Any fake DJ combinations?

[kjs692]

Hey everyone,

I'm a newbie to the luxury watch game as I've been inspired to buy my first Rolex as a memento for graduating from medical school. Although I have been researching the market pretty intensely over the past couple of months, one question still lingers in my mind: are there any DJ combinations that are "fake", as in never actually released by Rolex and created aftermarket by combining a Rolex dial with a DJ case that never actually had that specific dial?

The beautiful thing about the DJ is just how much variety there is out there to fit every individual's taste, but I'm not too keen on buying something that was modified with a Rolex dial different than what was originally available in that year/case design.

If you have any advice/comments on this concern, I would definitely appreciate it!

[Onikage]

Originally Posted by kjs692

Hey everyone,

I'm a newbie to the luxury watch game as I've been inspired to buy my first Rolex as a memento for graduating from medical school. Although I have been researching the market pretty intensely over the past couple of months, one question still lingers in my mind: are there any DJ combinations that are "fake", as in never actually released by Rolex and created aftermarket by combining a Rolex dial with a DJ case that never actually had that specific dial?

The beautiful thing about the DJ is just how much variety there is out there to fit every individual's taste, but I'm not too keen on buying something that was modified with a Rolex dial different than what was originally available in that year/case design.

If you have any advice/comments on this concern, I would definitely appreciate it!

A Datejust dial will say Datejust on it. Research starts with looking at as many as you can. Discerning aftermarket from original. Then years each reference was around. Good luck. Ease up on the fake talk btw it isn't well regarded on here. Aftermarket is pushing it.

[iTreelex]

If you're looking for your first Rolex and set on the DJ then start with reference 126234 in black, blue, or silver. Go to rolex.com and look at all the models. That's probably the best dial iteration unless you want a larger/smaller DJ.

[kjs692]

Thank you for the advice! And I apologize for the wording and appreciate the terminology-check.

[ZeGerman11]

I think this would be extremely difficult to answer. There are probably countless numbers of Datejust modifications that are not factory original, or are actual Rolex parts but swapped in a way that didn’t come from the factory. Not to mention outright fakes.

My suggestions are...

Buy from a reputable reseller (trusted sellers on this board) or buy from an AD. If you look outside of those, find an example you like, and if it seems questionable then post it in the Watch Out section. They’ll tell you if it’s factory or not.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by kjs692

Thank you for the advice! And I apologize for the wording and appreciate the terminology-check.

Either buy from someone you trust 100% or buy new from AD and forget about the headache

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by Onikage

A Datejust dial will say Datejust on it. Research starts with looking at as many as you can. Discerning aftermarket from original. Then years each reference was around. Good luck. Ease up on the fake talk btw it isn't well regarded on here. Aftermarket is pushing it.

OP, you posted nothing wrong here. Correct me if I am wrong, but you are talking about genuine Rolex parts put together in a combination that wasn't offered from the Rolex factory.

You just want to know--if you buy a used DJ--how you can know that the case/bezel/dial/bracelet combination was something that was actually offered by Rolex, and that it wasn't put together with genuine Rolex parts in a non-factory configuration. You are correct, there was lots of combinations and it is difficult to know them all. Other than asking RSC if its a genuine combination, I don't know of a comprehensive list of all combinations from every year.

I wonder if anything not legit would make it past RSC. Let's say you take a blue dial DJ41 manufactured two years ago, and you are able to source a blue roman dial from this year and put it on your DJ41. I'm guessing Rolex would catch it, but it would be interesting to see. It is my understanding that for Rolex to do a dial swap, the dial had to be offered at the time you bought your watch. Can anyone confirm this?

[GGGMT]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

Either buy from someone you trust 100% or buy new from AD and forget about the headache

Take this dudes advice. Rather than what makes a fake DJ, you should be asking who are the 100% triple sure double solid gold sellers from whom I can buy the exact watch I want without any nonsense, gamesmanship, freakiness, fakeness, replaced parts, abuse, stealing my money, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kjs692]

Originally Posted by GGGMT

Take this dudes advice. Rather than what makes a fake DJ, you should be asking who are the 100% triple sure double solid gold sellers from whom I can buy the exact watch I want without any nonsense, gamesmanship, freakiness, fakeness, replaced parts, abuse, stealing my money, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you all for your advice. To confirm, I was indeed asking about how to know whether a case/bezel/dial/bracelet combo was something actually offered by Rolex in the year of that timepiece. A catalog detailing that for every year would be awesome but obviously not very likely to exist. Like several of you said, I agree it's best to avoid the headache and just go with a reputable AD or grey market seller that is 100% trustworthy. I appreciate the input!!