The Rolex 179171 is a Lady-Datejust 26 in Rolesor: a 26 mm stainless steel case, an 18k Everose gold fluted bezel, and Everose gold center links on a Jubilee bracelet. A fake 179171 is any watch sold under that reference number without a Rolex case, dial, and calibre 2235 movement. Genuine examples left the factory between the mid 2000s and the late 2010s. Copies exist from about $100 to about $1,200.

Reference 179171 at a glance

  • Case: 26 mm, stainless steel, screw-down caseback, Twinlock crown.
  • Bezel: 18k Everose gold, fluted. Rolex also sold diamond-set bezel versions.
  • Movement: calibre 2235, automatic, 31 jewels, 28,800 vph, power reserve near 48 hours, COSC certified.
  • Crystal: sapphire, 2.5x cyclops lens over the date at 3 o'clock.
  • Water resistance: 100 m (330 ft).
  • Bracelet: Jubilee, five-piece links, gold center links, Crownclasp or Oysterclasp.
  • Rehaut: "ROLEX ROLEX" engraved with the coronet.

Where copies differ

Gold. Rolex launched Everose in 2005. It is an 18k rose gold alloy with platinum added to hold color. Copies use plating over brass or steel. Plating rubs off at the clasp, the crown, and the edges of the center links, and the base metal shows through. A real bezel and real center links are solid gold all the way through.

Cyclops and date. The real lens magnifies 2.5x. Copies sit near 1.5x to 2x. The date font, the window edge, and the alignment of the number inside the window give the copy away.

Dial print. Check letter spacing on "SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED", the five-point coronet, and "SWISS MADE" at 6 o'clock with the small coronet between the two words. Copies show thick print, wrong serifs, and a flat coronet.

Bracelet and clasp. Real end links meet the case with no gap. Real links flex with no rattle. The clasp carries a crisp coronet and correct reference stamps inside.

Movement. Calibre 2235 runs at 28,800 vph. Many copies run at 21,600 vph, and the sweep is slower. The 2235 hacks and has a quickset date that changes at midnight. Some copies creep through the date change over an hour.

Weight and feel. A genuine 26 mm Rolesor Datejust carries a solid gold bezel and gold center links. Copies with plated links weigh less in the hand, though a scale alone will not settle the question.

Prices and the legal side

Pre-owned 179171 watches trade in the mid four figures in US dollars, with diamond dial variants at the top of the range. Copies sell from about $100 to about $1,200. Importing or selling counterfeit goods in the US violates 18 U.S.C. § 2320, and Customs can seize a shipment.

What photos cannot prove

Photos do not show movement finishing, gasket condition, or whether a case is genuine steel or a recut. Serial and rehaut engraving can be faked. A watchmaker with a case opener and a timing machine answers those questions in minutes.