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Alchemy...be scared, be very scared

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watchknut
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CE93B18B-E60D-4FEC-B1EC-AA574A082EC9.jpeg FF4D294B-0190-4AF4-85B1-3FF7B21805AD.jpeg


One of the above inserts is real and one is not.

Scary stuff. Luckily the guy that makes the aftemarket ones put a grey back on the insert, so no way of trying to pass off as real.

I bought to see how good it could be and I am amazed. I’ll wear the aftermarket one and keep the near perfect original one in the safe.

Makes you wonder about people without scruples...and what they can craft.
Edited:
 
eugeneandresson
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There are lots of 'things' in those pictures (at first I thought 'the whole watch')...but I guess the context is the bezel insert 👍
 
watchknut
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eugeneandresson eugeneandresson
There are lots of 'things' in those pictures (at first I thought 'the whole watch')...but I guess the context is the bezel insert 👍
Ha, yes, edited for clarity.
 
wsfarrell
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Slightly off topic, but: not sure I understand the mentality of owning something beautiful, then putting it in a safe while wearing a replica. If I followed that thinking to the extreme, I'd buy a replica for every Rolex I own and keep the originals in a safe.
 
watchknut
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wsfarrell wsfarrell
Slightly off topic, but: not sure I understand the mentality of owning something beautiful, then putting it in a safe while wearing a replica. If I followed that thinking to the extreme, I'd buy a replica for every Rolex I own and keep the originals in a safe.
You have a point. I wear all of my watches, and don’t worry about them too much.

My fuchsia is a bit different, because I know that if it did get scratched, then it would bother the hell out of me.

I truly like the look of the fuchsia insert, and the ability to enjoy the look without any worry of messing it up is very appealing to me.

Who knows, I could change my mind in a day, a week or never.
 
mbeast
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Thinking the lower one is the replica, but that is scary (and impressive!).
 
ATWG
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Yea, there are a few for sale on eBay, the dead giveaway so far has been the back-side. But, that can easily be modified.

For the record, I wear all my Fuchsia’s, can’t take it with you ;-)
 
wsfarrell
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watchknut watchknut
You have a point. I wear all of my watches, and don’t worry about them too much.

My fuchsia is a bit different, because I know that if it did get scratched, then it would bother the hell out of me.

I truly like the look of the fuchsia insert, and the ability to enjoy the look without any worry of messing it up is very appealing to me.

Who knows, I could change my mind in a day, a week or never.
Got it, makes sense.

Your post spurred me to look at fuchsia inserts on eBay. Found 6 or so. Problem is, not one of them is remotely fuchsia in color. I can hear the eBay sellers chuckling now: "Made you look, bozo."
 
madjestikmoose
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I reckon bottom one is fake, and the only reason I base this on is that the blue/red divide through the loops of 6 and the 8 (of 18) is symmetrical on the top one, on the bottom one it's only through the 6.
 
watchknut
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madjestikmoose madjestikmoose
I reckon bottom one is fake, and the only reason I base this on is that the blue/red divide through the loops of 6 and the 8 (of 18) is symmetrical on the top one, on the bottom one it's only through the 6.
That is a good eye, I believe some fuschia did have the 8 totally in the blue.
 
t_swiss_t
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watchknut watchknut
That is a good eye, I believe some fuschia did have the 8 totally in the blue.

The bezels were “dipped” to create the two toned halves so, while they should be symmetrical, the position where the divide is (between the numbers or within a number) doesn’t tell you anything about correctness.
 
watchknut
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t_swiss_t t_swiss_t
The bezels were “dipped” to create the two toned halves so, while they should be symmetrical, the position where the divide is (between the numbers or within a number) doesn’t tell you anything about correctness.
I always wondered about the divide.
 
wsfarrell
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t_swiss_t t_swiss_t
The bezels were “dipped” to create the two toned halves so, while they should be symmetrical, the position where the divide is (between the numbers or within a number) doesn’t tell you anything about correctness.
Do you have a reference for that? Not doubting, just curious.
 
sxl2004
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wsfarrell wsfarrell
Slightly off topic, but: not sure I understand the mentality of owning something beautiful, then putting it in a safe while wearing a replica. If I followed that thinking to the extreme, I'd buy a replica for every Rolex I own and keep the originals in a safe.

Hah that is what I do. Buy a 14060 to pamper the 5513. Buy a Sinn 903 to pamper the Navitimer 806.
😁
 
Linesiders
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There is another fairly well known tell but I am not posting it in the clear ; )

I will not use an aftermarket part on a vintage unless it is something to functionality like movement parts in some cases, springbars, crystal, tension washer. I might use an insert to preserve a superior original.
 
watchknut
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The good news is that they aren’t 1:1, and a really close inspection finds differences, but nothing glaring when on the wrist.

I don’t have and have never used any aftermarket parts, but this serves a purpose to preserve my near perfect insert.
 
STANDY
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watchknut watchknut
I don’t have and have never used any aftermarket parts, but this serves a purpose to preserve my near perfect insert.

😕

But But

You do have and have used and are using.


🤦
 
watchknut
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STANDY STANDY
😕

But But

You do have and have used and are using.


🤦
Yep, and since I have a perfect fuchsia, I have no problem with this.

We are all in this hobby to enjoy our watches, and when the value gets to a point where it makes it difficult to enjoy, then we are at a crossroads.

In this case, spending $250 on an insert that allows to me enjoy my 1675 more then I did before is worth every penny.

I’ve had friends that lost perfect DONs, had them chipped, scratched, etc., and this was one reason that I sold my 66CB...it was too perfect.

Now if I still owned Speedies, and had the ability to own a rep DON that have been described on the forum, and it allowed me to enjoy my watch carefree as the perfect bezel sat in the safe...then hell yeah, I’d do it.

Some collectors have stockpiles of DONs and fuchsias, those collectors, more times than not, also have access to large sums of cash to fund more parts with ease.

For a solid “middle class” collector like myself, who doesn’t have those options, access to parts like this is very appealing.
 
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