My Rolex-

[Normy]

Back in 2005, I wound up in Hong Kong while flying 747's for Kalitta Air. I was there for four days, and got kind of bored.

Up to Mong Kok I go! Well, a colleague of mine went with me and....

1. Not only did he know where to find the latest bootleg software and videos....

2. But he knew were the PRIME fake Rolex watches were to be found.

And yes, I partook of both.

A year ago, I was climbing into my 928, and as I sat down, the fake Rolex I bought that day fell off my arm. There is a screw that secures the clamp to the wrist band. I put the watch away, after searching the car- it must have fallen off in the restaurant. Oh well-

Today I took my $250 US [I was told it is a Casio automatic movement with a real Rolex band in a fake body and face] watch to Mayor jewlers, a shop that is a Rolex authorized dealer at the Galeria Mall here in Fort Lauderdale. YES, I drove my 928 there. I walked in the door, and was greeted by a woman about 60 years old. I handed my watch to her, and she said that she needed to check if they had the screw I needed. She took it into a back room, and came out 4 minutes later:

"What does this mean on the back? "WINNER Rolex ad Daytona 1992 24"

I told her that the Porsche/Rolex team won the Daytona 24 hours race in 1992. She thought it meant I was one of the racers!

"Well, I fly airplanes for Fedex, and since we have strict medical requirements [NOT- fat guys abound our cockpits], we are all in shape.

:: sounds of puking ::

"We don't have the screw in stock. We will have to place an order with Rolex, it will be $49. We will need to hold the watch in our vault until the part comes in, and then we will call you when the watch is ready"

Ok, well, it is a really nice watch, and letting it sit in my drawer does nothing for me, so another $49 is probably not a waste.

"Ok" Says me. She starts filling out a form with my name and address and phone number.

Then she says "We are valuing this watch at $15,000......


OMG!

"WAIT...what are you talking about? $15,000? You know this watch is seriously aftermarket? That means it is fake?

3 seconds of the "Deer in the headlights look"

-SHE SAID IT FOLKS! SHE SAID IT WAS A $15,000 WATCH!

Gotcha!

Listen- I set her up. I DID NOT SAY that it was a fake watch. I just presented it and asked for a part. The Rolex dealer in question took the watch for four minutes, examined it, and then was about to roll it into their inventory. And the saleswoman, who had held the watch for 15 minutes, [and who sells Rolex watches every day] never figured it out! I NEVER told them it was fake, but I also NEVER said it was a real Rolex. I simply asked for a single screw. I was told the band was real Rolex.

Well, the long and short was that she told me that they couldn't help me. To their credit, they were definitely better than some Porsche dealerships, which will ask you to leave when you bring an '85 928S2 like mine into their shop. Some Porsche dealerships will tell you to leave FORCEFULLY if you bring a gray-market car into their shop, and this directive comes from Stuttgart.

I wonder how long it would have taken before I received a call:

"We need to talk to you about your Rolex watch"

So much for Mayor jewelers!

-There is one more high-end jeweler in FLL; I should try the same thing with them tomorrow just to see how far it will go!

N!

[Drdogface]

ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Tobra]

So you took your fake watch to an old woman who did not know much about Rolexes, did not recognize that it was a phoney and she quoted you the price it would be worth if it were real.

[onlycafe]

normy on "pawn stars", coming soon to the history channel.

[cmccuist]

Your imitation Rolex is obviously better than the ones I get here in Saudi. They are not high quality, but only cost $35. They have an actual movement, but the finish is not so great. If you look closely at these, it's pretty easy to spot these as fake.

[M.D. Holloway]

Normy, I picked up a fantastic fake Submariner in China - the only thing a true jeweler could find wrong with it was that the numbers on the case didn't match the band. I paid $75 and it actually stays wound longer than my real Rolex! I wear it and make sure I tell people it is a fake but a good fake - I never pretend cuz...who really cares right? I just like that fact that the freaking Chinese can make a watch that rivals a $5000 version for $75!

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by Normy

Up to Mong Kok I go!

LOL.

1. I wouldn't get too excited that you fooled a 60 year old jewelry store chain clerk. Mayors is reputable, but obviously the person helping you out was new, clueless, or both. Most if them can spot a fake from a mile away. The engraving on the case back is a dead giveaway. Sorry, but your buddy didn't have access to the "prime" fakes. Even the halfway decent ones don't have engraved (or see-thru) backs. Look up local watchmakers in your area and bring it in to any of them. You won't get away with the same "set up".

2. Your watch does not have a genuine Rolex band (unless you sourced one yourself). A genuine Rolex Oyster band screw will probably not work in your POS fake either.

If you like, post detailed pics of the watch (front and back) and we can tell you the several "features" of that thing that are dead-giveaways for fakes.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

Normy, I picked up a fantastic fake Submariner in China - the only thing a true jeweler could find wrong with it was that the numbers on the case didn't match the band.

There are no numbers on the case that should be on (or match) the band.

I paid $75 and it actually stays wound longer than my real Rolex! I wear it and make sure I tell people it is a fake but a good fake

Ok Lubey, same goes for you. Post pics so we can pick it apart.

[Oh Haha]

What's the point in having, and bragging about, a fake item?


It's like the guy that made a MB out of a Civic. Pointless, IMO.

[sc_rufctr]

The real deal...

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by Eric Coffey

There are no numbers on the case that should be on (or match) the band.

Ok Lubey, same goes for you. Post pics so we can pick it apart.

I guess the jeweler was just being nice and didn't want to hurt my feelsing by being able to spot a fake instantly..

[DanielDudley]

Well, I was amused. And yes, I do believe a good fake can be a real ringer for the real thing.

[Joeaksa]

Normy is smoking or snorting something again, unless the clerk was senile.

Anyone with half a brain, especially at a store that handles Rolex watches all day long, can tell a fake from the real deal in about a nano-second.

Also, if the watch went in back like he is dreaming it did, it would not return up front. They would call the police and confiscate the watch. Rolex has no sense of humor on this and seriously they would keep the watch.

Jeez I cannot believe that people like this fly for a living...

Joe A

[Erakad]

I'm amused as well. I have real ones, but I have a couple fake ones that I picked up in China as well. Why....why not? Unlike the civic-mercedes, they are cheaper...and, I put them in the same class as my Mao watch, to entertain. The fact that they keep time (actually, kept time because one dropped and now only is accurate once every 24 hrs) is the icing on the toy cake. Like yourself, I make no claims on authenticity when I wear the remaining "good" watch.

[Oh Haha]

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound cruel or condescending about the topic. I just don't understand the fascination with watches in general.


I don't even wear a watch and the few I do have are just Timex items that I have recieived as gifts over the years.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Normy is smoking or snorting something again, unless the clerk was senile.

Anyone with half a brain, especially at a store that handles Rolex watches all day long, can tell a fake from the real deal in about a nano-second.

Also, if the watch went in back like he is dreaming it did, it would not return up front. They would call the police and confiscate the watch. Rolex has no sense of humor on this and seriously they would keep the watch.

Jeez I cannot believe that people like this fly for a living...

Joe A

I believe the term for a convincing fake is counterfeit.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound cruel or condescending about the topic. I just don't understand the fascination with watches in general.

Some would say the same about our old cars. They're just transportation. Why waste so much time, money, and attention on these things when you can drive a nice new Corolla or Civic instead?

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Some would say the same about our old cars. They're just transportation. Why waste so much time, money, and attention on these things when you can drive a nice new Corolla or Civic instead?

Great point, Noah!

[DanielDudley]

If you want to understand the facination with the chronometer, you should read ''Longitude, the True Story of a lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time'', by Dava Sobel.

One man alone was responsible for modern watch design. An engrossing read.

[Laneco]

About 10 years ago, I picked up a fake Rolex while I was in Mexico. It was a decent little probably Timex or something, stainless steel, held time perfectly. Great little watch for $20 bucks.

I had been wearing it two or three years and the battery died. I took it into a well known local jewelry store to have the battery replaced. They had special, buy the battery, they install for free. Think it set me back $10 total.

I handed the watch over to the jeweler who examines it with great care. Far, far more care than a $20 watch deserves. I began chatting with other customers. The jeweler, who had a very strong Russian accent, abruptly stands up and loudly proclaims:

"This - NOT REAL ROLEX!"

Everyone stopped talking and stared at me. I looked at the jeweler and said "What do you mean? I paid $20 for that watch! I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!"

That got everyone laughing. The jeweler just fumed and quickly replaced the battery.

My folex (fake rolex) was an entirely decent watch in the respect that it held time well and was quite durable. I never tried to pass it off as real, I just thought it was a good looking little watch.

angela