A Swiss-made watch is a sign of elegance and status. Geneva watches have high price tags, and only the wealthy can afford them. Then again, if you know where to look, you could probably also pick one up for a song. Would it be the real thing, though? Unless you know how to identify genuine Geneva watches, you might end up with a fake. How can you tell if a Geneva watch is real?

You can identify a true Geneva watch by the Poinçon de Genéve, or the Hallmark of Geneva, also known as the Geneva Seal. Only mechanical watches made in Geneva or its canton that adhere to its standards can claim this mark of prestige. Each watch will also have a Certificat of Origin and Conformity.

A watch with Geneva or Genéve engraved on its face doesn’t guarantee that your timepiece is excellent quality, reliable, or even an authentic Swiss product. It is also common knowledge that you can openly buy knock-offs of genuine luxury watches at a fraction of the price. But if you want the real thing, it’s worth looking out for the marks of authenticity.

How Can You Tell If A Geneva Watch Is Real?

Although the Swiss watch industry produces 20 million watches annually, only 24 000 will carry the Geneva Seal.

What Is The Geneva Seal?

The Geneva seal is only awarded for pocket and wrist watches made in Geneva. It originated through a law passed by the Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva in 1886. Its purpose was to distinguish between the excellently crafted Geneva watches and the badly made counterfeits sold elsewhere.

 In addition, it discouraged master craftsmen from leaving the area along with their expertise. One of the Geneva Seal conditions is that applicants must be Geneva residents.

The Ecole d’ Horlogerie de Genéve originally administered the certification, but today the Foundation of the Geneva Laboratory of Horology and Microengineering is responsible for this. The Foundation is commonly called Timelab. The certification covers three main conditions.

The Geneva Seal Requires Provenance

If your watch has the Geneva Seal, it guarantees that it was made in Geneva or its canton, although the parts may be made elsewhere. Companies often source the watch parts from other countries, but four specific steps in the watchmaking process must happen in Geneva: the assembly, casing up, adjusting, and testing. The business submitting the watch must also be registered in Geneva.

The Geneva Seal Endorses Excellent Craftsmanship

The Geneva Seal has always only endorsed watches of excellent quality and craftsmanship. Timelab reviews each part of the watch’s movement, ensuring they are well-made and defect-free. Each component must be free of machining marks, decorated, and polished according to strict specifications.

In addition, the regulations outline the ideal size, shape, material, and operation of each part. These pre-requisites improve the general aesthetics and ensure that the components fit well together and run smoothly.

The Geneva Seal Requires Absolute Reliability

Although the original mandate didn’t cover the exterior parts, the Foundation added some more rules in 2011 that apply to the exterior so that the seal now endorses the whole watch. They test the accuracy, correct functioning, power reserve, and water resistance.

Certification And The Geneva Seal

A Certificate of Origin and Conformity accompanies each timepiece endorsed with a Geneva Seal. The seal, which looks like the Genevan coat of arms, goes onto the watch movement. Modern certificates provide unique identification codes. You can confirm whether the watch is genuine if you enter the code on the Geneva Seal website. Scanning the QR code will also confirm authenticity.

The Geneva Seal Law

The Geneva Seal includes two pieces of legislation. The first is the enabling statute, which relates to the voluntary inspection of a company’s watches. The second is called Regulations for the Voluntary Inspection of Watches from Geneva.

Companies submitting their watches for inspection must comply with twelve technical criteria to receive the seal. The regulations deal with the following technical requirements:

  • Good craftsmanship
  • Jewelling
  • Regulating systems
  • Wheels
  • Escapement
  • Shock protection
  • Winding mechanisms
  • Springs

The History Of Geneva Watchmaking

Geneva and watchmaking are inseparable concepts. But have you ever wondered about the circumstances that led to the city being almost overrun with watchmakers? Believe it or not, the story goes back to the 16th century!

French protestants, known as the Huguenots, fled the Catholic-governed country and took refuge in Geneva, where there were already many jewelers and goldsmiths. Many refugees were skilled in these crafts, but a reformist of the time, John Calvin, preached against wealth and excess, which he believed was typical of the Catholics.

Jewelry fitted into the “excess” category and was considered unacceptable, but timepieces served a practical purpose and were thus permitted. So, many jewelers changed their business to watchmaking. These craftsmen began manufacturing watch parts, enameling the dials, and engraving cases. The watch business exploded in Geneva, and some craftsmen moved to Jura.

Jet D’ Eau And Geneva Watchmaking

Many people recognize one of Geneva’s most well-known tourist attractions, the Jet D’ Eau, but they don’t realize that it is linked to another of the city’s famous crafts: watchmaking.

The city built a hydraulic plant on the Rhone river in 1886 to supply power to the watchmaking workshops. But the pressure would build up in the system when the watchmakers closed for the night. They installed a safety valve that shot water 98 feet into the air to counteract this.

Some years later, they no longer needed the jet. Still, the authorities decided to keep it as a tourist attraction and moved it to Geneva port. They boosted it so that it shot 295 feet into the air. In 1951 they supercharged it to 459 feet. It then became one of the city’s famous nods to watchmaking.

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How To Identify A Fake Watch

Knock-offs of prominent name-brand watches are available worldwide as con artists hope to haul in thousands of dollars for counterfeits. None of us like to be conned, especially when looking for a quality timepiece, so it’s best to do our homework before dolling out the cash.

Many luxury-brand watchmakers take a series of precautions to prevent con artists from being able to fake their watches. They use high-quality materials and often engrave a serial code on each watch. Some pointers in identifying fake watches will be discussed below.

1. Look For Mistakes Or Defects

Manufacturers of designer watches make their products according to a strict set of quality standards. Defects like peeling paint, misspelled words, or scratches are highly unlikely. You should also check that the watch keeps perfect time and that the clasp works well.

2. Check The Quality Of The Lettering

Engraving equipment that master watchmakers use is exceptionally precise, leaving the lettering clear and legible. The watch is probably counterfeit if the lettering is mixed up or unclear.

3. The Weight Of The Watch

Pick up the watch to assess its weight. Master watchmakers use precious metals in designer watches. They also have many small moving parts, making the watch quite weighty. A fake watch is usually relatively light.

4. Familiarize Yourself With Brand Designs

It’s a good idea to search through online auction results for information about the watch you want to buy. You should find photos of the brand’s designer watches and an approximate price on these databases. You should also familiarize yourself with the brand’s trademarks and the appearance of the bracelets and bands.

5. Look For Serial Numbers On The Watch

Manufacturers of luxury watches always print alphanumeric numbers on their timepieces. This number must match the one on the case and the warranty. The serial numbers must be laser-etched and clearly legible.

6. Consider The Band Design

Luxury watches often have intricate designs, and their bands tend to follow suit. Some brands use two or three sets of links in the band, while knock-offs may use only one.

7. Buy A Luxury Watch New

The best method of ensuring that you’re not buying a fake luxury watch is to buy it new from authorized dealers. Although this is the more expensive option, at least you know you’re purchasing an authentic item. You will get all the relevant paperwork and serial number that prove its authenticity.

8. Check Serial Numbers With The Watchmaker

Before you purchase the watch at an auction or buy it secondhand, you should contact the manufacturer to check the serial number. Designer watchmakers keep strict records of all their products. If your watch is genuine, documentation will be available for it.

9. Ask An Appraiser To Assess The Watch

If you think the deal on the watch is too good to be true, take the item to an appraiser before purchasing it. An honest seller will be agreeable to this. The appraiser will tell you whether the luxury watch is authentic and can give reasons for their opinion. They will also know if you will be paying a fair price for the watch.

Brands With The Geneva Seal

Switzerland is home to approximately 700 watchmaking companies, and its smallest canton, Geneva, contains many of these great houses. But the list of companies whose timepieces have been awarded the Geneva Seal is very short:

  • Vacheron Constantin
  • Cartier
  • Roger Dubuis
  • Chopard
  • Ateliers deMonaco
  • Louis Vuitton (one watch)

Vacheron Constantin

Established in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is the oldest Swiss watchmaking company. This luxury watch company has been using the Geneva Seal since 1901, proving its long history of exceptional products and manufacturing.

Cartier

Louis-Francois Cartier founded the luxury goods company in 1847 in Paris. Cartier earned its first Geneva Seal in 2008 for the Ballon Bleu Flying Tourbillon.

Roger Dubuis

Roger Dubuis began his watchmaking career at Longines and then worked for many years at Patek Philippe. In 1995 he started his own company with Carlos Dias. All Roger Dubuis watches carry the Geneva Seal.

Chopard

Chopard was established by Louis-Ulysse Chopard n 1860. Tsar Nicholas ll of Russia was one of their most famous clients. The company first earned the Geneva Seal in 1996.

Ateliers deMonaco

Peter Stas and Robert Pappelendam established Ateliers deMonaco in 2008. They later moved their company to Geneva and received the Geneva Seal in 2015.

Louis Vuitton

2016 saw the newcomer, Louis Vuitton, joining the ranks of the Geneva Seal-approved watchmakers. Although Vuitton is typically associated with other luxury items, like handbags and luggage, it has undoubtedly advanced its watchmaking skills.

Designer Watches Without The Geneva Seal

Not all Geneva-based watch manufacturers apply for the Geneva seal. The three major players driving the Geneva watch industry are Rolex, the Richemont Group, and Patek Philippe. None of these bear the Geneva Seal.

Some master watchmakers believe that their timepieces are far better than the standards held by the Geneva seal. Patek Philippe is one of these companies. It developed its own seal in 2009 with stricter technical specifications because it believed the Geneva Seal did not set adequate performance standards and focused primarily on the watch’s movement.

Interesting Facts About Geneva Watches

Watches and watchmakers are everywhere in Geneva, in some form or another.

  • In 1926 Rolex built the first waterproof watch known as the Oyster for cross-channel swimmer Mercedes Gleitzer.
  • In 1929Jaeger Le-Coultre made the tiniest mechanical movement known as the Calibre 101, which Queen Elizabeth ll donned on her coronation day.
  • The Jardin Anglais has a beautiful flower clock, made in 1955, which uses thousands of flowers to depict the mechanical complexities of a timepiece. The eight-foot second hand is the longest worldwide.
  • The Patek Philippe Museum exhibits about 2000 timepieces from five centuries. It was founded in 1839.

Closing Time

Fake Geneva watches have flooded the streets for decades. For some buyers, the lookalikes suit them perfectly. From a distance, they look genuine, but the price is right, and that’s all that counts. For those who are determined to buy the real thing, it takes a little time and digging to distinguish between fake and genuine Geneva watches.

A few authentic Geneva-made watches will have the Geneva Seal engraved on them. But since hundreds of watchmakers don’t apply for this honor, it is essential to take note of details such as serial numbers and lettering to confirm these watches’ authenticity. It would be a sad time indeed if you bought a fake designer watch.  

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