What to do with Fakes that come through my shop??

[Valenciawatchrepair]

I'm trying to set rules for these pieces of crap. But, I'm sure I'm limited legally.

My first reaction is to take them outside and crush them with a hammer, but usually I just tell the customer/store that I don't work on them.

I'm trying to think of a way to convince them to let me keep them so I can destroy them and get them off the street.

Maybe even offering free stuff(battery change, cleaning, etc.) in exchange for their Folex. I'm a small, one man show, so this would only be a drop in the bucket. But, I'd probably release some stress if I could crush a Folex every now and then.

[cda555]

Huh... never thought about this. Now my curiosity is piqued.

[amg55]

Confiscate it and say you'll need to report it to the police for handling counterfeit goods. Would that work?

[dmhines]

Wow .. Ellijay Georgia is definitely not the Rolex capital of world! I live in Cumming .. I will keep you in mind if I ever need service on my watches ...

[Knappo 1307]

Originally Posted by dmhines

Wow .. Ellijay Georgia is definitely not the Rolex capital of world! I live in Cumming .. I will keep you in mind if I ever need service on my watches ...

I've never been, but I'm thinking there is a good chance you are right. I doubt you are going to run into a high number of fakes. Just kindly smile and pass on the service... I'm guessing not many people are going to bring a fake in to have it serviced. If they know it's a fake and it stops working, they will just buy another one. I don't think they will pay 600-800 for a service on a fake watch, when they can buy 2-3 for the cost of the service. Now if they bring in a watch thinking it's real and find out it's fake, that will be a tough situation.

I'm curious, after seeing your post in the open discussion about getting high quality stickers for your work bench, do you have a Rolex and Omega parts acct? Are you CW21 certified? If so, I'm sure you can source your stickers and follow their guidelines on dealing with counterfeits.....

[drifter01]

There is no law against owning fakes, only buying or selling. MAny people own fake art. Even some museums display fake art and keep the genuine article locked up. Even though you hate fakes and weant to destroy them, the watch owner does have the right to own it.

[Valenciawatchrepair]

Originally Posted by Knappo 1307

I've never been, but I'm thinking there is a good chance you are right. I doubt you are going to run into a high number of fakes. Just kindly smile and pass on the service... I'm guessing not many people are going to bring a fake in to have it serviced. If they know it's a fake and it stops working, they will just buy another one. I don't think they will pay 600-800 for a service on a fake watch, when they can buy 2-3 for the cost of the service. Now if they bring in a watch thinking it's real and find out it's fake, that will be a tough situation.

I'm curious, after seeing your post in the open discussion about getting high quality stickers for your work bench, do you have a Rolex and Omega parts acct? Are you CW21 certified? If so, I'm sure you can source your stickers and follow their guidelines on dealing with counterfeits.....

I do not have a parts account. I learned from my dad who was certified through Rolex. He had a parts account years ago. I do mostly wholesale work. And 99% of is crystals, stems, crowns, quartz repair, and the like. But, I am capable of servicing a Rolex, Omega, etc.

[Valenciawatchrepair]

Originally Posted by drifter01

There is no law against owning fakes, only buying or selling. MAny people own fake art. Even some museums display fake art and keep the genuine article locked up. Even though you hate fakes and weant to destroy them, the watch owner does have the right to own it.

Yeah, I may want them all destroyed, but would never force or destroy one without permission.

[circles]

Well the answer to your question is tell the owner of the watch that you don't work on fake Rolex watches and hand it back to them.

Now having said that remember you are not the law, you have no right ever to confiscate anything (report? yes, but you may NOT keep it), and most importantly you don't need the trouble that would come from keeping or destroying a watch you don't own.

[Valenciawatchrepair]

Originally Posted by circles

Well the answer to your question is tell the owner of the watch that you don't work on fake Rolex watches and hand it back to them.

Now having said that remember you are not the law, you have no right ever to confiscate anything (report? yes, but you may NOT keep it), and most importantly you don't need the trouble that would come from keeping or destroying a watch you don't own.

I would never keep or destroy anything that belonged to a customer. So, no worries there. I probably wouldn't be in business if I did things like that.

[Jupiter21]

small world, I'm in the Cumming area as well..

[rolehex]

You could offer a trade in of 100 dollars towards a watch in your shop. That is, if you sell watches too.

[Valenciawatchrepair]

Originally Posted by rolehex

You could offer a trade in of 100 dollars towards a watch in your shop. That is, if you sell watches too.

I'm wholesale to the trade, so I don't sell any watches. But, that is a good idea.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Valenciawatchrepair

I'm trying to set rules for these pieces of crap. But, I'm sure I'm limited legally.

My first reaction is to take them outside and crush them with a hammer, but usually I just tell the customer/store that I don't work on them.

I'm trying to think of a way to convince them to let me keep them so I can destroy them and get them off the street.

Maybe even offering free stuff(battery change, cleaning, etc.) in exchange for their Folex. I'm a small, one man show, so this would only be a drop in the bucket. But, I'd probably release some stress if I could crush a Folex every now and then.

if you want the business, carry on repairing and do the services.

but, there are intellectual trademark laws in-place, in GA, to decline the service as much as there are Federal Statutes on the books along with GA State ones.

just print this off parts of the link (below) and place under your 'In Zeus We Trust, All Others Pay Cash -- NO CREDIT or CHECKS Please' sign.

http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=194509

[Humble michael]

So let me try to understand- you are an un authorized Rolex repairman who uses after market parts- and you want to do something about people who have fake rolexes- really ??