How to check that a Tissot is genuine before you buy

· 4 min read

Caseback of a Tissot PRX 40 mm, the first place to check engravings and the serial number

Updated 4 November 2026. By Carlos Iglesias, ArTempo, Maastricht.

Most fake Tissot watches are sold the same way: a photo copied from the official site, a price that looks too good and a seller you cannot check. You can rule out almost all of them in ten minutes, before you pay, with the checks below.

1. Check the seller before the watch

A real shop can be identified. Before buying, look for:

  • A company name, a registration number (in the Netherlands, a KVK number) and a VAT ID.
  • A physical address and a person who answers your questions.
  • A written returns policy. In the EU you can withdraw from most online purchases within 14 days.
  • Payment through a checkout that protects you, such as a card or PayPal, never a bank transfer to a private account.

If any of these are missing, stop there. A perfect-looking watch from a seller you cannot identify is the riskiest purchase on this list.

2. Read the reference on the listing and on the box

Every Tissot has a reference in the format T000.000.00.000.00. The Tissot PRX 40 mm with a blue dial, for example, is T137.410.11.041.00. The listing, the label on the box and the watch you receive should all point to the same reference.

Search the reference on tissotwatches.com. The official page shows the dial, case, bracelet and specifications for that exact model. Compare them with the photos of the watch you are buying: dial colour and finish, the shape of the hands, the date window and the bracelet links.

3. Check the EAN barcode

The white outer box carries a 13-digit EAN barcode. Tissot is a Swiss brand, and Swiss EANs start with 76. The EANs of the five Tissot watches we stock all start with 7611608. Scan the barcode with your phone and check that it points to the same reference.

A matching EAN is not proof on its own, because labels can be copied. A mismatch is a clear warning sign.

4. Look at the dial up close

Use your phone camera at full zoom, or a loupe if you have one:

  • The TISSOT logo, the 1853 date and the SWISS MADE marking at six o'clock should be sharp, evenly printed and centred.
  • The indices should be straight and line up with the minute track.
  • The date should sit centred in its window.
  • On a quartz watch, the seconds hand should land on the markers as it ticks.

5. Check the caseback, the clasp and the weight

Turn the watch over. Tissot casebacks carry engraved model information and a serial number, with clean, evenly deep engraving. Check that the clasp closes firmly and that the bracelet meets the case without gaps.

Weight is a simple test. Tissot lists the PRX 40 mm quartz at 130 g and the PRX 35 mm quartz at 97 g. A copy made of cheaper metal often feels noticeably lighter.

6. Know what should be in the box

A new Tissot comes in its outer box and presentation box with the instruction booklet. If you buy from an authorised Tissot retailer, you also get Tissot's international warranty, activated by that retailer.

Independent shops, like ArTempo, usually cannot activate Tissot's warranty. That is not a sign of a fake: it means the shop's own warranty and your EU consumer rights apply instead. A good seller tells you this before you pay. We explain how it works in Manufacturer warranty, shop warranty and your EU rights.

7. Ask for photos of the exact watch

Official photos prove nothing about the watch you will receive. Ask the seller for photos of that exact watch, including the caseback with the serial number partly covered. An honest seller will send them.

Red flags

  • A price far below what established sellers ask for the same reference. Compare a few before you buy.
  • Only official photos and no photos of the real watch.
  • No company details, or payment only by private bank transfer.
  • A reference on the listing that does not match the box or the official catalogue.

How ArTempo answers this list

We guarantee that our watches are genuine: their authenticity is confirmed by a watchmaker. Every listing shows the full reference and EAN so you can check them yourself, and you have 14 days to return the watch with a free label.

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