First off, and this is kinda obvious, right? But price. Seriously. If that “Ice Watch” is going for, like, ten bucks on some shady website, alarm bells should be going off like crazy. Designer watches ain’t cheap, people! Even the “more affordable” ones, y’know? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Duh.
And speaking of shady websites… where are you buying this thing? Is it some random place with a name that looks like it was generated by a robot? Stick to authorized dealers, man! Reputable sites, places with actual physical stores… you get the picture. Don’t be lazy and expect some knock-off from “CheapWatchesRUs.biz” to be legit.
Now, listen real close, because this is important. Even if the price seems “okay” and the website is, like, semi-legit, listen to the watch. No, seriously. Hold that thing up to your ear. A real high-end watch – and I’m assuming Ice Watches are supposed to be semi-high-end, right? – shouldn’t be ticking super loud. Like, if you can hear it from across the room, that’s a massive red flag. Think about it, engineering, fancy gears, etc, are not going to be ticking at all!
Another thing, and this is where it gets a little trickier, is the overall feel of the watch. Does it feel cheap? Does the band feel plasticky and flimsy? Is the finish all scratched and uneven? A real Ice Watch should feel well-made, y’know? Like, you can tell it’s not just some cheap plastic toy. I mean, you’re paying for quality, so expect to *feel* it.
Oh, and this is something a lot of people forget: ask an expert! Seriously, if you’re still unsure, take the watch to an authorized dealer or a reputable jeweler. They’ve seen it all before. They can spot a fake from a mile away. It might cost you a few bucks for their time, but think of it as an investment in not getting ripped off!