The problem with fake watches....

[coxyhog]

https://news.sky.com/story/men-jailed-after-fake-rolex-assault-which-left-victim-without-eye-13140285

[Pumpuynarak]

I sold my genuine Rolex before retiring to Thailand, i just could'nt see the point in having a real Rolex when everyone would automatically think its a fake TIT plus if the locals knew it was genuine (virtually impossible to tell without knowledge and when its on somebody's wrist) they would cut your arm off for it lol

I'm now very happy to have 12 fake Rolex/Omega watches in my collection, they are eagerly awaiting my two sons/friends arrival or my visit and they will take their pic lol

I love good looking watches (my opinion), here's 10 of them......apologies for the pic quality.

 

Edited May 21, 2024 by Pumpuynarak

[Toy Boy]

I bought a cheap Casio G-Shock from Lazada a year or so ago. Well, cheap is relative, it still cost me around 1,200 Baht. I wasn't very taken with it as it was so obviously fake, and I stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it. A few months ago, I was clearing some stuff out and came across it, so I thought I might as well chuck it out, but first I'd check if it was still working. I was surprised to find that it keeps excellent time, the stopwatch function works great and the backlight's OK too. None of the other fancy stuff works, of course, but just the fact that it keeps perfect time was enough to convince me to keep it. The GF is half blind, as well as being a half wit, lol, and likes a large watch so I gave it to her as a present and she loves it. She wouldn't use any of the fancy functions anyway, even if they worked, so in the end it wasn't a complete waste of money, though I could have got something else suitable a lot cheaper, I'm sure.

[Jambo]

When I first started to do trips to Thailand I always paid a visit to "The Watch Lady" who had a very busy shop within the market in Pattaya Tai.

 

In addition to buying a new moody watch for myself each trip I usually took at least a couple of "Rolex" watches back to the UK to give as Christmas presents. Always very well received.

I made sure that my Boss at the time saw a shiny new Rolex displayed on my wrist. He was an absolute snob and actually asked me how I could afford a Rolex. 🤣

One of my first watches from the "Watch Lady" , some 20 years old, stopped working for good only a couple of months ago. It kept perfect time and although battered and bruised worked every day only stopping when I needed to replace the battery. One thing I noticed was that batteries lasted much longer years ago. Planned obsolescence in action in modern times!

I also used to take back as presents "golfing" brand name polo shirts from "Mikes" which were at least as good quality as the "real" expensive ones sold in the UK. Not surprising as in those days many of those sold in the UK were manufactured in Thailand.

I wonder if the "Watch Lady" is still in business? A casualty of Covid?

[Nightcrawler]

How much much is a fake Rolex these days? Over the years I have only bought a couple of watches in Thailand and neither of them lasted more than two months. They looked the business but I am more interred in them actually keeping time than their looks. 

[boydeste]

14 hours ago, coxyhog said:

https://news.sky.com/story/men-jailed-after-fake-rolex-assault-which-left-victim-without-eye-13140285

I don't think it is just watches, wearing any expensive looking jewellery these days can make you a target methinks.

[Stillearly]

38 minutes ago, Nightcrawler said:

How much much is a fake Rolex these days? Over the years I have only bought a couple of watches in Thailand and neither of them lasted more than two months. They looked the business but I am more interred in them actually keeping time than their looks. 

It varies depending on the quality ... from THB 1k to THB 20,000+ 

Mr Jacks on Soi Baukhao is usually recommended as the best in Pattaya , he will have all the grades available 

 

[coxyhog]

About 20 years ago I went to adjust the time on my 20yo Seiko on landing in Bangkok & the winder came off so I went to Robinsons & bought a Casio for I think 1800b but not sure.

The ten year battery was just that & it's replacement(done in the UK) is still going strong.

In 1990 I bought a nice Tudor in Amsterdam duty free when I was very drunk & that's still going,albeit after I got it repaired in Hatton Garden a couple of years ago.Trouble is it looks like a gold Rolex so I very rarely wear it.

They valued it at around £2k.

Edited May 21, 2024 by coxyhog

[Phantom51red]

I've never had much luck with them tbh,always got a rash on wrist,or strap would break,just stop working all together,I'd buybthe 1000 batters tho from shop at end soi bukhou.

In the end I started selling them at work,but one guy complained couldn't get it to fit him so couldn't be done with the hassle.

Now just wear a cheapo from lazada,has temp,height,ect and time and has lasted 5 months so far ,doesn't stop when not worn for a while either,if it does will just buy another 1200bht.

[Pumpuynarak]

16 hours ago, Jambo said:

I wonder if the "Watch Lady" is still in business? A casualty of Covid?

I believe so if you're talking about the lady very near to Mr Jacks. I don't personally source my watches as my mate who lives in Pattaya does, i just send him a pic and info of what i'm after and he goes and gets for me. He really rates the ''Watch Lady'' and always sources from her and not Mr Jacks.

I've bought my collection over 15 years and just replace those i give away. My longest survivor is my black face Submariner as i've had it for 15 years and it cost 4500bht. I obviously don't wear them all just the ones i really like. I had very few problems with them and getting them repaired has never been a problem. I have a local watch repairer here in Korat and he charges circa 4/500bht according to what is wrong.

I love good looking watches and will match them with what i'm wearing lol

[Pumpuynarak]

My latest purchases, the 2nd one in from the right is the latest Cosmograph and its valued at over £60K if you are lucky enough to get/find a GENUINE one lol

[Pumpuynarak]

I should add that from time to time i check all watches to see if they are still working and telling the correct time.

Did so a couple of days ago and all are fine

[Yessongs]

Nice collection Cliff...well done. 

[maipenrai]

I haven't worn a wrist watch for so many years that I don't feel comfortable with them on my arm now - then again I wear no other jewelry or accessory items either, got out of the habit from working around too much electricity and machinery in my youth; if I want to know the time I just look at my phone or wall clocks here and there. 

[Toy Boy]

When I first moved to Pattaya, I bought a diamond-studded gold Rolex from a beach vendor in Jomtien. Absolutely stunning piece of work, but the damn thing would only go for around 6 hours, and then it stopped and had to be wound up again. In 2007, I wore it to my niece's wedding in Margam and I was well aware of the envious looks I was getting off people who noticed my glitzy timepiece. They must have thought I was super-successful and wealthy, instead of a penniless Thai beach bum, lol.

[Pumpuynarak]

54 minutes ago, Toy Boy said:

When I first moved to Pattaya, I bought a diamond-studded gold Rolex from a beach vendor in Jomtien. Absolutely stunning piece of work, but the damn thing would only go for around 6 hours, and then it stopped and had to be wound up again. In 2007, I wore it to my niece's wedding in Margam and I was well aware of the envious looks I was getting off people who noticed my glitzy timepiece. They must have thought I was super-successful and wealthy, instead of a penniless Thai beach bum, lol.

Love it, when its on your wrist nobody and i mean nobody can tell its a fake, its not till you take it off and pass it around that the experts/well informed can tell its a fake and how many Rolex experts are likely to be in your company ?

I always tell em its a fake if anyone is interested.

[Pumpuynarak]

My real Rolex Oyster Perpetual two tone i bought in 1995 retail cost £3150 which when i asked the Rolex dealer in Torquay how much discount he would give me for cash he replied ''I'm not supposed to discount but if you promise not to tell anyone i'll knock £500 off''........the deal was done.

I then sold it on Ebay in 2007 to a chap on the Isle of Wight for £1650, silly of me really i should have given it to me son but which one lol

It was a great looking watch imo

Edited May 22, 2024 by Pumpuynarak

[Trip]

I worked for a corporation that gave out Rolex Presidents with 18k gold bands for 25-year service anniversaries. You got a choice of a Rolex or a few other awards, including a $6k gift certificate for computer equipment. This was back circa 2010 or so.

Part of my job was to make Award presentations and host Award dinners and beforehand provide advice/guidance to awardees. About half the time I was trying to convince folks to stick with the Rolex instead of the $6k computer voucher because of Moore's Law, i.e., PC power generally doubled every few years while price fell 50% or so.

When my time came, I stuck with the Rolex and extra large gold band lol. That thing is worth $25k now, if you can find one. Wonder how useful those 20-year old computers are?

 

[uhrfreak]

There is no luxury item that you can wear that burns as little money as with mechanical wristwatches.