Counterfeit Watch - Counterfeit Characteristics

Counterfeit Characteristics

A common myth states that a genuine watch can be discerned from a fake by the fluid movement of the sweep hand. This is because many counterfeited watches use inexpensive crystal quartz movements which produces the start/stop once per second sweep. Observed closely, one will see that even a true Rolex movement is not a perfectly smooth sweep, but is actually eight movements per second (or 28,800 per hour) in some models or around 21,000 vph. in other models. The only mechanical watches that have a second hand that moves across the dial in a truly uninterrupted sweep are the Seiko Spring Drive. Nonetheless, some of the counterfeits have automatic movements, and Rolex has produced a few models with quartz movements, such as the OysterQuartz which produces the distinct quartz movement ticks. The modern high-end replica watch industry now produces watches which can rival many high street "designer" brands for quality, workmanship and accuracy (timekeeping), utilising genuine (and also imitation) Swiss mechanical movements. Such replicas are sometimes modified by collectors and amateur horologists with genuine parts, such as movements, dials, hands, bracelets. These creations are known as Frankenwatches, or simply Franken.