**Let's Talk About "Assembled Watches" in the Market**
Without further ado, let’s get straight to the point. Every industry has its issues with product quality and counterfeiting, and the watch industry is no exception.
Before we begin, I want to clarify three things. First, "existence is reasonable." The global watch market has a significant number of assembled watches because there is a market demand for them. Writing this article is my job, just as many people make a living by manufacturing these watches, so I am merely discussing the phenomenon without targeting any individuals or undermining anyone’s livelihood. Second, although I am aware that certain brands are heavily affected by the issue of assembled watches, I will not mention any brands or specific watch models to protect their reputation. Third, I will not include too many images in this article to avoid any misunderstandings. Now, let’s begin.
Firstly, let me explain what an "assembled watch" is.
We usually use two terms to describe watches: "genuine" and "fake." Genuine watches are those produced and released by the watch brands, whether purchased from the primary or secondary market. Every part of a genuine watch, except for the strap which can be replaced, is made of original components produced by the brand. Fake watches, on the other hand, are crude imitations with brand logos, with movements and appearances vastly different from genuine watches and easily identifiable by anyone with some experience. Assembled watches occupy a very unique position. Not only do they look identical to genuine watches, but they also often use a significant number of original parts from genuine watches. I can confidently say that even people who have worked in the watch industry for years, including brand boutiques, cannot always identify assembled watches. Even if you don’t believe it, I can tell you that some watches sold in brand boutiques might be assembled watches.
Some rumors may sound unreliable, but they are not without basis.
We often hear claims that certain products are made from leftover materials from brand factories and are indistinguishable from genuine items. Usually, we dismiss these claims, thinking how could there be leftover materials in official factories? In fact, there is some truth to these statements, especially when it comes to assembled watches.
It is no secret that some foreign watch brands produce their watches in China, just as many luxury brands do. This production method has given rise to the assembled watch market. Workers in these factories have ample opportunity to access detailed production data. Some of these workers eventually start their own factories and begin manufacturing watches themselves. Since they have access to official data, these assembled watch factories can produce parts that are identical to those of genuine watches. Given China's large-scale watch manufacturing industry and the fact that many foreign brands produce their watches here, it’s reasonable for assembled watch factories to order other necessary components, like dials and hands, from different factories. All these parts, based on official specifications, result in assembled watches that look exactly like genuine watches.
The movement is not a difficult issue for assembled watches to solve. If necessary, they can produce quartz watches since many brands offer quartz models, thus eliminating the movement problem altogether.
Regarding the movement, I've often said that even if a fake watch looks real, it can't replicate the movement's technology. The technical components of movements, especially those made in-house by major brands, cannot be replicated by non-professional means. So why do I say that even experts and brand boutiques can't identify assembled watches? Because some assembled watches use genuine movements. Many of those who produce assembled watches are watch experts and know the details of movements inside out. To solve the movement problem, some even go as far as purchasing genuine movements directly from Switzerland. From what I know, many watch movements, even new models, can be bought and installed in cases. These genuine movements make it impossible to distinguish assembled watches from genuine ones. Of course, the high cost is a downside to this method, so only some assembled watches use it, while others focus on quartz models. Given that the cases are made with official data and genuine movements, it's extremely difficult to visually distinguish these watches from genuine ones.
Where do these assembled watches go?
First, the number of assembled watches is probably higher than you think, involving many brands. However, high-end watches don’t typically have this problem because they are not produced in China. For example, Rolex watches are not imitated successfully at the movement level, even by high-end replicas like those from the N factory. Therefore, owners of high-end watches can rest assured. High-end watches are too complex and technologically advanced to be assembled. While there are Hong Kong-assembled Rolexes, these usually contain aftermarket parts in the case and bracelet, but the movement cannot be replicated and thus uses genuine movements.
In reality, assembled watches are privately sold after production, which isn’t a significant issue. What is surprising is that some claim even duty-free shops sell assembled watches (I make no comment on the truth of this, though I trust the person who told me). However, it’s undeniable that many assembled watches have made their way into some watch stores. Given the large volume, sporadic personal sales wouldn’t be able to handle it all.