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Need your help! I bought a fake 'genuine' 16610

BROGG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
7/1/21
31
8
0
Berthoud, Colorado
So here is the story:

I got in to the replica game about a year ago and bought the ARF 116610. I had a few issues with it such as the pip falling off and the hour hand getting hung up and being slightly off. I had the hour hand reset twice before I decided to put in a gen 2824 eta movement. Anyway, I decided I liked wearing the rep so much that it was time for a genuine. I ended up pulling the trigger on a 16610 circa 2006 off chrono24 from a trusted dealer, $8500 plus tax to my door (No box or papers). I get the watch and take it to my watch guy to get a link taken out and also pop the case back off to check it out. He said it looked good, but there was some debris in it. I decided I would take it to my AD to have them send it in to RSC in Dallas to get fully serviced. I was hesitant to send it in because everything was in such nice physical condition that I didn't want them to over polish it. However, it was gaining almost 20 seconds a day so I thought it does need to go in, plus I wanted legit paperwork for resale if I ever decided to upgrade. I gave the okay for $1100 in whatever repairs it may need. They said 8 weeks to get it back. I got a call from my AD today after 3 weeks and they said Rolex just over nighted it and that it was a fake! Anyway, the guy I bought it from apologized up and down and is giving all my money back. I do feel like he is being honest and he is on his way to talk to the people he got it from. The business has been around for 30 years and he has tons of great local and chrono24 reviews. Im very embarrassed to put my AD through this and I hope he doesn't think I was trying to pull a fast one on anybody. I did ask if he would be willing to let me trade it in on 121660 before I sent it in. Very embarrassing now! Anyway, here are some pics. Can you help me figure out if this is the new arf 5 digit or what. I'm sorry I don't have the pics of the caseback off.
 

Hazing

And So It Begins... Again
9/5/19
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Most trusted sellers, this is their worst nightmare. We've seen this happen on TRF and other sites and you're so lucky you had Rolex saying it's not genuine.

I've seen people get their watch and post pics where it's confirmed its a rep and the seller takes a stand and says "I didn't sell you a rep. I'd never do that. The watch is old you is genuine gfy" and then Rolex comes out and says it's not gen and they're all like "were so sorry".

But the bottom line is I think most sellers with any type of reputation stand behind their product. That's the importance of going with a good seller.



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BROGG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
7/1/21
31
8
0
Berthoud, Colorado
Yeah I'm glad I sent it in to Rolex and also glad I bought it off Chrono24 with a credit card. I called the guy and he is just as embarrassed and sick over it as I am. He is going to keep me posted on what he finds out, but I am getting my money back. I do have Chrono24 to back me up as well, so that's a safety net too. I'm just shook up because I took it to my guy and he said it looked good. If I were doing a CL sale and my guy said it looked good then I would have bought it and no doubt been out the $8500. I will always use a credit card to buy and make sure there are multiple safety nets and always send it in to Rolex no matter how recently it was serviced in the future.

To be honest I was a little underwhelmed on the bezel rotation and also the gritty feeling of winding it. I've never had a gen, but thought it should be better.
 

XpanzerX

I'm Pretty Popular
19/8/17
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Looks like a TC KH dial. The white hour markers aren’t brighter like gen. Besides that’s it’s basically 1-1 to Gen. that’s what made the TCs so great and yet so terrible to the real market.


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Hazing

And So It Begins... Again
9/5/19
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I hate to even ask but do you get to keep the watch? What did you have to provide the seller? Was it just simply a phone call or did you have to send something in writing? And what did you get from Rolex? Did they send you anything other than the watch back? If so, can you post it? Just please black out any personal details.
 

McDuck888

🌞
22/2/17
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Try not to feel embarrassed though. ;)
If I was the AD, I have a feeling I’d only be very grateful to you, for you having given me a nudge to have a much keener eye for future stock purchases - renewed skills and experiences. Yada yada. I think I’d be very grateful that you’d discovered that. You could potentially have stopped them being ‘lazier’ with their eye on purchases, or saved them from a chain of much bigger financial worries if they’d continued to receive any bogus stock. Or, Who the heck knows.
But you did a good job. Don’t feel bad.

Are the lugs a little bit polished on this?
 

eazye

I'm Pretty Popular
9/1/13
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Totally worked case. The lugs are too thick and rounded on top, and then the CG too thin. Sorry to hear man. Glad it’s going to work out tho.
 

BROGG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
7/1/21
31
8
0
Berthoud, Colorado
I'm going to pick up the watch tomorrow from the AD. I will definitely post the paper work that I get from RSC. I'm sending the watch back to the business I bought it from so he will be able to get his money back or maybe for evidence and what not. He has the serial number and I'm sure he wants to verify that against the watch I send back. The AD said Rolex used to dispose of ANY fake they received, but recently starting sending them back for legal reasons. This was supposed to be my first gen and I'm sort of bummed on the whole deal.
 

BROGG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
7/1/21
31
8
0
Berthoud, Colorado
I'm not for sure how polished or brushed the lugs should be. They didn't really seem to have a machined brush look though, I'm sure it has been 'worked'.
 

johloo

Renowned Member
Patron
14/3/17
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oh man thats a crappy experience but glad they're sorting this out for you. Is the movement at least gen? If not, very surprised your watch guy who popped open the back didn't catch that even if it was a VR 3135 the balance and the mounting tabs on movement would be an instant tell.

i've had a few JF 16610's and the chubby lugs + stubby crown guards in the photos remind me very much of the JF reps. what is the serial? i believe the JF subs were all engraved with M serials.
 
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BROGG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
7/1/21
31
8
0
Berthoud, Colorado
I'll have to grab the serial number when I get it tomorrow. The chrono24 paperwork didn't have it on there and I never took the strap off to look at the serial number. The AD and RSC have the number though and so does the guy I bought it from. Ill have the guy I bought it from send me the number he has before I send back the watch to make sure everybody is clear on the watch in question. I do have the strap code however.
 

BROGG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
7/1/21
31
8
0
Berthoud, Colorado
I'm not for sure on the movement, but when I took it to my guy he pointed out a few things that are usually a tell tale on the movement and said this looked legit. The little info I got on the phone from the AD it sounded like the serial number was placed wrong and not a good number. Ill keep everyone posted.
 

p0pperini

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Wow, this is a really interesting story, thanks for sharing it with us BROGG. It's a valuable warning to those in the market for a gen - you really need to get your "no papers" watch checked out by Rolex (or experts from the leading authority on rep/gen tells... RWI!).

I'm not for sure on the movement, but when I took it to my guy he pointed out a few things that are usually a tell tale on the movement and said this looked legit. The little info I got on the phone from the AD it sounded like the serial number was placed wrong and not a good number. Ill keep everyone posted.

The super-crisp dial print looks like gen to me (possibly TC). But it could be a JF based Franken with gen dial, insert, crown, probably running on a VR3135 with a gen DW, and that's why it fooled everyone till it got to Rolex.

I'm reassured by this story that it's really unlikely I'll ever get called out on any of mine... :)
 

Dizzy

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Knowing RSC, it could be one or more non-genuine parts on the watch and they will refuse to service it. Could be a Gen movement with an aftermarket case or dial and they won’t touch it. If it was 100% replica like a JF or something, I doubt they would send it back to you.
 
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StreetFighter

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I don’t think it’s JF, JF clasp code was E06 also JF had huge wide chamfers on the lugs, this looks to have had the chamfers removed or it didn’t have any to begin with. The CG’s look like JF (short and stumpy) but so are ARF and TC. I dont know how that got passed a so called TD, it’s a very obvious rep.
 
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focus66

Active Member
19/8/12
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I doubt they would send it back to you.

I really cannot imagine a private company simply attempting to expropriate you if it is a fake and they dont like that. Rolex is not a government run swiss enforcement agency. They still have to comply with the legal standards of the country they are operating in. They would get sued all over.
 
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StreetFighter

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Of course they’ll give it back. How would duped buyers or law enforcement move forward if they didn’t??? Ffs...
 

focus66

Active Member
19/8/12
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Yep. What would be next then? Rolex officers being called in on someone who was spotted wearing a rep? "Show me you f*ckin' wrists! Drop the watch! Don't do this! Drop it, drop it n.. -Bang Bang Bang - shots fired"
 

StreetFighter

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Yep. What would be next then? Rolex officers being called in on someone who was spotted wearing a rep? "Show me you f*ckin' wrists! Drop the watch! Don't do this! Drop it, drop it n.. -Bang Bang Bang - shots fired"

:laugh: