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How to spot a fake watch
After days of searching, the "Holy Grail" appears. You've finally discovered the timepiece you've been searching for. You won't have to make any compromises with this watch. The online store appears to be professional and trustworthy; everything is written in your native language, and all major credit cards are accepted. You feel impelled to do the purges. However, keep in mind that "if it appears too good to be true," it most likely is! Selling fake timepieces is a popular way for people to make quick money nowadays. Many fakes are so well-made that even specialists have trouble distinguishing them from the real thing.
If you purchase your watch in a traditional shop, the chances of getting scammed are slim. It's a different story online and auctions. You can make fantastic bargains, but you can also be scammed. Thousands upon thousands of sophisticated fake watches are available nowadays. To help you avoid being one of the thousands of people who are scammed into buying a fake branded watch every year, we've compiled a list of 9 items to look into.
We would like to point out, that if you want to be sure not to bring a fake watch home with you, you should buy it from a store authorized for that brand. This always includes correct warranties and certificates.
Don't forget "if it appears too good to be true."
9 step to spot a fake watch:
In addition to the most obvious to ask an authorized watch store to verify the authenticity of the watch, there are some things that you can investigate yourself to reveal whether a watch is genuine or fake.
1. The serial number
The safest but also the most time-consuming way to ensure the authenticity of a watch is to verify the serial number by an authorized dealer (for about 100$), through the manufacturer or with the help of an expert. However, not all watch brands use serial numbers or other verification texts or stamps.
2. Spelling mistakes
This is perhaps the most common way to reveal a fake watch. May counterfeiters don't take the time to secure the most obvious things. Carefully examine all written text for spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Compare with pictures from the official website of the watch brand.
3. The packaging
The packaging and the watch box are something many counterfeiters don’t care about in their search for quick money. At the same time, the buyer is often so focused on the watch itself that one forgets to examine the quality and details of the packaging. Often you can find errors such as poor fit, carelessly glued joints, inertia in gaps and drawers, spelling mistakes and poorly stamped or painted details that clearly reveal the fake watch.
4. The logo
Like the spelling, you can also find mistakes made by the counterfeiters on the logo's text, appearance and location. Asymmetrically placed logo and other details often reveal a fake watch. Examine whether logos are disproportionately designed in relation to symbols and texts, and whether colors bleed out or lines are blurred.
5. The quality of buckle/clasp and links
This is another great way to ensure the authenticity of a watch. Many counterfeit watches show signs of degrees (edges) from manufacturing, gaps or parts that are loose. Feel the joints, links, and buckles to find deviations on fit and design. A branded watch has no flaws in these details. Everything should fit and work perfectly. There should be no trace of production processes or the like. Many branded watches stamp their logo on the buckle or bracelet, examine whether your watch has such a stamp and whether it matches official photos from the manufacturer.
6. The weight
The weight reveals more than you might think. A genuine high quality brand watch is made of good material. It is difficult for a counterfeiter to reproduce the exact same weight as a genuine watch. By holding a metal watch in your hand, in some cases you can determine, or at least guess whether it is fake or not. Good quality in the steel and a solid case gives a feeling of weight. The weight can thus be a good indicator of the authenticity of the watch. You can weigh your watch and compare with the manufacturer's specifications.
7. The inside
A genuine watch should be handled carefully and with care, both externally and internally. By opening the watch and examining the condition of the inside, you can get many clues as to whether it is real or fake. In fake watches you can often see fingerprints, dust or other traces and remnants of human handling. Which you never see in a genuine watch that has been handled in a professional way.
8. Luminescent
Do the luminous details shine in the dark? Verifying whether your watch is supposed to have lumazine or more accurate fluorescent hands and indexes can sometimes be a determining factor in revealing a false watch. Few counterfeiters spend time and money on this extra accuracy. Hold the watch against a lamp for a few minutes and then examine the fluorescence in a dark room.
9. The sound
Finally, we have the pulse of the watch. A genuine high-quality brand watch has a movement that is smooths and soundless. Put the back of the watch against your ear and listen carefully. Does it sound like a thresher, or do you hear an even and harmonious spinning or ticking? Let the sound reveal the counterfeiters.
