How to Tell If a Swiss Army Watch Is Fake

Victorinox Swiss Army watches are popular, high-quality timepieces. Like many other Swiss-made products (knives, trains, etc.), they are precision-made, dependable and expertly crafted. These attributes have also made them attractive to counterfeiters, who have zeroed in on Swiss Army watches over the years and have produced replicas that are often quite hard to distinguish from the real thing. There are some steps you can take, however, to ensure that the Victorinox Swiss Army watch you’ve purchased is authentic.

Find out where the watch came from. Victorinox Swiss Army watches are sold only through authorized dealers. If your watch was bought through a website or a dealer who is not officially authorized to sell Victorinox Swiss Army products, it's likely a fake.

Look at the dial (the face) of the watch. If it doesn't have the words "Victorinox," "Swiss Army" or "Victorinox Swiss Army" on it, it's not authentic.

Authenticate the serial number. All Swiss Army watches should come with a serial number. To make sure the serial number isn't also a fake, take a picture of the watch and send it to the company to make sure it's genuine.

Bring it to a jeweler. Most professional jewelers are trained to spot fakes and can probably tell you right away whether the watch you have is real or not.