Incoming DRSD! Did I get burned?

[ian.thomas]

I hate to pile on, but the dial is a refinish at best.

[LLmrol]

Any updates?

[Wing Zero]

My biggest concern with this lesson learned is what happens to the watch now?

Does it circulate back into the wild to fool the next unsuspecting buyer?

These fakers do a very good job of producing fakes but 99% of fakers don’t go all the way. There are small little signs if you know where to look.

The hardest part is getting everything to match. The dial, engravings, wear on the case, bevels, bracelet wear, engravings on the case back, wear between the lugs.

Example between the numbers in a 2 million serial will be different than 3 million serial, which is different from a 5 million serial.

You can equip yourself by looking at hundreds of pictures and looking for pattern in the case shape, serial number, case engravings, dial variations.

It also helps to join a replica site and looking at all the fakes coming out of China and Vietnam.

Most fakers are very proud of their work and will post long details about their projects.

Good luck out there.
Caveat Emptor.


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[GGGMT]

Originally Posted by Wing Zero

My biggest concern with this lesson learned is what happens to the watch now?

Does it circulate back into the wild to fool the next unsuspecting buyer?

These fakers do a very good job of producing fakes but 99% of fakers don’t go all the way. There are small little signs if you know where to look.

The hardest part is getting everything to match. The dial, engravings, wear on the case, bevels, bracelet wear, engravings on the case back, wear between the lugs.

Example between the numbers in a 2 million serial will be different than 3 million serial, which is different from a 5 million serial.

You can equip yourself by looking at hundreds of pictures and looking for pattern in the case shape, serial number, case engravings, dial variations.

It also helps to join a replica site and looking at all the fakes coming out of China and Vietnam.

Most fakers are very proud of their work and will post long details about their projects.

Good luck out there.
Caveat Emptor.


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Yep, watch heads back out to craigslist and finds a new home.


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[golfdmb18]

What happened with this?


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[AJMarcus]

No feedback. Makes me a bit suspicious about the post.

[1watch]

Originally Posted by AJMarcus

No feedback. Makes me a bit suspicious about the post.

Me too and he seemed not as upset as I would have been. The whole story and aw shucks attitude are strange to say the least.

[RoscoPico]

damn. very disturbing. the lengths people will go.
op's story being true or not, pretty sure everyone can learn something from this thread

[Zz101]

Originally Posted by AJMarcus

No feedback. Makes me a bit suspicious about the post.

Didn’t reply to your post because all your questions had already been answered. Didn’t feel the need to type out again what had already been stated.

[Zz101]

Originally Posted by 1watch

Me too and he seemed not as upset as I would have been. The whole story and aw shucks attitude are strange to say the least.

I’m sorry I didn’t appear as upset as you’d have liked to see. Money’s not the end of the world.

[Zz101]

Originally Posted by Wing Zero

My biggest concern with this lesson learned is what happens to the watch now?

Does it circulate back into the wild to fool the next unsuspecting buyer?

These fakers do a very good job of producing fakes but 99% of fakers don’t go all the way. There are small little signs if you know where to look.

The hardest part is getting everything to match. The dial, engravings, wear on the case, bevels, bracelet wear, engravings on the case back, wear between the lugs.

Example between the numbers in a 2 million serial will be different than 3 million serial, which is different from a 5 million serial.

You can equip yourself by looking at hundreds of pictures and looking for pattern in the case shape, serial number, case engravings, dial variations.

It also helps to join a replica site and looking at all the fakes coming out of China and Vietnam.

Most fakers are very proud of their work and will post long details about their projects.

Good luck out there.
Caveat Emptor.


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Thanks for the tips. If there’s a next time I’ll definitely do more research first. I plan to have my watchmaker take it apart and I’ll sell the authentic parts to recover the little bit of money I can.

[Derbyshere]

Originally Posted by Zz101

Thanks for the tips. If there’s a next time I’ll definitely do more research first. I plan to have my watchmaker take it apart and I’ll sell the authentic parts to recover the little bit of money I can.

Sorry for the trouble man, once bitten twice shy.

[JustinK]

Have you pressed the authorities to investigate? If you were in a bank surely the scammer is on tape and if they made a transaction you might get a name.

[AJMarcus]

Originally Posted by Zz101

I’m sorry I didn’t appear as upset as you’d have liked to see. Money’s not the end of the world.

OP,

Let’s put this in perspective. You came on TRF and asked for information regarding a vintage Rolex piece you just bought you believed was circumspect at best and probably fake. Time was of the essence because you just made the purchase sight unseen. You sure seemed concerned to most of us who responded. It takes some effort to post those photos on TRF and then do some follow up posts. Members took their time to provide some really valuable information to help you decide what to do. It’s not unfair to ask for follow up. You think any of us would want to buy from that dealer? If you weren’t that upset than why bother getting TRF members involved. Now you say no big deal. Sorry but that is an odd response based upon my experience. Next time maybe be considerate of TRF before you do a drive by. Members, including myself, were genuinely concerned about a member (you) possibly being ripped off. In case you haven’t figured it out TRF members, particularly in the vintage realm, are a group of aficionados who care about our watches and our hobby, and our members being ripped off. Lots of fraud out there as you just experienced apparently.

Again, truly sorry if in fact you did buy a bad watch. We only wanted to help.

But now the issue is maybe you should offer some TRF members an apology for being so rude and wasting our time.

FYI, Sometimes fraudsters want to vet their bad watches through expert forum members as a way to test their fake watches. I’m not saying you did that. I’m mentioning that because that is why perhaps some members may be circumspect. You surely did not react like most people, rich or not, who just lost thousand of dollars to a con job.

Good luck.

[1watch]

Originally Posted by AJMarcus

OP,

Let’s put this in perspective. You came on TRF and asked for information regarding a vintage Rolex piece you just bought you believed was circumspect at best and probably fake. Time was of the essence because you just made the purchase sight unseen. You sure seemed concerned to most of us who responded. It takes some effort to post those photos on TRF and then do some follow up posts. Members took their time to provide some really valuable information to help you decide what to do. It’s not unfair to ask for follow up. You think any of us would want to buy from that dealer? If you weren’t that upset than why bother getting TRF members involved. Now you say no big deal. Sorry but that is an odd response based upon my experience. Next time maybe be considerate of TRF before you do a drive by. Members, including myself, were genuinely concerned about a member (you) possibly being ripped off. In case you haven’t figured it out TRF members, particularly in the vintage realm, are a group of aficionados who care about our watches and our hobby, and our members being ripped off. Lots of fraud out there as you just experienced apparently.

Again, truly sorry if in fact you did buy a bad watch. We only wanted to help.

But now the issue is maybe you should offer some TRF members an apology for being so rude and wasting our time.

FYI, Sometimes fraudsters want to vet their bad watches through expert forum members as a way to test their fake watches. I’m not saying you did that. I’m mentioning that because that is why perhaps some members may be circumspect. You surely did not react like most people, rich or not, who just lost thousand of dollars to a con job.

Good luck.

I have to say I’m in agreement. There are different levels of disclosure and I’ve had first hand experience with what I consider a lack of complete transparency. Everyone has different opinions, but collectors should look out for each other.

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by AJMarcus

Now you say no big deal. Sorry but that is an odd response based upon my experience.

To us, it’s odd, but to the person trying to fix their cognitive dissonance by downplaying being ripped off, it’s a pretty normal way to not feel even worse.

I agree, it would have been considerate, grateful even, after the help given by others, to post an earlier update. But when someone’s new, maybe it can be hard sometimes to know what the unspoken house rules are?

Depressing ending anyway: keeping it, paying someone as a last measure to disassemble it for parts sale, and then to be chided for poor form in a forum... It’s almost blackly comical, only I’m inclined to believe it’s real, and therefore not funny at all.

What a miserable, but informative thread...

[VintageVagabound]

Originally Posted by JustinK

Have you pressed the authorities to investigate? If you were in a bank surely the scammer is on tape and if they made a transaction you might get a name.

This is not a criminal case. One guy sold a watch to another guy who inspected it, paid cash and got a receipt. Upon further inspection after the fact he believes the dial is not authentic but the bracelet and movement are. Nobody appears to be certain whether or not the papers are legit. If selling a redial was a crime half of eBay would be in prison.

It’s a civil case and ultimately he can’t say “I got 50 varying opinions on the Rolex Forums”. He’ll need to send the watch to a Rolex service center and see what they say. If the papers are legit then there is no case whatsoever. Falsifying papers or presenting false papers could help in a civil case but they could never prove who falsified them for a criminal case. It sucks all around but you need to see what Rolex says and see what you can part out from there.

[cardiel]

don't see why this post is getting folk so agitated.....bloke takes a punt on a rare / valuable watch....bloke learns lesson the hard way......

[Paulie 50]

Originally Posted by cardiel

don't see why this post is getting folk so agitated.....bloke takes a punt on a rare / valuable watch....bloke learns lesson the hard way......

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by cardiel

don't see why this post is getting folk so agitated.....bloke takes a punt on a rare / valuable watch....bloke learns lesson the hard way......

That’s what I was trying to say.

[996marty]

A lesson to be learned with this story not the first person to be scammed and I’m sure won’t be the last,it’s disappointing the lengths people will go to

[1sttok]

Originally Posted by lovegmt73

IMHO Fake papers and fake vietnamite dial


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

What is your proof that it is fake?

[1sttok]

WOW didn't notice anything fake about, who can actually help tell the difference please so i can learn.

[tekno]

Educational post. He took a calculated risk based in his previous experience.


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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by AJMarcus

OP,

Let’s put this in perspective. You came on TRF and asked for information regarding a vintage Rolex piece you just bought you believed was circumspect at best and probably fake. Time was of the essence because you just made the purchase sight unseen. You sure seemed concerned to most of us who responded. It takes some effort to post those photos on TRF and then do some follow up posts. Members took their time to provide some really valuable information to help you decide what to do. It’s not unfair to ask for follow up. You think any of us would want to buy from that dealer? If you weren’t that upset than why bother getting TRF members involved. Now you say no big deal. Sorry but that is an odd response based upon my experience. Next time maybe be considerate of TRF before you do a drive by. Members, including myself, were genuinely concerned about a member (you) possibly being ripped off. In case you haven’t figured it out TRF members, particularly in the vintage realm, are a group of aficionados who care about our watches and our hobby, and our members being ripped off. Lots of fraud out there as you just experienced apparently.

Again, truly sorry if in fact you did buy a bad watch. We only wanted to help.

But now the issue is maybe you should offer some TRF members an apology for being so rude and wasting our time.

FYI, Sometimes fraudsters want to vet their bad watches through expert forum members as a way to test their fake watches. I’m not saying you did that. I’m mentioning that because that is why perhaps some members may be circumspect. You surely did not react like most people, rich or not, who just lost thousand of dollars to a con job.

Good luck.

Well stated AJ

[77T]

Originally Posted by 1sttok

WOW didn't notice anything fake about, who can actually help tell the difference please so i can learn.

Don’t know how or why you were banned - but we don’t discuss fakes and how to help with that.

There is a section called WatchOut to post fakes to help members avoid the seller.

I have noticed the Vintage Rolex section is getting more fakes than it should. I feel it’s an appropriate place to vet the originality or correctness of this bit or that bit.

But full-on fakes might better be seen in WatchOut.

Just my 2¢


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[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by 77T

Don’t know how or why you were banned...

Speculating: they had been a member for four years without posting, then suddenly notched 12 posts within half an hour, potentially towards suspicious ends.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Hungry Eyes

Speculating: they had been a member for four years without posting, then suddenly notched 12 posts within half an hour, potentially towards suspicious ends.

Well spotted; possibly so...


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[tekno]

There has been a lot of strange post popping up.


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[rootbeer7]

Sad story. OP you’re more relaxed than I would be. It would appear that you enjoy the gamble when buying watches and you didn’t check here first in case someone else spotted and bought the piece from under you perhaps. I’m guessing the price was a steal? Interested to see what happens.