With the price tags seen on some luxury watches, it comes as no surprise that there are many fakes and counterfeits around as well. When your luxury watch breaks, you can easily take it to your jeweler, but will a jeweler also fix a fake watch?
Most reputable jewelers will not fix a fake or counterfeit watch. Watch brands will also not fix a faked watch of their brand either. There are some smaller jewelers that might fix a fake watch for you, but that depends on the jeweler.
Fake or counterfeit watches are generally frowned upon, especially by those that are an expert in the field. That’s why the majority of jewelers will not fix a fake watch, and sometimes, you might not even get it back. To learn more, make sure to keep on reading!
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Will A Jeweler Fix A Fake Watch
Owning a fake watch is something a lot of people actually do. They purchase a fake watch from an expensive brand, hoping it will make them look better. Experts, however, will easily pick out which watch is fake and which one is real.
When you own a counterfeit timepiece, it’s safe to say you shouldn’t count on a jeweler to repair it. If you walk into a Rolex store, asking them to repair or service your fake Rolex, you’ll be firmly asked to leave.
Fake watches destroy the image and prestige of the actual watches, which makes most jewelers adamantly against them. Even if you go to a general jeweler with a fake Rolex, most will not help you. This is simply because a jeweler respects the brand and the craftsmanship of the original, and repairing a counterfeit does the exact opposite.
At least, this is true for most reputable jewelers and watchmakers. Those that have gained a certain reputation. But these aren’t the only jewelers around. There are many smaller jewelers that aren’t so strict with their rules.
Most jewelers, even smaller local jewelers, will still deny repairing a fake watch. But some are actually willing to repair fake watches. As long as they get paid, they’re fine with the work.
There are even a bunch of online websites that offer their repair services for fake watches. These could always be an option, but be careful. A fake watch has little to no insurances. You can’t exactly claim a counterfeit product.
Why Some Jewelers Will Destroy Or Keep A Fake Watch
Earlier we discussed why most watchmakers won’t repair a fake watch; because of the respect for the brand and the craftsmanship. But some jewelers will go even further!
Some jewelers will destroy or keep a counterfeit watch to prevent it from being in the general public. Counterfeit watches harm the reputation and prestige of the actual watch brand.
Luxury watches are highly prestigious watches, made for those who have achieved substantial success in life. Luxury watch companies do anything they can to uphold this image, and that includes taking away fake watches from the market.
If you ever bring a fake luxury watch to the actual brand, chances are they just take it away from you. Even if you didn’t know your watch was a fake one. They also offer no refund or compensation.
This is done simply to keep the watch out of the rotation. They don’t want you to wear it yourself and they don’t want you to sell it to others. They just want the watch to be gone from the general public.
What If You Didn’t Know Your Watch Was Counterfeit
Where most people are aware that they buy a counterfeit watch, there are some people who honestly have no idea that they own a counterfeit watch. These people are usually scammed into purchasing a fake watch for a price that’s only a little below retail.
This lower price incentivizes them to purchase it, but the price isn’t that low as to arouse suspicion. This is, of course, a sad case, but it makes no difference to the watchmakers and jewelers. A fake watch is still a fake watch, whether you knew it or not.
There are many stories online of people who brought in their expensive watches, such as a Rolex or even a Patek Philippe, for servicing, only to never see it again. The brands that took the watch in for servicing found out that these are fake watches, unbeknownst to the owner, and decided to keep it out of the rotation.
Now, this really sucks if you’ve spent multiple tens of thousands of dollars on a fake watch (remember, you don’t get a refund or any compensation whatsoever), so always beware of who you buy from. The best way to go is to just go through the official channels. This ensures you always get the real, authentic product.
Is Buying A Replica Watch Illegal
Counterfeit watches are actually very, very popular. Many people want to enjoy the feeling that comes with such a watch, but don’t want to put down all the money. Despite it being so popular, you might wonder, are replica watches illegal?
Replica watches are illegal. A replica watch is a counterfeit good, and counterfeit goods are classed as illegal. Despite it being illegal, counterfeit, fake, and replica watches are very popular.
Despite their popularity, these counterfeit watches are actually illegal, as classed by the US Customs and Border Protection. This makes you wonder just how, and why, so many people actually buy these replica watches.
The reason why they’re illegal is that they are counterfeit products. They mimic an existing brand, profiting off their success and brand name. Counterfeit products are illegal for this reason, and so are replica watches.
This is yet another reason why most watchmakers won’t repair or fix your fake watch. Not only are they damaging to the brand, but they’re also straight-up illegal.
Why You Shouldn’t Buy A Fake Watch
Buying a fake watch might seem tempting at first, but this is really something you should stay away from. Not only is it distasteful, but also illegal!
Aside from being illegal, purchasing a fake watch is also just plain distasteful. Do you really want to try and impress others with a fake, counterfeit watch? A luxury watch should be something you’re proud of, which can’t really be said for a fake watch. In fact, the opposite is true.
And people will notice, too. Most fake watches can easily be spotted by both experts and the general folk. Safe to say, no one will be impressed by a fake watch. Again, the opposite might be more true, where people will just feel sorry for you.
Getting caught with a fake watch is not only shameful, but it can also cost you your image. Now, you’re the guy or girl that buys fake stuff. Even if, in the future, you do buy the actual watch, no one will take it seriously anymore.
Aside from reputational issues, fake watches are also inferior to their real counterpart. Most fake watches will be much less accurate and a good portion of them won’t be water-resistant either. This makes them easy to break or damage, and remember, you can’t really get these watches serviced.
What it all comes down to is this: you’re throwing your money away when you’re buying a fake watch. No one will be impressed and the actual product is inferior to the actual timepiece. Really, just don’t bother with counterfeit watches. It’s better for everyone if these get as little attention as possible.
