There’s something about vintage watches that draws us in. Perhaps it’s because of the history behind them or perhaps it’s just their timeless, elegant look. Whatever the reason, vintage watches have become a huge trend among watch aficionados in recent years. But what does this trend mean for the average person? Is it safe to buy vintage watches as opposed to new ones? This article will explore this topic and help you spot a fake vintage watch so you don’t get burned by someone selling fakes under the pretence of being an authentic piece.
What is a Vintage Watch?
Vintage watches are older than 50 years. They usually fall into two categories: pre-war and post-war. Pre-war watches were made before the Second World War, while post-war watches were produced after the war. The design and construction of vintage watches are often different from newer watches.
This is true both in terms of the materials used and the manufacturing processes. Pre-war vintage watches were often made out of gold and rose gold with a movement made of either Swiss or Japanese movements. Post-war vintage watches are generally made of stainless steel with a quartz movement.
Fake vs. Real – How to Spot a Fake Watch
These days, it’s not uncommon to come across the word “fake” when it comes to watches. It’s important to be able to distinguish between a fake watch and a real one. Here are a few tips to help you out.

- Real – The dial may be faded and scratched, the hands may be worn down, and the case may be scratched up. The most important thing, though, is that the movement inside the watch is authentic and works.
- Fake – The dial may be brand new and shiny, the hands and the case may be faded, and the movement inside the watch may be replaced with a cheap movement.
Learn to Interpret the Date
One easy way to spot a fake watch is by paying attention to the date on the dial. Real vintage watches often have a faded or lightly scratched date dial. But if the date on a fake watch isn’t faded or scratched, you probably have a fake watch. In addition, the dial of a fake watch might be dirty or scuffed up. This can be an easy way to distinguish between fake and real watches.
Fake Movements and Bands Are Easy to Spot
The movement in a vintage watch is what makes it tick. It’s what makes it work. So how easy is it to spot a fake movement? Well, if a vintage watch is advertised as being Swiss Made, then you can rest assured the movement is probably authentic Swiss.
If, however, the movement is some other country’s movement, then it’s most likely a replica. So what are some ways to tell if the movement in a watch is fake?

- The movement inside the watch may not be covered by a movement cover.
- The movement may be decorated with stickers or markings that indicate its country of origin, such as the Swiss movement.
- The movement may be a copy.
Know the fake watch signs
When you want to know if a vintage watch is fake, there are a few key things you should look out for. The first is the quality of the watch. Make sure it’s not a low-quality replica. It won’t have the same feel as a high-end watch, and the second thing you should look out for is the serial number.
It’s not uncommon for replica watches to have fake serial numbers, but it’s fairly easy to tell if it doesn’t match up. Finally, the box the watch comes in is an easy way to tell if a vintage watch is fake. If the watch is in a box that feels too good to be true, it probably is.
The quality isn’t right
A cheap watch will be surprisingly light and feel a bit plastic-y in your hand. That’s not to say a fake vintage watch will be heavy, but if it’s too light it’ll feel fake. More importantly, if it’s too light, it’ll feel like it’s going to fall apart. It’s not a serious issue, but it is something you should be aware of.
A better way to check if the quality of the watch is right is to look at the movement inside. A cheap watch will almost certainly not have a Swiss movement inside, just like a fake vintage watch will almost certainly not have any markings or markings to indicate the watch has any real history attached to it.
The serial number doesn’t match up
A fake vintage watch is almost always going to have a serial number that doesn’t match up with the watch’s markings. If you look at the serial number on the watch you’re looking at and compare it to the markings on the watch, you can usually tell if the serial number is fake.
If the serial number doesn’t match up, it’s almost always fake. It can be tricky when a serial number has been painted over, but the markings are still visible. If you can still see the old markings, you can usually tell if the serial number is real or fake.
The box is too good to be true
It’s fairly easy to spot a fake watch with a fake box. A fake watch that comes in an authentic-looking box is almost always fake. It’s not a major sign, but it can make you feel a lot better about a deal if you have a deal that comes in an authentic-looking box.
What’s in a box isn’t always what’s on the outside of the box. That’s not to say the outside of the box has nothing to do with the watch, but the outside of the box is often just an indication of who made the watch and where it was made.
It’s been painted or plated
Another easy way to spot a fake watch is by looking at the clasp. A real vintage watch will almost always have a metal clasp, while a cheap replica will almost always have a plastic clasp.
It’s not a serious sign, but it’s something you should be aware of. Vintage watches are often painted and plated with real metal, not paint and plastic. It’s difficult to tell when the watch has been repainted, but it’s almost certainly fake if the watch has been plated or painted.
Ask for an authenticity guarantee
Real vintage watches are almost always accompanied by an authenticity guarantee. This means you can’t sell the watch on eBay if you sell it, you have to give it back to the company that made the original.
While it’s fairly easy to spot a fake watch with no guarantee, it’s much more difficult to tell a fake watch with an authenticity guarantee. It’s worth asking for a guarantee before you buy so you know that there’s a guarantee on the watch you’re getting.
Stay vigilant and you’ll be able to spot a fake
With a bit of effort, it’s relatively easy to spot a fake vintage watch. With a bit of patience, it’s also fairly easy to spot a fake watch. If you follow these steps, you can easily spot a fake vintage watch and avoid falling victim to replica watches and cheap imitations of expensive brands.
Avoid buying watches online if you can. Good-quality watches are almost always cheaper in-store, and you’re more likely to spot a fake watch in-store than online. Inspect the watch carefully and try to see if you can spot any signs of being a replica or fake. If you can’t, don’t buy the watch.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking to add a piece of history to your wrist or you just want a unique watch, vintage watches are a great choice. But if you’re not careful, you could end up with a fake vintage watch. It’s important to know how to spot a fake vintage watch so you don’t get burned.
Truth be told, buying older watches is something we all do from time to time. So, as long as you do a little research and keep your guard up, you should be fine. If you’re still in the mindset of buying a fake, however, you should probably rethink things. It’s important to protect yourself from getting scammed.
Vintage watches are the most popular type of fake watch for a reason. They are beautiful, stylish, and have a nostalgic feeling to them. It is relatively easy to make a fake watch look like a vintage watch. While vintage watches are real watches, they are produced in recent years, so they are not as accurate as true vintage watches. Thus, it is important to examine these watches closely and try to find out if they are real or fake.