The Chanel brand is synonymous with class and style. The Chanel J12 watch is known for its beauty, durability and function. With sales and production of counterfeit Chanel J12 watches on the rise, it's important to know what to look for so you don't end up purchasing a fake.

How to Spot a Fake Chanel J12 Watch

Look at the back of the Chanel J12 watch. It is made in Italy and an authentic watch will have that stamped into the back of the watch.

Pay attention to the rivets on the watchband. Fake Chanel J12 watches frequently have rivets on every band link. Real Chanel J12 watch bands only have a few rivets.

Examine how the watch is packaged. A real Chanel J12 watch comes in a black Chanel case with "C H A N E L" in gold writing across the top. The watch is not in a plastic bag and neither the band nor face of the watch have plastic on them. Fake J12 watches frequently come packaged with plastic around the band. This is a dead giveaway.

Look at the date on the watch face. On authentic watches the date number is more vertical than horizontal or taller than wider. On fakes, the date number is often more horizontal than vertical, or wider than taller.

Pay attention to the price. Retail price for a Chanel J12 watch ranges from $5,000 to $10,000. These watches never go on sale and are never discounted. Imperfect watches are not sold and Chanel does not offer wholesale prices. Therefore, be suspicious if someone is offering low prices.

If in doubt, have the watch authenticated. Take it to any Chanel or jewelry store where they sell Chanel J12 watches. Ask if the watch is real or fake. Keep in mind that Chanel will not authenticate any item in writing.