2009-Apr-20 - How to Recognize a Replica and a Fake Watch?

As it has already been said not all watches can be called replicas. And of course not all of them are exact copies of

original watches. In some cases we deal with an open copycat which won’t serve for long. But sometimes the copy is

practically undistinguished from the original. Thus we may divide all copy-watches into three big classes by price and

quality:

1. Fakes or Superficial copies priced up to 50$

2. Good copies priced up to 200$

3. Exact copies or Replicas priced up to 700-800$ (may be decorated with diamonds of low clarity).

From the three only the last group of watches can be actually called Replicas as first two in fact deal with copies of

different quality. Now let’s examine each group separately.
  1.   Superficial copies. Such watches have many visible drawback at a close examination. Their dials are made carelessly.

Figures and indices may be slightly displaced or turned endwise. Edges of inscription may slightly “sail” – which means

that they are uneven. In some exemplars the hands at the chronograph counters are drew just as the figures. The dials of such

watches are very often made of cardboard. It’s not easy to notice at the first sight, but if some water or even steam

accidentally gets to the watch this drawback is revealed immediately.

As a rule at such watches there is no engraving at all. But sometimes you may see very roughly done inscriptions “Swiss made

” or “Made in Switzerland“. The case of such watches may have such a coating that starts to peel off as soon as you start

to wear your watch.
  The straps of superficial copies are generally made of some low quality leather-substitute. When you bend the strap there

may be fierce folds and wrinkles. The stitching is uneven and in some places you may see threads sticking out. Bracelets of

such watches feature rough punch and poor polishing of the back side.
As a rule superficial copies accommodate Chinese movements. Such a watch won’t serve for a long time. To recognize the copy

of this type is not difficult, that’s why very often they are not labeled with a famous name.
Good copies. Such copy-watches can be already compared to the original. Actually distinctions of this group of copies are

right in the insignificant deviation from the canon and, surely, in the quality and origins of the movement.

If you have seen the original watch several times, you’ll always be able to distinguish between a copy and the original by

the placement and inscription of indices. The inscriptions may be placed slightly higher or lower than it originally is. The

tint may lie unevenly or be slightly faded in some places. The shape of the hands may also be different from the original.

At the cases and bracelets a patchy stamping of inscriptions may be seen. The manufacturers of watch copies use flat stamps

for printing with curved surface That’s why the depth of the stamp is not the same. Stamps are rarely changed and with time

their edges may become obliterated. And in this case extreme letters in the inscriptions are stamped not clearly enough.

  The cases of gold copy watches of this category are usually made of gilded brass. With time the golden coat starts to peel

off but at first this drawback is difficult to detect.

As far as the movement is concerned depending on the price it may be either Chinese or Japanese or even partially Swiss. Very

often the type of the movement differs from the original: for example, while the original may have an automatic movement the

copy features a quartz one. To identify the type of movement is not difficult: in the quartz watches seconds hand moves by

leaps from point to point while in mechanical watches it flies smoothly.
Exact copies or Replicas. Such watches are practically identical to the original with the small exception of being made not

in the brand’s manufactory in  Switzerland. The process of making an exact copy of a Swiss Made watch is quite costly, that

’s why the price of such replica is generally pretty high.

The finish of replica cases usually repeats the features of the original. Those parts of the case which must be polished are

polished; those that must be filed are filed. The cases may be made of precious metals (silver, less often - gold) and even

be decorated with precious stones.
  The replicas of jewellery watches are as a rule characterized by poor fixation of precious stones. To reveal the drawbacks

of stone-setting it’s sufficient to run one’s finger over the frame with diamonds. In the original watches all stones have

the same depth of fixing-in: none of them sinks down or sticks out. The diamonds themselves in the replica watches feature

poor cut, may contain impurities and be of a greyish-yellow shade.

Labeling of replicas usually corresponds to the requirements set for the original. But there may be timepieces without a

serial or catalogue number. At the crown of such watches there may not be a relief logo of the brand.

Replica Cartier watches

. Replica Montblanc watches.

Replica Jocob&co watches .