The Rolex Submariner Date 116618 is a 40 mm dive watch cut from solid 18k yellow gold. A fake Rolex 116618 copies the look with gold plating, gold-filled sheet, or a gold case on a steel bracelet. The fastest tells are weight, gold hallmarks, and the sweep of the seconds hand.
What the genuine 116618 is
Rolex built the 116618 from 2008 to 2020 as the yellow gold Submariner Date. The LN version carries a black dial and a black Cerachrom bezel insert. The LB version carries a blue dial and a blue bezel insert. Both use the calibre 3135, an automatic movement that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The Oyster case, crown, bezel ring, and Oyster bracelet are 18k yellow gold. Rolex retired the reference in 2020 and replaced it with the 126618.
Where counterfeits cut cost
Gold is the most expensive part of the watch, so a replica does not use it. Plated copies show grey metal at the crown, the clasp edges, and the links once the plating wears. The movement is a lower grade unit, which shows up in the beat rate and in the feel of the winding crown.
Checks you can run in a minute
- Weigh the watch. A complete gold 116618 on its bracelet comes in near 200 grams. A plated steel copy sits closer to 150 grams or lower.
- Study the caseback and the lugs. Genuine pieces carry a Rolex coronet hallmark and a 750 stamp for 18k gold. Plated copies have no hallmark, or one engraved on the surface.
- Read the rehaut at the edge of the dial. A genuine watch repeats ROLEX around the inner ring with the serial at 6 o'clock, and the letters sit crisp and even.
- Watch the seconds hand. The calibre 3135 sweeps at eight beats per second. Most fakes run at six or lower, which shows as a stutter.
- Inspect the bezel insert. Genuine Cerachrom numerals are coated with gold and hold a sharp edge. Copies show soft numerals and a pearl that sits off center.
- Test the lume. Chromalight glows blue on the genuine 116618. Many fakes glow green.
- Compare the serial between the lugs at 6 o'clock with the number on the warranty card and the original invoice.
Gold purity and case condition
A jeweler with an X-ray fluorescence tester confirms gold purity in seconds and settles the question. Ask for that test before money changes hands. Refinished cases lose the sharp factory chamfers, and polished lugs no longer match the original line.
The legal side in the United States
Trafficking counterfeit goods violates 18 U.S.C. section 2320, a federal offense. Customs and Border Protection can seize counterfeit watch shipments at the border. A counterfeit watch also carries no manufacturer warranty, no parts support, and no resale value.
Before you buy a used 116618
- Buy from a seller who offers an inspection period and a written return policy.
- Request the original box, warranty card, and service records.
- Pay with a method that allows a chargeback if the watch fails authentication.
- Have an independent watchmaker open the case and confirm the movement.