How Can You Spot Genuine Bell and Ross Watches and Avoid Fakes
Everyone loves to have luxury watches. These are not merely time-telling devices. They display accuracy, good quality, and originality. However, with a very popular thing, counterfeits begin to emerge. The market has been saturated with fake watches. These copies are improving day by day. This makes buying a genuine watch quite risky.
One brand that everyone recognizes is Bell and Ross Watches. Their watches are inspired by airplane dashboards. This look makes them stand out instantly. The most reliable way of keeping your money safe is by knowing how to detect a fake. In this guide, you are going to find out the exact process required to authenticate one of these fine timepieces.
How to Check for Real Bell and Ross Watches
The key to finding an authentic watch is understanding quality. Genuine Bell and Ross watches are made with extreme precision. Every part is treated with care. Counterfeiters cannot match this level of detail. They rush the process. They use cheaper materials. This means the fakes will always have flaws. These flaws are often tiny, but they reveal the truth.
Looking Closely: The Watch Case and Body
The design of the watch case is what makes the brand famous. The strong square cases (like the BR 03) are complicated pieces of metalwork.
- The Finish: A real case has a flawless finish. If the watch is brushed steel, the brushing must look uniform. The lines should be fine and consistent across the whole surface. If parts are polished, they should shine like a true mirror. Where the brushed and polished parts meet, the line should be razor-sharp. Fake watches often have dull finishes. Their edges look soft or rounded, showing poor machining.
- The Screws: The four screws at the corners of the square cases are famous. They are not just decorations. They are functional. They hold the bezel piece down. On a genuine watch, these screws are specific to Bell and Ross. They sit perfectly flat and flush with the case surface. They must be aligned consistently. On copies, the screws often look cheap. They may not sit flush. They might even show signs of damage from being incorrectly turned.
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The Crown: The crown is the small knob used to set the time. It should feel smooth and solid when you operate it. It often has the Bell & Ross logo (the ampersand symbol). It must screw down firmly into the case. This solid action shows high-quality parts and proper water resistance seals.
Tiny Details: The Dial and Face
The dial is the face of the watch. It is where counterfeiters make the easiest mistakes.
- Dial Printing: All the writing on the dial, from the logo and the model name to the markers, everything must be crystal clear. The printing should look sharp even under a magnifying glass. The numbers and indices should be perfectly positioned. On a real watch, the printing often has a slightly raised, painted quality. Fake printing will look dull, flat, or slightly blurred.
- Hands and Alignment: The hands should be perfectly finished. There should be no rough edges. The most important check is alignment. When the minute hand is at a point directly on a mark, the hour hand should also be at a point where it must. Even a slight malalignment of the hands indicates poor quality assembly.
- The Glow (Luminescence): The glowing material (lume) over the hands and markers should be applied evenly. It should look neat and clean. When exposed to light, it should glow strongly and consistently. This is a high-cost material. If you are examining one of the many Bell and Ross watches for sale, and the glow is weak or patchy, it is a bad sign.
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The Crystal: Bell & Ross only uses a sapphire crystal. It is very scratch-resistant. The glass should be flawless and clear. Many models use an anti-reflective coating. This coating creates a faint blue or purple hue in the glass under some angles. When the glass can be scratched so readily, or when the glass appears cloudy, it is most likely an inexpensive imitation.
The Engine and Buying Safely
The movement is the watch's engine. The movement gives hints even when you are unable to open the back. Bell and Ross watches rely on quality Swiss mechanical movements, which are reliable. A watchmaker can spot a fake or poorly finished movement immediately.
- The Sound: Hold the watch to your ear. A genuine automatic watch has a consistent, rhythmic sound. It is a steady heartbeat. An odd clicking, grinding, or extremely loud sound indicates a fake or damaged movement.
- Caseback Engravings: The serial number and other valuable information are engraved on the back of the watch. These engravings should be deep, clean, and spaced in perfection. Very shallow, faint, or rough-cut engravings are a highly prevalent indication of a duplicate.
The source of the purchase is the final, most crucial step. Always make an official purchase. Or you should select a highly established, reputable retailer. Websites like Shoshany Jewelers specialize in luxury watches. They authenticate every piece they sell. They provide a guarantee that removes most of the risk for the buyer.
Conclusion
The level of quality and careful work put into genuine Bell and Ross watches cannot be easily duplicated. Counterfeit makers focus on the overall appearance, but they miss the precise details that define true luxury. Buyers must be cautious. Do not allow a low price to blind you. Follow your gut feeling and look at all the details.







