Watch for Black Market Watches

Some products are known to have a thriving black or gray market. Due to a combination of their appeal and size, watches have both.

Luxury watches are many things to those who love and appreciate timepieces. They are a status symbol, a hobby, an investment. For watch aficionados, luxury watches can reflect who they are, their success, and their style.

But luxury watches are expensive, and watch-lovers dream of a real luxury watch that they cannot afford. What they have access to, all too easily, are discounted watches and replicas on numerous websites and online platforms.

The scale of the fake watches problem

 Luxury watches are expensive. The price tag is part of the reason why people look for replicas. In 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized counterfeit goods estimated at over $1.5 billion if they were real. Watches and jewelry accounted for 15 percent of the seized goods, and 44 percent (!) of the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods. These numbers speak to their popularity and reflect the size of the problem.

 

Hard-to-spot replica watches

High-end replica watches have become increasingly harder to spot even by experts. “Superfakes”, as they are often referred to, are becoming more expensive even though their prices are very affordable in comparison to the prices of the watches they imitate (unless they are sold as authentic items). Many of the fake watches that look like the real thing are only detectable by an expert who checks the watch carefully.

Experts look at different elements of the watch, starting with the box and warranty. Then they examine the outside surfaces and their look and quality before trying to check inside the watch. Experts will consider materials, weight, engravings, sound, and movements.

Rolex, for example, almost always has a mechanical mechanism in which the motion of the wrist winds the complex inner mechanical components of the watch, making the second hand tick more smoothly. Quartz-movement watches, on the other hand, have a quartz crystal and are usually powered by a battery. Movement is at the heart of watches in terms of functionality and appearance, and watch enthusiasts look for the complexity, intricacy, craftsmanship, and engineering that come with mechanical movement.

Fakes usually try to imitate popular new watches on the market, although there are also counterfeits of vintage watches. Making a “superfake” is not an easy task. Counterfeiters usually choose a popular yet simple design that is easier to imitate. When the counterfeiters have the required knowledge and equipment to create a well-made fake, they can make so much more money compared to selling an easy-to-spot fake.

 

 

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How to avoid fake luxury watches

The truth remains: counterfeit watches are not of the same quality as real luxury watches, even when they are high-quality replicas.  Watch buyers need to know that when they invest in a timepiece, they own an authentic product.

There is no doubt that fake watches flood the markets, both offline and online. Online, websites dedicated to replicas usually let consumers understand that this is what they are buying. Still, the concern remains for consumers to purchase a fake watch for a premium price without knowing they do not have the authentic one. Consumer confidence erodes.

If you are looking for an authentic watch, shop from the right seller. A reputable authorized retailer or store inspires confidence in the authenticity of your watch. Online sellers are no different. Some are reputable, others sell illegal replicas but do not attempt to mislead buyers, while some sell counterfeit watches as real for maximum prices. Online marketplaces, such as eBay, act as intermediaries, allowing sellers to offer numerous watches for sale on their platform without verifying their authenticity.

To avoid fakes, remember: when the price is too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Luxury brands do offer sales, but not sales that devalue their timepieces. In other words, it is safe to say that they do not offer discounts of 50% and more off their regular retail price.

 

Watch intellectual property

Watchmakers utilize intellectual property protection when available. Since a patent on a whole watch is too broad, watchmakers apply for more specific patents. They can patent the design of the watch or of specific components. Watchmakers can also apply for design patents on ornamental design elements that are nonfunctional.

Watchmakers have trademark protection on their names – like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier, and model names – like Submariner or Weekender. Trademark law also protects logos and symbols. Trademark protection can be broader, called a trade dress, which includes the design or packaging of a watch, if the design has no functional use or competitive advantage.

 

Homage watches

Other than the above IP protections, many elements in a watch can be copied legally. As a result, a replica watch that imitates a luxury watch but has no name or logo can be legal. Such replica is usually referred to as an “homage”.

Often homage watches are created after historic designs, especially when the genuine vintage watches are rare and difficult to buy. Homage watches can be priced higher than counterfeits, but this does not mean that they are not inexpensive watches with a high price tag.

 

Vintage watches

Vintage watches can be valuable and unique timepieces. They have history and quality. Vintage watches are harder to find with their provenance, but the recorded ownership of every particular watch is valuable (as long as it is not forged as well).

Some vintage genuine watches have been altered to look like a rarer or a more valuable model. Others had parts replaced for generic parts. Or maybe the vintage is simply a modern fake. Whatever it is, make sure that what you are buying is what it claims to be.

 

Gray market watches

Gray market watches are authentic watches that are sold in an unauthorized way, typically out of territory. They are different from black market watches because they are authentic watches.

Wiser watch

Online sellers make luxury watches available to people everywhere, but online platforms also have replicas alongside authentic products, making the replicas easily available and hard to spot.

Luxury timepieces are much more than their ability to tell time, and “superfakes” can damage the reputation and trust of consumers in the luxury brand.

As an anti-counterfeit agency, at Wiser Market we work to eliminate the online sale of counterfeits for our clients. There are different ways to curb the sale of black market and even gray market watches, and we can help you with strategy and custom-tailored solutions.

Our anti-counterfeit solutions combine innovative technology with team expertise to deliver end-to-end services, working proactively to enforce your IP rights with unrivaled results.

With Wiser Market, your brand will have an advanced and comprehensive intellectual property protection that guards its value and reputation.

 

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FAQ

What is black market watch?

Black market wristwatches are fakes or stolen, making them illegal to manufacture and sell.

 

How to know if a watch is fake?

It is often hard to spot a fake luxury watch, and the best way to avoid fakes is to buy from a reputable source.

 

What are the tells of a fake watch?

When experts need to determine if a watch is real or fake, they look at many different elements, including:

• Materials – what is the watch made of and the quality of each part, down to the brushing of the metal
• Weight – does the weight match the weight of the genuine watch
• Engravings – the quality of the engravings outside and inside the watch
• Sound – the sound made by the watch
• Movements – especially the movement of the second hand
• Serial numbers – numbers used by some authentic brands to authenticate watches (but fakes add them as well)

 

What are the most faked luxury watches?

Some brands are faked more than others, with Rolex probably the most counterfeited brand. Breitling and Omega are also high on the list of faked brands as well as other luxury brands.