Counterfeit
Also called fake watch, replica watch
A counterfeit is a watch made to imitate a genuine branded watch and passed off as, or mistaken for, the real thing.
Quality varies enormously, and the best fakes can be convincing from the outside, which is why dealers check details such as the movement, engravings, printing, and weight, and why authentication matters.
Buying or selling counterfeits as genuine carries legal as well as financial risk. If a watch is fake, don't buy it, whatever the price.
Knowing where you bought a watch and from whom, recorded at intake, is also your best protection if a watch you sold in good faith is later questioned.
Related terms
Where this comes up
Pages on this site that use the term.
- Importing watches: duty, the marking rule, and what CBP seizesCompliance guide
- Checking watch papers and service historyArticle
- Selling a watch to a buyer in personArticle
- Selling watches on Facebook MarketplaceArticle
- Spotting a fake watch before you buyArticle
- Surviving a marketplace account suspensionArticle
Learn the trade, not just the word
Plain-English guides to buying, pricing and selling watches as a business. Free, and written to be used at the counter.