How to spot a fake

David Hogan of David Duggan Watches helps spare your eBay blushes

1/ Inspect the strap Give the leather a little sniff – it should smell like the inside of a luxury sportscar. Metallic strap? Have a play with it and if there’s any give between the links then it’s time to get suspicious.

2/ Watch the second hand very closely If there’s even a slightly jerky motion you can stake money on it being a fake. The best watch brand’s mechanics are engineered to remove all hints of judder.

3/ Check your text Turn it over and examine the text detail on the dial with a magnifying glass. A quality watch will have pin-sharp text with no smudgy edges and, of course, no spelling mistakes.

4/ Gen up on the market rate Reasonably priced Rolex? That should set off alarm bells. Rolex is the most faked watch brand in the world, too, with its Submariner the most copied.

5/ Research details Rolex movements have many differently coloured parts, whereas fakes generally don’t. The letters ETA (makers of internal watch parts) stamped on the rear is a sure sign of a dud, too.

6/ Know your materials Omega is another popular brand for counterfeiters, so check how well the face and hands glow in the dark. Omega uses a substance called LumiNova that easily outshines any fake.