A watch sold as a "Villeret 6622" is a Blancpain-style dress watch. The Villeret is Blancpain's classic line. Blancpain has built watches since 1735 and takes the name from the Swiss village of Villeret. The reference number is the first thing to check. Blancpain Villeret references that appear in catalogs and dealer listings include 6651, 6654, 6606 and 6639. If the seller cannot point to 6622 in an official catalog and on the caseback, the watch is not a Blancpain. A genuine example costs thousands of dollars. Copies cost tens of dollars to a few hundred.

Verify the reference number

Blancpain engraves the reference number, the case serial and the calibre number on the caseback. Compare all three with the warranty card and the invoice.

• Engraving. Factory engraving is cut into the metal. Copy engraving sits on the surface and looks pale.
• Font. The same typeface used on the dial and in the catalog.
• Serial. One serial on the caseback, the same serial on the papers. No repeats.
• Caseback text. "Blancpain", the reference, the serial, "Swiss Made" and the water resistance rating.

Inspect the movement

Most Villeret watches have a sapphire caseback, so the movement is visible without tools. Blancpain states its Villeret calibres are made in-house. A copy carries an off-the-shelf ebauche: an ETA 2824, a Sellita SW200, a Miyota 9015 or a Seagull ST21, dressed up with stripes and a logo plate. Signs to check:

• A signed rotor with the Blancpain name and the calibre number.
• Blancpain lists a 100-hour power reserve for the 1150-family automatic. A watch that stops overnight does not hold that movement.
• Finish under a loupe. Bevels, screws and jewelling on a factory movement are clean. Copy work shows burrs and uneven stripes.
• Blued screws, perlage on the base plate, and a balance cock with the correct shape.

Read the dial and hands

• Printing. Look at the logo and the "Swiss Made" at 6 o'clock under 10x magnification. Copies show ink spread and uneven edges.
• Indices. White gold or steel appliques, set level and flush. Copies use glued plastic or brass.
• Hands. Polished bevels on the sides, correct length to the minute track, no file marks.
• Date. The date font on a Blancpain is thin and open. Copies use a fat, blocky font and the window sits off center.
• Moonphase and calendar. On a real 6654 the moonphase disc is a metal plate with painted stars. Copies print the moon flat on foil.

Compare the price and the paperwork

Used steel Villeret models trade in a range of about $5,000 to $9,000. Gold models run higher. Asking prices move with condition, box and papers. A listing at $100 to $500 is a copy. So is a listing with no serial, photocopied papers, or a warranty card with no dealer stamp.

If you already own one

Take the watch to an authorized Blancpain retailer or an independent watchmaker. Either can open the case and name the calibre. A watchmaker with a Blancpain parts account can run the same check in minutes. Importing counterfeit goods into the United States is illegal under 19 U.S.C. 1526, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection may seize the shipment. Keep the invoice and the seller's messages if you plan to file a chargeback.