Short answer

A replica Rolex Day-Date 36 is a counterfeit copy of the Rolex Day-Date 36. The genuine watch is a 36 mm gold wristwatch with the day spelled in full at 12 o'clock and the date at 3 o'clock. Replica sellers list these watches at $150 to $700. Gold Rolex Day-Date 36 models sell above $40,000 at retail. Trafficking in counterfeits is a federal crime in the United States.

Genuine Day-Date 36 specifications

Rolex launched the Day-Date in 1956. The 36 mm case is the original size and stays in the current catalog.

  • Case: 36 mm Oyster case in 18 kt yellow gold, white gold, Everose gold, or platinum.
  • Movement: calibre 3255, automatic, about 70 hours of power reserve, Superlative Chronometer certified to -2/+2 seconds per day.
  • Bracelet: President bracelet with a concealed Crownclasp.
  • Dial: day aperture at 12 o'clock, date at 3 o'clock under a Cyclops lens, day discs in 26 languages.
  • Water resistance: 100 m.

What replica versions contain

Replica Day-Date 36 watches copy the outside look. Materials differ from the genuine watch.

  • Case and bracelet: 316L stainless steel with gold plating, 2.5 to 5 microns in most cases.
  • Movement: Chinese automatic, based on a copy of the ETA 2836-2 with an added day and date module. Beat rate 21,600 to 28,800 vph.
  • Weight: a gold Day-Date 36 weighs about 150 to 180 g. A steel replica weighs 110 to 140 g.
  • Glass: sapphire on higher tiers, mineral glass or acrylic on lower tiers.
  • Finishing: pad printed dials and laser engraved case backs.

Checks that separate the two

  1. Weight in the hand. Gold is about twice the density of steel.
  2. Cyclops magnification. Genuine is 2.5x.
  3. Day disc font and alignment inside the aperture.
  4. Clasp crown and the engraved reference between the lugs.
  5. Movement finishing seen through the back on sapphire models.

US law and penalties

18 U.S.C. 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods and services. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. Repeat offenses carry up to 20 years. Civil suits under the Lanham Act allow statutory damages up to $2,000,000 per counterfeit mark for willful use. US Customs and Border Protection seizes and destroys counterfeit imports, and watches are one of the most seized categories.

Sellers use terms such as "first copy," "AAA," and "super clone." The label does not change the legal status. A watch that carries the Rolex name, crown logo, or a Day-Date reference without Rolex authorization is a counterfeit under US trademark law.