Real of fake

[gaopa]

I just did a Google search for "Rolex Replica". The sites which came up are very interesting. I had no idea that the "grade 1 Swiss" replicas look so much like the real thing. Nor did I know that a good replica can cost up to $1,500. I can see how someone who does not know much about watches could get taken to the cleaners thinking they were buying a genuine Rolex. Wow! Cheers, Bill P.

[Rawhyde]

Scary, huh? They are pretty convincing in photos, but I've not YET (keyword here is YET) been fooled by one with it in my hands.

I bought my first Rolex in 1990. Got it secondhand in a pawn shop. It's really real. I've even had it serviced by Rolex. Nowadays, I am getting so paranoid about the better fakes that I think I'm gonna bite the bullet and pony up the (extravagant) megabucks to only buy new from an AD. Supposedly some of the fakes are made from genuine Rolex parts. I suppose it'd be straightforward to convert a SS Sub to a TT Blue Sub with the right skills and access to the parts, but it's considered a Frankenwatch and isn't worth nearly as much.

I imagine Rolex has good enough security that it'd be somewhat difficult to smuggle out a Rolex "one piece at a time" like Johnny Cash's Cadillac.... Even if someone did, ya still gotta put it together. Anyone skilled enough to do that doesn't HAVE to steal to make money.

Rawhyde

[ron17402]

Yea, I did not realize that there is a big business in fake Rolexs either.

What I found funny is that they are making fakes of the fakes. Passing a grade 3 or 4 for a grade 1.

Personally, I don't understand the whole fake thing. Even if nobody can tell, you still know it's fake.

What I found funny is when people take their "Rolex" into get service only to find out that it is fake. An AD told me that it happens all the time. Imagine having what you think is a real Rolex for years only to find out it's a fake?

Cheers.

[Interested Bystander]

I heard the ebay stories before I bought one on ebay.
I knew all about the 5 "grades" of fake Rolex.
Some folks are into fake Rolexes as much as the real deal. All the way from Swiss grade One which runs $1000 or so, to the worst Chinese which should be $20 bucks. So at least I knew what to look for. I even saw a fake of the Oysterdate 6694 on a Yahoo Singapore site, they will fake even a vintage if they can.

I wasn't nieve going in, mine had a 7 day return guarantee for it being authentic and I took it down the first day to have it checked out.

Since then got my own watch tools and now I can open the back on about any watch and know what to look for myself.

My avitar has the the movement of the Vintage Rolex I bought, some things can't be faked and thankfully this one bought from a good dealer wasn't a fake.

Well now I've changed out the movement picture for a very low quality picture of the watch itself in my avitar.

[Downing]

Originally Posted by ron17402

Personally, I don't understand the whole fake thing. Even if nobody can tell, you still know it's fake.

***

What I found funny is when people take their "Rolex" into get service only to find out that it is fake. An AD told me that it happens all the time. Imagine having what you think is a real Rolex for years only to find out it's a fake?

Ron: I'm with you on this one. A couple of years ago I was sitting in court, waiting to make an appearance. A colleague of mine was waiting as well, and I noticed he was wearing a "Rolex." I started to ask him about it, and he looked at me sheepishly and said it was a fake.

I was stunned. What's the point of wearing a fake anything, status? Well, ok, it's not something I would do, but then why would you ever admit it was a fake? Now aren't you just saying you're a big phony?

It didn't make any sense to me.

As far as thinking you own a genuine Rolex only to find out you don't, man, I don't even want to think how much that would um, hurt!

[Mr. K]

Originally Posted by Downing

What's the point of wearing a fake anything, status? Well, ok, it's not something I would do, but then why would you ever admit it was a fake? Now aren't you just saying you're a big phony?

It didn't make any sense to me.

I couldn't agree more.

[roadcarver]

Those poor souls, can't imagine how they'd feel when they're told they have a Folex when they brought it for service. Here they were thinking it was the real deal... now that's completely different from someone knowing they have a fake Rolex.

Originally Posted by ron17402

Yea, I did not realize that there is a big business in fake Rolexs either.

What I found funny is that they are making fakes of the fakes. Passing a grade 3 or 4 for a grade 1.

Personally, I don't understand the whole fake thing. Even if nobody can tell, you still know it's fake.

What I found funny is when people take their "Rolex" into get service only to find out that it is fake. An AD told me that it happens all the time. Imagine having what you think is a real Rolex for years only to find out it's a fake?

Cheers.

[BiG JeEzY]

What really gets me about those fake sites is that some of them use pictures of real Rolex watches when those pictures are copyright from another website that sells the real deal.

$1500 for a replica?! That is highway robbery, I'd never spend any amount on a replica ever its just all a rip off. I'd rather buy a decent Longines watch any day with $1500 USD.

Did you all know that Longines used to be the official timekeeper for professional American football games in the 1950s-1960s? They were, and they are always definitely one of my favorite brands out there.

[Vanessa CW21]

I've told at least 5 people (that were clueless) that their Rolex wasn't real... They almost started crying, all of them... And they really thought I was joking! I told them I don't joke about something like that, and then I asked how much they paid for it... One paid $8,000 for a ladies president, one $5,000 for a platinum YM, one $4,000 for a Sub LV, ... I don't remember the other ones, but they were all very devastated! None of them had a receipt, they all paid cash, except for one paid with AMEX, and he was able to stop the transaction (He didn't tell me how much he paid).

And then weekly I get the ones that do know that it's fake, but they want to "make sure" because it "was a gift"! Yeah right...

Regards
Vanessa

[vh_bu98]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

I've told at least 5 people (that were clueless) that their Rolex wasn't real... They almost started crying, all of them... And they really thought I was joking! I told them I don't joke about something like that, and then I asked how much they paid for it... One paid $8,000 for a ladies president, one $5,000 for a platinum YM, one $4,000 for a Sub LV, ... I don't remember the other ones, but they were all very devastated! None of them had a receipt, they all paid cash, except for one paid with AMEX, and he was able to stop the transaction (He didn't tell me how much he paid).

And then weekly I get the ones that do know that it's fake, but they want to "make sure" because it "was a gift"! Yeah right...

Regards
Vanessa

Does the AD make any notes on how many fakes they examine and do they pass that information onto Rolex?

[Vanessa CW21]

No, at least, WE don't.

[Tombstone]

If you do not care for Sociology or Psychology please do not read the following opinions.

Right or wrong I feel social pressures place people into buying fake items. These could be anything from watches to body parts.

Robert Merton is well known for his Anomie-Strain Theory. Anomie, is the breakdown of social norms which often result from society’s pressure which urges people to be ambitious (obtaining tokens of social success) while failing to provide people in society with the opportunities to succeed. (Not everyone in society will acquire means to do with as they see fit.)

Cohen added to Merton’s Theory by adding status frustration.

Goal- (party A wants a Rolex) Means gap- (party A does not have the means or the $5,000 to buy a Rolex) Status Frustration- (Party A feels he/she is a failure due to lack of Social token of Success Rolex) Deviance - (Party A buys a fake to feel he/she is of worth in society) or Party A moves onto a theory by Cloward and Ohlin.


Goal means gap – differential illegitimate opportunity- different deviant activities.

Differential illegitimate opportunity is defined as Criminal: anti-social acts such as stealing, robbing, and fencing.

Conflict: Obtaining means through conflict dog eats dog in a subculture to become top dog.

Retreatist: opt out of the “game” and refuse to recognize societies stress on wealth and social tokens of success such as Rolex watches or other items which are highly sought after.

I honestly believe that most on this forum do not use their Rolex to promote their arrival to social expectations, rather I view this forum as people who enjoy Rolex and the quality of Rolex watches. I for one would still buy Rolex if they were $20.00 at Wal-mart. It would be nice because I would then have one of each.

[ohlins]

Originally Posted by roadcarver

Here they were thinking it was the real deal... now that's completely different from someone knowing they have a fake Rolex.

well the fact is.....a fake is a fake.....:)

[frostie]

replica watches are a huge industry. There are 2.000.000 replicas produced every year and there are different kind of qualities. In most european countries police is investigating in order to stop replicas from coming to europe since it's illegal. In my country police is not making an effort at all to stop people from importing replicas and everybody can get a replica. Most of the replicas are chinese.

[Alcan]

Originally Posted by BiG JeEzY

I'd never spend any amount on a replica ever its just all a rip off. I'd rather buy a decent Longines watch any day with $1500 USD.

Agreed. Here are a couple of mine. I had some concerns about the day date because of the painted rather than applied stars and Longines logo, and the Oriental font which Babelfish translates to Chinese, but Longines (Swatch Group) in Toronto authenticated it.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by gaopa

I just did a Google search for "Rolex Replica". The sites which came up are very interesting. I had no idea that the "grade 1 Swiss" replicas look so much like the real thing. Nor did I know that a good replica can cost up to $1,500. I can see how someone who does not know much about watches could get taken to the cleaners thinking they were buying a genuine Rolex. Wow! Cheers, Bill P.

THIS copy of a SD is one of the best I have seen:



Note: The blueish hue to the bezel is just a trick of the eye.

I made a thread about it some while ago:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=17963

[frostie]

I did some research and i found this site www.mynewwatches.com . Check out the quality of these replicas . The guy that owns the site has videos where he demnostrates the watches.

[Letsgodiving]

Originally Posted by Spacedweller

THIS copy of a SD is one of the best I have seen:



Note: The blueish hue to the bezel is just a trick of the eye.

I made a thread about it some while ago:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=17963

Scary! Without a side by side comparison it would be very difficult to tell this is a fake.

[frostie]

but it would be reallly easy if could open the caseback.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by Letsgodiving

Scary! Without a side by side comparison it would be very difficult to tell this is a fake.

Passed with honours, because THIS is the fake:

[wandyprawira]

Originally Posted by Spacedweller

THIS copy of a SD is one of the best I have seen:



Note: The blueish hue to the bezel is just a trick of the eye.

I made a thread about it some while ago:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=17963

If you didn't state it was a fake, I would have thought it was real. How could one can avoid such scam? Reading Vanessa's story, I can imagine how sad the owners were.

[Welshwatchman]

A friend of mine acquired a fake Explorer I for £100.

It had an ETA movement and looked pretty damn realistic.

He still wears it after 2 years. I am waiting for the thing to fall apart but the sodding thing has not done so yet.

If ever the fakies are able to make a very good copy of my gold 116518 and 116718 then its time for me to consider knocking the whole thing on the head.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by Welshwatchman

A friend of mine acquired a fake Explorer I for £100.

It had an ETA movement and looked pretty damn realistic.

He still wears it after 2 years. I am waiting for the thing to fall apart but the sodding thing has not done so yet.

If ever the fakies are able to make a very good copy of my gold 116518 and 116718 then its time for me to consider knocking the whole thing on the head.

Well, ETA movements are quite good, so I don't think it is strange that is still ticks. In fact, some of the ETA movements could be easily adjusted to run as precisely as the Rolex movements.

[Obsession]

Well, a replica ROlex can be ofcourse 1500 USD if it is a TT version with real high quality gold, high quality steel and ETA movement, other SS models replicas are starting from 3 USD with quartz movement 50 dolar with automatic ( good quality like my replica) and 200 USD which are chrono models like Daytona with ETA movement as exactly same chrono movement and functions working and thats all, but instead of giving 1500 better to wait and give 7000 and get real if it s 5 times but to buy a good replica is good if it is exactly same and 150 times cheaper.

[ron17402]

[QUOTE=Vanessa;275928]I've told at least 5 people (that were clueless) that their Rolex wasn't real... They almost started crying, all of them... And they really thought I was joking! I told them I don't joke about something like that, and then I asked how much they paid for it... One paid $8,000 for a ladies president, one $5,000 for a platinum YM, one $4,000 for a Sub LV, ... I don't remember the other ones, but they were all very devastated! None of them had a receipt, they all paid cash, except for one paid with AMEX, and he was able to stop the transaction (He didn't tell me how much he paid).

OUCH!!!

[GoldenBear]

Was your friend an attorney? Isn't there something "ethically" wrong about knowingly wearing counterfeit merchandise? It seems illegal to violate trademark and/or copyright infringement laws? Not to mention (IMO) that wearing a fake Rolex shows an incredible lack of character and integrity. Not something that you would want from a "professional". Every attorney I know (and I know a lot) are so concerned with their image and reputation that they would never pull a stunt like wearing a Folex.