Confirming the authenticity of a watch is vital in today’s market. Mistakes sadly can lead to a loss of money and a loss of professional reputation.

Counterfeit watches are becoming more accurate every year, with more brands being affected. Fake watches may come with matching box and paperwork, may be set with real diamonds, come with a fake retailer receipt, and even offer a view of the movement.

Frankenwatches, built from parts, are an increasing problem both in the contemporary and vintage watch markets. Watches with prestige brand names may be worth only the scrap value of their parts.

Customised watches have their own place in the market but need to be separated from factory-set examples, with the value, warranty and service implications clearly understood.

The Watch Authentication course will teach you a methodical approach to appraise any watch from any era. With hands-on experience with a wide range of fakes, ‘Super fakes’, boxes and warranty cards, this two-day course will open your eyes to the challenges of authentication, and give you practical skills to tackle them.

On completion of the course, attendees with be eligible to access exclusive and individual ‘deep-dive’ brand modules as they become available in early 2026.

Next course dates:

Tuesday 23rd & Weds 24th June 2026, London - Limited places

Tuesday 29th & Weds 30th September 2026, London

Tuesday 10th & Weds 11th November 2026, London

(If you require the content of this event tailored to your organisation or have more than 6 people to train it might be better for you to host a private event. Please get in touch to discuss this).

Taking the analytical skills of Authentication and Valuation and putting them into a real-world situation in front of clients. Whether you are a retailer, a dealer, a pawnbroker, or an auctioneer, if your business is watches, this course is for you.

Exploring the latest thinking in customer service psychology, this course will enable more meaningful connections and effective transactions, whether you are selling, buying, or arranging a loan.

Not all watches are authentic, and not all customers are well intentioned. This course will teach you the warning signs that suggest caution, whether regarding the watch, or the person offering it to you.

Setting the correct value is a balancing act. Rarity, liquidity, and condition all matter, as does the transaction’s purpose – is it for retail, auction, or loan? If the watch is gold, how does desirability compare to the bullion price?

The three aspects of the course naturally interlink. You cannot place a value of a watch until you know that it is genuine, but the client may not agree to a detailed inspection until they have agreed a value in principle.

A successful interaction with your client may result in a purchase, a sale, or a completed loan. Understanding them may create a repeat customer, or… it may provide the clues to identify a potential fraudster.

Next course dates:

Tuesday 13th & Wednesday 14th October 2026, London

(If you require the content of this event tailored to your organisation or have more than 6 people to train it might be better for you to host a private event. Please get in touch to discuss this).

Applying a value to a watch can be necessary for many reasons. It may be a replacement value at the new retail level or a replacement from the secondary market. It may be a value to sell or a value for probate or family division.

For each of these situations, it is crucial to understand which market you should be comparing to and the exact nature of your watch. 

This two day course will enable more competitive reserve setting for auction without being unrealistic, and prevent over-lending against watches, facilitating better buying decisions.

Next course dates:

Tuesday 3rd & Wednesday 4th November 2026, London

(If you require the content of this event tailored to your organisation or have more than 6 people to train it might be better for you to host a private event. Please get in touch to discuss this).