IMPORTANT GUIDE : how to recognise FAKE AUTOMATON POCKET WATCHES

A lot of automaton verge watches for sale on ebay and other websites are fake. Be very careful !

How can you recognise them ? Fake automaton watches often have bad quality copper cases. Only the movements are antique. Another clue is the dial : they ALWAYS use little dials that you can find on women's pocket watches made around 1900.

Here is an ugly fake which was sold for 2200 euros : http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130534316759&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT













This one seems OK but the dial is also wrong (sold for 4700 euros) : http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120748431086&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT









Look at the typography :



Now compare with these women's pocket watches made around 1900, and you will understand what I mean when I say that these dials are used on fake automaton watches :









I have also doubts about the automatons, because of their low quality... Authentic automatons are often made of multi-color gold and are delicately chiselled.

I have made a comparison :



Finally, here are two authentic automaton watches. The second one is a rare skeletonized model made around 1810 which is in my private collection.













I have made a video :



In conclusion : automaton watches are very fascinating but you must be very careful if you want to buy one. They are rare and very expensive, so you will find a lot of fakes on the web. I hope that this guide will help you.

very informative!

Here is another authentic automaton watch, but in bad condition :

Another bad quality fake, quite easy to identify... Inside the case you can see a fake 18K hallmark.

The price is completely mad : http://www.ebay.com/itm/18k-ANIMATED-STRIKING-QUARTER-REPEATER-/190573203657?pt=Pocket_Watches&hash=item2c5f0c50c9#ht_500wt_1287

This one is 100% authentic but needs to be restored :



A nice model "aux nègres" :

There are also fake erotic scenes... They are adapted on authentic movements, but the characters are new, their quality is too bad.

Another fake on ebay : the movement and the gold case are authentic, but not the dial. The quality of the automatons is too bad.