The Ultimate Guide To Avoid Buying a Fake / Counterfeit Richard Mille Watch
If you’re not a watch expert, purchasing from a trusted dealer or directly from a Richard Mille boutique, you run the risk of purchasing a counterfeit/fake watch.
The sale of pre-owned watches has skyrocketed over the past few years, mostly due to the ability to get certain models that have a long waiting list or because of savings. However, buying a pre-owned Richard Mille watch comes with an inherent risk: the possibility of being sold a replica, or fake. Ariel Adams gives a fantastic rundown of this tradeoff:
“The reality of buying a pre-owned luxury watch is that your experience as a consumer is entirely dependent on how savvy a consumer you are. People with years of experience collecting watches can navigate the ponderous world of pre-owned watches with relative ease — having a sense of what to avoid, and what to seek. With that said, anyone seeking a more reliable and expedient consumer experience in regard to buying a high-quality pre-owned luxury watch didn’t have too many options at their disposal.”
In other words, without a trained eye, it can often be difficult to tell the difference between an authentic Richard Mille and a knockoff — at least at first blush.
If you’ve decided on purchasing a Richard Mille luxury watch, you’ll want to do your due diligence to make sure you’re getting the real deal.
In this post, we give you critical tips on how to tell a fake Richard Mille watch from a real one.
Tip #1: Always Ask for Documentation
Buying pre-owned doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to know the history of your watch. According to the brand, every Richard Mille is “accompanied by a unique, hand signed warranty card embedded with a holographic security seal on its surface.” The document is signed and dated a second time by the authorized dealer.
Asking that a used Richard Mille is accompanied by this warranty documentation is a great way to ensure you’re receiving the real McCoy.
You can also check the serial number unique to every Richard Mille timepiece.
The number is typically engraved on the bottom of the case back of Richard Mille watches. Serial numbers start with RM, followed by a series of letters, numbers, and dashes.
Tip #2: Look at the Details
A timepiece featuring the Richard Mille logo across the top of the casing is not necessarily convincing — especially as fake watchmakers get better at making their pieces look like the real deal.
A few things to look at: color and font, engravings, the movement and the weight.
Fake Richard Mille watches may simply have a different look on the front — especially with the telltale Richard Mille font.
The same goes for the engravings — if they look misshapen or sandy, chances are you’re holding a counterfeit.
Richard Mille watches are so unique that counterfeiters have a very difficult time recreating them or at least doing it well. If you’ve researched the model you want enough, you’ll be able to see differences in design when the watch is counterfeit.
However, Richard Mille watches are inherently busy and are available in many variations so it’s not easy determining authenticity visually.
As for weight, authentic Richard Mille watches are super light as is so it’s not as easy to tell by the weight as it would be with counterfeit Rolex or Audemars Piguet watches which feel way lighter than authentic versions.
Examining the authenticity of the movement may be a little more complicated, which is why getting an expert opinion is a great idea.
Tip #3: Price
You know what they say about something being too good to be true right? Well, it’s definitely the case when it comes to Richard Mille watches.
If you’re shopping around for a certain Richard Mille model such as the RM-011 or the RM-035 for example and you keep seeing prices around the same range, be very wary of something that is priced well below that.
Tip #4: Get an Expert Opinion
Sometimes it’s easy to spot a fake Richard Mille from a real one — but sometimes it’s not.
Counterfeiters are getting better at creating a convincing look for knock-off luxury watch brands and passing them off as the real deal.
If you’re seriously considering a watch with a higher price tag, you may want to bring it to a professional. It would be a shame if you purchased a $100K+ watch and saved a few grand by skipping an expert, only to find out you got stuck with a fake.
As Ariel Adams goes on to conclude, “Only someone with a lot of experience with watches will be able to look at a fake watch and come to the conclusion “I don’t think this brand ever actually made a product that looks like this.”
In other words, those who have worked in the luxury watch industry for years often have a gut feeling about the watches they come across. That may be something you want to trust.
Tip #5: Buy from a Trusted Dealer!
When it comes to luxury watch brands like Richard Mille, eBay or other peer-to-peer platforms aren’t going to cut it.
Buying from a trusted dealer or an established reseller is the best way to ensure you’re buying an authentic watch.
You can often find competitive prices for luxury brands, with the reassurance of a one-to-one matched warranty.
The price difference is certainly worth the peace of mind when it comes to buying an expensive Richard Mille timepiece.
LuxuryBazaar.com, for example, has dealt with Richard Mille watches for years and is trusted to only deal with authentic items.
