Have you always wondered how to find the laser-etched crown on your Rolex watch? Join us as we explain where it is located and why Rolex includes this feature on the crystal. Click here to shop our entire selection of certified pre-owned Rolex watches: bobswatches/rolex/
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The first Rolex to feature a sapphire crystal instead of acrylic was the reference 5100 during the 1970s. This watch belonged to the OysterQuartz series. Shortly after, the Date reference 1530 also received a sapphire crystal, followed by the Presidential Day-Date a few years later. After that, thepany began to slowly incorporate the scratch-resistant material on all Rolex watches, including the professional series. Today, the Sapphire crystal is a fixture of the Rolex catalog.
Acrylic crystals are made from a plastic material and are not nearly as scratch-resistant as sapphire. Sapphire is also sleeker. So, while many collectors appreciate the aesthetic that an acrylic crystal adds to any vintage watch, many prefer sapphire for its durability.
It wasn’t until 2001 that Rolex started to include a laser-etched crown logo on the crystal as an anti-counterfeit measure. By 2003, it was fully integrated into the Rolex catalog except for the green sapphire “Glace Verte” Milgauss reference 116400GV.
The laser-etched crown is located at 6 o’clock and looks like the Rolex logo presented on the dial, only it isprised of a series of tiny white engraved dots. While that may sound straightforward, the laser-etched logo is not always easy to spot right away. In fact, it can be quite a difficult task.
Luckily, we have a few tips that might help:
Use a Loupe or Magnifying Glass: Depending on the dial’s color, you might require a loupe or magnifying glass to get a clear view of the logo. It’s easier to find the laser-etched logo on watches with darker dials, while lighter colored dials, such as white or silver, are more difficult to distinguish.
Tilt the Watch: Tilting the watch at an angle might make spotting the tiny 5-point coronet a little easier as the logo often blends in with the lume and other hour markers on the dial.
Use a Black Light or UV Lamp: The purple light emitted from a black light or UV lamp might give you a clearer view of the coronet logo.
What does it look like to the naked eye?
The Rolex logo is smaller than the head of a pin. At first glance, it looks like a bunch of small white dots. It’s also important to note that some variants will include a sideways “S” at the base of the Rolex crown. This marking indicates that it is a service crystal that replaced the original crystal at some point.
With that in mind, it also isn’t umon to see a service sapphire crystal with a laser-etched logo on vintage Rolex watches that recently had the acrylic crystal replaced. Even though the watch is vintage, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t authentic if it features a sapphire crystal with a laser-etched crown.
However, if you see the logo etched on an acrylic crystal, that is a guaranteed sign that the watch is not an authentic Rolex.
Rolex is One of the World’s Most Counterfeited Brands
The laser-etched logo is just one of many measures taken by Rolex to deter counterfeiters. Still, high-quality fakes make their way past even the most experienced watchmakers from time to time. While the laser-etched crown is a means of ensuring the watch is genuine, don’t count on it as your only means for authenticating your Rolex.
Another way to determine that your Rolex is real is by the serial number, which is located on either the side of the case, on the rehaut, or both, depending on when the watch was produced. On a genuine Rolex, the number will be engraved into the metal in crisp, perfect lines. On many fakes, this detail might appeal slopy and not very defined.
The Cyclops lens is another tell-tale sign that a Rolex is genuine. A real Rolex will magnify the date 2.5 times. On many fakes, the magnification often does not match. The dial’s text should also be clear, precise, and free of any typos or misspellings. This includes the placement of some aspects of the text.
Lastly, if the watch is a genuine Rolex, it should feel substantial on the wrist, not light-weight or cheaply made. Rolex uses only the finest metals on the market. Depending on the year made, the watch might even include solid links.
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