The watch every "no date" Submariner claim gets measured against is the genuine Rolex Submariner 124060, and before it the 114060. Neither is a replica, and no replica is that watch. What buyers in this market actually weigh are the details those two references set: a 41 mm Oystersteel case with no cyclops, a unidirectional Cerachrom bezel with a 60-minute scale, a black dial with no date aperture, and a movement built to Rolex's own chronometric standard. Those points form the checklist below. One more criterion matters more than any spec sheet, and it sits at the bottom of this guide.
The genuine reference, in plain terms
The 124060 replaced the 114060 in 2020. Both are time-only dive watches rated to 300 m, both use a black ceramic bezel insert, and both run a COSC-certified automatic movement. The differences are mostly generation changes: a slightly wider lug stance and bracelet on the newer model, an updated movement, and a marginally larger case profile. This matters here because most replica listings describe themselves against one generation or the other, and the two are not interchangeable. A seller who mixes 114060 and 124060 details in one listing is telling you something about the listing.
- Case and crown guards. Look at lug width, lug thickness, and how the crown guards meet the mid-case. These are the hardest areas to copy.
- Bezel action. A 120-click unidirectional bezel with clean detents and a well-printed insert is a basic expectation, not a premium feature.
- Dial and rehaut. Text weight, spacing, and the engraved inner ring are visible to anyone who has handled the genuine article.
- Lume and hands. Even application, matched color across hands and markers, and no bleeding at the edges.
- Movement claims. "Swiss movement" is a marketing phrase. Ask which movement and whether it is serviceable.
What a comparison guide cannot do
A written guide cannot verify a specific watch. Photographs get reused, and listings change suppliers without notice. Any article that hands you a ranked winner for a category of counterfeit goods is guessing about inventory it has never seen. Treat rankings that come with no verifiable testing as advertising.
Legal and practical risk
In the United States, the Rolex name and the Submariner trade dress are protected. Importing, selling, or trafficking in counterfeit goods carries civil liability and, in commercial quantities, criminal exposure. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at the border, and payment is often the least protected part of the transaction. Beyond the legal side, a counterfeit watch has no manufacturer warranty, no authorized service network, and little resale value. If the watch stops, you are paying a local watchmaker who may decline the job.
Who this information fits
If you want the look of a no-date dive watch without the legal and service problems, the honest path is an unbranded or microbrand diver with a similar profile. Homage watches from established independent brands use standard movements, come with warranties, and can be serviced anywhere. If you are researching counterfeits out of curiosity about how the market describes itself, use the checklist above to spot vague listings. If you intend to resell anything you buy as genuine, that is a separate and much more serious legal problem.