Besides the tool for showing time, watches are often considered as statement pieces. So, you might want to get a luxury watch for your next important event. But before you do so, you need to make sure that the watch you are buying is genuine. These days, the market is flooded with counterfeit watches, which is why watch authentication is more important than ever.
Most of these luxury watches are not obtainable directly from the Authorized Dealers unless you have a profile with them. So, people often look towards the secondary market in order to make their purchases. In the excitement of getting their hands on a new watch, what most people forget to do is check the watch properly.
Here’s what you can do make sure that the watch you are buying is original and not a fake.
These expensive watches usually come with a proper box and an authenticity certificate from the brand itself. For example, a Rolex comes with a Green Rolex Warranty Card whereas a Richard Mille or a Patek Philippe comes with a certificate paper. Whenever you are buying a watch, make sure you are getting it with a box and paper. Also, don’t forget that the serial number on the watch should match the one on the certificate.
Yes, without papers you can often get a sweet deal but at the cost of potentially getting yourself a counterfeit product.
One of the most important things to check is the weight of the watch. This can be especially helpful when buying a watch made of gold. Gold watches are supposed to weigh heavier. If the watch feels lightweight, it is a gold-plated watch and not actually made of gold.
Imagine attending an exclusive watch event like Dubai Watch Week, only to have someone point out that your watch is a counterfeit. The embarrassment could be overwhelming. So, instead of just checking the watch by yourself, you should seek the help of experts. Get the watch checked by an experienced watchmaker, who can also check the movement of the watch properly. As an added bonus, he can even tell you better about the condition of the watch.
You can ask the seller to meet you at the service center and get the watch checked before you go ahead and pay for the watch.
It is a saying that you should buy the seller first. If you think the seller is trying to rush things or he just agreed to any price you threw at him, that might be a red flag. There are several red flags in a seller that one can sense. No matter how good the deal sounds to be. If you are not able to trust the seller, there is no point in even taking the communication any further from there.
Over the past few years, these counterfeiters have become really good at what they do. This makes the secondary market an even scarier place. It is just hard to tell the difference between a good fake and a real watch anymore. So, it is always better to spend 500-600 AED and get the watch checked by professionals before buying. Ignoring watch authentication can cost you thousands or even millions of dollars. Hence, be careful and always authenticate a watch before buying.
