AAAsm.jpg (78.3 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5567AAAsm.jpg
Img_5567AAAsm.jpg (82.77 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5551AAAsm.jpg
Img_5551AAAsm.jpg (58.17 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5568AAAsm.jpg
Img_5568AAAsm.jpg (63.05 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5552AAAsm.jpg
Img_5552AAAsm.jpg (62.75 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5561BBBsm.jpg
Img_5561BBBsm.jpg (91 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5574AAAsm.jpg
Img_5574AAAsm.jpg (55.53 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5576AAAsm.jpg
Img_5576AAAsm.jpg (117.16 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5573AAAsm.jpg
Img_5573AAAsm.jpg (23.58 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5561AAAsm.jpg
Img_5561AAAsm.jpg (19.84 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_5561BBBsm.jpg
Img_5561BBBsm.jpg (91 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3386.aaa.jpg
Img_3386.aaa.jpg (22.84 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3400.aaa.sm.jpg
Img_3400.aaa.sm.jpg (29.45 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3387.jpg
Img_3387.jpg (39.33 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3389.aaa.jpg
Img_3389.aaa.jpg (47.77 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3399.aaa.sm.jpg
Img_3399.aaa.sm.jpg (28.46 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3396.aaaa.jpg
Img_3396.aaaa.jpg (61.51 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3394.aaaa.jpg
Img_3394.aaaa.jpg (19.29 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3396.aaaa.jpg
Img_3396.aaaa.jpg (61.51 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3403.aaa.sm.jpg
Img_3403.aaa.sm.jpg (28.74 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
Img_3381AAA.sm.jpg
Img_3381AAA.sm.jpg (33.64 KiB) Viewed 11952 times
shou.biao.kuang
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 6:05 am
Location: Singapore
Favorite Watch: 16610LV

Re: Identifying fake Rolex owner's manuals and papers

Post by shou.biao.kuang »

Great info Springer! These info are definitely gems in the world of vintage Rolex and they help to separate the genuine from the fakes !
Shall have them saved for future references. will pop by more often to such check out such great stuffs! 8-)
Crowncollection
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 12:56 am
Location: New south Wales, Aus
Favorite Watch: Vintage day date

Re: Identifying fake Rolex owner's manuals and papers

Post by Crowncollection »

Nice post
bladeshot
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2017 8:19 am
Location: Birmingham, AL USA
Favorite Watch: Rolex SD4000 116600

Re: Identifying fake Rolex owner's manuals and papers

Post by bladeshot »

Thank you for the great info, JP!
Post Reply