A Singapore man who was convinced his Rolex Submariner was a fake attempted to use that belief to negotiate a heavily discounted resale deal — only for the watch to be authenticated as genuine, valued at S$89,800.

The case, which came before the courts this week, offers a pointed reminder of both the complexity of the pre-owned luxury watch market and the legal risks of misrepresenting assets during a transaction.

What happened

The man, who had purchased the watch some years earlier, came to believe the piece was counterfeit based on informal assessments. Rather than seek a formal appraisal, he approached a retailer and represented the watch as a fake — attempting to sell it at a fraction of its genuine market value.

The retailer, suspicious of the provenance, had the watch independently authenticated. The Rolex Submariner was confirmed genuine. The seller's actions were subsequently found to constitute an attempt to deceive.

Why authentication matters

The pre-owned luxury watch market in Singapore has grown significantly, driven by demand for Swiss timepieces and a secondary market that now operates across auction houses, certified dealers, and peer-to-peer platforms. Rolex remains one of the most counterfeited luxury brands globally, which has made authentication services increasingly standard.

  • Rolex Submariners rank among the most traded pre-owned watches in Asia
  • Authentication services typically cost S$100–500 depending on the watch and provider
  • Certified dealers now use serial number verification, movement inspection, and third-party databases
  • Misrepresenting a watch's authenticity during a sale carries legal consequences under Singapore's Penal Code

A cautionary note for collectors

For collectors and sellers alike, the lesson is straightforward: never assume. A watch believed to be fake based on a cursory visual check may well be genuine — and acting on that assumption during a commercial transaction creates significant legal exposure.

Reputable pre-owned dealers in Singapore, including Cortina Watch's pre-owned division, The Hour Glass, and independent specialists, offer formal authentication before any sale. The cost is nominal compared to the value of a misstep.