Reference · Watch identifier

Identify a watch from a photo.

See a watch you can’t place? Reference helps identify its brand, model and possible reference from a photo. Keep the result in your private Index, whether you own the watch or simply spotted it.

Try spotting a watch

Reference for iPhone is coming to the App Store. Explore how spotting works in the interactive demo.

Cartier Santos on a wrist, an illustrative photograph — Cartier Santos · Ref. WSSA0029Illustrative example

Cartier Santos, Index portrait — Cartier Santos · Ref. WSSA0029Illustrative example

From a wrist photo to your Index

An illustrative example of the photo-to-portrait experience. Identification depends on the details visible in your photograph.

Start with one clear photo

Open the camera or choose an existing photo from your library. A close view of one watch gives Reference more to work with than a photo of a whole outfit or watch box.

Keep the full dial, bezel and case in focus.
Move away from reflections that hide the dial text.
Photograph each watch separately, with faces outside the frame.

See what’s identified

Read the brand, model and any suggested reference separately. A model match does not always establish the exact version. Compare the details with your watch, add another photo where prompted, or correct the identification yourself.

Let the portrait arrive

Identification and the studio portrait are separate steps. Once your watch is saved, its AI-generated portrait can finish in the background. You can keep exploring; your original remains in Your photos. The portrait presents your watch in the Index, but is not evidence of its fine details.

Keep the watches you notice

Save an encounter as Spotted, or mark your own watch as Owned. An imported photo can belong in your Index without becoming a new camera sighting. Discovery badges follow their eligibility rules; uploading a photo does not guarantee an award.

Before you identify a watch

Can it identify every exact reference?

No. Similar references can share a dial and case, while differences may be hidden. You may get a brand or model without a confirmed reference. Keep uncertain details open until you can check them.

Can I use a photo that includes my face?

Keep faces out of the frame. For an existing photo, crop it in Photos to show just the watch and wrist, then select it again. Make sure the watch is still sharp enough to read.

Will it tell me whether a watch is genuine or what it is worth?

Photo identification does not authenticate a watch or provide an appraisal. A plausible model or reference is not proof that an individual watch is genuine.

Does identifying a watch publish my photo?

No. Your Index and original photos are private. Sharing in Community is a separate choice.