Swiss Watches
When you are buying Swiss watches, how do you know you have purchased the real deal? There are two forces, working in tandem, that are trying to ensure you have bought a genuine Swiss watch. These are The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH). They have launched a worldwide anti-counterfeit-watch campaign. They are sending out the message that “Fake Watches Are For Fake People.”
Counterfeit watches have become an international business now that sales on the Internet have skyrocketed. Counterfeit watches account for 200-360 billion dollars annually! Almost 40 million of these are Swiss watches. National governments invest heavily in money and manpower to counter the fakes. A lot of the money made from counterfeiting benefits organized crime and terrorist groups. Child labor is often used and health and safety standards are ignored. When you buy a counterfeit watch, you contribute to these bad labor practices and to the coffers of organized crime.
It is easy to steal a name brand. And today, much of a product’s value depends on that name brand and the prestige that comes with it. Take, for instance, the Swatch watch company. You can find any number of cheap knock-offs of this very popular watch company.
Watches are a very popular target for counterfeiters. They are relatively easy to counterfeit because the internal components are available inexpensively and it doesn’t take much work to copy the brand name look. Most counterfeiters focus on the outside appearance of the watch. They can fill it with cheap components. They make the outside design, the “place of origin” and bogus classifications all part of the counterfeit façade.
Tourists are primary targets when it comes to counterfeit wristwatches. Lots of people like great deals when it comes to watches, especially when travelling abroad. Watches are popular items to bring back from a trip.
Counterfeiters use lots of non-direct sales methods such as newspaper and Internet ads. They want to get the highest price possible, of course. But you’ll still be paying less than for the real thing. swiss watches are very easy targets since they are so highly desirable.
Name brands, such as Swatch are popular when it comes to the cheap knock-off market. If the price of a Swatch seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Many people know they are buying a counterfeit watch but that doesn’t stop them. These people are motivated by snobbery but they don’t realize they are also buying disappointments and inconveniences. They have paid too much. They have bought a worthless product. They can even be fined by customs agents. When you buy a counterfeit you are only contributing to the bigger problem.
Much is being done to curtail this problem. The FH is being diligent in its efforts. Strict laws are in place to allow customs agents to pursue criminals. Every country is part of the process to eliminate or reduce counterfeiting.
What can you do? Only buy a name brand watch from an authorized retailer. Don’t do your shopping on a street corner or a beach or from someone passing out leaflets that promise sweet deals. If you give in to a tempting, too-good-to-be-true deal, you are only asking for trouble. Swiss watches are very often the target of counterfeiters because people are very attracted to the sweet deal idea.
Why does a “real” watch cost what it does?
Watches should be first and foremost appealing. You can buy a wristwatch solely based on its looks. But the interior is really where the costs lie.
For example, a mechanical watch costs more than a quartz watch because of the watch movements. Watchmakers take great pride in their movements, carefully polishing everything, decorating the bridges, using only the highest quality parts. They have set their manufacturing standards very high.
The watch case can vary in quality. Some are made from resin, plastic, base metals, stainless steel, gold-filled or precious metals such as gold, silver or titanium. The back of the watch may tell you what the case is made from. If not, check the papers that came with the watch. Plastic and resin will usually cost less. These components are often found in fashion or sports watches.
Gold-plated watches vary in price depending on the purity of the gold (14kt or 18kt.) and the plating thickness. Precious metals can include gold, sterling silver, or even platinum.
The crystal (plastic, mineral glass, or synthetic sapphire) is the glass-like covering that protects the watch dial. Plastic is used in lower end watches. Even designer watches can be made with inexpensive components. Sapphire crystals are highly scratch-resistant.
The bracelet on the watch can affect the price. Plastic and rubber are usually inexpensive. Most people wear leather or metal. You can purchase these separately, changing the watch quite easily for a few dollars. Metal bracelets range in price from an inexpensive base metal to something more elaborate.
The Swatch Watch
The Swatch Watch, the genuine article, is a stylish affordable watch. When it comes to watches, it is the most widely recognized name brand. Swatch is the number one watch manufacturer in the world. It makes both finished watches and watch components and movements. The Swatch Group makes watch components for nineteen name brands. It is also an important player in the electronics systems segment.
The Swatch Group is responsible for the recovery of the Swiss watch-making industry. Swatch now sells watches in all price ranges. This company continues to devote a great deal of attention to research and development. It is a worldwide leader in product design and manufacturing, paying special attention to micromechanics and microelectronics. The company has become a player in telecommunications, and the automobile and service sectors. Sports timing is a very important component of Swatch. This company has served as official timekeepers at a variety of international sports events, including the Olympic Games.
Conclusion
Swiss watches are popular worldwide and counterfeits abound. Choose wisely. Don’t contribute to counterfeiting.
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