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Horology glossaryDefined term / franken-watch

Franken-Watch

A watch assembled from parts sourced from more than one original watch, typically to pass off a composite as a complete original example.

Authentication note

Why this detail matters.

A franken-watch might contain a genuine case, a genuine movement, and a genuine dial that were never originally paired together, which is exactly why authenticators cross-check case, movement, and dial details against each other rather than certifying each part in isolation. Individually genuine parts do not make the assembled watch what it's being sold as.

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