How To Spot A Fake Tissot Watch
In this article you will learn some basic tips to help you spot a fake Tissot watch and keep from getting ripped off by a dishonest merchant.
Tissot is a swiss company that has been producing quality watches since 1853. Everyone knows that in general you get what you pay for and a genuine Tissot watch can range from the mid $200s into the thousands of dollars.
If you are going to use the internet to hunt for deals on Tissot watches you must be aware that there are many places where people will attempt to pawn off replica or fake Tissot watches as the genuine article.
When shopping for a Tissot watch on Amazon, Ebay or other watch shops on the internet the first thing you should do is check the price. If the price is lower than $200 it is your first indication that it is probably a replica.
The same logic applies if you are buying a watch in a shop in the real world. Just think of those guys you see in the streets of big cities selling “brand name” watches for $20.
You know that is a fake so apply the same logic when you see the price of the watch you are buying in the shop. Don’t get fooled by a slick sales pitch from the salesman.
If you are buying the watch in person make sure you ask the salesperson to let you handle the watch. Wind the watch and try to judge how smooth the movement feels in your hand. A genuine Tissot should have smooth movement without any “drag” from the winding mechanism.
After that take a close look at the crown. A genuine Tissot should have the letter T engraved directly into it. Make sure the T is engraved and not glued or stuck on.
Inspect the face of the watch for imperfections and telltale signs of cheap manufacturing like dust or hair on the surface of the watches face. Remember you are paying for a high quality, well manufactured watch and everything about the watch should be perfect.
The inset dials like the chronometer on the Tissot PRC200 Chronograph should be aligned perfectly. If you can print out a picture of the watch from Tissot’s website and bring it with you you should do this and take care to really look closely at the fine details of the watches face and dials.
The same rule applies for the the numbering and printing on the watches face. These should also be flawless and free of misspellings. Also inspect the back of the watch case for misspellings or cheap engraving.
If you are buying a model with a luminous dial and you can convince the shop owner to let you view it in a dark setting you should also do this.
If the shop owner has a problem with this or seems uneasy about letting you it’s a good indication he probably has something to hide. What he is hiding is the fact that he knows his replica watch will have poor quality or no luminosity at all. It’s a great test to see the honesty of who you are dealing with.
If it passes your tests and you go ahead with the purchase it never hurts to get a second opinion after you buy it from another Tissot dealer or jeweler who knows fine watches.
If you are buying a watch online I would stick with Tissot authorized distributor and only buy new watches from them not the used ones that may be available from people. Go to Tissot’s site and either call them or send them a contact email asking them who is authorized to sell their watches in your country via an online store. A reputable distributor should also issue you a full warranty for your watch of at least 2 years.
With these basic tips I hope you are better able to spot a fake Tissot watch. Nobody likes to get ripped off and be especially careful if you buy online since it is very difficult to get your money back once you do go ahead with the purchase. At least with a real world store you can go back to the merchant and press the issue with them to get your money back.
Related:
How to Spot a Fake Tissot PRC200 (WatchUSeek Forum)
