Are you planning to buy a Rolex? Then out of the many concerns bugging your mind like which model to purchase, what should be the design, etc., you must also be concerned about the watch’s genuinity. You get to hear several cases about fake Rolex circulating in the market every day. And, if you’re someone who wants to invest, only to sell Rolex one day, be extremely cautious. You surely do not want to get a forged Rolex only to know it on the day of selling.
The general belief is that genuine or authentic Rolex watches do not tick. But is it actually the case?
When you want to confirm the authenticity of a Rolex timepiece, one of the first pieces of advice you get is to check for the ‘Ticking Sound’. This is because of the belief that a typical Rolex doesn’t tick!
So, do they? Let’s find out.
Do Rolex Watches Tick?
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Yes! Rolex watch pieces do tick. It is just that the watches tick so fast that it gets almost impossible to understand whether it does or not. But how is that possible?
A Rolex watch ticks almost 8 times per second, creating an illusion that the watches do not tick but rather glide. On the other hand, a Quartz watch ticks 1 time per second, making the ticking sound more significant.
What Makes A Rolex Tick?
There are two types of watch movements: Quartz and Mechanical. Quartz movement means when a battery powers the watch. In opposition, a Mechanical movement is when the watch gets its energy from the mainspring, which saves the energy through the rotor’s movement or after it has been manually wound.
Rolex has also made quartz watches with ticking sound generated normally and depending on the movement of the second’s hand.
In simple words, both Quartz and Mechanical movement Rolex watches tick. It is just that they do it in different ways (said above).
Do Real Rolex Watches Tick?
A genuine Rolex watch doesn’t make a ticking sound. And, even if it does, human beings cannot hear it. The movement of the gears inside the watch produces a ticking sound. But in a Rolex, the movements are so finely curated or synchronised that the watch hands sweep seamlessly and silently without making any distinct sound.
If you hear a Rolex watch making the ticking sound, it is probably a fake one powered by a Quartz and not Mechanical movement. However, some fake Rolex also sports a mechanical movement with an audible ticking sound due to bad craftsmanship.
Which Rolex Watches Made A Ticking Sound?
As said in the start, there was a time when Rolex produced watches with Quartz movement, which thereby made a ticking sound. This included the Oysterquartz Series, manufactured between 1977 and 2003. The Rolex watches from the Oysterquartz series made ticking sounds. This means not every Rolex that makes a ticking sound is a fake.
How Long Does A Rolex Watch Tick?
Today, all the Rolex watches, like Submariner, Datejust or a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, every model have a mechanical movement. The watches cannot always tick like a battery-powered or solar timepiece.
It would help if you winded a mechanical watch regularly to keep the watch ticking for 24-48 hours. Some Rolex watches can even tick for 72 hours without winding. Post that, it will stop!
How To Keep A Rolex Ticking?
If you have a manual winding watch, you have to wind it regularly to keep the Rolex ticking. On the other hand, if you have an automatic watch, it will automatically wind itself when you wear the watch on your wrist. But the moment you take it off, the watch starts unwinding itself and slowly stops working.
If you have multiple Rolex watches of different variants, it is most advisable to invest in a watch winder box with motors inside. The motor keeps rotating so that the watch is always ticking and winding.
How To Spot A Fake Rolex Watch?
Are you worried about buying a fake Rolex? The concern is real. With so many counterfeit models in the market, unaware or first time buyers can easily get tricked into buying a fake one. Hence, one must do prior research about the ways to spot a fake Rolex.
7 Key Ways to Spot a Fake Rolex:
- Engraved Serial Number
- Ticking Sound
- Cyclops Should Magnify
- Check The Weight
- Case back Should Be Plain
- Check The Credentials
- Crown Should Be In One Piece
FINAL WORDS
Rolex watches do not tick, and even if they do in their way, a human being with normal hearing abilities cannot listen to them. It sports a sweeping movement.
Suppose you’ve invested in a particular Rolex model and intend to sell Rolex watches to gain a hefty amount. In that case, you must take proper care of the watch by winding it at least once a month and every time it stops working.
