LOL Hideous Fake Longines Chronograph

[chronodeco]

I have seen some bad ones lately but this is laughable. A Longines chrono with a Landeron movement - I don't think so. Craig
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Longines-Chronograph-Watch_W0QQitemZ120217204872QQihZ002QQcategoryZ3138 7QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[bigmainecoone]

Hmmm, got any verified information on movements used in Longines chronos? I'm no Longines freak even if i got some. Afaik Landerons were oftenly used in the late 50ies/early 60ies - even by the likes of Breitling, Cortébert etc. Would be interested in information on Longines and their chronos (my wife want's to have one so i guess i will have to shoot one....)

However....the price is bad anyway ;-)

I paid 750 for a Breitling that is at least in comparative shape (but has no Landeron ;-)) and 300 for my Gigandet (that has a Landeron 248). Both didn't need any service and were ready to wear. I don't think he will sell........

[chronodeco]

As far as I know they only used their own inhouse movements and Valjoux including the 72. Here is one site - there are many others the net.
On this fake, you can see where they ground off the chrono bridge and engraved it poorly as Longines. Sellers in the Orient come in behind all the vintage fakers in S. America - they are getting very good lately. Typically at any given time, 80+% of vintage Breitlings on ebay are fakes and most from S. America!
http://s89500954.onlinehome.us/Longines/e/chr/13zn.html

[bigmainecoone]

Thanks for the info on Longines chronos - good site!

After reading your post i took a second look on the eBay-pics and magnified them. Then i took a look on 2 of my Longines movements. I guess you're right - the engraving is extremely blurred and there seem to be stripes from the grounding.

Another helpful information cause my wife started researching eBay ;-)

Sure fakers all over the world are getting better every day as machinery is relatively cheap and information can be retrieved on the net. I focus on mechanical design of watches and not on fakeability. So i'm not that deep into that. Got any information on faking "typical" movements as the likes of JLC, Omega, Rolex?

When buying these i check out the serial numbers - registered/enlisted or not. Plus checking out close-up pics of engravings, stamps etc. But this might be no 100 % reassurance against fakes thinking about your lines...even if buying from "trusted sellers".

[Watch Carefully]

Someone went to a lot of trouble to make this look authentic.

[jrw85705]

I'm sure most of us have a clinker or two in our collections. Every time I look at a couple of them I think they really saw me coming.

So now I'm more careful and try to do some research. This site has been great in answering many questions.

I got these three watches from Craig (chronodeco) himself. The knowledge and expertise he and the others so willing share make collecting much more fun and a lot less dangerous. Thanks to all.

[TylerEOT]

..maybe even Ebay spotted the fake.