Do fakes have serials and papers?

After passing on a Seamaster GMT (I think it was legit, but the buyer was sketchy), I figured i'd try to educate myself a bit more on ID'ing a fake if/when I come across another watch I want.

Just curious - if I stick with watches that have serial numbers with matching warranty cards, does that almost guarantee authenticity? Or are those faked easily as well? Anything else to look at?

Those are the easiest to fake, and yes fake/dubious box/papers are aplenty. Of course, in person you could spot them fairly easily - but most important of all is know what you are buying, and buy from a reputable seller, ideally one who will accept returns. Best to stick to Sales section here if you are new to Omega or to a particular model. Read before you buy.

There are expensive fakes nowadays—they cost several hundred dollars—that can fool even pretty discerning people. I saw a video of a Patek one that was probably a low-four-figure fake that was almost impossible to distinguish in a side-by-side. This is why Omega’s innovations (coaxial escapements and spirate regulators, etc) can be reassuring—makes it harder for the scamsters to replicate.

Anyway, put it this way: if you can produce a truly convincing fake of a luxury watch, how much will you struggle to produce a fake warranty card?

Faking paperwork is the easiest bit

Oh HO! how about fake hang tags? Huh? Guess those hang tags are necessary after all

and you know what else they don't fake? that RED bag. That's right; complete sets have never looked more authentic.

Ah yes the hang tags……one must check for authentic string

Of course even amongst genuine hang tags…..there begs the question is it the original string or a service replacement?

This is a worry I've been having as I look for older model Seamster Diver's (2531, 2220.80 etc). The issue is that the only Seamaster I've handled is an OB. I'm looking at different dealers selling on Chrono24 and watch shops in NYC, where I'm located. But in a perfect world wouldn't want to rely only on photos.

Would it be reasonable to request that a watch dealer remove the caseback to inspect the movement? My thought is that the finishing on an authentic movement is going to be relatively easy to distinguish from even a good fake.

Not an unreasonable request, but one that many sellers won’t comply with, and that’s not any indication that the watches they’re selling aren’t perfectly genuine. Any time you open the caseback you’re dramatically increasing the odds that something could go wrong. At the very least you could be admitting moisture or dust. Also, after replacing the caseback, for the watch to be optimally wearable, it will need to be pressure tested for water resistance. (Gaskets may need to be replaced for it to pass.) All to say, it’s a lot of risk and trouble, and a totally legit seller might just prefer to wait for a less concerned buyer.

Better just to filter out listings that don’t already include movement pics, or purchase (even at a slight premium) from a seller you know you can trust. Or rely on eBay’s authenticity guarantee: they open and inspect and reseal for water resistance.

All that said, Omega’s movement finishing (especially on the older movements) is nothing very special. These are mass-produced engines, sometimes based on outsourced sturdy workhorses—not hand-finished pieces of art. (Not dissing Omega at all: have you ever looked at a typical Rolex movement? Positively hideous thing.)

Thanks for the feedback!

An example from C24 :


Nice 2541.80 Tritium with papers boxes, certified by the C24's service and all. The 5 stars seller saying from 1999... Number and Date blurred of course. A sticker from who knows at the Omega AD's place. And the price is hight 😀

The seller is probably good faith but the papers doesn't match. At worse, if the numbers matches, the watch is a franken (older dial).

Photos, papers, certifications are sometimes even not sufficient to be sure.

The question of whether papers add value is always open. (Recently debated on the forum.) But plain old logic can close the door on the question of whether having papers somehow authenticates a watch. Obviously not.

Papers don't authenticates a watch but it helps. In that case the most probable scenario is that the papers were faked in order to bumped up the price.

But I can find you other exemples on how papers can helps authenticate a watch.



You'r not sensible to that but it's all original. Bezel, Hands, Dial. Everything matches even the 02/1996's receipt that confirm that the watch was produced in 1995. Like the asymmetric 3 of the 300 indicates. It worth it's premium price.

A funny one go your way. The watch is not necessarily a fake but there is better gamble in life 😀