A few months back I reported on a visit to Santee Alley in downtown L.A: a three block area of hole-in-the-wall stalls infamous for selling various fakes – clothes, handbags, and watches.
I won’t go into some of the details of that prior report, but you can view it here if you like:
http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/...s-42277?t=42277&highlight=report+santee+alley
In that last visit, there were no fewer than 10 vendors with large display cases of many fake brand watches. On this last visit, right after Christmas, only three vendors were visible and their inventory had been reduced by two thirds.
A vendor I do business with there, a certain Mr. N, explained that the LAPD had been cracking down lately, and that he himself had been briefly arrested and his inventory confiscated. He had lost his original stall and had taken a small space in another. As I spoke to him his eyes were constantly scanning the walkway.
There were no Rolexes to be seen. I saw a few Hublots and the routine Panerais. However, an Omega Seamaster, $80, caught my eye. I liked the looks of it. The ‘leather’ band was marked Patek as was the buckle itself. After we spoke about the watch for a while, he reduced the price to $70 and I bought it. Mr. N is a good vendor and will always take back a watch I am not satisfied with. After keeping it a few days I found that it kept excellent time, gaining at most 3 secs a day. Taking off the case back I found an unmarked automatic movement with a cheapo plastic retainer – as one would expect. But it looks great and hopefully will run for a few years.
I haven't posted pics on the revamped site. If there is a better way please advise.
James9
http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/Bagtooth/?action=view¤t=Omega1.jpg
http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/Bagtooth/?action=view¤t=Omega2.jpg
http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/Bagtooth/?action=view¤t=Omega3.jpg
I won’t go into some of the details of that prior report, but you can view it here if you like:
http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/...s-42277?t=42277&highlight=report+santee+alley
In that last visit, there were no fewer than 10 vendors with large display cases of many fake brand watches. On this last visit, right after Christmas, only three vendors were visible and their inventory had been reduced by two thirds.
A vendor I do business with there, a certain Mr. N, explained that the LAPD had been cracking down lately, and that he himself had been briefly arrested and his inventory confiscated. He had lost his original stall and had taken a small space in another. As I spoke to him his eyes were constantly scanning the walkway.
There were no Rolexes to be seen. I saw a few Hublots and the routine Panerais. However, an Omega Seamaster, $80, caught my eye. I liked the looks of it. The ‘leather’ band was marked Patek as was the buckle itself. After we spoke about the watch for a while, he reduced the price to $70 and I bought it. Mr. N is a good vendor and will always take back a watch I am not satisfied with. After keeping it a few days I found that it kept excellent time, gaining at most 3 secs a day. Taking off the case back I found an unmarked automatic movement with a cheapo plastic retainer – as one would expect. But it looks great and hopefully will run for a few years.
I haven't posted pics on the revamped site. If there is a better way please advise.
James9
http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/Bagtooth/?action=view¤t=Omega1.jpg
http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/Bagtooth/?action=view¤t=Omega2.jpg
http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/Bagtooth/?action=view¤t=Omega3.jpg
Hello Cybee!