Short answer
A replica Rolex Day-Date emerald is a copy of a solid gold Swiss watch. The original went on sale in 1956 and has never been made in steel. Copies sell for about $50 to $600. US federal law bans the sale and import of counterfeit trademarked goods under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Owning one for personal use is not a federal crime. A shipment can still be seized and destroyed by US Customs and Border Protection.
What the real Day-Date emerald is
Rolex launched the Day-Date in 1956. It was the first wristwatch to show the day of the week spelled in full, next to the date at 3 o'clock. Every Day-Date case is solid 18k yellow gold, white gold, Everose gold, or platinum. There is no steel version.
Two sizes sit in the current line. The Day-Date 36 uses references such as 128238 in yellow gold, 128235 in Everose gold, and 128239 in white gold. The Day-Date 40 uses references such as 228238, 228235, and 228239.
The emerald label covers more than one thing in the resale market. Rolex has sold green dials with Roman numerals, green dials with diamond or baguette markers, malachite dials, and bezels set with emeralds. Sellers often use emerald to describe any deep green dial. That does not mean the dial holds emerald stone.
Inside, the Day-Date 40 uses the caliber 3255. Rolex rates it to minus 2 plus 2 seconds per day after casing. Power reserve is about 70 hours. Gold Day-Date 40 prices at retail start near $40,000 and rise with dial, bezel, and metal. Platinum costs more. Prices change.
What first copy and replica mean
These are marketing words, not grades. No body certifies them. Terms such as AAA, 1:1, and super clone have no fixed definition. Two sellers can use the same phrase for watches built to different standards.
Most copies use a plated steel or brass case. A few use plated tungsten. Solid gold is rare at copy prices because the metal alone costs thousands of dollars. Movements range from quartz to low-grade automatic to copies of older ETA designs.
Plated cases against solid gold
- Plating is microns thick. It wears first on the crown, lugs, clasp, and bracelet edges.
- A solid gold Day-Date 40 with a President bracelet weighs well over 150 grams. A plated steel copy weighs far less.
- Gold Rolex cases carry a 750 purity hallmark. Copies may omit it or stamp it without meaning.
- Water resistance, skin reaction, and spare parts differ. Copies have no factory service path.
US law
18 U.S.C. 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. Repeat offenses carry higher limits.
The Lanham Act gives trademark owners a civil claim. A court can award statutory damages of up to $200,000 per counterfeit mark, or up to $2 million per mark if the use is willful.
Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit goods at the border. Rolex records its trademarks with CBP. Small personal orders are not exempt.
Checks people use
- Cyclops magnification on the crystal. Rolex uses 2.5x.
- Laser-etched coronet at 6 o'clock on the crystal, visible under light.
- Serial engraving on the inner bezel ring, called the rehaut.
- Day and date font, and the alignment of both discs.
- Movement beat rate and the sweep of the seconds hand.
No single check is final. Gold content and movement finishing need a watchmaker with tools.