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Who Is Fooling Who?

jeff g

By jeff g
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jeff g Newbie

jeff g

Posted
Posted (edited)

Had an interesting experience with my modded SS Sub today.

Had a bit of a problem with my very nicely modded Ralex sub today. One of the pearl markers on the sub dial popped loose from the backing piece, and was floating around the dial. This piece is one of the nicest subs I have seen, purchased from one of our most respected dealers, and brought up to speed by one of our most respected rep craftsman. The fact that the marker came loose is a bummer, but stuff happens.

To make a long story shorter, I found a watchmaker locally, that had a good rep, and rather then send the piece back to the guy who did the modifications (out of U.S) I took the piece to him. When I brought out the watch and showed him the loose marker (at 6:00) he told me no problem, I could come back in a couple of hours and he would have it repaired. Cool. He wrote up a work order, gave me a receipt to pick it up, and out the door I went.

He probably spent 15 seconds looking at the thing. When I got to the car and looked at the receipt, he had written; 'Marker repair - Rolex COPY'!!!! So much for spending 500.00 for the watch and the modding.

Who is fooling who? I STILL love the watch, and will continue to wear it of course, but I doubt I will spend that kind of money to have the normal upgrading that our watch guys do again. Oh well.

Edited by jeff g
Pugwash Newbie

Pugwash

Posted
Posted
He probably spent 15 seconds looking at the thing. When I got to the car and looked at the receipt, he had written; 'Marker repair - Rolex COPY'!!!!

You said he had a good rep. Now you know why.

kegra Newbie

kegra

Posted
Posted
Had an interesting experience with my modded SS Sub today.

Had a bit of a problem with my very nicely modded Ralex sub today. One of the pearl markers on the sub dial popped loose from the backing piece, and was floating around the dial. This piece is one of the nicest subs I have seen, purchased from one of our most respected dealers, and brought up to speed by one of our most respected rep craftsman. The fact that the marker came loose is a bummer, but stuff happens.

To make a long story shorter, I found a watchmaker locally, that had a good rep, and rather then send the piece back to the guy who did the modifications (out of U.S) I took the piece to him. When I brought out the watch and showed him the loose marker (at 6:00) he told me no problem, I could come back in a couple of hours and he would have it repaired. Cool. He wrote up a work order, gave me a receipt to pick it up, and out the door I went.

He probably spent 15 seconds looking at the thing. When I got to the car and looked at the receipt, he had written; 'Marker repair - Rolex COPY'!!!! So much for spending 500.00 for the watch and the modding.

Who is fooling who? I STILL love the watch, and will continue to wear it of course, but I doubt I will spend that kind of money to have the normal upgrading that our watch guys do again. Oh well.

I think he just used common sense, If it was a rolex it would have taken its way to the AD with a lots of compaints from you why this has happend to your expencive watch. So he thought that if you bring the watch to him this must be rep..

John

cskent69 Newbie

cskent69

Posted
Posted

Wow - that is pretty good - especially since he did not even have to open it up. Do you have any minor giveaways? Have not read much about your piece....

ubiquitous Rookie

ubiquitous

Posted
Posted (edited)

If he had to access the dial, he would have had to uncase the movement to get to it. Once the caseback is popped, it's no secret...

EDIT: After re-reading the initial thread, I see that the watch repair guy identified this as a rep prior to opening the watch up. Guess I need to pay better attention to posts :blush:

Edited by ubiquitous
mhinagoya Newbie

mhinagoya

Posted
Posted (edited)

Pretty smart watchmaker.

He was protecting himself. It isn't inconceivable that someone might take a rep in for service, then when they went to pick it up, claim that the store had switched a rep for their genuine.

As to being able to spot a modded rep, the man is a watchmaker after all. If he couldn't tell the difference, I wouldn't let him work on one of my watches.

Bill.

Edited by mhinagoya
cskent69 Newbie

cskent69

Posted
Posted

Hey - that is pretty good thinking. I had not thought of the whole swaperoo. Perhaps the giveaway - was simply the fact that the marker fell off at all. I mean - what is the likelyhood of that in a gen? Probably never.

Pretty smart watchmaker.

He was protecting himself. It isn't unconceivable that someone might take a rep in for service, then when they went to pick it up, claim that the store had switched a rep for their genuine.

As to being able to spot a modded rep, the man is a watchmaker after all. If he couldn't tell the difference, I wouldn't let him work on one of my watches.

Bill.

Chronus Newbie

Chronus

Posted
Posted (edited)

Or maybe he was dressed as the bag lady.

Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

:Jumpy:

Edited by Chronus
kanerich Newbie

kanerich

Posted
Posted (edited)

One of the easiest ways that you can tell rep rolexes is the SEL's. They are solid on the better reps, but instead of being machined in three pieces like the gens they are one pressed piece. It's not too bad, but once you've seen real SEL's, it's very easy to tell the fakes. It's another reason why vintage reps are a better bet if you want to fool people.

It's also pretty easy to tell the fake owners. Let's say I'm a knowledgeable watchsmith. You bring in a nearly new "Sub." It looks pretty good and I wouldn't assume it was fake normally, but it's got a completely unacceptable defect (marker falling off the dial), and instead of insisting an AD fix it under warranty you have brought it to me to get it fixed on the cheap. That's not what real owners do. The watch has a $25 non-OEM band on it even though it's far too new to need a replacement band and very, very few real Sub owners would put such a cheap band on their watch. I don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out at this point that your watch is almost certainly a fake, which is confirmed when you don't even LOOK at what I wrote on the work order. A real Rolex customer would INSIST that I describe the watch in a fair amount of detail (e.g., "1970's TT genuine men's Rolex Datejust, in excellent condition") so that he has clear documentation of precisely what he put in my possession. Instead, you just stuff whatever I gave you into your pocket, as if you have entrusted me with a Timex. I may be completely honest, but I've met enough Rolex owners (who are a pretty anal bunch) to know that this level of disinterested trust from a new customer who puts a $4,000 watch into my possession is abnormal.

Hey, if it breaks like a $100 watch, has a band like a $100 watch, and a has an owner that acts like it's worth $100, then it's pretty obvious that's what it is.

Edited by kanerich
crystalcranium Newbie

crystalcranium

Posted
Posted

Feel is the most obvious giveaway for a rep. Besides weight, a genuine bracelet has a silkier, more solid feel. If the guys running the higher end rep factories really want to improve these fakes, then the materials and manufacture of the bracelet has to be improved. Alas, this might actually cost something though. Heavier, berrer machined metal can't be faked so don't hold your breath.

Chronus Newbie

Chronus

Posted
Posted

There are some decent aftermarket sellers of bracelets and bands. You may want to look into those. Some of them don't have the r*l*x logo, so you could just sitch the clasp to make it fit.

slay Rookie

slay

Posted
Posted

they usualy assume its a rep... if you ask them why they think so, they cant tell you, or they tell you [censored]!

silvio Newbie

silvio

Posted
Posted

Interesting story.

Actually there are still a handful of dealers and some watchmakers in my local town who can spot a rep. (be it a dial or case) just by a close viewing. Of course they have to touch it.

Amazingly one guy I know have this secret to spot a mod.MBW by the gen. He just gave me a hint telling me that he memorizes the 'extra angled' curve on certain area of a gen case.

Unfortunately, these guys are old schools and took their secrets to the grave...

Guest TTK

Guest TTK

Posted
Posted

He did what most people do when they see a Rolex......assumed it was a copy.....I've had and held enough gens to know that it's very difficult...( unless you are a complete Rolliehead ).....to tell genuine from a good quality rep.....!

Guest HeWhoIsLikeGod

Guest HeWhoIsLikeGod

Posted
Posted

I think it still comes down to the fact that the marker came off in the first place...............secondly, that you would take it to him instead of an AD. Probably nothing special, like a 6th sense for spotting fakes.

Polynomial Newbie

Polynomial

Posted
Posted

A new model Rolex with broken off dial marker? Rolex to non-authorised repear watchsmith? No insurance query and no issue about watch under warranty? If you took this to Stevie bloody Wonder he would have no problem telling it's a fake, chee guys, you think good looking crown guards are all it takes :bangin:

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