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Vintage Cheap Replica Rolex Datejust Watches UK Offering I Can’t Refuse

It has been a few years since I wrote The Vintage Rolex Datejust Buyer’s & Collector’s Guide. In fact, I no longer sell the book, and it is a closed chapter of my life. Still, the mighty DJ remains a major soft spot for me. So when Nacho asked me to write a Pre-Owned Spotlight article on vintage Datejust offerings, I jumped at the opportunity.

A vintage Rolex Datejust is still one of the best replica Rolex watches UK one can buy. They have stood the test of time and pair a reliable build with universal elegance. At the same time, they have come down in price, making them a very compelling offering. Today, I want to share three vintage examples in different styles and different segments. Two might prove my point about compelling offerings. The other…well…that just shows what’s possible if you dream big. Let’s start with that one!

This banger is a 16248 from 1990. This means you get a sapphire crystal and caliber 3135 with a quickset date. But who cares? Just look at the bark finish on the Jubilee’s center links and the bezel. Look at the natural onyx dial. Not enough? Look at the diamonds in the applied numerals. Although the cheap fake Rolex watches are 35 years old, the surfaces are absolutely pristine. Call me mesmerized!

I particularly love the combination of the bark finish and the onyx dial. The smooth, high-gloss surface of the onyx fares well off of the contrast of the rough, textured bark. Both surfaces are emphasized and allowed to shine even more this way.

Gold Datejusts always spoke to me. Remember, the Datejust was Rolex’s flagship until the Day-Date debuted. Executions like this show that it doesn’t stand in its brother’s shadow but is still one of the most desirable AAA+ clone Rolex watches. I found this example in the Netherlands, offered for €30,950.

Okay, the first one was perhaps a bit exotic. If you are in the market for a more basic vintage Rolex Datejust, here’s an interesting one. This is a 1978 ref. 16014. For the reference geeks out there, that means you get the combination of an acrylic crystal and a quickset-date movement. It also means you get a stainless steel case and bracelet with a white gold fluted bezel.

All of that is pretty standard. But this vintage Rolex Datejust features a rather Cartier-esque dial. The matte white backdrop features painted Roman numerals, providing this DJ with a more formal and classical appearance. The style derives its nickname from collector and dealer John Buckley.

I found this example from a dealer in, again, the Netherlands. It isn’t perfect. The lugs have some of that tapering from wear and refinishing. However, pretty much all vintage Datejusts do, so I wouldn’t worry too much. I would, however, put a new crystal on it. The listing mentions the watch was checked by the seller’s watchmakers. Paired with the poor crystal, I’d say the safe bet is to add a full service to the €4,850 price.

So, what if you like the vintage look but want modern build quality? Well, look no further than this Datejust ref. 16234. Technically, these copy Rolex watches for sale share a lot with the Bark Onyx watch above. They share, after all, the same generation and the same caliber 3135. However, this more pared-down version probably has a greater appeal for daily wear.

I remain on home turf, with another Dutch dealer offering this one for €6,350. What stands out to me is the condition of the steel case and white gold bezel. They appear unpolished to me, which is always great.

However, the dial steals the show. The so-called Tapestry dial provides 1980s vibes in spades without looking overpowering or dated. The clear lacquer on Tapestry dials tends to discolor over time. This one took on a lovely champagne hue. It is not the cheapest on the market, but it is a very capable and appealing GADA (go anywhere, do anything) offering.

There you have it — three compelling vintage Rolex Datejust offerings that would be hard to resist for me if I were in the market. When I left the vintage trading business a few years back, a basic Datejust would easily command €7,000 here in the Netherlands. Today, you can find them starting around €4,000. If I compare this to similarly priced new perfect fake Rolex watches, a vintage Rolex Datejust presents itself as a very competitive offering. It pairs an iconic design with easy serviceability and a reliable, rugged build.

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Can We Appreciate The Cheap Replica Rolex Submariner Watches UK As Just Great Dive Watch?

The Rolex Submariner is, for many, a default watch. That may not be true for most replica Rolex watches UK enthusiasts, but as a cultural object signifying success or as “just a good watch,” the Submariner is way up there. Earlier this year, Rolex loaned me a Submariner so I could have a chance to develop personal thoughts on a watch I’d rarely handled for more than a few minutes. Over four weeks, I got to take this particular watch, the 126610LN, on multiple ocean trips and work journeys. Here are a few thoughts.

Separating the Rolex Submariner from what it represents is no easy task. Part of that challenge is that the Rolex Submariner represents different things to different folks. For some, they are the AAA+ clone Rolex watches they buy to mark a significant moment, such as the birth of a child or getting a new job. For others, the Submariner embodies the weight the Rolex name carries. This means it becomes a sort of “full stop” in the wrist game for folks. What I’m getting at here is that the Rolex Submariner has, in many ways, become the horological “default setting.” It’s one of the biggest animals in the horological jungle and commands a fair bit of respect accordingly.

For me, the Rolex Submariner is the ultimate expression of iterative design. As I write this, I happen to be wearing another rolex replica from the Hans Wilsdorf stable, my Tudor Black Bay 58 in blue. This watch, in a sense, lives under the shadow of what the Rolex (and Tudor) Submariners brought before it. The Black Bay shares many of the key design choices of the Submariner with a sprinkling of some Tudor magic, particularly in elements like the handset.

Not all aspects of Rolex’s reputation are positive. In becoming King Kong, you’re going to spill some barrels or knock some noses out of joint. Much baggage has emerged with a shift in horological culture more broadly. An emphasis on “wrist flexing” — showing off copy Rolex watches for sale rather than simply enjoying it — has gone up several notches in the world of instant gratification and social media. This shift has also affected the cultural weight of the Rolex Submariner. No longer an ultimate tool watch, the Submariner is the go-to option for many flexers. This hasn’t been helped by the difficulty in getting one’s hands on a Rolex Submariner for the past several years. This situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cheap fake Rolex watches wear quite differently from what its specifications would suggest. The case feels a little smaller than Rolex’s listed 41mm measurement (which makes sense since it’s more of a true 40.5mm). This experience is aided by the watch’s relative slimness. Even if it does feel far more refined than my 39mm Tudor Black Bay 58, it still wears larger. But the difference is less significant than I expected or the measurements would suggest.

Taking the watch into the ocean felt good. It was out of the water where, admittedly, the experience wasn’t quite as comfortable. I felt a sense of trepidation while wearing this watch. Sure, I always feel a certain element of apprehension when spending time with a review unit, but this time, the feeling was different. It was more because of the reputation that this watch has nowadays.

Picture this: you’re at an upmarket bar, watching a football game with friends. The bar is starting to fill up with boisterous and, at times, obnoxious investment-banker types. Guess what watch is likely to be found on more than one wrist in that crowd? You guessed it — the Rolex Submariner. Don’t get me wrong; I love the story behind this watch, but it now represents the default “wrist flex” option for many. This cultural phenomenon detracts a little from my experience of wearing it. Perhaps this is the baggage that stays in my hand for a second when reaching for these replica watches when I go out.

With what I have said above, though, it is important to note I reached for this Sub quite a lot while I had it on loan. Like an unwanted shadow, the aversion to modern wrist flexing weighed on me during my time with this watch. Nevertheless, it started to dissipate after a few weeks. I think, with time, it would disappear altogether if I were to ever find myself owning this handsome dive watch.

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Christie’s Is Auctioning Two AAA Replica Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Watches UK

After decades in private hands, a Tiffany-signed Daytona gifted by George Peppard and the exceptionally rare “Doctor” replica Rolex watches UK are heading to the auction block.

Two ultra-rare Rolex Daytonas will appear at Christie’s Geneva on November 10, each making its auction debut after more than five decades with the original owners.

The first watch is a stainless steel reference 6262 from approximately 1970, notable for carrying signatures from both Rolex and Tiffany & Co. on its dial. George Peppard—the actor who portrayed Paul Varjak in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and later starred as Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith in The A-Team—bought the timepiece at Tiffany & Co.’s Beverly Hills store in late 1972. He had it engraved “Brad Peppard December 1972 Love Dad” before giving it to his son as a Christmas gift. The AAA+ clone Rolex watches are estimated at $130,000 to $250,000 and have stayed in Bradford Peppard’s collection for over 50 years.

Peppard noted in a statement: “When I think of my father, I always imagine him wearing his Rolex. It was simply a part of him. So you can well imagine my delight, my amazement, when Christmas of 1972 I found exactly the same watch he loved, waiting for me under the Christmas tree. It was an unforgettable moment. I have treasured perfect fake Rolex watches for over 50 years and it is not easy for me to say goodbye to this piece of my history, of my link to my father. I hope that it will find a home with someone who will understand and appreciate all that it represents.”

This watch is particularly rare. Production on this style ran for a very short time between 1970 and 1972, and examples bearing Tiffany’s co-signature number fewer than five worldwide. The dual branding places it among the most uncommon steel reference 6262 copy Rolex watches for sale.

The second lot is a 1967 reference 6239 nicknamed “The Doctor,” carrying a $510,000 to $760,000 estimate. The steel Cosmograph displays a silvered dial with black subsidiary registers and an outer blue pulsations scale calibrated to 15 pulsations.

These scales allowed physicians to measure heart rates efficiently, earning the watch its medical moniker. The dial reads only “Cosmograph,” without the “Daytona” name that appeared on subsequent cheap fake Rolex watches after Rolex began sponsoring the Florida race.

Consigned by an Italian physician, this style hasn’t been up for auction in about a decade. The specialized pulsations dial required modified positioning of several elements, including the minute track and hour markers, creating a deliberately minimal appearance distinct from standard 6239 dials. When a comparable example sold at Phillips in 2016, it garnered 900,000 Swiss francs (approximately $920,000 USD). Current estimates suggest fewer than five such pieces remain in existence.

Reference 6239 top replica Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches are chronograph to relocate the tachymetre scale from the dial surface to the bezel, with contrasting subsidiary dials for enhanced readability.

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AAA Replica Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 Watches UK: Why Base Is Ace

I have never been the “give it to me loaded with everything, including the kitchen sink” kind of guy. In fact, I believe the base model of almost any product line is a great way to evaluate the overall mission, quality, and place a brand holds in the market. Think BMW 3 Series with rear-wheel-drive, vinyl seats, and standard-sized wheels: a great car for carving up backroads or devouring highway miles, even in poverty-spec.

Given the chance to acquire one of the new-for-2025 Oyster Perpetual, I initially adopted a similar method of evaluation. Feels good on the wrist? Check. Tells time? Check. Century-lasting build quality? You betcha. It seemed like this could be a short and relatively mundane article if I were simply evaluating the OP based on objective criteria. For better or worse, living post-2020 requires us to look at buy replica Rolex watches in a much different bubble, given it actually might be easier to go buy certain Submariner models than this pistachio-dial OP36.

Let’s start with the specs

Before getting into all that, I should start with the basics of this base Rolex. My subject today is the second-largest Oyster Perpetual in 36mm; however, you can (theoretically) choose between many different sizes from 28mm up to 41mm. Late last decade, one could buy the OP in a perfect 39mm size… But Rolex decided that the market needed two more millimetres for the maximum OP in the 2020s. Suffice to say, I have always been comfortable with my 36mm Datejusts, and the cheap clone Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches ref. 126000 continues this trend. Without a date and Cyclops window, the OP36 actually looks slightly bigger on the wrist than contemporary Datejusts of the same size.

The case is pure Rolex Oyster, and not one from the late 2000s either. The lugs are as slender as my Datejust ref. 1601 from 1971, a very nice foil for some of the chunkier cases still used in the Professional lineup today. Available with a smooth bezel only, the Swiss copy Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches profile is stealthy and guaranteed to be timeless. While multi-link bracelets like the Jubilee and the one on the new Land-Dweller seem to be in vogue lately, the OP eschews that element of bling in favour of an all-brushed Oyster bracelet. It has a premium look and feel, but is so stealthy that even the Rolex logo on the clasp is embossed, rather than standing out in relief like every other model. Would you like your BMW in dark grey?

So far, the Oyster Perpetual has all the makings of a classic, understated sports perfect Rolex fake watches, and, if you’re able to cop one with the black dial, simply pocket the 16% savings over an Explorer 36 and call it a day. Black dial option aside, it seems like every other dial offered juxtaposes the stealthy ethos of the Oyster Perpetual as if to say, “Hey! I’m a cool Rolex! Look at this amazing colour!” Even the medium blue offered this year is a lacquer hue that invites admiration from those tiring of safe metallic blues.

Perfect pistachio

The best knock off Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches I have in captivity is the very buzz-worthy pistachio dial, which came out earlier this year at Watches and Wonders: a pastel green which promises to be slightly easier to match than the beige, candy pink, turquoise, MIL-SPEC green, and lavender alternatives. Aside from the black and silver dial variants, the pistachio seems the least shouty.

The OP wouldn’t be a modern Rolex without a bit of shine, which is provided courtesy of the baton indexes, which double themselves at 3, 6, and 9. These are done in the requisite white gold outline finish, and, along with the hands and crown, provide more than enough wrist-roll glint even in low lighting to reassure the wearer that money was spent, if not well spent. These chunky batons provide great readability day or night, with ample lume.

As a fan of the Datejust (I have three, sometimes four), I must wonder where in the collection the best-selling Rolex fake watches UK fits. Plainly stated, it is definitely a great weekend watch. Who needs to know the date on the weekend? Not me. This summer, with shorts and a t-shirt or polo, the Oyster Perpetual seems to make a lot of sense when relaxing with friends on a patio. Heading into the office or a meeting, this particular OP would be harder to grab out of the watch box. For those days, I’m going Datejust, black Submariner Date, or even Explorer II before rocking the fun OP. For those looking for that “one watch” watch, keep your focus purely on the neutral colour options.

The workhorse 3230 movement with 70 hours of reserve also ensures that this Oyster lives up to its Perpetual name, and you could keep it in rotation with a couple of other 1:1 reproduction Rolex watches without needing to wind and reset.

Closing thoughts

Evaluating the Swiss movement imitation Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 watches as the consummate base model is only difficult due to the supply and market conditions. At the time of this writing, it is priced at US$6,350, which seems relatively reasonable in the current Rolex reality. That said, the objective competition is fierce (and readily available in your choice of colour) with the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra line. We’ve previously pitted the OP36 against the Grand Seiko SBGW299, too. Not to mention, there are many fun, colourful watches that undercut the OP from great brands like Oris and Baltic.

The secondary-market prices for colourful Oyster Perpetuals make absolutely no sense; however, they exist because people are paying those prices to skip the line, whether that line is perceived or real. This ace of base OP36 provides all the right elements of enjoyment and value, provided you pay the base price. After all, you wouldn’t lay down 5-Series money for a 320i, would you?

AAA+ replica Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 watches pricing and availability
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 is (theoretically) available now from Rolex authorised dealers. Price: US$6,350, A$10,750