So, do you guys worry....

[Baldrick 1]

..... about being called out on your watches, I've watched over many years numerous posts about guys obsessing over this potential disaster, it's what leads many members to 'mod' their watches, anyway, I believe that 'confidence' in your watch should come from within, not from your watch, after all nobody out there is as knowledgeable as we are, and that includes many members on the genuine forums,

 

Where this falls down,obviously, is if you are delivering pizzas from Pizza Hut and wearing a Daytona, just not convincing in any manner, sorry!

 

The confidence from within aspect is much more convincing, let me give a little anecdotal evidence and hopefully you'll see what I mean!

 

Last week, I'm having breakfast at a local hotel/ restaurant that is popular with farangs ( foreigners), especially English / Welsh / Scottish and Aussies, a lot of these guys are working in Asia ( especially in the offshore biz ) and come here looking for some r'n'r.

 

Anyway, I'm sitting outside in the lovely morning sunshine when this guy joins me, an Aussie, we've spoken a few times before, he's a nice guy, and we chew the fat about currency rates / political sitch in Thailand etc , finally he notices I'm wearing a Ploprof, he's a diver working out of Malaysia / India I think, so we talk about the PP, he's aware of the old 70's version and that Omega have released a new version, which I confirm is what I'm wearing, after a lil' discussion and with him constantly glancing at it between mouthfulls of food. he asks if he can see it, I say 'sure' and hand it over, I'm not worried about the happy feet, but the bezel locking mechanism, don't work like the gen and doesn't lock the bezel, so I'm watching him carefully, finally his curiosity piques and his fingers move inexorably towards the bezel, at which point I say, softly, but firmly, 'do NOT fukkin' try to turn that bezel WITHOUT pushing the release button, or you'll lock it up and it will have to go back to Omega for resetting,'.

 

At which point he says 'oh yeah' pushes the button and turns the bezel, hearing the nice positive clicks, he remarks' I really like the idea of the bezel lock', ( he's a diver, why wouldn't he), and hands me back the watch, exclaiming. 'it's really nice', whereupon we discuss the 'shark-proof' mesh bracelet and I tell him I've ordered one, but not from Omega, 'cos they're too damned expensive,

 

Another one as told to me by the master himself TTK,

 

He was sitting in Foodland restaurant in Pattaya, wearing a yellow dial Ferrai / Panerai chrono, a guy sits down next to him, after a little while and many glances at the watch, the guy asks, 'what kind of watch is that'?

 

TTK hands him the watch and says it's a Ferrari, the guy examines it comments on how nice it is and asks TTK if he owns a Ferrari car, TTK answers 'no' and the guy inevitably and predictably says, 'so why are you wearing a Ferrai watch'.

 

TTK answers, well I don't own a Ferrari, but my mate back in the UK does, anyway I'm home in the UK and my mate rings me up, he has 2x tickets to the launch of the new Ferrari Enzo at the local dealership, they're having an 'open' night. with buffet and champagne for Ferrari owners and customers, so he tells the guy that the 2x tickets were entered into a lottery draw on the night, and his ticket number came up and the prize was the Ferrari watch, the guy asks him how much it's worth, TTK answers about 6000 quid, the guy says 'you lucky bastard,you won a 6000 quid watch'!

 

At which point TTK says, ' not lucky at all mate, some other bastard won the Ferrari California"

 

No discussion as to whether fake watch involved or not.

 

It comes from within, not without, it's how you carry it off

[ebzen02 341]

I can bet some money on the fact that you are TTK or at least he reincarnated into Baldrick.... But, back to your point, I agree with you 100%..

[Baldrick 1]

I can bet some money on the fact that you are TTK or at least he reincarnated into Baldrick.... But, back to your point, I agree with you 100%..

 

, sorry ebzen, not enough ellipsi in my posts !

[greg_r 81]

I've posted this story elsewhere, so apologies to those who have heard it before - however:

 

In around 10 years of reps I've only ever once been called out about a watch I was wearing. Last time was a little over a year ago - I was on holiday up in Scotland (near Inverness). We'd only just arrived that day and I was tired from the long drive up from the south-east. My wife decided she just wanted to unpack and sit in the sun for a while, but I needed a pint or two. I walked up to the nearest pub, sat at the bar and had a drink. I was wearing my cheapie DSSD that I'd bought from TTK a few months previously.

 

There's a few other guys at the bar - all well soused and getting loud. One of them sidles up next to me and obviously notices the watch. He looks at me and drawls: "Is that real?" I turned to him, grinned and growled: "No, it's a fucking tattoo." His friends fell about laughing. Conversation over

[Baldrick 1]

I turned to him, grinned and growled: "No, it's a fucking tattoo." His friends fell about laughing. Conversation over

 

Oooh, you're very brave growling at a Scotsman, oh, wait, it was in Inverness, that don't count then

[Brightlight 0]

I agree Baldrick. The only person who ever questioned if my watch was real or a fake, was a good friend of mine who runs a local shop. I was wearing a noob Sub I think, nothing fancy. When he caught sight of it and realised it was a Rollie, he asked if it was a fake. I said nothing, just took it off and handed it to him. He watched the second hand sweep and explained to one of his staff standing nearby, "Wow this is not a fake. You can tell by the second hand, if it ticks it's a fake". I then explained to him that it was indeed a fake and ticking was no longer an indication though I'm not sure he believed me People who know me believe I could afford a gen, so it is simply never questioned.

[Brightlight 0]

I turned to him, grinned and growled: "No, it's a fucking tattoo." His friends fell about laughing. Conversation over

 

Oooh, you're very brave growling at a Scotsman, oh, wait, it was in Inverness, that don't count then

 

That's choochter country.................

[ebzen02 341]

Only called out once.. The watch I was wearing was a cheap ass CT tourby that screamed REP!!! On the other hand, and to Baldies point, I was hanging around with my brother-in-law and friends and we were discussing reps. I have a Pam 212 on and I told them it was a rep. One of the guys said, can't be, you would not strike me as the kind to buy a rep-- point made.

[greg_r 81]

I turned to him, grinned and growled: "No, it's a fucking tattoo." His friends fell about laughing. Conversation over

 

Oooh, you're very brave growling at a Scotsman, oh, wait, it was in Inverness, that don't count then

 

 

Brave, no. Stroppy, yes

 

Basically, though, I agree with your original point. Carrying off a rep (and honestly, I really don't care who knows it's a rep) is about attitude. Drive a good car and look like you can afford the real thing and nobody is going to argue. Work in the local convenience store wearing an expensive-looking watch and you're gonna get called out...

[Silverspeed 10]

Slightly the other way round......

 

About 2 years ago I sold a used car to a very obnoxious loudmouth who wanted to make

an impression on his mate...he said:"I'll buy this car if you give me a discount for the price of your Tag Heuer Carerra!"

so I said:"well Sir that's a done deal..." ....you should have seen the look on his face when he saw the Euro 200,- discount

[greg_r 81]

Slightly the other way round......

 

About 2 years ago I sold a used car to a very obnoxious loudmouth who wanted to make

an impression on his mate...he said:"I'll buy this car if you give me a discount for the price of your Tag Heuer Carerra!"

so I said:"well Sir that's a done deal..." ....you should have seen the look on his face when he saw the Euro 200,- discount

 

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

That's priceless!!!!!!

 

[Baldrick 1]

Same thing happened with a Railmaster I was wearing, guy commented on the blue AR and said the had been looking at them in Dubai customs and hadn't noticed AR on the gen, at which point I said, 'yeah', unfortunately I dropped it and the sapphire crystal smashed, so bearing in mind the price that an Omega AD would have charged, I had it replaced locally and because of the strong sunshine here, I opted for an AR sapphire with tint, he said, 'it sure is nice, isn't it', 'yep' I said, no discussion again of whether it was fake or not!

[JoeyB 0]

I've never been called out on my watch, even back to the early `80s when I got my first, a SS Day-Date President with diamond markers. If I do get a compliment, I say 'Thank you', but I won't take it off and hand it to someone I don't know. I don't think anyone would just hand over a $4000 or more watch to a stranger just because they say 'Nice watch!'.

But I did have an interesting instance about 4 years ago going to traffic court with my Son. When going through the metal detector the sheriff deputy, who was also wearing a Rolex GMT said to me that I didn't need to take it off because a genuine Rolex would not set off the machine. That made no sense to me, Rolex is metal just as any other watch is, but I walked through, with my 'Retro' and didn't set off the machine at all. I came back here, actually then the old site, and asked, but no one had ever heard of such a thing. I always remove my watch at airports, so I haven't run into that again. But it was strange.

[nunu78 1,743]

My wife cousin who is a solicitor by trade and owns gen rolex and omega asked me about my DSSD , I've told him I've got it on financing from Harrods and take off my watch n give it to him for inspection, after 5 minutes of close inspection he gave It back to me , n said Nice as you should have one of these. I'm glad tht u bought this as it's a good investment as well.

To make it clear my DSSD is a budget vesion from Robert.

Edited July 15, 2010 by nunu78

[Member X 91]

lol!

 

That's pretty impressive nunu

[JoeyB 0]

Gary Clark related a story to me recently. He is a watchmaker beside selling watch parts, and had a friend/customer come to him with his genuine DSSD and a new replica. Which version rep is unknown but it had the Rolex clone movement. The friend asked Gary which was real. After close inspection and before opening it, he decided to put both on his calibration machine and then made his choice. He chose the more accurate one. The rep.

[ebzen02 341]

Gary Clark related a story to me recently. He is a watchmaker beside selling watch parts, and had a friend/customer come to him with his genuine DSSD and a new replica. Which version rep is unknown but it had the Rolex clone movement. The friend asked Gary which was real. After close inspection and before opening it, he decided to put both on his calibration machine and then made his choice. He chose the more accurate one. The rep.

[Tressles61 0]

Two guys here in the office have gen pam111s. I had some opportunities to look them over a few times before buying a rep 111. After having it superlumed I wore it to the office on a heroic18 strap. I got some great compliments. The only thing I was worried about was the short cannon pin - I have since fixed that.

 

Before my intro to rep watches I had worn, and still do, a very nice seiko and had always coveted the nice watches other folks would wear. I'm now hyper aware of watches everywhere I go - and it's a pain-in-the-ass! I was at lunch the other day and spotted a DSSD on a tan nato strap. Besides the strap causing suspicion the crystal gave it away immediately - blurry mineral glass. Always buy sapphire! (He's probably a forum member who will read this - it was at Wahoo's and you had many tatoos - Fix that crystal!) Also, when I wear my skyland blacksteel on hktan strap I don't worry about most people spotting it but I know damn well anyone on here would know exactly what it is - and where I live, watch forum members are everywhere - and that somehow makes me feel uneasy in public when wearing such an obvious combo. Anyone want to buy my hktan strap?!

 

There's a guy in here that insists that he can easily spot a fake daytona. I am so very tempted to buy one and let him look it over as I think some of the daytonas are spot on - and I happen to like them.

 

Bottom line for me is before my intro to the rep world I could not and would not have paid $5000 - $10000 for a watch - especially a panerai - well maybe a gen tt navi! Many of these watches are just stunning and I love the mechanical aspect about them. I am addicted as I'm sure most of you are and I kinda laugh at the folks paying the high $$$ for the real thing. I like wearing them, modding them, and admiring them - I'm hooked for life!

[dingle 57]

Slightly the other way round......

 

About 2 years ago I sold a used car to a very obnoxious loudmouth who wanted to make

an impression on his mate...he said:"I'll buy this car if you give me a discount for the price of your Tag Heuer Carerra!"

so I said:"well Sir that's a done deal..." ....you should have seen the look on his face when he saw the Euro 200,- discount B)

 

 

great one SS!

[Luthier 1]

.... new Ferrari Enzo at the local dealership

 

First giveaway. NEW Enzo's never were sold on dealership, it was made with a limited production run of 349 cars. The company sent invitations to existing customers, specifically, those who had previously bought the Ferrari F40 and Ferrari F50. All 349 cars were sold in this way before production began. Later, after numerous requests, Ferrari decided to build 50 more Enzos, bringing the total to 399.

 

But it's great story anyway!!!

 

I was called out many times, and mostly people thought it's genuines. Once , on the Hollywood party, one well known guy noticed, that DW on my DD isn't yellow, but white, and I said - Well, the GM of Rolex is a guitars collector, so, we exchanged my Django on his customized DD, white DW match silver dial better, IMHO. Knowing, for whom I build my guitars, guy believed.

[skintrade 0]

Haha some cracking stories guys , "ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.."

[JohnG 41]

I heard that Ferrari story from the late great TTK himself. All time classic.

 

I never run the risk of getting called out though, as I always say my fakes are fakes. I find a fake more interesting than a gen in the same way a counterfeit $100 bill is much more fascinating than the genuine thing. For five grand, anyone can build a top notch watch. But making a good facsimile for less than three hundred? That is an achievement.

[Baldrick 1]

First giveaway. NEW Enzo's never were sold on dealership, it was made with a limited production run of 349 cars. The company sent invitations to existing customers, specifically, those who had previously bought the Ferrari F40 and Ferrari F50. All 349 cars were sold in this way before production began. Later, after numerous requests, Ferrari decided to build 50 more Enzos, bringing the total to 399.

 

First giveaway, you should READ what's in front of you Luth, TTK never said it was a 'sales' launch, simply the 'launch' of the Enzo, secondly the guy didn't know diddly squat about watches, I suspect he knew even less about the sales and marketing of Ferrari product.

 

Of course if it had been YOU there, you could have set ole TTK tp rights, with all that knowledge you have, youda known right off the bat that it was a rep, eh?

[AustinTech 0]

Baldrick - are YOU TTK?

 

[Luthier 1]

You didn't get my point, Sir.

New Enzo never was in any Ferrari dealership in the first place, for sale or for display.

All Enzo's were shipped directly to the chosen customers.