We received a high-quality replica (fake) DEEPSEA today. We will be shipping it back to the person who tried to sell it to us. Below, you will find some of our observations on differences between the genuine 116660 and the fake.
In the above photo, the only thing that really stands out is the clasp extension on the fake doesn’t lay flush inside the clasp.
The print on any real Rolex is going to be extremely sharp. These photos don’t do the real one justice, or the fake injustice. When you take a loupe to a fake, the text will be thinner, less white, and inconsistent. You’ll notice build up of the paint in certain areas. Under a loupe, you will likely see some letters that are slightly thinner or thicker than letters next to it. On the hands, the luminous filling is not consistent on the fake. On the real, it’s flawless.
On the real Rolex, you will find the rehaut engraving to be sharp and deep, allowing you to see it clearly, on the fake the engraving is much fainter and hard to see through the thick crystal.
The last thing to note is the luminous hour markers: On the fake, the luminous appears to dome over the steel ring setting. On the real Rolex, the luminous appears to be filled in perfectly. It is as if Rolex polished off the extra luminous to make it flush with the marker setting.
The bezel’s luminous dot on the fake is darker and more green than the real. It also bubbles up higher over the setting. The genuine bezel dot does raise over the setting, but nearly as much as the fake.
The inside of the clasp is a big tell. The genuine Rolex has a frosty finish. When you run your finger on the genuine clasp where it reads Rolex – Geneva – Swiss Made, you will feel the lightest of course grains. The lettering is etched in. On the fake, the buckle is a brushed finish (not frosty at all) and smooth to touch. The lettering appears to be printed on and will likely wear off in time.
The diver extension on the fake is clearly thinner. Also the pins and screws are smaller. Otherwise, the glide-lock part of the fake is done extremely well.
Most Rolex watches have about the simplest backs in the Swiss industry, but not the DEEPSEA with its hallmark titanium alloy caseback and engraved lettering. It is obvious that the lettering is poorly painted on the fake and has already started to wear out. When you tilt the watch and look at the back from different angles (at least under office fluorescent lighting) the titanium alloy caseback on the genuine keeps its darkish hue consistently when you rotate it. The fake on the other hand was either anodized or thinly coated steel; the color changed much more dramatically as it picked up shadows and lighting differences. We also found poor machining on the central area of the caseback, you could feel with your thumb that it wasn’t flush.
When we opened the fake, we found about what we expected. A Chinese ETA knock-off with no Rolex lettering anywhere. The back was not easy for us to remove and we even have the right tools, so most people will not be able to check the movement, but it’s a clear-cut way to confirm it’s not genuine.
We hope you have enjoyed this comparison. Stay alert out there and if you are not expert enough to determine if the Rolex you are buying is real or not, make sure you buy from a reputable dealer.
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Thanks for the article, I purchased a Daytona last year form Bernard ! Great experience, should you have something again that suits me, I’d purchase without hesitation.
One thing I’d like to know, did the above watches weigh about the same or was the fake discernible by feel alone ?
Thanks for the kind words Chretien!
Good question on the weight. By the time I handled the watch, two of my co-workers had already seen it and confirmed it was fake, so when I picked it up, I knew it was fake. I picked it up and thought, “Oh yeah, this is light, I can tell it’s fake without looking at it!” Well, my mind played a trick on me. The real one weighed in at 212 grams. The fake was only 7 grams (0.015 pounds) lighter! So, yes, the fake was lighter, but hardly. I had planned to mention the weight in the article, but the difference was just too insignificant.
I inherited a vintage Rolex and brought it to an authorized Rolex retailer for confirmation of it’s authenticity and appraisal. The watchmaker wrote in his report that while the diamond bezel is not authentic Rolex the diamonds were real which is not uncommon. He also opined that the internals were authentic as was the case and band but noted there was no visible serial number. He advised upon my inquiry that sometimes on a Rolex as old as this specimen the numbers are worn off from use of the watch. He also advised the case is 18 carat. Have you ever heard of an older Rolex without a visible serial number?
Hello L. It is rare for a serial number to wear off, but it DOES happen. Gold is softer than steel, so it’s even more common on gold. If a vintage Rolex comes to us with an unreadable serial number, we will not buy it, despite it being authentic. Sometimes a serial will be faint, but readable with magnification. In that situation we will take a macro photograph of the serial number for our records, and mention ‘faint serial number’ in the grading/description of the watch when post it for sale.
Thanks,
My rack around is an old Casio G Shock MTG that recalibrates every night and my dress watch is a $280 Citizen ECO/Radio WR 200. That’s $400 total. When I had the Rolex appraised they advised it needed rehab at a cost of $600.That’s more than I paid for my two watches new. I wouldn’t wear this golden bejeweled bling looking relic even if it didn’t require a rehab. It’s just not me. I’m not into diamonds or mechanical time pieces. I know lots of people who wouldn’t be seen dead with a Quartz watch but I respect their taste. Maybe after I die my son will wear it when he goes out to eat like my dad used to do. Thanks for you very informative response.
Club Rolex is not for the masses. If a $600 tune-up and the fact it does not pick up a radio signal bother you, this club is clearly not you. People in the club are usually self employed and sell expensive products. In this generation if you really need the exact time, pull out your cell phone. If you want to learn more check out time zone dot com. If I see a fake on a bar bozo, I’ll call them out everytime. Unlke my bank accounts, my 4 Rolexes go up in value every year. Pictures of mine are here. OzarkGuns.com Bob Kotula The new website looks great Cory!
Bob; No disrespect intended.To me the price of a stainless steel divers watch can be measured in dollars and sense. common sense, a mass produced submariner watch that has very high tolerances is worth more than your average watch. But to inflate the price just for the sake of belonging to a special club?!? That really only exist in your mind.
I would think a rep watch would be a kind of compliment, a bit of flattery.
I equate this to the inflated prices of diamonds, another way to control something which is of false pretense. I doubt seriously you could tell the difference between the real mccoy and a well made rep. from 5 feet away. Here the silliness prevails,” when asked,’ is that REAL? invariably one says no”. And when the item is fake the answer is,” OF COURSE”. As anyone knows a ten thousand dollar watch is is very dangerous to wear.
This post is the reason I do not buy watches online… Without seeing the real product you can be had quite easily.
A good majority of the customers who come into our office in Austin, often driving from Houston or Dallas, essentially tell us that they just had to get their hands on the watch before buying it. We completely understand that concern, but you can safely buy high-end watches on-line from a number of reputable dealers. When you purchase online you are buying the reputation of the dealer as much as you are the watch. You just have to do your research.
Cory.
I’ve been a Bernard customer for many many years and am on a first name basis with most everyone there. I’ve traded and bought many many Rolex’s. My current collection consists of an Explorer II, and 2 GMT Master II, one stainless and one stainless and gold. All are the new mixed serial numbers. I have never gotten a watch from Bernard that wasn’t better than described. My 3 are all from Bernard.
The nice things about Bernard is that the three I have bought from Bernard I was able to see before paying. I work in downtown Austin. Any watch I buy will be from Bernard. I now have two, just inherited a ladies Rolex and gold Tudor from my mom who passed last year, and will inherit two from my dad some day. One of his is a 1963 Air King. He convinced someone to sell it to him in 1967 for $50! And the seller was in the watch repair business. I need a Daytona. But it has to be gold with white face, and I have trouble justifying any more toys till I retire in a couple of years, all going well. My dad has always done watch repair as a hobby. But at 91 now we usually go to Austin Watch or Fords Jewelers in NJ. Though he still prefers to work on the Air King personally. Oh yeah, I’ll inherit the tools too…
“DEEPSEA” font is different, that is really all you need to look for.
That is not entirely true. Unknown to most people the the Rolex Deep Sea 116660 has 2 dial variations. Which changed over in around 2011. They are MK1 and MK2. The MK1 Dial actually has the same font as what above describes as a fake DSSD and the MK2 dial has same font as what above describes as real.
Thanks for the comment! I found some good info on this subject in this TimeKeeperForum Thread.
On thing more I wanted to know about the fake watches, do these watches weigh about the same or was the fake discernible by feel alone ?
They were about the same. You can scroll up in the comments to read my more detailed response to Chretien on the subject.
I have seen some really nice fake Sea Dwellers, but non have had any O-rings in them. I put one in the swimming pool. It didn’t last 12 minutes
You get what you pay for, right! 😉
You have a good comparison of real vs fake but the sad reality about this fake Rolex watches are they made so good that if somebody have this on their wrist (particularly business people) even just a foot away from your eyes you can’t tell the difference unless you have a nerve to ask them to remove it and check it with magnifying glass to see all the details. I paid $11k for this watch and it irritate me when a friend put down his Fake watch next to it and dare me to compare it, of course i found some discrepancies but it wasn’t easy.
Hi Corey
I bought a genuine 2 year old Deep Sea yesterday from a reputable dealer. I’d heard abut the fakes being fairly good copies and used this info as a guide when I viewed the watch. The watch fits all your criteria for being genuine. The watch was as new and without a single scratch. I’ve owned a GMT Master for 18 years, and as much as I love it, I always wished the body was a bit more chunky. Now I have the Deep Sea as well and am well pleased with it. Thank you for taking the time to go into such detail.
Yeah thanks my uncle gave me this watch its real thanks for information buddy
Thanks for the great discussion above concerning the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller. I just bought a new Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller. I love the bulk of the watch and its feel. The only problem that I have with the watch which does not occur on any of my other Rolex watches is the Bezel. The bezel appears to line up with the top edge of the crystal, but has a small space between the bottom of the bezel and the case. You can press slightly on the bezel and there is 1/2 to 1 mm of slack. This is bothersome since the bezel should be even with the crystal and not have any slack in it. Is this normal for the Deepsea? Can it be fixed? I have never encountered this on a Rolex watch before, so your opinion is appreciated. Thanks again for your dedication to classic timepieces.
Hello Sam. Being able to press down on the bezel like that IS NORMAL for modern Sea-Dweller and Submariner models. It has something to do with the bezel/case needing to be able to be compressed under the more extreme conditions.
Well, In a nice restaurant the guy next to you cant tell if the Deepsea Dweller cost you $11K or $489.00
Or if your wifes boobs are real or fake?
Is that Botox or jus just look that young a 63?
bite my head if you want… But I buy the $489.00 Deepsea and change the movement to a SwissETA 2836 anyday.
besides…..this comparison was done with a V3 version ..now as JUne 2014 there is the higher V5 Version of the Deepsea and is way more accurate..
Cory, good review, but you forgot to mention the most glaring of all flaws with the fake: that is the numbers and hash marks on the ceramic bezel. On all of the fakes, this is just an off white paint.
For the benefit of readers who don’t know: On the genuine, this is platinum filled. The platinum gives off a satin metallic luminescence, the fake doesn’t. I’ve got a few very high quality Rolex fakes which I bought out of curiosity (they even have clone 3135 movements), I also have the new 116600 SDc – genuine of course. The bezel numbers are the most obvious giveaway without having to inspect it close up.
By the way, there is a new breed of DSSD fake out now (the fakers do progress), and the bezel pearl, as well as clasp, end links, hour markers etc. are all “corrected”. In short, be very wary of who you buy a DSSD from.
Just FYI…this is not the best quality fake/replica. Many tells (exterior and even 3135 clone inside) identified in the article are addressed on the higher caliber reps.
I like the rust build up around case back opening in the last picture. “Great craftsmanship” here. 😉
Very informative article – just looking at the very first pic, I would have thought the easiest tell would be the crown logo on the watchface. Completely different when you compare.
As a fake watch,I think it is cool,But if you cost more than $500 for this watch is was not worth.
I own a Sea-Dweller from the early eighties or possibly before; where can I find the serial number? When was the first Sea-Dweller produced?
The first Sea-Dweller came out in 1967 and was called the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller Submariner 2000. It had a reference 1665. It’s a highly desirable rare watch!
The serial number is located at 6 o’clock between the lugs and under the bracelet, so the band needs to be removed. Once you have that, you can use our to find the year.
I have a Swiss Grade 1 quality fake Rolex Submariner I bought off a crackhead. It’s beautiful, nothing wears off, I’ve gotten it wet many times with no problems, the self winding mechanism works excellent and I’ve banged it on things many times and its very durable. If someone “called me out” for wearing it , id say no shit, its fake, its also probably as good as a 300 dollar fossil watch and I got it for 60… What’s the big deal? I can see how this would irritate rich snobs that spent ten g for something of better Quality (when mines pretty damn good as it is) but that looks identical. You have to take off the back to see that its not a genuine Rolex movement but an ETA
Mike, even the $375 ETA replicas are NEVER as good as a $300 Fossil or low-end ETA based Hamilton for the same price, and I’ll explain.
I’ve had a good bit of experience with over a dozen Rolex and Omega Replicas, some the $50 ones with Asian movements (all garbage), and many nice looking ones with ETA 2824-2 and ETA 2836 that were modded for GMT. I admit I kept a couple of ETA watches that were identical to my real watches that I already own, in case I was doing something active and didn’t want to damage the real watch or have it stolen.
EVERY replica with an ETA movement turned out to have a B-stock or rejected swiss movement that was dry or poorly lubricated or poorly assembled, and ALL needed to be serviced soon after arrival by a local watchmaker in order to run well or wind properly. Two of them had a fake bridge in the movement to look more like a Rolex, and that bridge would hit the ETA rate adjuster and bump them to +60 sec a day without warning. One had a bad case tube and the crown would not screw down more than 3/4 of a turn and would leak, and another had a leaking fake Helium escape valve even though the valve was glued down and not threaded. The Speedmaster leaked around the crystal because it was missing the crystal gaskets, and it had a 6 o’clock sub-dial that would stay in time with the hour hand and never reset, and it came with a clasp that says “Seamaster” instead of “Speedmaster”.
I’ll admit that the Swiss ETA replicas can be very attractive, and some cosmetically quite close to the real thing to fool a Rolex salesman, but maybe not as sturdy – I was in a serious car crash on 12/17/14 in which my daughter and I both broke both our legs. The Polar Explorer II 216570 replica that I was wearing during the accident was damaged, while my real 216570 was undamaged in it’s travel case (in the same backpack where my Macbook was bent). Because of that, I’m wearing the real 216570 Exp II right now, while 2 months later the replica is still at the watchmaker because it needs a new case-tube, stem, and crown. And the fake “Rolex” bridge had to be removed permanently for it to run. After all of those experiences, I would trust my old $400 Hamilton Khaki automatic over ANY replica ANY day of the week, as my daily-wear watch, and be prouder to show it off than a fake.
Nothing beats the real thing, even if you have to go used. When you can get a real vintage Rolex (used from the 70’s) for under $2500 on the forums (or under $4K for one from the 90’s with good lume), why would you want a $300-$400 ETA powered replica and then admit to people that it’s fake? A current Seamaster Pro Chronograph costs over $5K, but for half of that I got a classic Titanium 2298.80 SMP chronograph from the early 2000’s that’s still under Omega’s warranty from a recent service…
I have an older Deep Sea, it was my fiancé’s grandfather’s watch, and I can’t seem to see if it is real or not as this was done on a newer one. I have no doubts it is real, I just would like to be certain 100%. I just wish I knew the year or anything about it without taking the band off. If I take the band off I want to be able to do it right and put it back on.
The DEEPSEA was introduced in 2008 (maaaybe 2007?) and as such has the Rolex branded rehaut (RBR) which has Rolex repeated on the flange (steel between the crystal/bezel and the dial). At 6′, you will be able to see the serial number. It should start with an M (ca. 08), V (ca. 09), G (ca. 09-14), or be scrambled (ca. 09-15).
If you removed the band, at 6′ you should not find a serial number… Maybe if you had an M. They double printed serial numbers for less than 2 years.
this was a really good guide. thanks for posting it. it’s amazing how high quality these fakes are…i would never be able to tell the difference
I have recently puchased a Sea Dweller Deepsea from a high street retailer and am not impressed with luminous display when in the dark, is this common or should I return to retailer as only 2 months old. Thanks
The luminous material that Rolex uses is the strongest available. It sounds like you may have expectations that are out of line with the physical limitations of photoluminescent materials. – P.J.
SEIKO’s Lumibrite stands out of the league currently, the new MM300 puts the 116610 out in longevity and initial brightness 😉
Please advise me if possible ive owned many rolex catiers pateks beguets, basically i consider myself able to spot a fake, however i just bought a rolex deepsea, i would never have doubted its authenticity. But on closer inspection 2 things worry me, the d on deepsea appears marginally thinner. The hellium escape valve i can push in with a pen? Should that happen?the haute engraving is not cyystal clear through glass.however i can see a number through a loupe m68372 something like that. The most worrying is that on clasp its printed pj3 which in all aticles informs me is a fake and that on gridlock ectension there is only one pin not two. I sure i have been duped and this is fake, is there anyway im wrong? Also the dials are blue illuminous and markers white. This is either best fake ive ever seen or im an idiot, please clarify, mr,j.ponder
The PJ3 clasp code indicates March 2008 production, which could correctly coincide with an M serial number, so that is not indicative of anything negative by itself. I do think you should take it to a reputable dealer to have it looked at in person if you have questions about the watch. Otherwise, you will always have questions about the watch in the back of your mind.
Rolex makes a beautiful watch, but there is no reason whatsoever that they are so expensive. Of course the replicas are not as nice but at a fraction of the price and virtually the same watch. I understand a fake is a fake, but make no mistake…a Rolex is way over priced. They aren’t for the masses, ya I get it…but come on. I have many “high grade” rolex replica watches because they are very nice and attractive. No they aren’t real and I guess I’m just a commoner, I don’t care much about being a member of a “club” but they are still fun to wear and if I lose it or it breaks..oh well I just get another one without batting an eye.
Thanks this is Mr. J Ponder, i left a couple of questions on this site concerning my worries regarding the authenticity of a rolex deepsea i recrecenently purchased. Kindly someone put my mind at rest over the pj3 and m serial number being correct. But im still concerned although the illuminous paint is flawless and extremely bright the hand markers are blue and hour markers white. Rolex geneva on clasp are etched in , but where the buckle meets d clip there is only one pin and on every picture of a real deepsea there is 2. And the fact the helium escape valve can be pushed in by a pen, im no expert on divers watches so any advice would be of great help, thankyou J.Ponder
J.ponder again , the bezel rotates silently but 108 clicks per full rotation, is this possible if real, it really is the most amazing copy if watch and beyond point of being ripped off im impressed, also all codes relate to a 2008 model, as i stated in darkness hands are blue hour markers white, would that be correct, thankyou .
Every single person that buys fake Rolex and proud of it should hang themselves if you can’t afford it don’t embarrasse the brand.Rolex donates a lot of money hard earned money by us hard working and successful people and Rolex who strive for perfection.Rokex it’s a lifestyle not imitation.
Are people aware that Rolex is actually set up as a charity?
They pay 0% tax and as of yet have never declared where their charitable donations go to – ever!
So, don’t feel that guilty if you are wearing a rep. I know a number of people that own a real Rolex and have a rep as an every day backup.
what about the bezel? should it look high polished or matt? And the crystal is there supposed to be any anti glare?
The Rolex ceramic bezels look pretty similar throughout the models and have a polished look to them. Rolex does not use any anti-glare coating on their watches.
Very interesting blog! I never thought that owning a Rolex would put me into such rarefied air! The only reason I ever knew about Rolex was because James Bond had one… So it had to be a good watch. I missed buying my first one in 1967 while stationed in Germany. It was a Submariner in the PX. I didn’t have the $125.00 and ended up buying a pre-moon Speedmaster for $96.00. I bought my first Rolex, a GMT, in 1978, then an Explorer from a friend in the late 1980s and a ladies datejust for my wife from the same friend. Somewhere along the line the Explorer disappeared but my wife just surprised me with the latest Explorer.
Over the years I’ve purchased a Breitling chrono (a beautiful vintage looking watch with Arabic numbers) from Bernard, 3 more Speedmasters and a variety of off-brand stuff. I always wanted a Daytona but for a while no one had one for sale and they were too expensive. Tudor was selling their chronograph which had a Rolex signed case and crown so I bought one as well as their submariner. Then I found out Rolex was using a Zenith El Primero movement in the Daytona so I bought the Zenith instead. With the exception of the misplaced Explorer I’ve kept everything. I’ve thought about selling some but usually talk myself out of it. My watch and guitar purchases have performed better then the stock market. Your being in Austin must know about guitar values.
Best Regards
John Mac Morgan
I have a rolex which says oyster perpetual day date, with original gas escape value written in the back side its golden in colour with no rotating brezel, it doesn’t have visible serial number, is it fake
“original gas escape valve” is an attribute of the Sea-Dweller model, which has a rotating bezel and is only made in steel.
The Day-Date does have a fixed (non-rotating) bezel and is typical yellow gold (can also be platinum, rose or white gold). Day-Dates will have no wording on the caseback.
The serial number would be under the bracelet, between the lugs at 6′.
Its always funny to read the rep guys talk up wearing products that copyright infringe on a tax paying company, a company that gives back so much…. Rep guys miss the entire point of why reps are wrong! I have purchased reps to see the quality and then flogged them off after removing case markings and adding blank dials, normally lose very little cash and get to see how close reps are, so close that a lope must be used to look at the fake 3135 movements(finishing and materials are poor qc) Rolex is worth every penny, and the reason why is I can go buy a pre-owned Deep Sea for around $8500-$9500 thats 5 yrs old and a year or two later sell it for $8500 to $9500! Now I purchased a pre-owned Omega Seamaster pro 600m planet ocean chronograph, a little larger than the Deep sea, it has a state of the art mechanical movement and has the chrono functions….here is the big difference, the Omega pre-owned is worth 50% of its price a year later(which was near then dssd msrp), while the Rolex deepsea is still worth near its new price! Rolex is also a non profit organization owned by a trust and gives incredible amounts of money to charity!!! 99% of people who trash Rolex dont know that! Omega is owned by swatch, a truly evil empire due to the way they play into swiss politics and try to control the entire industry.
I own a watch manufacturing company within the US, Swatch have made it near impossible for new companies to access eta movements! If ETA was anywhere other than in Switzerland, swatch would of not been allowed to buy ETA, they monopolizing the industry. Obviously we will make our own movement at some point, but I will need to buy our hairsprings from China.Starting a watch company, dealing with the engineering to make class leading dive watches with finishes that as as good as Rolex takes a great deal of work! Lots of hand finishing enables the best finished products.
I bought an old Oyster Perpetual Date Datejust. The watch has jubilee bracelet..silver (later when I dismantle the bracelet from the clip it was found that originally it was a two toned bracelet Silver-Golden, only a small part of the bracelet still bears the golden mark). The bezel was also discolored. It is too old. The crown has been corroded and now half of the full size, perhaps due to long time use. one side of the crown is completely corroded, thus the crown can’t be screwed up. No magnifier on the glass…the glass has too many scratches…. however I manage to read all the letters (Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Datejust Officially Certified Chronometer) and it seemed alright to me except one thing… instead of ‘Swiss Made’ or only ‘Swiss’ it was written ‘Swiss Parts’ spreading both sides of six hour position. Back of watch has no inscription, completely plane with teeths at the edge….I heard carefully, there is no tick tack or any other motion sound…the second hand sweeps smoothly.. 5-6 times per second sweeping motion….Tried to open the back case with the help of a rubber ball, but could not… can any one have any idea whether it is fake or real????
Thanks for the exposure. I am glad I dI’d not fall a victim
I owned a 6541 Milgauss from 1958 for 35 years and sold it in 2001 for 65000, the same watch 412*** was sold for 250.000 USD a year ago in NY…
Which watch brand comes near that increase of value ?
p.s. the watch costed 200 USD in 1960
It is so funny that people keep doing this type of reviews without digging deep into the rep world. This Deepsea is no where to be called a high quality fake. It is just an above average fake, better than those 23j models. Only franken can be classified as high quality fake and I even once met a franken successfully came out of Rolex Service Center for service without being spoted to be fake. Anyway most owner of those franken watch own a ton of gen Rolex. We build franken as a hobbit. And no offence, Rolex quality drop significantly over the years while the reps’ quality significantly improved. I guess it is time for Rolex itself start to improve.
I have bought and sold 11 Rolex’s for myself and for 3 women. I also have had 2 Patek’s. The Rolex’s have always been wonderful and worn with pride, the Patek’s never seem to fit quiet right (I am thin, probably my fault). Currently I have ordered a DeepSea Blue which should arrive Wed., it already had 4 lengths taken out in order to fit me perfectly. Why this long build up to tell you my favorite watch for function? It is a Luminox because it keeps more accurate time than a Rolex and I can see it much better in a pitch black environment. Why do I wear a Rolex? Because I want people to see that it is a Rolex and not a much less expensive Luminox on a rubber watch band, even though the Luminox is superior in several ways.