Watch Buying Guide: How to spot a fake luxury watch (2024)

The first sign is to look at the weight of the watch. Genuine timepieces are made of solid materials and come with precious metals and stainless steel quality, which weigh more than the components and the inferior metals used to construct a counterfeit watch. A fake will surely feel light and watchmakers often weigh a suspected fake primarily to check its authenticity.

The overall finishing of an original would achieve a state-of-the-art factory. Luxury watches process their finished products and components of their watches in-house, from machining, assembling, and casting of the watch, the finishing of their timepieces is a prime thing to notice. The investment and detailed attention to detail should result in a flawless finish game with a genuine timepiece. If your watch is lagging in some things, then it is a fake.

If the watch dial looks a little hazy through the face, then it is a fake. Lower-quality glass or mineral crystal will not give you perfection. They can be easily scratched as genuine high-end watches use sapphire crystal which is durable and scratch-resistant. Also, look at the date window as original manufacturers specify a certain date which is easily legible, but fakes have weaker magnification with small digits to witness.

If the movement of your second and minute hands is a little sleuthing then understand that it is a fake as luxury watch brands are known for their smooth movement rush and have intricate internal mechanics that make the watch work smoothly and look classic. The more expensive the more complicated the design and development, but if you’re struggling with the movement then understand that you have a replica.

The dials, printing, and lettering of the watch should have a striking and fine chord. If it has a poor reproduction with the dial being big with extremely small letters and digits, then it is a fake watch. Focus on the printing of the company’s name with no smudging or unusual things, if you notice a slight change then understand that it is a fake.

People never check the serial number which is important as it should be the first step to check the authenticity as every watch is unique because of its serial numbers. You can Google it and check the serial number placement and listing of the watch. If you find the same serial number then it is likely to be a fake, as replicas are produced in batches. Thus, by doing this you can save yourself from counterfeits.