The “QC” (Quality Control) phase is the most exciting and nerve-wracking part of buying a high-end replica watch. This is the moment your Dealer sends you high-resolution photos and videos of the exact watch you are about to receive.
Your job is simple: GL (Green Light) means ship it. RL (Red Light) means reject it and ask for another.
But how do you know if a watch is good? Beginners often panic over dust specks, while pros know exactly what to look for. Here is how to check your QC photos like a veteran member of RWI or Reddit.
⚠️ THE GOLDEN RULE OF QC
“There is no such thing as a perfect Replica. There is no such thing as a perfect Gen”.
Do not zoom in 500% on a high-resolution photo. If you cannot see the flaw with your naked eye at arm’s length (approx. 30cm), it is not a flaw. Rejecting a watch for microscopic imperfections is bad etiquette and often results in getting a second watch that is worse than the first.
Step 1: Index Alignment (The Face)
The most common flaw is a crooked dial or misaligned hour markers.
What to check: look at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 markers. Do they line up perfectly with the minute track? Is the “crown” logo at 12 o’clock centered?
Pro Tip: Photos are often taken at a slight angle, which makes straight markers look crooked. Save the photo to your phone and use a grid overlay tool to check the true alignment.
Step 2: The Date Wheel
Date wheels are notoriously difficult to center perfectly.
What to check:
- Is the number sitting in the middle of the window, or is it touching the top/bottom edge?
- Ask to see “double-digit” dates (like the 23rd or 28th). Sometimes the single digits (1-9) are fine, but the 20s are aligned to the left.
Acceptable Tolerance: If it is slightly high or low but fully readable, GL it. It happens on genuine Rolexes too.
Step 3: Hand Alignment & The Rehaut
- Hand Stack: Move the hands to 12:00. The Hour, Minute, and Second hands should stack perfectly on top of each other.
- Rehaut (Rolex only): This is the engraved metal ring inside the crystal. The “R-O-L-E-X” letters should align with the minute markers.Note: Misaligned rehauts are extremely common on Gen watches. Do not RL for a slightly offset rehaut unless it is severely rotated.
Step 4: SELs (Solid End Links)
This applies to watches with metal bracelets (Rolex, AP, Patek). Look at where the bracelet joins the watch case.
What to check: There should be no “light leak”. The fit should be tight. If you can see a large gap where light shines through, or if the bracelet wiggles loosely against the case, that is a bad SEL fit.
Step 5: The Timegrapher (The Heartbeat)
Your dealer will send a photo of a machine with a screen full of numbers. This tells you the health of the movement. Here is how to read it:
- Rate (s/d): How many seconds it gains/loses per day.Good: +/- 10 s/d.
Excellent: +/- 5 s/d.
- Amplitude (AMP): How strong the heartbeat is.Healthy Range: 250° – 310°.
Too Low: Below 230° suggests the movement needs oil or service.
- Beat Error (m.s): The rhythm consistency.Acceptable: 0.0ms to 0.5ms. Anything over 1.0ms is a red flag.
The Verdict: GL or RL?
When to GL (Green Light) ✅
If the watch has minor imperfections that are invisible from 30cm away, and the Timegrapher numbers are solid, take it. You are buying a replica that is 95% of the way there for 5% of the price. Enjoy it.
When to RL (Red Light) ❌
If there is a cracked marker, a scratched crystal, a movement running at -40s/day, or the wrong spelling on the dial-reject it politely. Circle the specific flaw in the photo and send it back to us. We will source a new one for you.
Ready to start your collection? Browse our catalog of QC-verified Super Clones today.
