Is it Real? How to Spot Fake Watches

Many watch enthusiasts dream of owning a luxury watch, such as a Rolex, Breitling, or Cartier watch. Unfortunately, the allure of owning a luxury watch has helped attract counterfeit watch makers, who create replica watches for unsuspecting shoppers.  

Research estimates there are more than 23 million watches in the U.S. market alone. At least half of these were fake Rolex watches. And almost 10% of Americans have been conned by a replica watch.

At Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago, we often receive generous donations of watches and other jewelry items. When we sell these items, funds help support our mission: Connecting people to work. Preparing people for life.

Unfortunately, most of the donated watches are knock-off watches. Before we sell a luxury timepiece in one of our Goodwill online shops, we carefully inspect each watch to ensure we are describing it realistically. Whether you shop on ShopGoodwill, or any other Goodwill online shop, it is important to us that you understand what you are buying. Here’s some of what we look for when we evaluate fake vs real watches.

How to spot replica watches

Automatic movement vs battery powered

Many luxury watch brands use automatic movement. This means that the watch is powered by the movement of your wrist. Watches with automatic movement do not need batteries. When trying to determine a fake vs real Rolex, start by looking to see if there is a battery compartment on the watch. Although Rolex used to make a battery-powered watch, the Oysterquartz, production of this watch was discontinued in 2001. If you see a battery compartment, it’s probably a fake Rolex.

Look for discoloration

One of the obvious signs you are looking at a replica watch is if you see the gold color chipping off “gold” accents or other spots of discolored metal. Real luxury watches are made with high quality materials that retain their beauty for years, despite wear and tear. 

Flip it over

Look at the back of the watch. There are a few things that make it obvious the watches in the photos below are fake Cartier, Breitling and Chanel watches. 

Fake Cartier examples

In this photo, the screws are just engraved. Real Cartier watches use screws to hold the back on the watch. If you look in the upper right corner, you can even see the spot where a tool can be inserted to pop the back off for battery replacement. This is a fake Cartier watch. 

In this photo, although the watch has screws on the back, the screws are placed too deeply in the metal. On a real Cartier watch, the screws will be perfectly flat to the back of the watch. This is also a fake Cartier watch.

Fake Rolex example

In the photo below, the back of this Rolex is missing important information, including the serial number.

Even if you see a serial number, you should look it up. We sometimes see fake serial numbers engraved on the back of replica Rolex watches. 

Is the letter spacing perfect? 

In the fake Breitling watch below, the letters engraved on the back do not line up perfectly and the spacing between letters is incorrect. The letter spacing and alignment should be perfect on a real luxury watch. 

Is the crystal scratched?

Luxury watchmakers use a sapphire crystal instead of glass. Sapphire crystal is the second hardest gemstone and is resistant to scratching. If the crystal is scratched, it’s likely you are looking at a knock off watch.  

Look at the band

Most luxury watches have metal bands that are well connected with a high-quality locking mechanism. These bands cannot be opened to lay flat. Some luxury watches will have leather bands, although this is less common. If you see a leather band, be sure to look at the stitching, It should be perfectly even. For Cartier watches, you will see a Cartier imprint on the band. Some Cartier watches also have the serial number imprinted on the inside of the band. 

When you visit a Goodwill online shop, you can be confident that the items you see are described as accurately as possible. Whether you visit ShopGoodwill, you’ll find that when it comes to generously donated Goodwill jewelry, you get what you pay for. And you can feel good knowing that your purchase helps fund job training and placement programs for people in and around your community.