This is an article that teaches you how to distinguish the quality of replica watches. I have been in the watch circle for many years and am also an experienced player. The following are all my personal insights. If there are any incorrect parts, watch enthusiasts can also point them out. The following is also a relatively systematic QC inspection method. It is hoped that this article can also be of help to beginners, enabling them to better purchase their favorite wristwatches based on their actual needs and make wiser choices when buying.
Why is professional QC identification needed?
The scale of the replica market is very large, and it is still expanding. There is no unified quality standard and supervision system, which leads to great differences in the quality of products. The differences made by different factories may be close or large, whether in appearance or the practical performance of the movement. When buying watches, you must choose a store with a good reputation to avoid buying inferior products. In order to reduce costs, some merchants use inferior materials and rough techniques. At most, they can only achieve similar appearance, but they can’t look closely and the quality is very low. Don’t be brainwashed by false propaganda. I found that many people will be brainwashed by this sugar-coated cannonball when they first enter the circle of playing watches, and eventually buy inferior watches. Most businesses will exaggerate the performance and quality of their products, and at this time it will be verified by many parties. Why do you have to choose a trustworthy merchant? It is because many replica watches don’t have a perfect after-sales system. Even if you buy a watch with poor quality, it is very difficult to protect your rights. Therefore, it is very important to do your homework first and avoid such things.
Quality grading of replica watches
The price varies depending on the degree of restoration and is mainly divided into three grades:
The most common counterfeit watches: This type of product is the most common in the market. Judging from the workmanship, the appearance and the details of the dial only imitate the genuine product, without reaching the essence. The dial size may not be consistent with the original version, and the small details such as engraving are rather blurry, and some are even absent. The materials used for the case, strap and crystal are all relatively common. Generally, ordinary stainless steel or aluminum alloy is adopted. The strap is usually made of artificial leather, which is a relatively low-cost material. The movements are not well-known ones either. They are all from small factories. The polishing is rather casual. When you take them apart, they are all fake at first glance and reveal the truth at the same time. Overall, it can only be said that there is no problem with daily use, but after a long time, issues such as stability will arise. How long you can use it depends on the merchant’s conscience.
Fine imitation: This is considered a medium level. For this grade of replica watches, it is still possible to find corresponding styles to the genuine ones. However, some manufacturers will modify them, and it is not entirely possible to find the corresponding styles. The movements used in the movement are also of good quality, featuring Seagull and Shanghai movements, and some also use Dandong movements. The quality of the movements is generally not a major issue. As for whether it corresponds to the genuine style, that depends on one’s personal acceptance level. The material is also quite good. At least stainless steel and genuine leather will still be used. In terms of cost performance, it is relatively high.
Top-tier version: If you want to get a high-quality replica watch, you should choose a well-known brand and a large factory. The technology is relatively mature and the quality is also very high. Most of them are molded according to the genuine products, and the appearance is very exquisite. All the movements are Dandong movements or super clone movements. A small number of them are imported Swiss movements based on consumers’ demands, and there are also genuine tourbillon movements. Although the quality is high, the styles are not very rich. It all depends on whether there is a style you like.
Key points of QC inspection
The inspection of appearance details is extremely important and is also one of the most intuitive methods to judge the quality of replica watches. The standard for a high-quality watch case is that the edges are smooth and free of burrs, and the polishing is uniform and consistent. You can touch the edges of the watch case with your hand to feel if they are flat or have burrs, and observe under normal light whether the polishing is uniform. Also, whether the surface treatment process is consistent with the genuine product, such as sandblasting, brushing, polishing, etc. In terms of dial printing, high-quality dials have clear font printing without any blurring, uniform scales, and no significant color deviation. You can use a magnifying glass to examine the details of the font to see if it is clear. Compare it with the genuine product picture to check if the shape and size of the font are the same. You can also take a look at the printing process. High-quality wristwatches generally use oil pressure technology, which has a relatively strong three-dimensional effect. The method to identify high-quality watch crystals is to gently tap the surface of the crystal with your finger. Sapphire crystal glass watches will produce a clear sound. If it is a Rolex, you can check if there is a brand anti-counterfeiting mark at the 6 o ‘clock position. Checking the pointer and scale is to see if the shape and length are consistent with the genuine product and if there are any burrs or the like. Another point is whether the font details are properly handled. Checking the appearance details is roughly these. There are also weight and feel. Top-quality replica watches all have a sense of weight, but except for lightweight carbon fiber watches, those that are light and airy are generally of lower quality.
Quality assessment of the movement
This is the core of a wristwatch. High-quality replica watches all use well-known movements such as Dandong movements or Swiss movements, as well as super cloned movements. When looking at it, you can check if the movement markings are clear and if there are any blurriness or forgery. First, learn about the movement model used in the genuine product and compare it with the pictures of the genuine movement to see if the layout of the parts is the same. Take a look at the polishing patterns on the movement and see how the polishing process is. The most important thing is to test the accuracy of timekeeping. A high-quality movement has a daily error of within ±5 seconds, with stable timekeeping and no obvious fluctuations. When winding it, feel if it runs smoothly. Check if all the functions are truly usable, such as calendar, timer, moon phase, etc., and examine the feel of the buttons.
Other identification methods
Top-grade replica watches are usually equipped with exquisite packaging boxes, and the brand logo is clear. Some big manufacturers also have anti-counterfeiting labels and instruction warranty cards. Although they are not official, the printing quality is high. Delivery timeliness is also very important. Logistics information is updated in time, so we can grasp the order status in real time, and some merchants delay delivery due to inventory and holidays, which also needs us to know. Price judgment, it’s all a penny. After-sales should be guaranteed. In short, it is necessary to comprehensively consider various aspects. There is no single judgment standard, and it is necessary to make an accurate judgment through comprehensive inspection. These are all about constantly learning and accumulating experience to improve your ability to distinguish. Continue to pay attention to industry trends and learn new identification skills.