Who collects watches?

[DON SVO]

Those are pretty bad fakes.
Easy to tell. First is the magnification of the cyclops. Should be 2.5x and even at that angle you can tell there is little to none. The end link fit is horrible. Even on older Rolexes without solid end links the lug to link fit is almost surgical. The lugs themselves on both are not correct. Crown is off, not correct for the reference. The font on the dial is incorrect as well. The markers on the dial are not the correct size. The pearl is pretty bad.

Easiest test if you have it in your hand is how it sets time. If you turn the crown counter clockwise and the hands turn clockwise it is a fake. Even newer 1+1 replicas can not get the movement right.....

I read an article about fake Rolex's a while back. They took a real sub and a $140 counterfeit to a Rolex dealer. The author said they had to pulled it apart to verify it was a fake. I wouldn't mind an awesome counterfeit for daily wear.

[Chopped54]

I read an article about fake Rolex's a while back. They took a real sub and a $140 counterfeit to a Rolex dealer. The author said they had to pulled it apart to verify it was a fake. I wouldn't mind an awesome counterfeit for daily wear.

Rolex dealer was either a moron or the article was staged.

There are some decent looking reps out there, some even being built with ETA movements, but anyone that knows the slightest bit about Rolexes should be able to tell.
The TC Sub replica is probably the best out there and it is still easy to distinguish it as a fake.

[STANGGT40]

I read an article about fake Rolex's a while back. They took a real sub and a $140 counterfeit to a Rolex dealer. The author said they had to pulled it apart to verify it was a fake. I wouldn't mind an awesome counterfeit for daily wear.

I've seen some expensive fakes ($1000+) that are very difficult to tell, but someone with experience should easily be able to spot a ~$100 fake. Those usually have a lot of signs of being fake...wrong hands for the model, cyclops eye has bad magnification (some have less; some more). Rolex has a 2.5x magnification and for some reason they rarely get that right. Usually it's 1.5x or 3x or something. On the higher end, the number gets distorted. I think that those manufacturers of the fakes just grab a handful of parts and start throwing watches together. I've seen gmt second hands on subs, etc.

[Chopped54]

I've seen some expensive fakes ($1000+) that are very difficult to tell, but someone with experience should easily be able to spot a ~$100 fake. Those usually have a lot of signs of being fake...wrong hands for the model, cyclops eye has bad magnification (some have less; some more). Rolex has a 2.5x magnification and for some reason they rarely get that right. Usually it's 1.5x or 3x or something. On the higher end, the number gets distorted. I think that those manufacturers of the fakes just grab a handful of parts and start throwing watches together. I've seen gmt second hands on subs, etc.

The $1000+ reps are only $1000 because someone thinks if they pay more they are getting a more perfect rep, they are all from the same warehouses. After almost getting scammed on a DSSD I researched the hell out of it. The DSSD and Sub reps are the best, but still have flaws that are easy to spot if you know what you are looking for. Again the easy way to tell is the movement. Even if it has a Swiss or Asian ETA movement it still sets incorrectly. I am not going to post links to them, but there are entire forums dedicated to replicas. My buddy will bring back some Canal street reps that he thought were good till I put them up to a gen of the same model to show him just how bad they are. It all is in the eye of the detail.

Now there are some scammers out there that will build frankenwatches that can be very hard to tell because they are pieced together with genuine Rolex parts. They will take an actual sub/explorer case, gen crystal and dial and bracelet, then a cheaper early Rolex/Tudor movements and put them all together. It will cost them a few grand to build but stand to profit a couple grand when sold.

[STANGGT40]

The $1000+ reps are only $1000 because someone thinks if they pay more they are getting a more perfect rep, they are all from the same warehouses. After almost getting scammed on a DSSD I researched the hell out of it. The DSSD and Sub reps are the best, but still have flaws that are easy to spot if you know what you are looking for. Again the easy way to tell is the movement. Even if it has a Swiss or Asian ETA movement it still sets incorrectly. I am not going to post links to them, but there are entire forums dedicated to replicas. My buddy will bring back some Canal street reps that he thought were good till I put them up to a gen of the same model to show him just how bad they are. It all is in the eye of the detail.

Now there are some scammers out there that will build frankenwatches that can be very hard to tell because they are pieced together with genuine Rolex parts. They will take an actual sub/explorer case, gen crystal and dial and bracelet, then a cheaper early Rolex/Tudor movements and put them all together. It will cost them a few grand to build but stand to profit a couple grand when sold.

I saw a day/date fake that was incredible. True 18k gold president band and case and everything looked real. It belonged to a jeweler that was showing me a watch back in 07ish...he said that someone brought it in, trying to pass it off as a true Rolex, and he said that it was the best fake he'd seen, so he bought it...not for true Rolex price, but several hundred if I recall. He said that it had the model and serial between the lugs, etc...If I recall, he said that the only way he could tell was looking at the actual movement, which I think he said was some sort of Swiss made movement. I didn't try to do the rotation test, but I would sure assume that would be one of the first things he would try.

[Cobraman]

I really like the size and fit of the sub replica. I'll probably order an invicta diver next. All the ergonomics are perfect for my wrists. I don't like the huge dials all after wearing my big fossil around I'll probably trade it in on the invicta.

[momo]

my opinion, dont buy a bunch of cheap quartz mineral crystal watches for the sake of variety.

save up, buy 1 nice automatic sapphire crystal watch with a good name and wear that 99% of the time.

[Chopped54]

I saw a day/date fake that was incredible. True 18k gold president band and case and everything looked real. It belonged to a jeweler that was showing me a watch back in 07ish...he said that someone brought it in, trying to pass it off as a true Rolex, and he said that it was the best fake he'd seen, so he bought it...not for true Rolex price, but several hundred if I recall. He said that it had the model and serial between the lugs, etc...If I recall, he said that the only way he could tell was looking at the actual movement, which I think he said was some sort of Swiss made movement. I didn't try to do the rotation test, but I would sure assume that would be one of the first things he would try.

This is a replica. Scary good from the start. They did change out the insert and pearl, but still would fool quite a bit of folk as is.











ETA Movement

[Chopped54]

scrounged up the pics of the DSSD that a guy was trying to trade me.
This watch is the reason I bought a Bergeon case tool.

[STANGGT40]

Those are some damn good fakes! I haven't even seen a fake dssd yet...I've seen tons of fake subs, though.

[DON SVO]

Rolex dealer was either a moron or the article was staged.

There are some decent looking reps out there, some even being built with ETA movements, but anyone that knows the slightest bit about Rolexes should be able to tell.
The TC Sub replica is probably the best out there and it is still easy to distinguish it as a fake.

I'm not saying that it was full of counterfeit Rolex guts or anything. They opened the case and it was a Swiss movement which is a no-brainer. The magnification was pretty spot-on and it had well-duplicated hands/bezel/case etc. For a fake it was pretty damn good and would probably fool just about anyone who wasn't well versed in Rolexes.

[Chopped54]

I'm not saying that it was full of counterfeit Rolex guts or anything. They opened the case and it was a Swiss movement which is a no-brainer. The magnification was pretty spot-on and it had well-duplicated hands/bezel/case etc. For a fake it was pretty damn good and would probably fool just about anyone who wasn't well versed in Rolexes.

I'd be interested in reading the article if you can find/link it....

[Cobraman]

my opinion, dont buy a bunch of cheap quartz mineral crystal watches for the sake of variety.

save up, buy 1 nice automatic sapphire crystal watch with a good name and wear that 99% of the time.

eventually I will have a little bit of everything. I want to be able to have a watch for every outfit/occaison. It is cool to be able to choose. Plus if I fuck up my $150 watch I'll be a lot less mad than fucking up my $400 watch. You have to realize my very low income lol. In the next few months I will buy some nicer stuff.

[Cobraman]

Looking for ideas for my next purchase. Anything you guys like in the 199-300 range?

[Chopped54]

Looking for ideas for my next purchase. Anything you guys like in the 199-300 range?

Still got two watches for you.....

Just committed to buy two of Chopped54's! Guess the collection has started. I've got my eyes on a citizen or seiko next. Probably something blue or green faced.