Written by: Leslie Foss

Chopard is a luxury watchmaking company that prides itself on its exquisite timepieces, made with painstaking care to finished details, precision of movement, and polished beauty.  If you are interested in purchasing a Chopard watch, two of your considerations are probably authenticity, and price.

How can you identify a fake Chopard?

It’s not always easy.  But there are some details that may help give away an imitation:  Look for fuzzy writing on the watch dial, lint or dirt under the crystal, and “ticky” seconds hand movement.  A genuine Chopard will have clear writing and logos, a pristine crystal, and smooth movement.

Find a reputable seller.

Apart from visiting the Chopard website to purchase one of their masterpieces, you can also explore other sellers’ websites to try and find a slightly better price.  Imitation Chopard watches are quite believable, so it is strongly advised you only purchase from a reputable Chopard watches retailer.  If you are shopping online, look for websites with the following:

• When you type in your key words and search for sellers, the website is on the first or second page of results.  This indicates the page is popular, regularly updated, and probably legit.
• Detailed product information is provided.
• There is a telephone number you can call to ask questions or place an order.
• Each watch is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
• The website has been written by a fluent English speaker (bad translations are downright suspicious!).
• Security.  Honest  sellers take pride in their secure site and usually advertise it somewhere on their front page.
• They accept most major credit cards.  They should accept PayPal too.
• Positive reviews from past customers and being in business for many years are bonuses that further help earn trust.

What if you decide to buy from a private seller?

Buying from a private seller is riskier, but might be the way to go if you’re looking for a vintage piece, or like the idea of buying used to pay less.  Ebay is probably the largest marketplace to look.  If you purchase a watch on ebay, make sure the seller has a money back guarantee, and read their selling reputation to get a feel for how they do business.  Then, if you purchase a watch, take it to a jeweler who can inspect it for authenticity.  Even jewelers can be challenged by well-made, high-quality imitations, but they have a better trained eye than you or me.  Jewelers will remove the back to look for a Chopard movement, test the diamonds and gold (replicas are often gold-plated or made with less than 18K), and examine the piece for other tell-tale signs.

Once you have found your perfect Chopard timepiece, you’ll be thrilled with it’s high quality movement, and its luxurious, refined details.