Replicas of famous watch brands are not uncommon. They are often tried to pass off as the original, overestimating their value several times. You can distinguish an expensive original from a fake by carefully examining a future purchase.
Types of fakes
Fake watches can be of different quality, which is reflected not only in their appearance, but also in their cost. Conventionally, copies are divided into three categories:
- Simple, crude forgeries. They differ in low-quality performance, you can identify a fake almost immediately. Often, an accessory has a painted dial or non-working hands. You can buy them in ordinary kiosks for a small cost.
- Class AA. Fake is more often sold in online stores. The product has a great similarity with the original, but is not of high quality, since cheap materials are used in the production.
- AAA class. It's not easy to tell by appearance. Only a detailed inspection of the mechanism helps to distinguish from the original. The duplicates may even have gems as decoration. But the quality of the accessory is much lower than that of the branded ones.
Sometimes it's not easy to spot a fake. This will require a thorough inspection and verification of all barcodes for originality.
What are replica watches
The answer to the question of what a replica watch is is quite simple. Many believe. That it's a cheap, obscure fake.
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Unlike a fake, a replica is of higher quality. Many companies use high-quality materials in production, so copies are in great demand.
Branded prices are often overpriced due to the popularity of the company itself.
Therefore, many prefer to purchase high quality replicas.
How to determine the originality of the watch
The question of how to distinguish the original from a fake is asked by many. This can be done easily by paying attention to a few details.
Simple steps to check the originality of the watch:
| Examination | Original | Fake |
| Consider the inscriptions on the case and dial | All inscriptions and designations on the dial and watch case must be done accurately | Brand designation, logo and other markings usually make it worse: the paint is applied carelessly, there are no clear lines |
| Examine the body material | 316L stainless steel for classic watches and polymer for sports watches | Poor quality material, "flavor" of a fake case |
| touch the strap | The absence of marriage on the leather strap, notches, bumps, scratches and "bubbles" from the coating - on the metal | The stitching may be uneven, with protruding threads and knots |
| Assess the quality of glass | Luxury and premium brands use sapphire glass, often with an anti-reflective coating | The dial is covered with a plastic imitation glass |
| Examine the back of the watch | The back cover will be engraved with the brand logo and the article, which is also a reference - the name of the model in the form of letters and numbers, as it should be on the tag. The country of assembly, type or specific caliber of the movement will also be indicated. | The back cover contains a minimum of information |
| Check mechanism functionality | All functions and watch mechanisms declared by the manufacturer work | In fakes, additional features are often shams and do not really work, but simply serve to decorate. |
Package
The packaging of luxury brands is always beautiful and made of expensive materials. It should not have dents or scratches.
Often there is an inscription on the box. It can be the name of a model or a brand. Often used gold stamping.
The wrist accessory is always placed on the pad, they do not hang out in the box, but lie tightly. Signs of a fake are:
- cheap cardboard;
- glue residue;
- defects;
- uneven lines;
- the smell of cheap leatherette or plastic;
- packing asymmetry.
You need to inspect the box both from the outside and from the inside.
Tag
Many popular brands attach a tag to their products, which contains information about the company itself and other important information. Counterfeit watches are often sold without tags or have only the company name on it.
Barcode
The authenticity of the accessory is verified by a barcode. This can be done via the Internet on the official website of the manufacturer. Just enter the numbers in the field and click "check".
Documentation
Any well-known brand has documents included. Many popular brands put several small books in the box. But some manufacturers have already switched to electronic certificates. The originals of some watch models on documents have raised text, which is absent on fakes.
The warranty card is filled out neatly, with high quality. It has a serial number on it.
For fakes, it is located on the strap, the accessory itself, the tag or the clasp. An important point is the availability of addresses of service centers.
In order to protect their product and confirm its authenticity, many manufacturers use a hologram.
Equipment
The original is often distinguished by the equipment. Manufacturers of analogues and fakes often save on packaging and materials. The kit, as a rule, includes the accessory itself, a box made of expensive cardboard with high-quality fabric trim, a special cushion on which the watch is located, and documents.
Chinese copies are often sold in plain, no-frills packaging.
Logos and markings
Product labeling can tell a lot. Watches of the highest quality are already well-known, well-established markings and logos.
| Marking | Meaning |
| Made in Switzerland | Not used by brands |
| swiss made | The watch is made and fully assembled in Switzerland |
| Swiss movement | Only the movement was manufactured and assembled in Switzerland |
| Swiss Parts | All parts were made in Switzerland, but the product is assembled in another country. |
| Swiss Case | In Switzerland, only the case was made |
A replica watch often has the brand name misspelled. You can also distinguish a fake by the depth of engraving, the quality of its application.
Weight
Fakes are made from low-quality materials, which affects the mass of the product. Analogues of famous brands are also lighter in weight than the originals.
Strap
One way to easily distinguish a fake from the original is to carefully examine the strap. For branded ones, it is made of expensive leather. It feels good in the hands, smells good, and is well made.
Chinese fakes use leatherette or pressed leather. It can be identified by its characteristic, sharp unpleasant odor.
A more expensive counterpart often has a leather strap. But it will not be made with even edges, stitching, sometimes it does not differ in evenness of color.
Some accessories use a steel bracelet instead of a strap. An inexpensive product will immediately catch the eye. Leather, rubber or steel bracelets are not difficult to fake, so you should pay special attention to them. A fake can be determined even by minor defects during a detailed examination.
Glass
When checking a watch for authenticity, it is important to examine the glass as well.
Even copies made in China have sapphire.
This fact makes many people wonder. But in the eastern country, synthetic sapphire is of low cost. Therefore, it is used in the manufacture.
Original manufacturers also buy glass from Chinese factories. It is difficult to scratch, and the surface smoothness remains for a long time. Mineral is used only in the cheapest fakes, which can be identified at a glance.
Clock face
Fake Swiss watches can be identified by the dial.
A fake will give out the unevenness of the numbers, the inaccuracy of their implementation. The brand name and markings of such watches are applied with low-quality paint, carelessly and with fuzzy lines.
In the original, elements are often created in relief. It can be both recesses and bulges, depending on the manufacturer. In replicas, the effect of volume is imitated only by paint of various shades. Cheap fakes are distinguished by painted details.
Arrows
The replica watches are distinguished by fairly high-quality hands. But the original does not have the characteristic twitching of them when moving. This fact and allows you to distinguish branded watches from fakes.
Fakes often have skewed hands, which can be easily identified by turning the dial at an angle.
Back cover
Another way to check the authenticity of a watch is to inspect the case back. It has an article number and brand name engraved on it. The part number must match the one on the tag. It also contains information about the caliber of the movement and the country of assembly.
Certain models have a serial number. The cover of the original must also indicate the level of water resistance in feet, atmospheres or bars.
Analogues and fakes do not have this information or it is applied by printing.
Decorations
A careful examination of the stones is another method of how to distinguish the original from the fake. In branded watches, they are securely fixed, there are no distortions, defects, glue particles. If it is not provided by the model, the stones are arranged symmetrically to each other.
Chips, glue and other violations are a sign of a low quality fake.
Mechanism
Real watches have an unsurpassed appearance of the mechanism, they are distinguished by its highest quality, which is difficult to fake.
A copy often has functions stated in the document that do not work and serve only as a decoration. Before purchasing a product, it is important to make sure that all the declared features of the watch work.
Why You Shouldn't Buy Fake Watches
A copy of any watch on your hand is a sign of bad taste. But this is not the main thing. Such a product quickly fails, as the mechanism is made of low-quality materials. Gilding or any other coating will slip, giving out a fake in the first year. Such watches are not always accurate or do not have the functions declared in them. Proven Chinese models, made not in a handicraft way, but at a factory, may turn out to be of better quality than a more expensive fake.
An important point is also what the replica is created from. The alloy used in the manufacture of the back cover may be harmful to health. Often it consists of nickel, zinc and lead, a cheap plastic. Wearing such fake watches leads to skin irritation, redness and an allergic reaction.
Where are watches made?
Branded goods are produced not only in Switzerland. There are several countries that produce accessories of high quality:
- Switzerland. Leader in the global market. More than a hundred well-known brands.
- Japan. For example, Seiko, Casio.
- Germany. Grieb & Benzinger, Chris Benz, Bruno Sohnle and other famous brands
- United States of America. Known for such models as Fossil, Bulova, Jennifer Lopez, DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger.
- Italy. Armani, Chronotech, Cerruti, Dolce&Gabbana, Morellato, Just Cavalli, Miss Sixty, Sweet Years, Benetton, Sisley, Blumarine, Hello Kitty, Moschino, Roberto Cavalli;
- Great Britain. Dalvey, Graha.
- Russia. Seagull, Electronics, Rocket and others.
- France. Morgan.
- Denmark. Skagen.
You should not buy fakes, as they do not have the same quality as brands, they can be hazardous to health. In addition, the originals will last a long time, will not lose their appearance and will always look perfect on a male or female hand, depending on the model.
Where to buy original watches
A branded accessory can be purchased on the official website of the manufacturer or dealers. It is important to understand that such watches do not cost little money. They are often counterfeited, and cheap copies are passed off as genuine. Swiss watch replicas can be of decent quality, but they will never replace the original and will look like a cheap fake on the wrist over time. Therefore, you do not need to save on such an accessory.
You should not buy such watches in small kiosks, since it is not possible to buy a real brand there. Most often these are cheap analogues and fakes. At best, they will last only a year.
There are many ways to distinguish watches from fake ones. Before buying, it is important to pay special attention to the appearance, quality of parts, check the barcode and serial number. These measures will eliminate the risk of buying fakes at brand prices and save money.