Your Guide to the Real Omega, Rolex and Cartier

Designer watches are luxury products that make for great gifts, be it for a loved one or yourself. Before you invest in a designer watch, you need to know how to tell the difference between genuine designer watches from millions of fake ones out there. Here¿s your handy guide.
 

How to spot Fake Omega Watches

Genuine Omega watches have the following key features:

• The loops on the 6 and 9 are slightly open.
• There will be no outline or border around the date window.
• The second hand will have an arrow and the crown guard will have a polygonal shape; it won¿t be a semi round ¿C¿ shape.
• The luminous dots on the watch dial will be perfectly round.
• The interior movement will be stamped with a serial number.
• The word ¿Waterproof¿ will be engraved on the back of the casing and the ¿A¿ will have a flat top, not a pointy one.

How to Spot Fake Rolex Watches

Genuine Rolex watches have the following key features:

• The hour markers and all three hands will be of the same colour as the watch casing. So for a gold Rolex, the hour, minute and second hand will be gold.
• The bezel will match the colour of the dial and the sides of the watch casing will have a flawless mirror polish.
• Serial numbers (next to the 6 o¿clock position) will have 4-5 digits and will be engraved. Reference numbers (next to the 12 o¿clock) will also be engraved.
• The second hand will have a smooth sweeping movement; it won¿t tick.
• The bottom of the dial will be stainless steel (not glass) and absolutely plain, with no engravings or logos.
• The back of the watch case will have a 3D hologram-encoded sticker.

How to Spot Fake Cartier Watches

Genuine Cartier watches have the following key features:

• The watch will be rather hefty and not flimsy or delicate.
• A serial number will be engraved in a deep and sleek manner at the back or side of the watch.
• The crown of the watch will have a tiny blue cabochon stone in it (not glued).
• The interior movement of the watch will have "Cartier" inscribed on it.
• A droplet of water will roll off the scratch-proof sapphire-like glass face on a real Cartier watch; on fakes, the water drop will smear.

Overall, if a luxury watch looks shabby or feels cheap, it is a counterfeit. Authentic designer watches are like fine jewellery: they feel luxurious and look elegant. They also won¿t have any spelling errors or design irregularities, and won¿t come in cheap packaging.