"Rolex Experts"

[Evan614]

I am sure you have all met "Rolex experts" (and a Rolex expert in this case is a person that doesn't own one, probably has never seen one in person and the closest they have been to one is by looking at one in a magazine or on ebay)
So tell me your story (most memorable one or two) that you have told that your watch is not real. And maybe how they tried to tell you why it isn't. (I suspect most of you have some great stories.)

(I haven't experience that yet, but I am sure it's coming in the future)

[bayerische]

A friend of mine that I don't see very often, who has a fake Sub told me Rolex uses ETA movements.

I almost got banned.

Oh and he's certainly a "Rolex expert".

[tattooedfagin]

a guy came into my store to try & sell me a Daytona, i took a quick look & told him i wasn't interested....trilock had no seals, there was glue evident around the edges of the dial & crystal to name just a couple of things.....he was adamant it was genuine telling me it belonged to a guy with a helicopter ???

[brady]

I haven't been told mine was fake, but I did have someone tell me that Rolexes all keep terrible time. I told him that this was untrue and that while mechanical watches are not typically as accurate as a quartz, Rolex still times their watch to COSC standards. He maintained that I was wrong and that Rolexes keep bad time.

At that point I exited the conversation as I could see it was going nowhere.

[Watch Professor]

A firend didn't think my GMT IIC was real as it didn't have a jubilee bracelet. According to him, all Rolexes have Jubilees.

[sonikbyte]

Originally Posted by Watch Professor

A firend didn't think my GMT IIC was real as it didn't have a jubilee bracelet. According to him, all Rolexes have Jubilees.

lol

[Rscmaine]

I was informed - with absolute certainty - that my 16013 datejust was fake by a guy in a mall jewelry store because,

"Real Rolexes don't have holes in the lugs. But if it makes you happy to think so, enjoy your watch."

Another "Jewelry Consultant" whose last job was at the Orange Julius in the food court.

[mike]

While the internet has been a boom to the exchange of information and the study of watches and their history in general it has created, in some cases, the "instant" expert.

There are most certainly those to whom the term "expert" should be granted. TRF is blessed with a few a of these individuals and when they post I listen.

I tend to feel most of us (especially me) are students of the Rolex brand and others makers.

We know through the generous interchange of ideas and experience areas we once considered "set in stone" are absolutely not the case.

I'll admit to take a questioning view when a respondent to a particular question (especially vintage) gives a bright line answer.

Study is an ongoing process......

[sakuraba]

Originally Posted by mike

There are most certainly those to whom the term "expert" should be granted. TRF is blessed with a few a of these individuals and when they post I listen.

You're one of the true experts whose posts I look forward to reading, Mike!

FWIW, posts from you, Larry (Tools), Peter (Padi), and Orchi are the ones that are "must reads" in my book.

[DRAWTOOL]

An "Ex" is a has-been and a "spert" is a drip under pressure.

[sakuraba]

Originally Posted by Evan614

So tell me your story (most memorable one or two) that you have told that your watch is not real. And maybe how they tried to tell you why it isn't. (I suspect most of you have some great stories.)

(I haven't experience that yet, but I am sure it's coming in the future)

I hardly ever have my watches noticed.

I took my SD to a local watchmaker to have the bezel insert swapped and the watchmaker immediately told me that the insert was fake. Said that there were no marks in the back and that was a sure sign it was a fake. So I walked out.

Since I bought it off Steve M, there is no doubt of its provenance. I took it to an AD to make the swap. To test the watchmaker, I asked them if they thought the insert was a fake, and they replied "No! what made you think it is?".