A counterfeit Rolex 116613 gives itself away at the bezel, the rehaut, the gold, and the movement. Check the ceramic insert's numerals, the engraved inner ring, the heft of the gold center links, and how the date flips. Most fakes fail at least two of those four checks.
What is the Rolex 116613?
The 116613 is the two-tone Submariner Date that Rolex built from 2009 to 2020. Rolex calls the steel and 18k yellow gold mix "Rolesor." The blue dial version, the 116613LB, carries the nickname Bluesy.
It replaced the 16613 and gave way to the 126613 in 2020. Key specs: 40 mm case, Cerachrom ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal with a 2.5x cyclops, caliber 3135 movement, and 300 m water resistance.
Top Replica Rolex 116613: Best Online Replica Watch Sale
How do you spot a counterfeit Rolex 116613?
Start with the parts a replica maker cannot copy at a low price: the ceramic insert, the engraved rehaut, the gold content, and the movement finish. Each one leaves a clear signature on a real watch.
Does the bezel insert look ceramic or painted?
Genuine Cerachrom is one piece of ceramic with the numerals filled in gold through a PVD process. The digits sit flush, catch light, and hold their color for decades. Fake inserts use paint, stickers, or ceramic with flat gray numerals that look printed.
Then turn the bezel. A real 116613 clicks 120 times with no back play and stops with a firm feel. A fake bezel wobbles, or it spins with a soft, gritty click. The lume pip at 12 should sit inside a gold ring, flush with the triangle.
Is the rehaut engraving sharp?
Look at the inner ring between the crystal and the dial. Rolex engraves "ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX" around that ring, with the serial at 6 o'clock. The letters are shallow, crisp, and line up so an R sits at 12 o'clock. Fakes show deep, blurry engraving, odd spacing, or a start point that is off by several degrees.
Do the dial and hands match the reference?
The 116613LB has a blue sunburst dial, gold hands, and hour markers set in 18k white gold. The lume glows blue (Chromalight). A green glow points to old tritium or a fake.
Check the date next. The cyclops magnifies 2.5x, so the number fills the lens with little empty space. Fakes often use 1.5x or 2x and leave a wide gap around the date. A laser-etched coronet sits in the crystal at 6 o'clock; you need a loupe and a side angle to see it.
Is the case and crown machining clean?
Genuine lugs have sharp, even bevels and crown guards that flow into the case. Look at the Triplock crown: three dots under the coronet, clean threads, and a gasket that sits flat. Fakes show rounded lug tips, a sloppy crown tube, and a crown that sits high off the case.
Are the gold parts real gold?
The center links and the bezel ring are solid 18k yellow gold. That adds weight and brings Swiss hallmarks (750 and the St. Bernard's head) on the clasp and end links. Fakes use plating over steel, so the gold looks too yellow, wears to gray at the edges, or carries no hallmark at all.
Weight is a fast test. A two-tone Submariner feels heavier in the hand than an all-steel one. A "two-tone" watch that feels light is a fake.
What does the movement tell you?
The caliber 3135 beats 8 times a second, hacks when you pull the crown, and snaps the date over with a firm click. Many fakes run a 28,800 bph clone, so a smooth sweep proves nothing by itself. Listen for rotor noise, feel the winding, and watch the date flip.
One easy tell: the Submariner has a solid steel case back. A display back showing the movement is not original on a 116613.
Do papers and serial numbers prove a 116613 is real?
No. Rolex engraves the serial between the lugs at 6 o'clock and the reference 116613LB between the lugs at 12. Fakers copy serials from real watches, and boxes, papers, and hang tags sell on their own online. Only an opened case back and a trained eye settle the question.
What do counterfeiters get wrong most often?
- Bezel numerals that look painted instead of gold-filled.
- Rehaut engraving that is deep and blurry.
- Gold plating that wears off along the clasp edges.
- Cyclops magnification under 2.5x.
- Lume that glows green instead of blue.
- Lug bevels that are rounded or uneven.
- Papers with a serial that does not match the watch.
Where do fake 116613s show up most?
Social media listings, gray-market sites, and vacation markets carry most of them. The common hook is a two-tone Submariner priced far under the market for its condition. Treat a rushed seller, stock photos, or a request to pay outside a protected platform as a warning.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 116613 still in production?
No. Rolex stopped the 116613 in 2020 and replaced it with the 126613, which moved to the caliber 3235 and a 41 mm case. Any "new old stock" 116613 deserves a close look.
Can a jeweler tell if a 116613 is fake?
Some can, many cannot. Ask for a watchmaker who services Rolex movements and will open the case back. A quick look at the dial is not proof either way.
Is it legal to buy a counterfeit watch in the US?
Selling counterfeit goods is illegal under US trademark law, and customs can seize fake watches at the border. Owning one is a separate matter. If you want a replica, buy from a seller who labels it a replica and prices it as one.
Why is the blue 116613 called the Bluesy?
Collectors gave the name to the blue dial and blue bezel two-tone Submariner. The blue-and-gold combo is the most recognizable version of the reference, which is why the nickname stuck.
What should you do before you buy?
Ask for photos of the rehaut, the clasp hallmarks, the serial between the lugs, and the date under the cyclops. Compare them to known 116613LB photos from a dealer with a track record. Pay with a method that allows a return, and get an independent check inside the return window.