This Fake Omega Seamaster Is Unbelievable | Watchfinder & Co.

whiskeredbat · Feb 3, 2020

Reading through my post perhaps I was a bit harsh saying the sellers can get nasty - pushy would be a better word. And these comes from the spotters as they work on a commission. When visiting these countries and you are accosted do not put them down as the bottom feeders most fake sellers are. I had a wonderful time talking watches with a seller in Vietnam (over whiskies and cigars, he was partial to JW Gold Label and the Bolivars I brought along😀). He knew stuff with the best out there. Any education is priceless. Just tell the sellers upfront you didn't bring your CC or enough cash and will consider a purchase later. Their buyers are people with deep pockets.
Never bought a fake or franken watch but speaking with these watchmakers I have a deep appreciation of how much time they have invested in studying watches. The more I delve into the watch world the stranger it seems. But, hey, whatever floats your boat. And it beats visiting a sterile AD any day.
Will write about Hong Kong and a solid gold (not so fake) Daytona next.

Stay well brothers and sisters.

imranbecks · Feb 3, 2020

Dedalus05
Not the most trustworthy source

Believe it or not, it is a fake. The pic is a QC photo sent to buyers to ensure the watch looks ok before they pack and send it out. That's how the replica buying game works now. I'd give you a link, but i don't think that's allowed here, so yeah.

Dedalus05 · Feb 3, 2020

imranbecks
Believe it or not, it is a fake. The pic is a QC photo sent to buyers to ensure the watch looks ok before they pack and send it out. That's how the replica buying game works now. I'd give you a link, but i don't think that's allowed here, so yeah.

That is absolutely astonishing. So not fakers anymore, bloody forgers. And taking pride in their work!!!

I shall be flying to Bienne personally for my next new Omega.

imranbecks · Feb 3, 2020

Dedalus05
That is absolutely astonishing. So not fakers anymore, bloody forgers. And taking pride in their work!!!

I shall be flying to Bienne personally for my next new Omega.

Its been going on for years now if you buy from a trusted replica dealer. It isn't exactly a secret. How it works is let's say you order the replica you want, make payment, then they will email you photos of the watch they would be sending out to you so you can check for any irregularities such as a misaligned bezel or an imperfection on the dial etc. If all is ok on the watch, let them know and they'll proceed with mailing it out.

Just buy from an AD or boutique if in doubt. Simple really.

rahul718 · Feb 3, 2020

If a METAS watch gets picked up on Omega's online registry by serial # and access code, is it safe to assume it's NOT a fake? What's stopping a counterfeiter from buying a real METAS watch and using that same SN and Access Code to make clones? To that extent, whoever they sell the fake one to would be able to lookup the METAS results online, thereby assuming it's authentic. Unless the omega site restricts a SN and Access Code from being registered more than once online?

I hope my question is actually a question and some don't interpret it as a way to help counterfeiters; that's certainly not the intention. I'm just trying to find quick ways for the community to authenticate a METAS watch if they don't have access to an OB or AD.

cvalue13 · Feb 3, 2020

Dedalus05
Forgive me, but I'm a little incredulous. Are we sure that is a "super clone"? I wouldn't trust photos from a replica website to actually represent what they're selling - in other words I wouldn't put it past them to show a picture of the real thing but sell you something inferior. It is their raison d'être after all.

it’s a fair point, and you’d have to judge for yourself the broader context in which I found these. I’m a fair bit incredulous by nature, and found the totality of it all credible. For example, it’s not from a sales site; it’s from a forum section full of people who collect/critique such “replicas”; and regarding both the dial and movement of this same watch, the poster of the photos, together with the forum members, were all critiquing the subtle flaws, which they all hoped to be corrected in future version 4 of this manufacture’s watch.

cvalue13 · Feb 3, 2020

vitriol
Do you know how balance looks like in this “super clone"?

a good bit off track now of the thread, but I suppose relevant to whether/when to trust - that said, the situation in the topic of this thread appeared to be even less thought through, as the guy even sent the wrong box for a Daytona, so I can’t say if the fake watch itself was of any quality (apparently a neighbor had the actual watch, so they were able to do a side-by-side comparison?)

That said and to round out your question, aside from what can be seen in that photo, I haven’t found a better photo of the clone 8507. But here’s what appears to be the same manufacture’s version of the clone 8500 - no clue if it’s better or worse than the clone 8507

vitriol · Feb 4, 2020

Thanks @cvalue13
So it happen to have balance stud, just attached from the wrong side.
And this second lever - looks like this is balance with regulator.

ExpiredWatchdog · Feb 4, 2020

^^ I've seen that on a YouTube vid about a superfake Daytona. It was a match to a high order, not a floater, down to the fine quality of the chamfers. The one obvious tell was the regulator pins. One clue I read is the affinity for eights in the serial number, considered lucky by the Chinese.

Archer · Feb 4, 2020

vitriol
And this second lever - looks like this is balance with regulator.

Yes...very obvious sign of a fake. If these guys on forums are discussing the "subtle flaws" and not talking about the obvious issues like this, I'm not too worried about getting fooled by one of these.

cvalue13 · Feb 4, 2020

Archer
Yes...very obvious sign of a fake. If these guys on forums are discussing the "subtle flaws" and not talking about the obvious issues like this, I'm not too worried about getting fooled by one of these.

I thought that despite the attempted brevity in the post there was sufficient enough to imply (on any generous reading) that they talk about “even the most subtle flaws,“ and obviously also talk about ”obvious issues”...

in any event, while I’m sure these folks would love to eventually fool an Omega-certified watchmaker, they’re probably satisfied enough with something short of that ... for now

Archer · Feb 4, 2020

cvalue13
in any event, while I’m sure these folks would love to eventually fool an Omega-certified watchmaker, they’re probably satisfied enough with something short of that ... for now

You don't need to be a watchmaker of any kind to spot these things...you just need to educate yourself on some basics.

If you understand what a free sprung balance is, this isn't going to fool you...and it's the same "flaw" that many fake movements from many brands have, and have had for years. Like the "super clone" Rolex movements:

Fixing this is infinitely more difficult than say, correcting fonts on a dial, because this requires real watchmaking to get right.

You can sit back and be scared of these "super clone" watches, and swear never to buy from anyone but an AD, even though according to some AD's sell fakes. 🙄

Or, you can educate yourself - knowledge is power.

I prefer the latter.

Cheers, Al

cvalue13 · Feb 4, 2020

Archer
even though according to some AD's sell fakes.

c’mon, brother Archer! - strawmen are beneath us!

You and I 100% agree that folks should educate themselves, be vigilant, and appropriately suspect. And (like I myself aspire), continue to learn.

we may only disagree at the tiniest of margins: when purchasing “old” watches from a “big box” watch reseller that hires kids who may know diddly (or who themselves may be unscrupulous), I don’t take the fact that they’re an incidental AD of a brand as gospel that I no longer need to be vigilant and appropriately suspect. (Especially if something else seems off about a particular watch, the specific big box store has a 2 star yelp rating, and is reported to be having its Rolex AD status yanked by the brand...)

I respect that you disagree with the above, and I’ll especially even continue waiting to learn how my view is SO wildly wrong it’s worthy of sarcastic strawmen...

Archer · Feb 4, 2020

cvalue13
You and I 100% agree that folks should educate themselves, be vigilant, and appropriately suspect. And (like I myself aspire), continue to learn.

And that's all I've tried to do on this subject.

vitriol · Feb 5, 2020

I took Watchfinder's serial and ran a number of tangible cross-tests.
Probably easier to show it in graphical.

a) - c) are no surprises,
d) is interesting as here we have the data of two (the same ref.) real watches, just mixed data. You can see METAS works only if particular code is used with serial number of the particular watch.

imranbecks · Feb 6, 2020

By the way, AD's don't sell fakes. Period.

mk2rick · Feb 6, 2020

vitriol
I took Watchfinder's serial and ran a number of tangible cross-tests.
Probably easier to show it in graphical.

a) - c) are no surprises,
d) is interesting as here we have the data of two (the same ref.) real watches, just mixed data. You can see METAS works only if particular code is used with serial number of the particular watch.

Wow this is next level analysis ! Cool!

snunez · Feb 6, 2020

Archer
You don't need to be a watchmaker of any kind to spot these things...you just need to educate yourself on some basics.

If you understand what a free sprung balance is, this isn't going to fool you...and it's the same "flaw" that many fake movements from many brands have, and have had for years. Like the "super clone" Rolex movements:

Fixing this is infinitely more difficult than say, correcting fonts on a dial, because this requires real watchmaking to get right.

So can someone point out the flaw in the free sprung balance?

On a related note, a "How to spot a fake" sticky thread would be very useful. If anyone know of one, please post.

RARJ · Feb 6, 2020

I recently purchased a counterfeit PO GMT black/white bezel (accidentally - I was duped by an eBay seller who claims they didn't know either). Luckily I've owned a number of POs so I know how they wind, how the edges of the bracelet feel, how thick the warranty cards are and the way the holograms are applied, all the subtle nuances otherwise I would have been none the wiser.

The watch even had the new NAIAD lock on the back of the case. Scary stuff. Really helps to "buy" the seller and use a form of payment that's protected against fraud.

Archer · Feb 6, 2020

snunez
So can someone point out the flaw in the free sprung balance?

On a related note, a "How to spot a fake" sticky thread would be very useful. If anyone know of one, please post.

A free spring balance will not need regulating pins, so there will only be one “arm” on the balance bridge, not two...

This Fake Omega Seamaster Is Unbelievable | Watchfinder & Co.

whiskeredbat

imranbecks

Dedalus05

imranbecks

rahul718

cvalue13

cvalue13

vitriol

ExpiredWatchdog

Archer

cvalue13

Archer

cvalue13

Archer

vitriol

imranbecks

mk2rick

snunez

RARJ

Archer

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