Forum question...

After reading Jack's very informative posts I was just wondering if anyone on this forum has unknowingly purchased or was tempted to purchase a fake IWC and, if so, how the fake was found? I realize it might seem embarrassing to admit this but it could help other members avoid a scam.
Obviously, from Jack's posts, IWC and others are very serious about finding ways to address this problem. My own ignorance with respect to the watches he illustrated just makes me that much more vigilant in dealing with anyone other than a legit AD.

I more than ever will only buy at an AD

As I only like new watches there is no problem for me here. I have never encoutered somebody who wanted to sell a watch to me, and I would never buy such a watch: I do not believe in bargains that come out of the blue, and I only buy what I myself really plan to have. Hopefully this is good enough.

Kind regards,
Paul, wearing real titan Inge Automatic

I'm sorry...

...I've never purchased a fake.
By this time, the forum should know that I'm a proud owner of only one IWC (3717) which I bought from my AD! :-)

Nicola

Never ever,....

The very frightening thing about these fakes is, that they are really fooling so called "specialists"
A friend of my mother bought once a Rado fake in Turkey.
I had a look at it and , even though I am not into Rado at all I couldn't make up any difference from a real one.
And now listen to that: As the batterie went off, she ask me to get it fixed. I told her as it was a fake I would through it in the bin and buy something decent. She went to a local AD (who has Rado) and they changed the battreie without noticing anything.

As it suits the theme.
Check out the Big Ingenieur above

Greetings
Jan
ps. I show you the back later

I have seen too many

fakes in a recent trip from all the makers including IWC and I only regret that I did not take any photos. I was never tempted to get a fake Alan. Since I own IWC for my pleasure and not to show off like most of the collectors here. Thanks for the interesting topic.

Argiris

A fake? NEVER !!!....

I think to buy a fake watch is like trying to foolish your own self. I like to know that I did an important effort to buy an expensive watch that worth what I pay for. And I enjoy remembering this when I see it on my wrist. With a fake, no matter how good it is, you will ever know it isn’t real. What are you going to do? Pretend it is original and try to cheat everyone and become your self a liar? Openly accept it is a fake and the fact that you enjoy pretending with other people it is real?

I learned this lesson at 17, when I bought a fake Rolex Sub. Initially, I liked people looking to my watch, then I felt bad knowing I was cheating them, finally I ended furious with my self and threw away the watch. At the age of 20, after saving some bucks, I bought my first true watch (I mean mechanical and from an original high-end brand), it was a Longines Admiral, I still have it and, even though it now doesn’t look so glamorous, I still enjoy it and wear it with proud.

[](s484.photobucket.com/albums/rr210/Mat-Vill/?action=view¤t=long.jpg)

[](s484.photobucket.com/albums/rr210/Mat-Vill/?action=view¤t=longii-1.jpg)

Since then, I have been never tempted with fake watches. But I have to admit what tempted me was the called “grey market”: internet sites that claim to sell original watches with big discounts (15% to 65%) and accept they are not ADs. But even I thought about it, I have never got the risk. The idea to put such a bunch of money on an internet based seller and wait for a FedEx box with a prayer in your mouth keep me away from this. I always buy from officially certificated ADs. And after these series of posts I better definitely forget about the “grey market”.

Sorry, I phrased my question the wrong...

way. I did not mean to imply that someone would INTENTIONALLY buy a fake. The question is were you ever tempted to buy a watch that you subsequently learned was fake? Factoring in Jack's admonitions in posts below I think it is more likely that someone on the forum was tempted to buy a watch he (or she) thought was real but was not sure so passed on the deal. Anyone out there?

Goodness, is that also a fake?....

I am no specialist on the big ing, but the dial detail is amazing if it is a fake.

another detail of the BI...

I had the same reaction...we'll soon see. nt

No...I only deal with ADs or 2nd hand dealers of

the highest reputation.
--
Cheers from Isobars.

Me too. Most of my watches were ...

purchased new from Ad's. But two were bought from really reputable dealers and in one of those cases the watch had just been serviced in Schaffhausen so I had no risk there.

You don't have to worry if you buy from here >>>

................because they are genuine!!!!! LOL

As opposed to "Fake Genuine Watches" LOL nt

Precisely!! nt

nt

Make your homework

If you have expert knowledge on various models you can buy also at a watch fair. If you do not know the brand well enough - you better go to a proper dealer

Greetings

Research is the key to avoid buying fake...

...vintage IWCs. This forum is a repository of knowledge that can and should be tapped. Michael has been invaluable in determining the authenticity and the market value of two Ref 325s I bought last year. Other members have commented on Ingenieur dials that just did not look right. I cannot speak to new watches. My only experiences are the Jubilee and the CFI. In both cases I was sure it was a safe purchase. :))

It's very worrysome

These fakes are really difficoult to spot, once I saw a fake of a vintage watch that had an original swiss eta automatic movement ( but you needed to open the watch to see that) and a perfect reproduction of an aged dial ( with all the proper writings in white and in red).
Browsing the net you can find very very close reproductions of the 3227, again very worrysome.
In my personal experience I never bought a new watch other than from an AD, and when I bought second hand watches ( I have 2 second hand IWCs and some other brands) that was only thrugh very trustworthy sources.
I don't see any other safe way of buying an expensive watch.
Ciao from Vicenza

Alex