Short answer
A replica Rolex automatic watch is a counterfeit case and dial fitted with a third-party self-winding movement. The movement sets the tick rate, the power reserve, and the repair options. No replica carries a Rolex in-house caliber. Rolex does not sell movements to outside makers.
Genuine Rolex automatics for comparison: Caliber 3135 (1988) runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 48-hour power reserve. Caliber 3235 (2015) runs at 28,800 vph with a 70-hour power reserve. Both wind on a Perpetual rotor.
Movement types found in replicas
- DG2813 (Dixmont): 21,600 vph, 21 jewels, unidirectional winding. The sweep looks coarse. Common in $60 to $120 watches.
- Miyota 8215: 21,600 vph, 21 jewels, 40-hour reserve. Japanese. Rotor winds one way.
- Seagull ST2130: 28,800 vph, 38 to 40-hour reserve. ETA 2824-2 pattern. Parts interchange with ETA.
- Sellita SW200-1: 28,800 vph, 38-hour reserve, 26 jewels. Swiss. Same 2824 footprint.
- Asia 7750: 28,800 vph. Chronograph. Used in Daytona copies. The rotor is loud.
- Quartz: 1 tick per second. No sweep. Many cheap Daytona and Day-Date copies.
How to check a movement
- Watch the seconds hand. 28,800 vph reads as a smooth sweep. 21,600 vph reads as a slower glide. 1 beat per second means quartz.
- Wind the crown 30 turns. A dead watch after 12 hours points to a worn mainspring or a quartz cell.
- Turn the watch over. A rotor that spins free with a rattle points to a low-grade bearing.
- Set the date. A 2824 pattern snaps at midnight. A 2813 drifts past by 10 to 20 minutes.
Case specs to compare
Submariner: 41 mm, 300 m water rating on the genuine. Datejust: 36 mm or 41 mm. GMT-Master II: 40 mm. Daytona: 40 mm. Replica gaskets get no pressure test. A 30 m label on a replica means splash resistance at most. Do not swim with one.
Price bands
Under $80: quartz or DG2813, plated brass case, mineral glass. $150 to $300: ST2130 or Miyota, 316L steel case, sapphire glass. $400 and up: Sellita SW200, closer case geometry, better bracelet screws. Price tracks the movement, not the dial printing.
Legal risk
In the US, 18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. Penalties reach 10 years for a first offense and 20 years for a second. CBP can detain or seize a shipment at the border. Sellers ship in plain packages with false customs labels. That is a sign the sender expects a seizure. Payment methods with no chargeback, such as gift cards or crypto, remove your recourse.