Identification7 min read
How to Identify a Watch: A Step-by-Step Checklist
A practical checklist for identifying any watch: dial, case, caseback engravings, bracelet codes, movement and papers, plus photo-based identification.
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Watch Guides
Everything we have learned identifying watches, in plain English: how to find and read a reference number, what each brand's codes mean, how to date a serial, and what separates a genuine piece from a replica.
Identification
Identification7 min read
How to Identify a Rolex: Reference, Serial and Model Guide
Find and decode a Rolex reference and serial number, recognise each model family by its visual cues, and understand why identification is not authentication.
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Technology
Technology6 min read
How to Identify a Watch From a Photo: A Practical Guide
Learn how to identify a watch from a photo: how to shoot a usable image, what AI identifiers read, how to interpret results and when a photo is not enough.
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Technology6 min read
Best App to Identify a Watch From a Photo (2026)
What to look for in a watch identifier app, how photo-based tools compare with reverse image search and forums, and how to test any app before trusting it.
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Tools
Tools6 min read
Watch Identification Tools: Catalogues, Databases and AI
Catalogues, reference databases, serial tables, calipers, caliber lookups and AI identifiers: which watch identification tool to use for each question.
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Education
Education7 min read
Watch Reference Numbers Explained, Brand by Brand
How watch reference numbers work at Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Cartier, Breitling, Tudor and Seiko, where to find them and how to search.
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Education6 min read
Quartz vs Automatic Watches: Which Should You Choose?
How quartz and automatic movements work, how accurate each one is, what they cost to run, how to tell them apart from the outside, and which suits you.
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Education5 min read
Watch Water Resistance Ratings Explained: 30 m to 300 m
What watch water resistance ratings mean from 30 m to 300 m, ISO 22810 vs ISO 6425, crowns, gaskets and testing, and how the rating helps identify a watch.
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Education5 min read
What Does Swiss Made Mean on a Watch? The Rules Explained
What the Swiss Made label legally requires since 2017, how it differs from Swiss Movement, the Geneva Seal and COSC, and how to read the origin text on a dial.
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Authentication
Authentication7 min read
How to Spot a Fake Luxury Watch: 10 Practical Checks
Ten practical checks to tell a genuine luxury watch from a replica, from weight and dial printing to movement and serials, and when to seek authentication.
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Collecting
Collecting6 min read
Vintage Watch Collecting: A Practical Beginner's Guide
What counts as vintage, how to judge originality, patina and polishing, where to buy safely, and which starter categories suit a first collection.
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History
History6 min read
A Short History of the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch
From the 1957 CK2915 racing chronograph to NASA qualification, Apollo 11 and the 2021 calibre 3861, with the details that identify each Speedmaster era.
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Investing
Investing6 min read
5 Watches That Have Held Their Value Over Time, and Why
Why the Submariner, Daytona, Nautilus, Royal Oak and Speedmaster have held value, what supports resale prices, what to avoid, and how to verify a reference.
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