an interesting thread on how intense the fakes

[larryccf]

are getting over on VRF. OP had posted asking about a mvmt plate missing some engine turning and ......well, you can see for yourself. The counterfeiting technique and detail starts in the 3rd response down

http://www.network54.com/Forum/20759...Authentication

[TylerEOT]

If that mainplate came from Rolex, they should be very ashamed. It's a mess all over.

[larryccf]

would have copied the engine turning surface decoration

It hadn't occurred to me about the counterfeiters using laser scanners - but it would be an obvious choice.

what's nice about them, after the scanner builds a 3D blueprint, it can then translate the blueprint into the cnc programing language, saving the mechanic a ton of time. He might have to make some adjustments, but even that becomes easier, as rather than miking a part, he simply scans the first few pcs, and reading what the scanner shows, if any deviations are present, he simply adjusts the program code, and bam, he's cutting parts

with the limited market for the $75K and up rolexes, i guess a natural direction for the counterfeiters to move would be the $5k and up rolexes

and even buying the "seller" first won't save someone, as the seller might miss it.

all the counterfeiting is going to do is put a dampner on prices, which, by itself, would be a good thing, but it scares a lot of potential new collectors away from that market

[SG]

6 or 8 years ago, I stopped buying watches off the web unless I could see the watch in person and/or I bought it from a dealer known to me who would stand behind whatever they sold me.

I had a bad feeling I knew where this was all going starting about 10 years ago when visiting a guy in Oregon who used to live on Long Island but now owns a watch shop out there.

While I was in the store a guy brings in a Cartier Pasha.
No attempt to cheat anyone--he'd inherited it and had no sense of value.

With all the years experience my friend and I had between us looking at watches we couldn't quite figure out why neither one of us liked it, but everything LOOKED good, even with the back off.



Just to be safe my friend held onto it and showed it to the Cartier rep who explained the entire watch was a fake.
It looked 'wrong' while looking right because there was NO SUCH MODEL.
But even though the fake replicated no specific model at the time--it was a complete and utter fabrication--it still felt and handled like a Cartier.

The fear started to set in then...