How to Separate a Phony From the Real McCoy

The most popular knockoffs in each category and how to spot a fake:

Watches: Rolex, Tag Huer, Gucci, Cartier, Movado and Seiko. Second-tiered knockoffs popular with younger people are Guess, Nautica and Timberland.

Real vs. Fake Rolex: If the second hand makes a “tick, tick, tick” motion, it’s fake. The real thing’s second hand moves in a fluid motion.

The genuine is also heavier because it’s made of high-grade steel, has an 18-carat gold band and a synthetic sapphire crystal. The fake is made of hollow metal, is gold-plated and the crystal is made of plastic.

Handbags: Chanel, Dooney & Burke, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Gucci, Coach.

Real vs. Fake: A real Chanel handbag is made of soft lambskin. The fakes are made of everything from cheap leather to vinyl. The Chanel label with its registered trademark is sewn onto the bag if it’s genuine. The fakes are glued on and can be easily peeled off.

Scarves: Chanel, Paloma Picasso, Yves St. Laurent.

Real vs. Fake: The real thing is 100% silk, smooth and light to the touch. The fakes are polyester. On genuine designer scarves, the edges are hand rolled and hand stitched to prevent fraying; fakes are machine-stitched.

Designer shirts: Ralph Lauren Polo, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, Timberland. Also, Power Rangers, Disney Lion King, Flintstones and World Cup soccer T-shirts.

Real vs. Fake: Perhaps the hardest category to detect because computer advancements have made it possible to match the real embroidery stitch for stitch. Labels and tags are also near perfect thanks to computer copying.

The biggest giveaway is quality and weight of material. Fakes are done on cheap seconds. Look beneath the “designer” label to see if the original label has been cut out.

Fake T-shirts are also printed on cheap material and do not have the licensee’s label stitched in the neck.