Rolex gold-plated buckle?

[southtexas]

Hello I'm not sure about any buckles I see, but I have this one and wanted your thoughts. Is it an original Rolex buckle that was gold-plated after it left factory at some point in its life?








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[drifter01]

Looks fake to me.

[crowncollection]

Originally Posted by southtexas

Hello I'm not sure about any buckles I see, but I have this one and wanted your thoughts. Is it an original Rolex buckle that was gold-plated after it left factory at some point in its life?








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Fake pm me Robbie

[southtexas]

Thanks guys, figured as much.

David pm sent

[LAFlyer]

Fake
Fake. Rolex did, (and maybe they still do) put gold plated buckles on some croc straps.

The Rolex plated buckle is marked "PLAQUES" and NOT "ACIERINOX"

There is a possibility that the buckle is genuine Rolex stainles steel that has been gold-plated by a third party. The chances of that are 1 in 5000. The buckle that you have is one of a million pumped out of a Chinese Industrio-fake-opolis. If you dig deep enough, you can find them for less than $3.00 apiece direct from the fakers.

[drifter01]

The engraving on the back of that buckle is so bad it couldn't possibly be Rolex.

[Ramess]

There is one thing missing guys...

Because gold plated was rare in Rolex Buckles (and because that expensive), some sellers start to gold plated the ones in stainless steel. I am not 100% guaranted is fake... Was not gold plated by Rolex , but I can not say is FAKE based in just that...

About the engraving is Macro photos with bad light... I dont have any certain about is fake or not
But for me is Rolex buckle + "after gold plating"

[southtexas]

[QUOTE=Ramess;5608262]There is one thing missing guys...

Because gold plated was rare in Rolex Buckles (and because that expensive), some sellers start to gold plated the ones in stainless steel. I am not 100% guaranted is fake... Was not gold plated by Rolex , but I can not say is FAKE based in just that...

About the engraving is Macro photos with bad light... I dont have any certain about is fake or not
But for me is Rolex buckle + "after gold plating"[/QUOTE]

That's the story I was given. I was told the buckle was a SS but gold plated after the fact.

After posting this, I found a FS ad on VRF (from a trusted seller there) of SS buckles still in package that had same text and alignment, and seemingly similar font (hard to see it perfectly clearly since it's still in the package though). That being said, it'll go into the drawer until definitive determination can be reached. I'll try to update the thread with better macro shots.

Question: could plating by an inexperienced jeweler contribute to the text's messy appearance? I'm not familiar with gold plating methods so have no idea how it works or if it would affect the appearance of the text.

[Ramess]

[QUOTE=southtexas;5608622]

Originally Posted by Ramess

There is one thing missing guys...

Because gold plated was rare in Rolex Buckles (and because that expensive), some sellers start to gold plated the ones in stainless steel. I am not 100% guaranted is fake... Was not gold plated by Rolex , but I can not say is FAKE based in just that...

About the engraving is Macro photos with bad light... I dont have any certain about is fake or not
But for me is Rolex buckle + "after gold plating"[/QUOTE]

That's the story I was given. I was told the buckle was a SS but gold plated after the fact.

After posting this, I found a FS ad on VRF (from a trusted seller there) of SS buckles still in package that had same text and alignment, and seemingly similar font (hard to see it perfectly clearly since it's still in the package though). That being said, it'll go into the drawer until definitive determination can be reached. I'll try to update the thread with better macro shots.

Question: could plating by an inexperienced jeweler contribute to the text's messy appearance? I'm not familiar with gold plating methods so have no idea how it works or if it would affect the appearance of the text.

I am new on this forum, but I have some experience, and is incorrect to me Tell is FAKE when is dificult know or we have doubts. I also dont know. Many people do (iam not talking of this case in specific) but I prefer do a tecnical review

My opinion

1 - In the period the buckle was made the engraving was made by "press machine". I dont know exact english term. Was not laser and not CNC machine for this... This is the original method of engraving and dont do perfect engraving. Some letthers on this buckle look original stamp and others ??? Can be modern CNC but also stamp and vintage engraving

2 - The engraving is good. The problem is you have amplification about 1000%. Try do the same with buckles you know is original (vintage not modern or pre modern) and will check same defects (or similar in engraving)

3 - The FAKE buckle is engraved with laser or CNC. The FAKE has BETTER ENGRAVING because use modern tecnology to engrave (this is the important part)

4 - The FAKE rolex buckle vintage i know is basically impossible check diferences to original.

5 - Responding your question Gold plating dont take out any resolution to the buckle. What can take out is hard polish

6 - Many buckles are gold plated by the seller and its why indicates Steel and not gold plated. The original gold plated are rares and expensive for that

Of course I can not guaranty 100% is original, but for me if was going to put money on a bet I would put in original + gold plating. Is unfair think is obvious is FAKE . But of course can be also fake.

But will hapend the same with other more "perfect buckles". I know by 100% the more perfect ones big part of the times are the fake ones.

IMPORTANT: Its not a easy item to check autenticity