Written By: Jean Flint

Blancpain is well known for the Blancpain 1735 Grande Complication watch, one of the most complex watches in the world with its Tourbillion, minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and split chronograph features. Since this is also one of the most expensive watches in the world, and since Blancpain produces a limited number of all its timepieces each year, it’s no wonder that the brand has attracted inauthentic lookalikes that you need to be on guard for no matter what model you may be interested in.

How to spoke a fake Blancpain watch

When trying to spot a replica Blancpain timepiece, most of the things you have to keep in mind are just common sense. For instance, don’t purchase a watch with this brand name if it claims to have quartz movement because Blancpain policy is that, “Since 1735, there has never been a quartz Blancpain watch. And there never will be.”

Before making a purchase, find clear and detailed photos of the authentic watch model and compare details on the face, case back, wristband, and clasp of the watch. The images provided here use a vintage model as an example of the kind of precise comparisons you should make wherever possible.

Check any writing on the watch dial or case back for misspellings, grammatical errors, or inconsistencies of font style or shape. “Rotomatic Incabloc” on the dial of the vintage replica shows the two words justified to an equal length while on the genuine vintage timepiece the words are centered to each other but slightly different lengths. Also verify that the more obvious details are accurate, such as that all features the model is supposed to have are accounted for and that all markings on the dial or bezel are oriented the same way as in your reference photos.

Where to buy an authentic Blancpain watch

The catalogue on the Blancpain website shows all the timepieces currently offered. The manufacturer does not personally sell the timepieces over the internet, but you can find the details you need there as well as map of authorized points of sale. Blancpain watches can also be purchased from a reputable online Blancpain watches retailer.

A quick sampling of several retailer pages should tell you the official retail price, usually in comparison to a discounted price that seller offers; keep in mind that the price of authentic designer timepieces will vary, but shouldn’t vary too drastically. A watch worth a few thousand dollars being offered for a few hundred is definitely a warning sign.

If you’re in doubt of the authenticity of a purchase, you can begin the process of having it verified by Blancpain experts via a contact form in the Frequently Asked Questions page of the manufacturer’s website.