When evaluating Rolex ephemera, keep in mind that while it may be possible to make a reproduction that looks correct in a low resolution picture or in poor lighting. It is nearly impossible to make a real copy. For an exact copy, you would need the long gone original artwork and the antiquated equipment used to reproduce it, not to mention the forgotten skills needed to operate the equipment and lots of money.

I welcome anyone who has experienced a 'good' fake to share the their story with me. At our discretion, and for everyone's benefit, it can also be posted in  this section.

Here are some general guidelines when evaluating the purchase of vintage Rolex ephemera:

1. When evaluating Rolex ephemera, it is best to have a side by side comparison from a known original. The color copier does a great job of 'fooling' the untrained eye, meaning when you have never seen an original. But a color copy is no contest when evaluating next to an original where you can see the difference in the dots of the printing.

2. The paper should have some signs of aging. Old papers will discolor (usually yellow) with age and will almost always show some signs of wear. If there are no signs of wear or any other natural aging, be cautious. It is very rare to find "New Old Stock" ephemera that is 20 or more years old.

There are other things to look for, for example on brochures from the 1950s and 1960s, Rolex used printing methods that put 'indents' in the paper wherever text was printed. If you see this in your piece, you can be assured it is correct. See the fake GMT brochure in this section for an example.

3. Use the 'smell test' to help determine authenticity. Most old paper and boxes have a distinct 'old paper smell.' This is not always the case, but if you get that distinctive old paper odor, you can feel more assured.

3. It's important not to become too paranoid. Printing was not an exact science, and variations exist between any two pieces, even those produced at the same time with the same manufacture codes. These variances are within normal printing tolerances and pieces may appear to have different in ink coverage and positioning on the page. Most variation between pieces will be due to aging, coming from storage conditions. Paper and ink colors may appear quite different depending on exposure to environment.

4. Here is a quick reminder in common sense about trust and trading safety, practically the same guidelines apply to buying any vintage watch:

• Don't buy anything unless you have reasonable time to examine the item and a  return policy.
• Obviously it helps to you know your seller. If not, get references and find out if they have a reputation to uphold so that you can get a refund if you ask for one.
• Use Paypal with your credit card as the funding source if at all possible. If you have to cover the paypal fee with a seller, it is well worth the 3% surcharge if dealing with someone who you do not know well. (see additional tip about Paypal here).
• Get a clear picture of the item you are buying! You wouldn't buy a watch from a fuzzy low res image, right?

If you have anything you would like to contribute to this section, or have an opinion or experience to share, please send me your thoughts via email or using the submission form.