Watch Authentication: What Dealers Look At

Dealers authenticate a luxury watch in three stages: first weight, finishing and engravings, then serial number, reference and papers, checked against each other, and where necessary the movement, with the case back open. What matters is that every part belongs together. If you sell a genuine watch, this check is no risk: it is what makes the offer stand.

Counterfeits have improved. What used to give itself away through its weight or a stuttering seconds hand now takes a trained eye and sometimes opening the case. That is why reputable buyers examine every watch before paying. This guide explains, from the seller's side, what they look for. The full process from valuation to payment is covered in How to sell a watch in Switzerland.

When is a watch authenticated during a sale?

Twice. Before the offer, dealers see only your details and photos and judge whether model, reference, condition and contents add up. Photos do not replace the inspection, though.

The binding check takes place at the handover in person, with the watch in hand. This is why a reputable offer is always subject to condition, authenticity and contents matching the description.

What do dealers check without tools?

• Weight and feel. Genuine watches in steel, gold or platinum have a characteristic weight. Light watches with thick cases stand out.
• Finishing. Clean edges, even polishing, indices and hands seated exactly. Under a loupe, adhesive residue, imprecise printing or crooked luminous material become visible.
• Date and cyclops. On a Rolex the cyclops magnifies the date by roughly 2.5 times; on counterfeits the magnification is often weaker.
• Seconds hand. With a mechanical movement it advances in fine steps, almost gliding. A distinct jump once per second has to match the reference: it belongs to a quartz movement or to the rare models with a deliberate dead-beat seconds complication.
• Crown and engravings. Logos on the crown, clasp and case back have to be crisp and deeply cut.
• Precious metal hallmarks. In Switzerland, precious metal articles carry a fineness mark, such as 750 for 18-carat gold, and a responsibility mark. Precious metal watch cases sold here are also officially tested and stamped with the official hallmark, a St Bernard dog's head. A watch bought abroad may therefore be genuine without a Swiss hallmark. Older watches may carry earlier official hallmarks.

What role do the serial number and papers play?

Serial number and reference sit, depending on the brand, between the lugs, on the rehaut (the inner ring between dial and crystal) or on the case back. They must match the warranty card. Cards themselves are also forged, which is why the combination of watch, number and document is decisive, never one element on its own.

Without papers a watch can still be sold; the dealer simply examines it more closely. A purchase receipt, an insurance policy or a manufacturer's service invoice showing the serial number helps. Some manufacturers also issue archive extracts. Patek Philippe, for example, offers one for watches first sold more than ten years ago. The company checks photos of the watch against the entries in its archive registers. More on this in Selling a watch without papers.

Why does the specialist open the case?

Because the calibre, its finishing and whether the parts belong together can only be judged reliably by examining the movement. On many models that means taking off the case back. In-house calibres, the movements a brand builds itself, are unmistakable: finishing, engravings, rotor, fine regulation. A wrong movement in a genuine case, for instance after a repair using non-original parts, is not a counterfeit in the strict sense, but it clearly reduces the value.

What is a "Frankenwatch"?

This is what collectors call watches assembled from parts of different examples: a genuine case, a genuine movement, but not originally belonging together, plus a replaced dial. On vintage models it is common. Authentication therefore compares the production years of the individual components.

What happens if something does not match?

If the watch differs from the description, Uhrenkontor may adjust the offer on the spot or withdraw from the purchase. You are free to accept or decline an adjusted offer, and there is no cost to you in any case.

No reputable dealer buys a counterfeit. Swiss law prohibits making and selling fakes. Importing them into Switzerland is prohibited as well, and since 1 July 2008 this applies to private individuals too (Article 13 paragraph 2bis of the Trade Mark Protection Act); customs can detain and destroy counterfeit watches.

How should you prepare for the inspection as a seller?

1. Gather your documents: warranty card or certificate, box, purchase receipt, service invoices.
2. Disclose what you know: services, replaced parts, engravings, a second-hand purchase or one made abroad.
3. Photograph the details: dial, case back, clasp and papers.
4. Do not have the watch polished. Polishing removes metal and softens the edges the inspector looks at. Why a service before the sale rarely pays off is explained in A service before selling.

Why does the inspection protect the seller too?

Inspection at handover protects you just as much as the buyer. Anyone selling a genuine watch has nothing to fear: where the watch matches the description, the offer remains unchanged. At Uhrenkontor this is stated expressly in the offer.

The check takes place in front of you, and payment follows: in cash, by bank transfer or by Twint. Before that, over 25 partner dealers in Switzerland value your watch from its details and photos, without ever seeing your contact details. Get your watch valued free of charge.

Sources: Federal Office for Customs and Border Security FOCBS, Official controlling and hallmarking and Precious metals control; Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, What does the law say?; Trade Mark Protection Act, Article 13; Patek Philippe, FAQ: Extract from the Archives. As of October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to have my watch authenticated before selling it?

No. Uhrenkontor inspects the watch in your presence at the handover, at no cost to you. A service or an expert report beforehand is not needed for this. What helps is what you already have: papers, purchase receipt and service invoices showing the serial number. If you have doubts about the watch yourself, say so openly in the form.

Will my watch be opened during the inspection?

If necessary, yes. The calibre, its finishing and whether the parts belong together can only be judged reliably by examining the movement, so the case back is opened where needed. If the watch has a display back, a look through the crystal often gives a first impression. Do not open it yourself beforehand, to avoid scratching the case back.

What happens if my watch turns out to be a fake?

Then no purchase takes place, and there is no cost to you. In Switzerland counterfeits may be neither made nor sold, and importing them is prohibited too, including for private individuals. Under its terms and conditions, Uhrenkontor reserves the right not to return a counterfeit where the law provides for this, and to inform the authorities.

Are replaced parts a problem when selling?

That depends on where the parts come from. Original parts fitted by the manufacturer during a service are genuine; on vintage watches, however, collectors care whether the dial and hands still date from the time of production. Non-original parts or later alterations such as aftermarket diamonds usually reduce the value.