The widespread presence of fake watches in the UK market

A recent study on luxury watches by Watchfinder & Co. has revealed a surprising amount of fake watches on the market.

The study revealed the widespread presence of fake watches in the UK market, with precise data showing that more than 1.01 million fake watches are circulating in the UK market alone.

However, the problem is not limited to the UK, but has spread across the globe.

Patek Philippe

It is estimated that around 40 million counterfeit watches are sold worldwide each year, generating more than $1 billion in profits for counterfeiters. It is worth mentioning that in the luxury watch sector, Rolex replicas accounted for at least half of the fakes found by Watchfinder & Co. last year.
Rolex

It is worth noting that the sales of counterfeit watches are growing rapidly, accounting for more than 35% of the total counterfeit transactions.

In recent years, the manufacture of replicas has become more and more sophisticated with the continuous advancement of technologies such as 3D printing and CNC machine tools, allowing scammers to produce more realistic replicas. Over time, the knowledge accumulated by counterfeit manufacturers has also improved the aesthetic level of these forgeries.

The experts at Watchfinder & Co. have also noticed a change in the recognizability of fakes. About five years ago, 80% of counterfeit watches were relatively easy to spot, with only 20% requiring closer inspection. Now, however, the pattern has reversed, with 80% of imitations requiring closer inspection and only 20% of products being obviously fake.

Still, even as counterfeit watches increasingly resemble authentic watches, authentic watches still stand out for their superior technology and functionality. Research shows that 16% of counterfeit watches break down after a short period of use, highlighting the low quality of these imitations.

The proliferation of counterfeit goods not only deceives consumers, but also casts a shadow on the second-hand market. The study found that 68% of victims of counterfeit goods said they would not buy second-hand goods.