Fake Warning - Seamaster 300 With Coaxial 8400 Style Movement Cover

yinzerniner · May 5, 2015

Taddyangle
Overall, I think this is quite unbelievable to see this level of quality for a replica, given that the cost is probably around $300-350.

I assumed that replicas could be easily be determined when a crystal face back was installed, ie fake is so bad it can easily be spotted. I am mistaken on that assumption.

So, in other words:

Stewart H · May 5, 2015

With that quality of fake around (bracelet aside) I'm glad I bought mine new, from an AD. Better to lose 30% in depreciation than 95% on a fake.

Archer · May 5, 2015

cuts33
I read the purported serial # differently and it matches the one on photos you can find online if you search for replicas.

Care to share the number??

Taddyangle · May 5, 2015

@yinzerniner - lol on the video.

Overall, I think this is quite DISTURBING to see this level of quality for a replica....

Huge problem for the industry and for Omega. Not sure how Omega would even address these types of replicas.

Event horizon · May 5, 2015

eBay the natural home of scammers, blaggards and ba$!@€d$, having just spunked away £000s on the real thing I feel like I've been sexually abused and not in the way I normally like.

dsio · May 5, 2015

The movement is probably the biggest tell, every detail just looks totally wrong and if you pull up a pic of a real one you see just how many things are off. Unsurprisingly they've hidden all angles of the balance and escapement with the rotor as well as that's probably even worse than the rest of it.

chickenman26 · May 5, 2015

Archer
Care to share the number??

Al,
I used a photo program to tweak the colors and contrast till I could see it pretty clearly. It appears to be either 88510188 or 88510198. Having said that, the number is on the lug upside down compared to genuine ones shown on this forum. Also, the opposite lug should have the words Stainless Steel on it...it doesn't. The lug surface has a slight ripple finish, and not the typical smooth surface on the real ones.

Stu

chickenman26 · May 5, 2015

High bidder at $3550 retracted his bid. Maybe word is getting out

Taddyangle · May 5, 2015

seller stopped responding to my messages. I sent at least two more asking for items like a serial number and a better pic to include the balance wheel.

trama · May 5, 2015

chickenman26 is right about the serial number being upside down. In general, the printing all over is thick and crappy (the real article is not printed, it is deeply etched and pigment filled). Actually, the thing is totally crap looking to me, real asspoo, bracelet aside (it's really a bad bracelet). The gap and angle difference between the crystal/inner ring and bezel is almost comical. The thing is, I own one and wear it daily. So good luck all, this forum is a fantastic resource.

My advice is to avoid dealing with eBarf at all costs, and stick with marketplaces such as this little heaven we have here!

Privateday7 · May 5, 2015

Taddyangle
@yinzerniner - lol on the video.

Overall, I think this is quite DISTURBING to see this level of quality for a replica....

Huge problem for the industry and for Omega. Not sure how Omega would even address these types of replicas.

I think it is not only Omega. Rolex is certainly the biggest victim. You will be hard pressed to distinguish real and fake Submariner (Probably highest selling rolex) Even with ceramic bezel. Panerais are the next With very high level of similarity. AP RO and ROO are also quite popular fake that are difficult to differentiate by common guy. Only Nautilus in popular line up that those fakers still unable to produce convinvingly.

redpcar · May 5, 2015

Reported. If everyone here reports it, it should get pulled.............

cuts33 · May 5, 2015

Archer
Care to share the number??

I read it as 88510198.

I saw photos of several fakes (they acknowledged as much) and all had this same serial number.

chickenman26 · May 5, 2015

redpcar
Reported. If everyone here reports it, it should get pulled.............

Done.

maxtor71 · May 6, 2015

That's crazy, I've seen a genuine SM300 a few times but you really have to look at this copy to see the difference. Very worrying.

Max

repoman · May 6, 2015

I reported it right after ash posted the thread.... ebay just doesn't listen sometimes. I will have to admit, this replica caused me to double-take at first... clever photography is a big reason though, the pictures are just fuzzy enough, and at just the right angles to make you think, but the bracelet is utter crap, the movement and the caseback pass the initial smell test but on further examination are just off in every respect. The dial has more "pointy" dial plots than the real thing, and again, fit/finish is just off.

These Chinese knockoffs piss me off, but not nearly as much as the scumbags selling them on ebay as the real thing.

Geo! · May 6, 2015

Taddyangle
Overall, I think this is quite unbelievable to see this level of quality for a replica, given that the cost is probably around $300-350.

I assumed that replicas could be easily be determined when a crystal face back was installed, ie fake is so bad it can easily be spotted. I am mistaken on that assumption.

I have to agree with you here!

Fer Seamaster · May 6, 2015

I think this is worrying... As far as I knew, this kind of fake watches were rated "AAA replicas" but you had clues to spot them at a glance... In this case I have had to look at it twice, it seems the bracelet is coming from a not-so-skilled supplier. So for untrained eyes this is going to be a dangerours investment. No words on the b_ _ _ard selling that as original. Only comparable to scammers in sale forums.

PatrickJ · May 6, 2015

The only sure way to buy a real omega is to go to an omega owned store.

Even authorised dealers could be dealing in grey market or very high end fakes. If they can cover it or there is a doubt how do you know. At worst they will apologise, pleased ignorance and offer a refund. This is unlikely but possible, grey market is more probable.

Spike · May 6, 2015

Taddyangle
Overall, I think this is quite unbelievable to see this level of quality for a replica, given that the cost is probably around $300-350.

I assumed that replicas could be easily be determined when a crystal face back was installed, ie fake is so bad it can easily be spotted. I am mistaken on that assumption.

Has anyone been to Turkey recently and seen and held these knock off watches?

I go to Bodrum in South West Turkey once or twice a year for a holiday and since my interest in watches has grown over the last couple of years I always look in the shop windows just for curiosity and quite frankly amazement at what they have for sale advertised as ‘replicas’ or better still ‘genuine fakes’!

Last summer the owner dragged me in so I could ‘see better’ and tried to tell me that the watches that he had (100 or more) along one wall were top quality Swiss watches. When he saw what I was wearing, he quickly changed his approach and said that he had some watches that would interest me more. He closed the shop up, took me into a back room and took a large picture off the wall to expose a recess and around a couple of dozen ‘Rolex’ & ‘Omega’ watches.

These he said contained eta movements sourced from an ‘official’ factory in China that produces eta movements for some of the Swiss manufacturers. The other parts of the watches were sourced from the factories in Switzerland and shipped to Turkey in parts where they are assembled by Turkish workers trained by retired employees of Omega, Rolex and the like.

As anyone will vouch who has come across me on this Forum, I’m no expert, but these watches had a look and feel about them that seemed ‘right’ compared to the cheaper offerings in the main shop. The cost of these varied from around £250-350 compared to around £75-100 for the non eta movement fakes.

Could we really be dealing with genuine eta movements with genuine Swiss parts sourced from Switzerland, the only difference being that they are assembled in Turkey?

A frightening thought for anyone willing to buy a new expensive watch anywhere other than an official AD.