denimhead Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 If he's sourcing dials with correctly pressed gilt on top of the gloss as per Gen then there's only one guy who produces them as far as i know, and he's here in the UK, as i 'm sure cc33 will confirm they're as good as it gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 He's not, that's how they are so easily spotted. And the only reason (sad) that rolex can unequivocally tell him they are fake. The plates used are fake and the methods used are wrong.. I really hate to say it for obvious reasons but I think rolex would not reject my dial makers dials, there are very few people who have the expertise to be able to know and they don't work for rolex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendota Explorer Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 (edited) ^ Just curious - does he refinish dials or produce new ones? How would someone get in contact with him for vintage Franken builds, such as 6538 or other big crowns where it just isn't reasonable or even physically possible to source a gen dial for a grail build? Edited March 21, 2014 by Mendota Explorer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flex Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 any dealers who think Rolex don't have records of the all the details are waiting to crash...Rolex in geneva would examine dial, case (serial number) etc. and extensive records of special watches. ok rolex outside of geneva may not have a clue but i know for a fact that the heritage does keep many rare parts and would service for selected customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archierocks Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Most Rolexes aren't made in geneva they are made in the Uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Most Rolexes aren't made in geneva they are made in the Uk I feel like I'm walking into a trap here, but what exactly do you mean by that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archierocks Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Rolex Uk HQ in Kent now assembles almost 80% of their models and is now doing most of the European servicing its an amazing place Like fort knox but with watches inside everything down to the last case screw is traceable and accounted for. Ive just been at it for the first part of my Rolex training i started in a AD a few months ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I had no idea, Archie. While I'm sure that everything is on the up-and-up with regard to the "SWISS MADE" label, I've always had this mental image fully-assembled Datejusts coming out of a factory in Switzerland! Next you'll be telling me that it doesn't actually take a year to make one of these things! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denimhead Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Rolex Uk HQ in Kent now assembles almost 80% of their models and is now doing most of the European servicing its an amazing place Like fort knox but with watches inside everything down to the last case screw is traceable and accounted for. Ive just been at it for the first part of my Rolex training i started in a AD a few months ago Very interesting Archie, funnily enough up until about 2 years ago i used to be able to ring up Bexley and get history on the older Rolex's i was buying or sourcing for customers but all of a sudden they're now not confirming any history at all. Unless of course its been stolen! Rolex - 'Made in Kent' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archierocks Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) it's an amazing place about 40 smiths all at benches parts all fly about in the plastic tubes from department to department they only order what they need for each build or service . and all the parts come up from what looks like a vault of the future well i was there less than a year and saw a few getting made lol Edited March 23, 2014 by archierocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 That's so cool! I can picture it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Sounds like the Wonka Factory. Rolex should have a contest for exclusive tours. I want a golden ticket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Whoa, that's amazing stuff. I spent a year in geneva and lived just down the road from the big rolex building and fantasized about going in there. Alas it never happened. So the big building in geneva is a dummy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archierocks Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 No it's not a dummy they still produce movement and movement parts in that one as well as some of their pieces for the arab market Theres no way they could do tours of it its like Fort Knox doesn't have any heating or air con (to make dust pretty much extinct) temp is controlled by a water system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendota Explorer Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Very interesting! I didn't know that. Thanks for the enlightenment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I always thought they were meticulously assembled by Swiss Mountain Elves. I guess Kent Mountain Elves are just as plausible? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denimhead Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I always thought they were meticulously assembled by Swiss Mountain Elves. I guess Kent Mountain Elves are just as plausible? This is one of their main Guys in the Kent workshops Mr B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhorn Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 That is agreed cc... Sadly, people hearing about Mayer and his watch collection for the first time as well as the VRF article (which TMZ has taken completely out of context), will have very little sympathy for him. Afterall, Spending million$$ on Rolexes (fake or genuine) is what I would call a "high-class" problem.... Not many will be able to relate. I'm sure Maron's defense will be that Mayer, as a watch aficionado, should have known exactly what he was buying and as a self-proclaimed expert of sorts, should have been able to authenticate (at least the dials) the watches he was buying. It's not as if he was a noob. It would be analogous to an individual purchasing shares in a start-up; the investors would have to sign an "accredited investor" form that states he/she fully understands the risks involved since they are "sophisticated investors". In the vintage Rolex world, Mayer would certainly be categorized as such. Mayer, unfortunately, has the burden of proof, and needs to prove that Maron knew that some of his watches were Minh specials and sold them with that knowledge. I'm sure there was some disclaimer in the sales contracts that alleviates Maron of liability having made "his best efforts to authenticate each watch he sells as being 100% genuine. This is going to be an interesting case for all vintage watch dealers and auction houses. I'm sorry, but if I was spending that kind of money on a watch, you can be sure it would be signed off on by Rolex as being gen before I bought it, not just some third-party dealer arranging the sale. If Mayer didn't do that then he's a moron. Still doesn't deserve to get screwed on the deal, but it's not like we are talking about run of the mill modern Subs or DateJusts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I'm sorry, but if I was spending that kind of money on a watch, you can be sure it would be signed off on by Rolex as being gen before I bought it, not just some third-party dealer arranging the sale. If Mayer didn't do that then he's a moron. Still doesn't deserve to get screwed on the deal, but it's not like we are talking about run of the mill modern Subs or DateJusts. Yes. It's all relative isn't it? The fact that he did not get them verified is something that will work in the defenses favour. Sad but true. In VRF he knowingly stated he would buy "Mayer dialed" daytonas to all comers for $50-75k...without official Rolex endorsement. This history is something Marons lawyers is jumping all over. Burden of proof by Mayer is a tough one. I really hope Maron fries, but it's not gonna be easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Arab market?! some kind of apartheid going on here?! Swiss-made only for the oil-sheiks! Truth be told, those guys are really like rock stars in geneva come summer. They fly their own arabian-plated ferraris all the way over to drive them there and spend like it's going out of style! No wonder they bend over backwards for them. How about the crazy nouveau rich chinese (*ahem* maffioso)? Wonder where their rolexes are made? They spend like grandmaster flash too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhorn Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) Burden of proof by Mayer is a tough one. It won't be as tough if Maron told him they were gen watches, or provided some documentation to indicate it. If they were sold to him as genuine, then Mayer will win. My guess is that he doesn't file the lawsuit unless he has something to back up they were supposed to be gen. Could be in the sales documents, or email. Could be in a contract between the two that Maron would only buy gen watches. If it was relayed over the phone, then unless he recorded the calls he will have an issue. Doesn't matter if he told the world he was OK buying fake ones. There's an easy explanation for that. He didn't want to wear a totally gen piece on the road when he was touring, and wanted something that could get beat up. The only thing that matters is what he was told prior to purchase about the watches in question. It also doesn't matter if Maron's lawyer wants to portray him as a sophisticated watch collector that "should have known what he was buying". The only thing that matters is was he told they were genuine prior to purchase. The odds of his attorney filing something without having at least a small shred of evidence they were sold to Mayer as genuine is very low. Keep in mind he wasn't questioning all of the watches Maron sold to him, just a few of them. The only way the defense might be able to mitigate that is if the watches were sold at a price that is so far below market value that Mayer should have suspected they were not 100% genuine. There's a great 6263 for sale right now on the boards for $1,900. If Meyer paid that for one of the watches in question, then he won't have much of a leg to stand on of course. My guess is this gets settled before trial, and shortly after Maron is deposed by Mayer's attorney. Either they'll have something they produce at the deposition that makes Maron settle, or Mayer's attorney will tell him he can't win based on what comes out in the deposition. Edited March 25, 2014 by tomhorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Not sure what the documentation would say, but I imagine (or I would not be surprised) if the terms and conditions said something like "We have made our best efforts to verify that the watch you are buying is 100% Rolex unless stated otherwise....So to the best of our knowledge, its 100% genuine Rolex.. and if it's not, we will provide a full refund within XX days". So even if they were 100% total fakes and Mayer did not go back within that timeframe, not sure what happens there. He would have to prove that Maron was negligent in his due diligence to verify authenticity I guess. I'm surprised Maron just didnt provide a refund so it never got to this point. And yes, it's in Maron's interest to get this over with sooner rather than later. Regardless, this cannot be good for business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flex Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Full report here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/custom/Embeds/John%20Meyer%20Lawsuit.pdf?mobile_redirect=false Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thanks, flex! I have to wonder which of his pieces had the aftermarket bezel and dial. 3CROC RIP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielv2000 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Let's invite John to our forum and I will gladly take his "counterfeits" off his hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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