Does this pass the smell test?

[Jetstream513]

Hello all,

I've been waiting for 15450 for a couple of months, but I just found this from the pawn shop. What do you folks think?

Watch only, and quite a bit less than the market price for 15300, which is 40-50K I believe.

TIA!

[VogelPhoenix]

Pictures aren't great, and it has definitely been polished. Would be nice to have a picture of the other end of the movement. Can you have it checked at one of the boutiques?

[S``]

Need better pictures than these...

The easiest way to verify a genuine article is to observe the bezel screws... the ROs have screws that are made out of white gold... Fakes are made of steel...

The genuine screws should have the yellowish tint in lighting, even if white gold...

In this picture, I can't see the yellowish tint effects clearly...

Also, a better shot of multiple angles of the movement would be great... The fake used Miyota based clone... so everything is off vs the genuine movement

[Potawatomi]

Originally Posted by S``

Need better pictures than these...

The easiest way to verify a genuine article is to observe the bezel screws... the ROs have screws that are made out of white gold... Fakes are made of steel...

The genuine screws should have the yellowish tint in lighting, even if white gold...

In this picture, I can't see the yellowish tint effects clearly...

Also, a better shot of multiple angles of the movement would be great... The fake used Miyota based clone... so everything is off vs the genuine movement

Do the fakes go as far as to engrave the movement serial number on the base plate like the authentic calibers have?

[S``]

Originally Posted by Potawatomi

Do the fakes go as far as to engrave the movement serial number on the base plate like the authentic calibers have?

I am not sure i recall the 15300 fakes that well, but I wouldnt think they did come with the serial number...as the fakes were very rudimentary then... ROO, PAM were the hot watch then during those years... But for the later series 15400 and the 15500, they did (but they did come up with a better Miyota cloned baseplates to better reflect the genuine article too).

[Vipes]

I’m not sure about the authenticity but if the price is too good to be true and no box/papers then pass for me.

[AG_Watches]

Looks severely over polished if it is authentic. Rounded edges not crisp lines. Need closer/better pics to be for sure. I would pass just on the level of polishing that has been done even if it is real.

[AshAP]

I’d say that it’s so close to being right that if it’s wrong then why are we all paying so much for the real thing, I think it’s good.


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[soundserious]

Originally Posted by AG_Watches

Looks severely over polished if it is authentic. Rounded edges not crisp lines. Need closer/better pics to be for sure. I would pass just on the level of polishing that has been done even if it is real.

This. It’s no wonder it’s below market value, looks awful.

[ts3]

Originally Posted by soundserious

this. It’s no wonder it’s below market value, looks awful.

+1

[Haveapair]

Come on bud, really? What do you think, that they don't know the real market for this and they are selling cheap to be nice? Or you think you found the deal of the century?

[EEpro]

Even if the pics are of a real watch you're not going to receive a real watch after you pay.

Want to buy a $100 bill online for $50? Wire me first. Great deal.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by soundserious

This. It’s no wonder it’s below market value, looks awful.

Awful is a bit strong. It's obviously polished, but half of what is advertised on C24 doesn't look any better. Depends on the price, which might well allow for a service and new bezel.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by EEpro

Even if the pics are of a real watch you're not going to receive a real watch after you pay.

I assume OP is planning to pick it up in person from the store (pawn shop)?

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

I assume OP is planning to pick it up in person from the store (pawn shop)?

Take a loupe! You could still get slipped a noob and fail to notice any tells in a spur of the moment purchase.

Edit: if picking up in person I'd pay with AMEX. Then send to service center. That will get you some papers and you'll know it's real etc.

[agsstructures]

looks like i polished the watch

[SMD]

Not sure about that movement. There are no deals in this market. If it’s quite a bit under market it’s fake.

[AK797]

Looks real to me, I remember looking at fakes ten years ago when I was in the market for a 300 and they were quite far off then unlike now, the rotor was esp poor, a better pic of that and the back would confirm.

[SMD]

Originally Posted by AK797

Looks real to me, I remember looking at fakes ten years ago when I was in the market for a 300 and they were quite far off then unlike now, the rotor was esp poor, a better pic of that and the back would confirm.

If you zoom in on the decoration on the plates it does not match a proper 3120. In fact they are completely flat. It’s is directionally correct, but the finishing is terrible based on these pics.

[Jetstream513]

Thank you all for your feedbacks. The plan was to go take a look and get an agreement for me to send it to the APSC to perform a service and authenticate. I can see the polishing job is bad. I am planning to send it to LAWW and see if they can work some magic out... For a common folk like me, this might be the closest chance to get a 39mm RO.

But I am still state side now, so I will see when I go back home (COVID lockdown now...) the watch will still be there or not.

Thank you all again for the responses! If I do take the next step, I will surely come back and update!

Originally Posted by EEpro

Take a loupe! You could still get slipped a noob and fail to notice any tells in a spur of the moment purchase.

Edit: if picking up in person I'd pay with AMEX. Then send to service center. That will get you some papers and you'll know it's real etc.

Huh, that's a good idea actually.

Originally Posted by Haveapair

Come on bud, really? What do you think, that they don't know the real market for this and they are selling cheap to be nice? Or you think you found the deal of the century?

One can dream, right?

[tcpx]

Looks real to me. The good fakes didn’t really start coming out until the 15400

[de66]

Originally Posted by Jetstream513

Hello all,

I've been waiting for 15450 for a couple of months, but I just found this from the pawn shop. What do you folks think?

Watch only, and quite a bit less than the market price for 15300, which is 40-50K I believe.

TIA!

Originally Posted by SMD

If you zoom in on the decoration on the plates it does not match a proper 3120. In fact they are completely flat. It’s is directionally correct, but the finishing is terrible based on these pics.

The pics are not good but I do think I detect a hint of Cote de Geneve on one part of the movement...

Not sure about the engraving on the 15450 but on my 15300 the words Royal Oak are much closer together.

[freericky]

Originally Posted by de66

The pics are not good but I do think I detect a hint of Cote de Geneve on one part of the movement...

Not sure about the engraving on the 15450 but on my 15300 the words Royal Oak are much closer together.

It seems off to me because there is no noticeable decoration on the movement. Their watchmakers spend a lot of time decorating the movement. It could be a photo issue, but i don't see any cotes de Geneve (stripes) or perlage (circular finishing effect) on the movement.

[Jetstream513]

Here are more pictures for your entertainment. Not high quality, but in more detail.






Now I am not too sure about how far "Royal Oak" it is, like de66 said.

[AshAP]

It’s genuine


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[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by AshAP

It’s genuine

I can't find anything wrong with the movement, but the "Royal Oak" engraving on the case back is different ( @de66) from all of the likely genuine pictures I looked at. OP's picture on top, bottom is from an old ad from a trusted seller. Maybe AP changed this with time, but the one on top looks a bit rubbish (not just different, but bad typography):

[AshAP]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

I can't find anything wrong with the movement, but the "Royal Oak" engraving on the case back is different ( @de66) from all of the likely genuine pictures I looked at. OP's picture on top, bottom is from an old ad from a trusted seller. Maybe AP changed this with time, but the one on top looks a bit rubbish:

I focused on the movement which looks 100% genuine but that wording is questionable.


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[tcpx]

The movement is definitely real… that wording might just be a matter of a bad angle? OP can you post a straight on shot of that wording from the back?

For comparison, here is a shot of my old 15300..

[Jetstream513]

Originally Posted by tcpx

The movement is definitely real… that wording might just be a matter of a bad angle? OP can you post a straight on shot of that wording from the back?

For comparison, here is a shot of my old 15300..

I will try to do that when I visit them!

But yeah.... that engraving is the one thing that doesn't smell right to me now...

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by tcpx

The movement is definitely real… that wording might just be a matter of a bad angle? OP can you post a straight on shot of that wording from the back?
[/IMG]

There are 5 shots, and the spacing looks different from the one on your watch in all of them. And your watch looks like all the pictures from reputable sources.

OP should do us all a favor, buy the watch and have AP check it out to solve this mystery