Quick answer
The reference 16610 is the Rolex Submariner Date with an aluminum bezel insert, built from 1988 to 2010. Replicas of it sell anywhere from about $60 to $600, and that price gap shows up in the case profile, the dial printing, and the movement. Nothing in that range is a Rolex. None of it holds value, none of it can be serviced by Rolex, and importing one into the United States is a trademark violation that Customs can act on. If you want one anyway, the rest of this guide is about telling a decent copy from a bad one.
What the real 16610 is
You cannot judge a copy without knowing the original. The 16610 is the last of the aluminum-bezel Submariner Dates, and it changed slowly over 22 years of production.
- 40 mm steel case, roughly 12.5 mm thick, 20 mm lug width
- Aluminum bezel insert with a 60-minute dive scale and a lume pearl at 12
- Sapphire crystal with a 2.5x cyclops over the date
- Caliber 3135, automatic, 28,800 vph, quickset date
- 300 m water resistance
- Oyster bracelet, reference 93250, with solid end links
Two details trip up replicas more than anything else. First, crown guard shape: the 16610 guards are soft and slightly tapered, not the bulky blocks you see on the later 116610. Second, lug holes. Genuine cases had drilled lugs until the mid-2000s, when Rolex switched to solid lugs. A copy sold as a 1990s watch with solid lugs is wrong, and so is a 2008 copy with holes. Rehaut engraving around the inner ring appears only on the last few years of production.
The tiers you will see
Sellers use labels like "first copy," "AAA," "1:1," and "super clone." None of these are standardized, so treat them as marketing until you inspect the watch.
Budget, $40 to $100
Quartz or a rough automatic, painted bezel insert, stamped dial, wrong case proportions. These read as fake from a few feet away.
Mid tier, $150 to $300
Better case machining and a real automatic movement, often an Asian 2813 or an ETA 2824 clone. Convincing at arm's length, obvious up close.
Top tier, $400 to $700
Cloned 3135 movements (SH3135, VR3135), correct case and bezel geometry, decent cyclops. This is the tier people mean when they say "first copy." Still not a Rolex, and still not serviceable by Rolex.
What to inspect on a 16610 replica
Case and lugs
Run a thumb along the lug tops. Genuine lugs have a gentle chamfer and a slight taper. Copies are often slab-sided or too thick through the mid-case. Check the crown guards for the right curve and height.
Bezel insert and pearl
Look at numeral spacing and font weight. The pearl on a genuine insert sits in a small metal ring and lines up with the crystal edge. On cheap copies the pip is glued in and sits proud or off-center.
Dial and date
Print should be crisp, with even strokes on the coronet. Early 16610 dials carry tritium and "SWISS - T<25" at six o'clock; later ones say "SWISS MADE." Check the date window and the cyclops together. A date that sits off-center, or a cyclops with visible distortion at the edges, is the fastest tell.
Movement
Ask what is inside before you buy. A 2824 clone is reliable and cheap to replace, but crown positions and the date flip will not match the original. A cloned 3135 feels closer, including winding direction, though many run noisy or have gritty crown action. Confirm the beat rate. A 21,600 vph movement in a Submariner is wrong.
Bracelet and clasp
Solid end links should sit flush with no gaps or rattle. Check clasp stamping, the flip lock, and the dive extension. A loose, jangly bracelet gives away more watches than a bad dial does.
Water resistance, servicing, and resale
Treat any replica as splash resistant at best, no matter what the listing claims. Gaskets are cheap, cases are not machined to the same tolerance, and a pressure test at a local shop is the only way to know. Many watchmakers will service a 2824 clone, but parts for a cloned 3135 can be hard to source, and a repair bill can approach the price of the watch. Resale value is close to zero, and selling one in the US can create real legal exposure for you.
Legal reality in the US
Rolex's name, crown, and case design are protected marks. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal offense, and importing them is barred. Customs seizes counterfeit shipments and destroys them, and a seized package means you lose both the watch and the money. Personal-use purchases are rarely prosecuted, but the package is still contraband, and no seller will refund a seizure. That risk is part of the real price.