In 1940, Bulgari debuted their iconic Serpenti timepiece collection. Since then the Italian jewelry brand has expanded their watch offerings, introducing the geometric LVCEA, the bold BVLGARI BVLGARI, and hallmark B.ZERO1 watch collections. These famous and popular watches are highly coveted—and therefore extremely prone to being counterfeited.

If you’re in the market for a Bulgari watch, read this first to learn how to spot a fake.

1. Watch Markings & Warning Signs

Fake Bulgari watches can be extremely difficult to spot. However simply cross-referencing images of authentic Bulgari watches with the one in question will quickly illuminate warning signs. Start with the easy-to-spot mistake: the spelling of Bulgari. Bulgari always prints their logo as the Roman-lettered BVLGARI, never Bvlgari (in lowercase letters) or Bulgari. Then move onto finer details which are harder for counterfeiters to replicate. If there are traces of adhesive or misaligned text, these are strong warning signs your watch could be fake. Misshapen or askew hands and hour markers are also red flags your Bulgari watch is not real.

2. Seller Information and Location

Thoroughly research the watch seller. If the person is local, ask to visit their storefront or arrange a meeting to review the item in person.

If the seller is online, read their customer reviews. If the reviews are terse, vague or very similar in language, they may not be real reviews at all—possibly even penned by the seller themselves.

Also study the seller’s website and the URL specifically. The URL should not be a close misspelling of Bulgari. It is common for counterfeiters to capture traffic mis-directed from a misspelling Bulgari in their search.

Within the website, the seller’s contact information should be immediately available. And on a similar note, consider your personal correspondence with the seller; send an initial inquiry and weigh their response. If they’re pressuring you to purchase quickly, deflecting your questions, or only providing ambiguous answers, you should move on.

3. Research the Market Value

When researching your desired watch, compare the prices for the same watch model across a variety of websites. There are three factors that cause extreme variance in the price of your timepiece: the model, the year, and the item’s condition. A Bulgari watch may be an older model but in excellent condition and therefore more expensive than a newer model in a more-worn condition. Try and align your price-comparison shopping with the same make, model and overall state as the Bulgari watch you’re eyeing.

Once you have an idea of the general market value, compare the quoted price. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Counterfeiters invest a surprising amount of money and time into producing convincing Bulgari replicas, and the better the fake, the higher the price. This can often mislead potential buyers into believing they’re receiving an amazing deal.

4. An Expert Opinion

While these first three tips will only help you spot—and stay away from—a fake Bulgari watch, the only way to know with 100% certainty your watch is genuine is to seek an expert opinion. Professional appraisers can ensure your watch and all its components are authentic Bulgari.

If you have further questions regarding TrueFacet’s authentication process, contact our concierge representative here.

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