A counterfeit watch is an unauthorised copy of a genuine watch, also called a replica. It matters because fakes are made cheaply and sold widely. Counterfeiters do not care about the quality of their materials, so a fake can irritate the skin. The Swiss watch industry federation destroys fakes around the world every year.
What is inside a fake watch?
Many counterfeits run on cheap quartz movements. Gold is another place where fakes cut corners. Most fakes of gold Rolex watches have only a thin gold plating. Some, though, do use real solid gold parts. So a watch with solid gold parts can still be a fake, and gold alone does not show that a watch is genuine.
Where are fake watches sold?
Replica watches are often sold at street stalls in tourist areas. They are also sold online, mostly on Asian websites. The Swiss watch industry federation calls the internet a major source of fakes. More than 60% of the counterfeit watches seized were sent by post. The federation has a team that monitors more than 11,000 websites selling fake watches.
Where it comes from
Forgery is not new. In the 18th century, forgers sold watches with false signatures bearing the names of famous English watchmakers. Early forgeries came from watchmakers in Augsburg and in small towns in French-speaking Switzerland. In the 19th century, Breguet watches were a frequent target. In the 1860s, as the American watch industry grew, Swiss makers turned out many imitations of Waltham watches.
Not to be confused with
A homage watch is not a counterfeit. It copies a famous design, but it does not use the brand’s trademarked names, logos or movements. That difference makes a homage legal. A counterfeit, by contrast, copies the genuine watch without permission, name and all. Buyers who like a famous design but want to stay within the law can choose a homage instead.
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