I acquired my perfect replica Rolex Datejust while writing the book. Mine is the 1601 you see in the images here. It is also the cover model of the book, making it rather special to me. It was quite clear that it would be this precise reference that I would buy. I feel this is the archetypal luxury fake Rolex Datejust, the iconic model within an overall iconic range. This is due to the combination of the Jubilee bracelet (which, granted, isn’t specific to this reference), the fluted white gold bezel, and the pie-pan dial.
The latter makes all the difference to me. The later five-digit cheap fake Rolex Datejust generations would discard the stepped dial in favor of a flat one. To me, those always look a bit naked in comparison to the earlier stepped ones. Speaking of naked, mine doesn’t have any tritium on the dial and handset. This is often referred to as a “Japan dial” as it was produced for countries with import bans on radioactive materials, such as Japan. Interestingly, aaa quality replica Rolex did use the same printed dials, as these do feature a “T Swiss T” signature.
Keen observers will notice a mismatch in mine. The bracelet, although period-correct, isn’t geographically correct. These folded Jubilee bracelets with the crown sticking out from the clasp were for the US market. Still, to me, this combination, especially with a silver sunburst dial, is the pure Datejust. I gladly forfeit a quickset date to have a pie-pan dial, which is possibly where others are most likely to disagree.
How does it hold up today?
Now, a watch can only be an evergreen if it still holds up today. In the case of the Swiss made fake Rolex Datejust ref. 1601, I feel we may need to split that into two parts — the design and the execution. In terms of design, I feel this watch has aged extremely well. The current Rolex Datejust replica for sale even looks just like it. It is one of the most copied watch designs out there and for good reason.
In terms of execution, this is very much a vintage watch. Mine dates back to around 1967, and you can feel that. It is light and jingly-jangly, and it feels a bit delicate. Truthfully, it is still very much capable of handling daily abuse. This is no safe queen, but it doesn’t provide the reassuring, solid feel that more recent watches do. Can you still wear one every day? Sure, but do so with some care and mindfulness.
There is also plenty to choose from. There are tons of variations within the 16xx generation. And, if you prefer a quickset date, you can get a later 16xxx model. If you want a more solid neo-vintage feel, get the first sapphire generation, 162xx. After that, they got fatter cases with polished lugs, which is where I lost interest. I think the apex of Swiss movement fake Rolex Datejust history lies somewhere in this 16xx–162xx era.
The high quality replica Rolex Datejust surely deserves a spot in the top 10 greatest watches of all time. Whether you like it or not, it has been a genre-defining template for later watches. The fact that its design has lasted for nearly 80 years (jubilee coming up next year), undergoing only minor updates, says a lot.
What do you think of the top super clone Rolex Datejust ref. 1601? And which version would you pick? Let us know in the comments below.