A lot of fake Rolex's these days are impossible to tell from the real thing. They will even have a very high quality ETA 2892-2 movement in them which looks very impressive because it is.

However it is obvious it is not a real Rolex movement when you put them side by side. Rolex did use a number of different ETA movements in their Tudor line.

Something to consider.... If you buy a high quality mechanical watch then get an Automatic. Otherwise you will rub the finish off of the crown after winding it for ten or so years. An automatic movement you just give a shake and it starts running. A mechanical movement can be rebuilt every ten years or so and just keep on running for 100 years. A good rebuild will cost at least $250 for a 21 jewel watch.

With a quartz movement you can get incredible accuracy but you will be needing to have the movement replaced in about 15 years. Then you might find that movement is no longer made and there is no interchange available.

A good brand to look for used is Benrus. Get one with at least 25 jewels and it will run for twenty years. A Bulova 23 Jewel is also a good one and both can be found on Ebay for far less than your budget.

Some people are very much in love with Elgin's, which are OK but not much more. There is a model known as the Lord Elgin that is better, but it is still not that much better.

Gold plating is at least 10 microns thick; 20 microns will last longer. Solid gold is really a waste because you will never be looking at it on an atomic level and a 14K case will set you back up to $800 just for the case.

Another good brand is Eterna. If you are looking for a diving watch the Kon-Tiki is a very rugged watch, and if you are looking for a dress watch Eterna made some with a hidden crown which will add a bit to the cost.

Gold plating on a band will last about 20 years since the band sees more wear than the watch case. A good leather strap will last about eight years. Expandable bands are hard to adjust if you lose or add a lot of weight which is why you never see them on high end watches that are made to last for 50 years.

By the way.... What do want this watch to do? They all tell time, so is this for dress or outside work or diving or.....?