Our watch experts have authenticated thousands of timepieces across every major luxury brand. From the iconic Rolex Submariner and Datejust to the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the counterfeit market is sophisticated and growing. These guides break down exactly what separates a genuine movement from a replica — covering case finishing, dial printing, movement behavior, serial engravings, and more. Whether you are buying pre-owned on Chrono24, WatchBox, or from a private seller, our authentication resources give you the knowledge to shop with confidence.
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Turnaround
14 guides — updated regularly by our experts
A brand-wide walkthrough for any Omega — Seamaster, Speedmaster, Constellation, De Ville — from the co-axial sweep and crystal logo etch to the movement serial and caseback.
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A brand-wide walkthrough for any Hublot — Big Bang, Classic Fusion, Spirit of Big Bang — from the H-screw alignment and HUB movement to the ceramic weight and caseback numbers.
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A brand-wide walkthrough for any Patek Philippe — Nautilus, Aquanaut, Calatrava — from movement finishing and the Patek Seal to the applied logo, the numbers, and the Archive Extract.
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The Carrera is the most-copied TAG Heuer, and modern fakes get the dial close. The chronograph reset, the caseback engraving, the movement, and the weight are where they still break.
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The Navitimer's slide-rule bezel gives fakes a hundred tiny numbers to get wrong. The bezel print, the chronograph reset, the caseback serial, and the movement are the decisive checks.
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The Portugieser's clean dial leaves fakes nowhere to hide a bad font. The seconds-marker ticks, the dial printing, the caseback serial, and the movement are the decisive checks.
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Pre-2010 Rolex serials decode to a year; post-2010 serials are randomised and can't be dated. Where to find yours, the full prefix table, and the engraving quality that matters more.
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The Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch sold out instantly and resale demand made it one of the most counterfeited Bioceramic watches going. How to tell a real one from a replica.
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Spot a fake AP x Swatch Royal Pop in minutes: the Bioceramic case, bezel screws, dial print, movement, and packaging tells that replicas still get wrong.
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Richard Mille is among the most expensive watches ever made — and among the most faked. Case construction, movement finishing, and crown tube are where fakes fail.
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The Omega Seamaster is one of the most counterfeited Swiss watches after the Submariner. The helium escape valve, wave-pattern dial, and movement rotor — every check experts run.
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The Patek Nautilus 5711 trades above $150,000 secondhand. The porthole case proportions, embossed dial, integrated bracelet, and movement finishing that separate real from super-clone.
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The AP Royal Oak is holy-trinity grade and one of the most faked. The eight-screw bezel-slot orientation, Grande Tapisserie dial, and movement finishing — every authentication check.
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Learn the essential techniques experts use to authenticate Rolex watches, from movement inspection to serial number verification.
Read GuideSkip the guesswork. Our certified experts provide fast, reliable authentication with a written verdict — typically in 2–24 hours. Trusted by 100,000+ collectors worldwide.